BIM has primarily been considered for large project documentation efficiency, and smaller projects and their design processes are often neglected. This session’s goal is to show architects and allied design professionals how they inherently data-rich nature of BIM can serve smaller and design-oriented projects by refining building design to use resources like building materials more sustainably. The design techniques discussed here can lead to richer, higher-performing buildings using fewer resources. Through a series of technical vignettes, participants will see BIM in a new light: far more than an improved documentation and sharing environment reserved for large projects, BIM can improve both the efficiency of the design process and the efficiency of the design itself.

Photo credit: Photo courtesy of François Lévy | architecture + interiors pllc

Texas architect François Lévy holds an M.Arch and an MS in architectural engineering from UT Austin, where he’s taught in both the School of Architecture and Engineering, as well as at UT San Antonio and St Edward’s University. His projects have attracted national press, including Dwell Magazine and HGTV. Author of BIM for Design Firms and BIM in Small-Scale Sustainable Design, a contributor to The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice, he’s lectured widely on sustainability, BIM, and space architecture, on which he has presented at international conferences.