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Building Information Modelling (BIM) has become central to digital building planning, brining all trades together on a shared platform and creating a digital twin of the building. This enables early conflict detection, greater planning certainty and reduced costs. Yet despite these advantages, BIM adoption in practice is not running smoothly. Where are the opportunities, and what are the obstacles? Here are the answers.
BIM is a planning method in which all parties involved in the construction process combine their data on a central platform. The result is a digital twin that maps geometries, materials, technical building services and lighting design. Data quality is crucial: relevant information is more valuable than overloaded data records. In addition to geometries, a good BIM luminaire model also contains information on lighting technology, electrical engineering, materials and ordering.
For BIM to work, all parties need to work together closely. The model is regularly updated throughout the construction process and checked for clashes. This avoids errors early on and improves reliability. Another advantage: for certifications such as DGNB or LEED, much of the required data can be taken directly from the models, saving effort and costs and ensuring transparency over the entire building life cycle.
BIM has been mandatory for public construction projects in Germany since 2020. Nevertheless, the picture is mixed. While many planners recognise the benefits, they only use the method to a limited extent. Studies show around 45% of architectural firms actively use BIM, compared with around 60% of electrical installers. Barriers for architects include high investment costs, smaller project sizes and unclear benefits. In lighting design, issues with data exchange and doubts about profitability slow down implementation. Even in public projects, not all offices are familiar with the binding framework.
Refurbishment projects present a particular challenge: There is often a lack of up-to-date building plans making BIM-based planning difficult. TRILUX offers a practical solution with "BIM as a Service". Using 3D laser scanning (LIDAR) and photo documentation, a precise BIM-compliant model of the building is created. This supports not only lighting design but also the work of all other trades.
Those wishing to explore the topic further will have the opportunity on 25 November 2025. At the TRILUX Academy’s BIM Theme Day at Motorworld Munich, everything revolves around digital lighting design, interfaces and best practices. Experts will use real examples to demonstrate how BIM makes processes more efficient – from planning to operation. Click here to register:
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