In the face of the climate crisis and increasing global energy consumption, sustainability is becoming a pillar for the construction industry. Buildings currently account for 37 per cent of global carbon emissions, according to the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GABC), underlining the need for environmentally friendly construction solutions. The Building Information Modeling (BIM) methodology evolved to include advanced dimensions dedicated precisely to sustainability and building lifecycle management, creating a system known as Green BIM.
Incide Engineering, a pioneer in this approach, integrates Green BIM and uses its advanced dimensions to transform the design, construction and management of buildings into efficient and responsible processes.
Sustainability is also a priority for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Goal 11, which focuses on sustainable cities and communities. The adoption of Green BIM and advanced dimensions of BIM (7D and beyond) can play a key role in achieving these goals.
The dimensions of BIM
BIM is now articulated in a multidimensional structure that responds to increasingly advanced and specific needs. The first dimensions of BIM, 1D and 2D, are related to research and two-dimensional modelling, which provides the basis for subsequent design levels. 3D brings BIM to the complete visual representation of the building, while 4D integrates the temporal dimension, enabling accurate planning of construction phases. 5D introduces cost management, facilitating budget control at all stages of the project.
The 6D, also known as the Performance dimension, focuses on energy efficiency and environmental impact, making it possible to analyse the building’s energy performance according to consumption and emissions.
The seventh dimension 7D, the heart of Green BIM, concerns the building’s life cycle management and includes Facility Management. Finally, the last three dimensions – 8D, focusing on safety, 9D for lean construction and 10D for construction industrialisation – complete the picture by offering tools to optimise time, reduce waste and improve the sustainability of the entire building process.
Green BIM and 7D: Facility Management and Sustainability
7D BIM, also known as Facility Management, is one of the pillars of Green BIM and enables the long-term monitoring and management of buildings. Thanks to the seventh dimension, data collected during the design and construction phase are used to improve operational efficiency, optimise energy consumption and minimise emissions during building management. Through IoT sensors, energy performance can be monitored in real time, ensuring that systems are operating at peak efficiency and promptly reporting any anomalies. In this way, 7D supports predictive maintenance, enabling targeted interventions to extend the life of the building and reduce running costs.
The benefits of Green BIM for sustainable design and construction
Green BIM makes it possible to plan and design buildings with a long-term vision and reduced environmental impact. The advantages of Green BIM manifest themselves at all stages, from design to construction and management: let us look at them in detail.
- Simulation and optimisation: with advanced energy simulation tools, Green BIM allows energy consumption to be predicted, possible improvements to be identified and building orientation and material distribution to be optimised.
- Renewable energy sources: renewable energy production systems, such as photovoltaic panels, geothermal probes and solar thermal energy, can be integrated into the project to meet a large part of the energy needs, reducing the environmental impact.
- Sustainable and innovative materials: the use of eco-friendly materials and high-efficiency insulation can improve thermal performance and reduce heating and cooling consumption.
- Modular and prefabricated construction: with BIM 10D, Incide Engineering applied the concept of construction industrialisation in projects such as the Friuli Stadium. Prefabrication and modularity make it possible to reduce construction time, optimise the use of resources and minimise waste.
- Circular economy: through facility management and continuous monitoring, buildings designed with Green BIM can optimise the use of resources, reduce waste and extend the life cycle of structures.
- Decision support for the professionals involved: through precise data management, Green BIM helps professionals make informed and conscious decisions that not only concern energy efficiency, but also the health and comfort of environments, reducing energy needs and improving the quality of life for those who inhabit them.
But what are the concrete applications of this methodology? Here are some project examples where Incide Engineering optimized solutions and increased sustainability.
Applications of Green BIM, Facility Management and Construction Industrialisation
Incide Engineering introduced the Green BIM approach and its advanced dimensions in significant projects, demonstrating the effectiveness of these technologies in increasing the sustainability of construction.
In the Villa Ferro School Complex in Fidenza (IT), conducted in partnership with Vittorio Grassi Architects, BIM 7D was used to implement a resource management and monitoring system that optimises energy consumption and reduces the building’s environmental impact. With an integrated photovoltaic system and a detailed digital model, the project meets NZEB (Nearly Zero Energy Building) standards and significantly reduces CO₂ emissions, meeting the requirements of the current CAM (Minimum Environmental Criteria).
The Fiumicino Airport’s Pier B redevelopment project is another virtuous example of the application of Green BIM and the advanced dimensions of Building Information Modeling (BIM) to promote sustainability in construction. This work, fundamental for improving the capacity and functionality of the Roman airport, saw the integration of advanced digital design methodologies to pursue sustainability and efficiency goals. The BIM model used in the project made it possible to optimise the management of energy flows and integrate innovative technological solutions to reduce energy consumption. The focus on sustainability is evident in the choice of materials, low environmental impact lighting systems and climate control technologies. In addition, the project placed great emphasis on durability and intelligent infrastructure management, exploiting the seventh dimension of BIM (7D) to plan long-term maintenance. The goal of achieving LEED Gold certification guided the entire design process, ensuring that the solutions adopted were in line with international standards for energy efficiency and sustainability.
The Fiumicino Airport’s Pier B is a tangible example of how digital technologies can transform complex infrastructures into models of sustainability, meeting not only the operational needs of one of Europe’s busiest airports, but also global emissions reduction targets.
The adoption of Green BIM offers an effective and innovative solution to address environmental challenges and design sustainable buildings. Incide Engineering, with its commitment to sustainability, demonstrates how digital technologies can contribute significantly to reducing emissions and building an environmentally sustainable future. From educational projects such as the Villa Ferro School Complex to the Dacia Arena, Incide Engineering has used Green BIM to transform its vision of sustainability into concrete solutions, highlighting that building responsibly is not only possible, but also beneficial to the environment and communities.
Through Green BIM and sustainable design, Incide Engineering ranks among the leaders in construction design and engineering, promoting a model of sustainable development that looks to the future and the well-being of generations to come.
