BIM Design Course

Lesson 1 • Key Stakeholders and BIM Roles

Maps project roles including BIM Manager, Coordinator, and Author to responsibilities. Clarifies accountability structures students will operate within.

Lesson 2 • BIM Standards and Protocols Overview

Introduces internationally recognized BIM standards and open data formats. Students understand compliance expectations before touching software.

Lesson 3 • BIM Dimensions and Maturity Levels

Explains 3D through 7D BIM dimensions and maturity levels from paper-based to fully integrated. Provides a framework for understanding project complexity.

Lesson 1 • Interface Navigation and Workspace Customization

Covers ribbon panels, view controls, and project browser organization. Efficient navigation directly reduces modeling time throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Project Templates and File Structure

Explains how templates encode standards and how file structure supports collaboration. Students create a reusable project template from scratch.

Lesson 3 • Collaboration Platforms and Cloud Setup

Introduces cloud-based BIM collaboration environments and access control settings. Students connect their local environment to a shared project workspace.

Lesson 4 • Selecting and Installing BIM Authoring Tools

Compares leading BIM authoring platforms by capability and use case. Students install and license their primary tool correctly.

Lesson 1 • Stairs, Ramps, and Railings

Builds code-aware stair assemblies, ramps, and railing systems using component-based tools. Students configure run, landing, and railing parameters.

Lesson 2 • Grids, Levels, and Datum Elements

Establishes structural grids and floor levels as the skeleton of any BIM model. Accurate datum elements ensure all subsequent elements align correctly.

Lesson 3 • Doors, Windows, and Curtain Systems

Places and configures hosted door and window families and models curtain wall systems. Students control instance and type parameters for design flexibility.

Lesson 4 • Floors, Ceilings, and Roofs

Creates sloped and flat floor assemblies, ceiling planes, and complex roof forms. Students understand sketch-based editing for non-rectangular shapes.

Lesson 1 • Nested Families and Adaptive Components

Nests families within host families and introduces adaptive component points for complex geometry. Students build a curtain panel family using adaptive techniques.

Lesson 2 • Family Concepts and Template Selection

Explains the family-type-instance hierarchy and how template choice governs behavior. Students select the correct template before any geometry is created.

Lesson 3 • Reference Planes and Parametric Constraints

Uses reference planes and dimensional constraints to make geometry fully parametric. Proper constraint strategy prevents broken families under parameter changes.

Lesson 4 • Geometry Creation in the Family Editor

Creates extrusions, blends, revolves, and sweeps to build complex 3D family geometry. Students combine solid and void forms for accurate component representation.

Lesson 1 • Sheet Setup and Title Block Design

Assembles views onto sheets using a custom title block family with project data fields. Students produce a complete, print-ready drawing set.

Lesson 2 • Views, Callouts, and Sections

Creates plan, section, elevation, and detail callout views with correct crop regions. Proper view management keeps the model organized and sheet-ready.

Lesson 3 • Schedules and Quantity Takeoffs

Builds element schedules, material takeoffs, and key schedules from model data. Students understand how schedule fields map to family parameters.

Lesson 4 • Dimensions and Constraints in Views

Places aligned, angular, and radial dimensions and links them to model constraints. Accurate dimensioning is the foundation of all construction documentation.

Lesson 1 • Clash Detection Principles and Workflow

Defines hard, soft, and workflow clashes and explains the detection-to-resolution cycle. Students run their first clash test and interpret results.

Lesson 2 • Federated Model Assembly

Links discipline models into a single federated environment and manages visibility by workset. Students understand how linked files interact without merging data.

Lesson 3 • Coordination Review and Issue Tracking

Uses coordination review tools and BCF-based issue tracking to assign and resolve clashes. Students close a full issue cycle from detection to sign-off.

Lesson 4 • Model Review and Federated Walkthroughs

Conducts real-time 3D walkthroughs and model reviews with stakeholders using review tools. Students prepare and present a coordination model to a simulated client team.

Lesson 1 • 4D Construction Sequencing

Links model elements to a project schedule to simulate construction phasing over time. Students animate a build sequence and identify scheduling conflicts.

Lesson 2 • Site Logistics and Temporary Works Modeling

Models site layout, crane positions, access routes, and temporary structures in BIM. Students produce a site logistics plan for a construction phase.

Lesson 3 • Handover, As-Built, and COBie Data

Prepares as-built models and exports COBie data for facility management handover. Students validate model data completeness against handover requirements.

Lesson 4 • Prefabrication and Fabrication-Level BIM

Develops LOD 400 models suitable for shop drawing production and off-site fabrication. Students add fabrication-level detail to structural and MEP elements.

Lesson 1 • BIM Standards and Template Governance

Creates and enforces firm-wide BIM standards through templates, style libraries, and audits. Students build a standards governance plan with review cycles.

Lesson 2 • BIM Execution Plan Development

Structures a project-specific BIM Execution Plan covering goals, uses, and responsibilities. Students draft a complete BEP aligned with employer information requirements.

Lesson 3 • Organizational BIM Implementation Roadmap

Builds a phased roadmap for scaling BIM adoption across a firm or project portfolio. Students present a strategic plan addressing technology, people, and process.

Lesson 4 • BIM Performance Metrics and ROI

Defines KPIs for BIM adoption and measures return on investment across project phases. Students analyze case study data to justify BIM investment decisions.