Closing BIM-to-FM Integration Gaps

Most organisations that invest in Building Information Modelling (BIM) during design and construction expect that information to carry through into operations.

Too often, it doesn't.

A building can arrive with a detailed BIM model, yet the facilities team still lacks the asset information, maintenance data and system relationships they need to manage it.

This is a significant gap. A building may be operated for 40–60 years, while its construction phase lasts only a few. If the information created during those few years isn't designed for operational use, FM teams can spend decades working around missing or unreliable data.

What is the BIM-to-FM gap?

The BIM-to-FM gap is the disconnect between the information created during a building's design and construction and the information needed to operate and maintain that building.

A model may contain detailed geometry but still lack the asset, maintenance, system and compliance information required by facilities teams.

The result is a building that is digitally well documented, but not necessarily operationally useful.

Why does the gap happen?

The problem isn't simply a lack of technology.

Construction teams typically create information to support design, coordination and delivery. FM teams need information to support maintenance, compliance, space management and day-to-day decision-making.

If those requirements aren't defined early, the handover can become a data dump rather than a useful operational resource.

Recent research consistently highlights the same issue: FM information requirements need to be defined before the information is created.

That means understanding:

• Which assets need to be tracked
• What information needs to be captured
• How systems and assets relate to one another
• What documentation needs to be retained
• How the information will ultimately be used

Without this clarity, even a technically sophisticated BIM model can have limited operational value.

It's not just a technical problem

The BIM-to-FM gap has three connected dimensions.

Technical: Data can be incomplete, inconsistently classified or difficult to exchange between platforms. Open standards such as IFC and COBie provide an important foundation, but they don't automatically guarantee usable operational information.

Managerial: Requirements aren't always translated into specific, measurable deliverables. If nobody defines what "good enough" looks like, different project teams make different assumptions.

Strategic: The cost of producing high-quality operational data is often incurred during construction, while many of the benefits appear years later. This can make investment difficult to justify.

Together, these issues mean that fixing the problem at handover is often too late.

What would a better approach look like?

The answer is to treat information as something that needs to be commissioned, not simply handed over.

Before project closeout, organisations should:

1. Define the requirements

Establish what the FM team actually needs and make those requirements clear and measurable.

2. Validate the data

Check that the information delivered is complete, consistent and usable before it reaches operations.

3. Involve FM in acceptance

The people who will use the information should have a formal role in deciding whether it is fit for purpose.

This changes the handover from:

"Here's the model."

to:

"Here's the operational information you need, and here's how we've verified it."

Where do digital twins fit?

Digital twins can help connect BIM with the information generated during operations, from BMS and IoT data to CAFM and other operational systems.

But they can't fix poor foundations.

If asset information is incomplete or unreliable, adding another technology layer won't solve the underlying problem.

The priority should be getting the information right first, then connecting it to the operational systems and workflows where it can create value.

At Twinview, that's the approach we take.

Our platform connects existing building systems and information sources into a single, verified view, helping estates and facilities teams find the information they need and make more confident decisions.

Because closing the BIM-to-FM gap isn't really about creating more data.

It's about making sure the right data reaches the right people, and remains useful throughout the life of the building.