Blog:
Smart building success starts with a digital soft landing

BIM enhances design and construction but its full potential is often lost in operations. This leads to inefficiencies and frustration among facilities teams. Here are some of the common challenges we see in the transfer of information from construction to operation.

The construction-operations disconnect

One of the biggest issues in digital building projects is the lack of alignment between construction data and operational requirements. Facilities teams often receive incomplete or disorganised asset information, making it difficult to manage and maintain smart buildings efficiently.

Lack of early stakeholder engagement

A major contributor to this disconnect is the absence of early and consistent engagement between key stakeholders. This includes construction teams, facilities management and end-users. Without clear communication and agreed data structures from the outset, project teams risk delivering asset information that does not meet operational needs.

Data transfer and management challenges

Even when asset data is available, it’s often messy, inconsistent or hard to use. Different naming conventions, missing standard formats and siloed systems create major roadblocks. This makes it tough to plug BIM data into smart building management. The result? Inefficiencies in maintenance, energy use, and space management.

An industry skill gap

There is a shortage of professionals who understand both digital construction and smart building operations. Many facilities teams aren’t equipped with the necessary expertise to leverage BIM data, leading to a reliance on outdated or manual processes.

The evolving role of technology

The adoption of AI, robotics and digital twins, calls for structured, accurate asset data. Without a well-planned digital soft landing strategy, organisations will struggle to take full advantage of these emerging technologies, missing out on opportunities to enhance efficiency and sustainability.

Implementing a digital soft landing strategy

Adopting a Digital Soft Landings approach can ensure a seamless transition from BIM to smart building enablement.

Here are some of our top ways you can achieve success:

• Involve facilities managers, end-users and technology providers from the design stage.
• Establish clear data requirements and operational needs before construction begins.
• Implement industry-wide standards for asset information to ensure consistency.
• Define structured naming conventions that align with both construction and operational systems.
• Ensure that BIM data is structured in a way that can be directly integrated into FM software, IoT platforms and digital twins.
• Utilise open data standards to improve interoperability.
• Equip FM teams with the knowledge to interpret and utilise BIM data effectively.
• Consider contracts that incentivise long-term building performance rather than just project completion.
• Appoint accountability for the quality and usability of asset information throughout the building lifecycle

Future trends for lifecycle-focused building management

Looking ahead, the industry is moving towards a more holistic, lifecycle-focused approach to building design and management. Some of the benefits that we can look forward to include:

• A greater reliance on AI to analyse and optimise building performance.
• Increased adoption of digital twins to provide real-time insights into asset condition and usage.
• Better sustainability and energy efficiency, driven by better access to accurate building information.

By implementing a Digital Soft Landing strategy, organisations can ensure that smart buildings truly deliver on their promise. The result is improved building efficiency, sustainability and user satisfaction throughout the entire asset lifecycle.

Summary

The transition from BIM to smart building enablement does not have to be a fragmented and frustrating experience. By adopting a digital soft landings approach, organisations can bridge the gap between construction and operations. In return they can unlock the full potential of digital buildings.

Next steps

Glider specialises in providing asset information management solutions that ensure a smooth and efficient digital soft landing. If you’re looking to optimise your building’s performance through smarter data management, get in touch with us today.