When I think about the companies that could turn this far fetched dream into a reality, the usual players come to mind. AutoDesk, the self proclaimed 800 pound gorilla of CAD, could turn Revit into a keenBIM system. However AutoDesk is the biggest reason that interoperability is just a nice thought, so I doubt they ever would. Bently on the other hand was the first company to accept the IFC. They would be my first choice if an established CAD giant where to make this happen. However there is one company that you all know who I think is the best possible candidate to implement a keenBIM system.
That HUGE, non-evil corporation, Google has the tools in place to take over the construction world. Google currently owns SketchUP. SketchUP is the most intuitive, easy to learn, 3-D modeling program available. And guess what, it’s already free. While the task of creating and managing the central server seems unreasonable to most, it would be a small venture for the worlds largest information owner. Which brings me to the most promising reason why Google could and would tackle a project like this. Google has a romantic relationship with information. If there is a type of information to be had, they want to be in bed with it. The construction industry generates mountains of information on a daily basis. This information would all be channeled and recorded through the central server. Also I just really like the sound of GoogleBIM. It would take over the industry and we could all happily say goodbye to the tyrannical ways of AutoDesk.
New Thoughts