Level of Information (LoI) – why less is more? How dynamic data management saves BIM libraries

Why Level of Information is important in BIM objects?

In the world of BIM, there is a misconception that the quality of a library is measured by the number of parameters. Manufacturers, wanting to be helpful, “pack” absolutely everything into their BIM objects: from the catalog number of the smallest screw, through the full ETIM classification, to COBie data and links to ten different technical data sheets. The result? Instead of convenient BIM object, the designer receives a digital giant from which they must manually remove 95% of the data in order to be able to use it in the design.

Imagine buying a single roll at a store and the salesperson handing you a 200-page book containing the history of the wheat used to make the flour. Translating this into the construction industry – this is how an architect feels in the early conceptual stage when they download an object saturated with data. It is not helpful, it just generates information noise an the very beginning project stages.

The problem: excessive amount of building information in BIM objects

Design development is a phased process, and the Level of Information (LoI) required is different at each stage:

• Concept Stage: The architect only needs to know: “This is a heat pump, its measures are: 1x1x1.5m.”
• Tender stage: General performance parameters and energy classes are required.
• Execution/Facility Management stage: Only at this stage are detailed COBie data, ETIM codes, spare part numbers, and inspection schedules required.

If you provide all this data at once at the initial stage of a project (in a single, “universal” file), you create chaos. The properties panel in design software (e.g., Revit) becomes unreadable. Finding a single key value takes minutes instead of seconds. The frustrated designer does what is necessary: selects the unnecessary parameters and presses “Delete.” leaving only required information (according to them). Your hard work entering BIM data goes to waste.

Solution: Dynamic LoI

The key to a designer's heart (and disk) is flexibility. The answer to data overload is dynamic LoI. Instead of providing a single, “concrete” set of data for every occasion, a modern BIM library should behave like an intelligent filter.

In our BIM software – BIMStreamer – we have solved this by separating data from geometry and allowing it to be selected before downloading or inserting an object. User can create different levels of information on their own to adjust them to the current stage of the project.

How does it work?
With tools such as the Online Library and Revit Plugin, architect has full control over the data and can determine the level of information they download:

• Standard Selection: The designer can indicate that they are only interested in 3D model with a set of parameters compliant with the ETIM classification (e.g., for electrical wholesalers) or a set required for the COBie standard (for property managers).
• Adjustment to the Stage: The option to select the “Light” asset information (only dimensions and basic ID) for the concept stage or “Full” for the implementation stage.
• Project Cleanliness: The model receives an object that has exactly the 5-10 parameters that are currently necessary. The rest waits safely in the cloud (manufacturers PIM), ready to be downloaded at a later date, if any additional information required.

Benefits for Manufacturers and Designers

For designers, this means no more tedious file cleaning and greater transparency in the project development process. For you, as a manufacturer, the benefits are measurable:

1. Professionalism: You show that you understand the BIM process and respect engineers' time.
2. Usability: Your data is actually used, not deleted immediately after import and is more likely to survive till the specification phase of BIM model.
3. Versatility: The same geometric object can be used by a project team, installer, and building manager, providing each with a different set of detailed information — without the need to create three separate files.

How the use of LoI in building information modeling makes your objects more likely to be downloaded?

At the end of the day, designers do not download BIM objects because they contain the most information — they download them because they are easy to use at the exact moment they need them. Applying the concept of Level of Information (LoI) ensures that your BIM objects match the real workflow of the design process instead of overwhelming it.

When manufacturers provide lightweight, stage-appropriate data, architects and engineers can quickly insert the object into their model without spending time cleaning unnecessary parameters or optimizing file size. This directly improves the user experience: the object loads faster, the properties panel is readable, and the required information is easy to find.

Dynamic LoI takes this one step further. By allowing designers to choose the amount of information they need, you create BIM content that adapts to the project lifecycle — from concept design to facility management. Instead of being a heavy, static file, your object becomes a flexible data source that evolves together with the project.

As you can already see, good BIM is not about providing all the information, but about providing the right information at the right time. Instead of forcing designers to “consume” all the data at once, check out how BIMStreamer's Dynamic LoI mechanisms allow you to serve parameters “a la carte” – exactly when they are needed. Schedule a free demo and improve your BIM strategy with us: https://www.bimstreamer.com/en/contact