Tool Interfaces: As a platform, a BIM application needs to be able to
present a large range of information, as geometry, properties, and as relations
between them, to other applications. Typical uses include structural, 2.5 Overview of the Major BIM Design Platforms 75 energy, lighting, costs, and other analyses during design; clash detection and issues tracking for design coordination; purchasing and materials tracking; and task and equipment scheduling for construction. Tool interfaces of importance depend on the intended use of the BIM platform, defi ned by particular patterns of workfl ow. We assess their appropriateness in the tools and workfl ows in the chapters that address their use in different contexts—Chapters 5, 6, and 7. Libraries of BIM Elements: Each BIM platform has various libraries of predefi ned objects that can be imported fo