The BIM arrives in Minecraft

BelMCraft (an acronym for Built Environment Information Modelling) is a mod or extension of the well-known game Minecraft, which aims to engage the next generation of the AECO sector by realistically duplicating the practical aspects that take place in real life with the BIM workflow within the platform. Its interdisciplinary nature and the need for collaboration across the supply chain challenges players to consider issues of planning, health and safety risks, structural aspects, sustainability, and the cost of creating in a 3D world . 

The game aligns with key aspects of the BIM process . For example, when creating a building, players first need a foundation to prevent it from collapsing, and they can only build to a certain height before stability issues arise. This tool has tremendous educational power, allowing teachers to establish design instructions and budgets so participants can work together in teams and achieve a specific result, just like in real life.

Why Minecraft?

One of the main reasons is its success among young audiences. Although the game includes a series of limitations that reflect the complexity of the construction industry, the process itself is not at all complex; all you need to do is familiarize yourself with the rules of its universe. It also offers the option of playing online, allowing construction processes to be carried out collaboratively among different users. This allows us to get a rough estimate of what it means to work in a 3D environment, how costs are allocated to assets, taking into account processes, site constraints, and sustainability aspects. 

Most of the learning will come after the game is over, when users share their designs with their classmates. This will reveal, for example, whether one team ignored cost constraints and focused more on speed of construction and sustainability, while others may have exceeded their budgets. There will, as always, be those who have taken advantage of the game’s features to achieve their goals through sound planning.

The future of Minecraft is in education

BelMCraft is designed for all audiences, although the primary target audience is young people between the ages of 11 and 16. The initiative will provide student teams with a new opportunity to develop more innovative solutions . This is a reflection, once again, of how new technologies and good pedagogy can help improve our problem-solving skills through playful learning and personal reflection within education. 

The project is currently in its initial phase, which already includes additional aspects aligned with real-life practices. For now, the idea is planned to be implemented in Northern Ireland schools, some of which are already involved in the project, offering GCSEs and first-level diplomas in construction.

Source: http://www.bimplus.co.uk/technology/modi5fied-gam5e-add2s-bim-minecraft/