Insights

Is ScaffPlan BIM? Here's What You Need to Know

ScaffPlan

24 June 2025 | 2 minute read

Is ScaffPlan BIM? Let’s Clear It Up.

Short answer: No—ScaffPlan is not BIM.
But here's the longer answer (and it’s worth understanding): BIM is not a software—it’s a process.

However, ScaffPlan does enable you to create BIM-compatible scaffold models that support and integrate with the BIM process. That means ScaffPlan plays a critical role in digital construction planning, especially in temporary works.

What Is BIM (Building Information Modelling), Really?

Let’s avoid the jargon and keep it simple.

BIM is a collaborative process for designing, constructing, and managing buildings and infrastructure. It’s about bringing together people, data, and technology to make smarter, safer, and more efficient decisions across the entire lifecycle of a project.

At its core, BIM is about:

  • Information Management: Real-time, accurate data from concept to demolition.

  • Collaboration: A shared source of truth for all project stakeholders.

  • Lifecycle Thinking: Decisions that consider long-term use, maintenance, and reuse.

  • Standardised Workflows: Using agreed formats and systems, like ISO 19650, to streamline everything.

Think of it like this:
Construction is slowly becoming more like car manufacturing—not in producing identical outcomes, but in applying repeatable, quality-controlled, digital processes.

Why Standardised Workflows Are the Heart of BIM

For me, the most valuable part of BIM is standardisation. Here's why:

  • Consistency: Everyone speaks the same language—architects, engineers, contractors.

  • Interoperability: Data flows smoothly across tools and platforms.

  • Accuracy & Quality: Reliable info at every project stage.

  • Efficiency: Less confusion, fewer delays, more productivity.

  • Compliance: Increasingly required for public sector work in many regions.

So Where Does ScaffPlan Fit Into All of This?

ScaffPlan is a powerful design and planning tool for temporary works, making it a natural fit within the construction and coordination phase of BIM. It’s not BIM itself—but it delivers BIM-level value.

Here’s how ScaffPlan supports the BIM process:

  • 3D Scaffold Modelling
    Integrated with Tekla Structures, ScaffPlan produces precise, data-rich scaffold models aligned with the main building model.

  • 4D & 5D Capabilities
    Plan installation and removal sequences and generate accurate material take-offs to reduce waste and improve cost forecasting.

  • Clash Detection
    Spot conflicts early by embedding scaffold models into the broader BIM environment—saving time and preventing on-site surprises.

  • Compliance & Safety
    Use ScaffPlan to document, visualise, and manage scaffold systems in high-risk or complex builds.

In Conclusion: ScaffPlan Is BIM-Ready

While ScaffPlan isn’t BIM software, it fully supports the BIM methodology—especially in the areas that scaffolding often gets left behind. With intelligent model data, visualisation tools, and integration into digital workflows, ScaffPlan helps you take your scaffolding from static 2D to a smarter, collaborative, data-driven future.

Ready to bring BIM intelligence to your scaffolding?
For more information on how ScaffPlan supports your digital construction workflows  contact us or email info@scaffplan.com.