BIM in the Future

It is an exciting time for the building modeling industry with increasing adoptation of various innovative 3D modeling technologies. The benefits of this change are obvious and extensive. BIM has proven to significantly reduce waste and energy usage required during the creation of a building, enhancing and encouraging sustainable engineering practices. I believe this is one of the main incentives to be using BIM as more and more attention is brought to the environmental problems of the world, and the required change of the current practices seems unavoidable.
It is difficult to predict the future of BIM technology in 5 or 10 years from now being hardly proficient at it or aware of the major issues that exist within the BIM world today. I can only assume that the advanced computer modeling will transform the design process of buildings and will eventually become a standard. Going along with what my teammates have mentioned, I can see a fellow architectural engineer graduating 10 years from now with an actual degree in BIM and applying for a "BIM specialist" or a manager position at a building firm.
However, 3D modeling does represent possibly the simplest level of computer involvement compared to 4D and even 5D modeling technologies that are being pioneered today. 4D modeling aligns the 3D models to time, allowing for immediate control of all stages of the construction of a project. 5D modeling also integrates costing, improving the quality of financial decisions made during the progression of the project. These emerging technologies are already finding their use today (Heathrow's Terminal 5, for example), and it is only natural for them to be developed in more depth in the future.
It is also hard to overlook the impact these new practices will have in the future especially on the people directly involved in the building design process. I look at my friends in the Architecture program at Drexel and can't help but wonder if the hand-drafted projects they are working on in the studio are still relevant. It seems that this method of design is gradually but inevitably becoming obsolete. I would like to be accepting of the new innovations in the building industry, especially if they result in the ability to build more complex and creative structures, however, I also feel weary and apprehensive of the overall impact. Hopefully, BIM will result in the ability to create a better final product and to completely understand a building as a whole.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/building-information-modeling-built-environment-innovation