By Al Eliasen, CEO, SBS
Across the utility industry, BIM has become the standard for large, complex projects. Civil, structural, and architectural teams have already made the shift. Substations, however, have lagged behind. Engineers are still forced to work across multiple tools, creating duplicate documentation, and reconciling data by hand. This siloed work leads to project delays and cost overruns, and delays in one project cascade through an entire project pipeline.
That is changing. At SBS, we believe the time has come for substations to have a true BIM-native design environment, one that meets the needs of physical and protection & controls (P&C) engineers while connecting seamlessly with the rest of the project.
That is why we are building BIM Substation Designer, a Revit-based platform created specifically for substations.
The industry is ready for BIM in substations
Utilities and engineering firms are under enormous pressure: aging infrastructure, electrification, renewable integration, and resource constraints. Projects are bigger, timelines are tighter, and experienced staff are harder to replace. At the same time, BIM adoption is accelerating across every discipline.
Bringing substation design into Revit is no longer optional, it is essential to meet modern design demands. By unifying physical and P&C design within a single model, BIM Substation Designer removes the translation steps that cause errors, delays, and additional cost. This single source of truth for substation design means design workflows in BIM Substation Designer will have faster QA/QC cycles, fewer design changes, and more accurate construction documentation.
A BIM foundation creates lasting value
BIM is more than a 3D model. It is a foundation for data that can support the entire lifecycle of a substation, from design and construction through operations and maintenance.
BIM Substation Designer extends Revit with the elements that matter most to substation teams: lightning protection, ground grids, bus and cable design, and electrical connections. And because it is part of the same BIM environment as other aspects of a project, all features can be coordinated and delivered consistently.
For example, a data center project that has the site development plan, building architecture, MEP, and structure models in BIM will now include the detailed substation in the same model, enabling more efficient coordination across the project. Looking ahead, these models can also feed digital twins, GIS integration, and asset management systems, creating long-term value beyond construction.
SBS brings decades of experience to this moment
We know this transition will not happen overnight. Successful BIM adoption depends on standards, training, and support, not just software. That is where SBS stands apart.
Since 2002, SBS has focused almost exclusively on intelligent design solutions for utilities. Our team averages more than 20 years of utility design experience, and our solutions are in use at hundreds of utilities and dozens of engineering firms worldwide.
We have earned trust as a strategic partner to Autodesk and Esri, and we have guided utilities through major digital transformations in distribution and substation design. By adding BIM Substation Designer to our current industry leading Substation Design Suite (SDS) platform, we are combining our expertise with a commitment to helping firms adopt BIM workflows with confidence through standards templates, automation, and a community of early adopters.
A collaborative launch starts now
BIM Substation Designer is currently in closed beta with select utilities and engineering firms, who are helping shape the product and validate its workflows. We expect to launch commercially in Q1 2026.
This is not just another software release. It is a foundation for the next generation of substation design. And like every meaningful change in our industry, it will take collaboration, persistence, and shared vision to get there.
We are ready and excited for you to join us.
Learn more about BIM Substation Designer and stay in touch with the latest news.