BIM World Copenhagen spoke with arch. Nadeshda Sokolova at VELUX about providing the right product information at the right stage of the design process – and the digital tools supporting this approach.
BIM World Copenhagen: The building industry has access to more digital information than ever. Why can finding the right information still be difficult?
Arch. Sokolova: More information does not automatically lead to better decisions. In the early design stages, designers generally do not need highly resolved, product-specific information. They need clear and relevant information that helps them explore possibilities and make fundamental design choices, fast. More specific technical information becomes valuable later, as the project progresses towards specification and coordination.
We recognise that architects and other specifying professionals work in many different ways, and we do not claim to understand every workflow or information need. Our ambition is to serve them as effectively as possible by listening, learning, and continuously improving the information and tools we provide
This is the principle behind Level of Information Need, or LOIN: information should be appropriate to its purpose and the stage of the project. The objective is not to provide everything at once, but what is needed at the moment of decision.
BIM World Copenhagen: How is VELUX putting this principle into practice?
Arch. Sokolova: We are introducing Installation Types and detailed product pages as two connected levels of information.
Installation Types support the earlier design stages, when users need to explore possible solutions and understand installation principles without selecting a specific product. As the design develops, the detailed product pages provide the product-level information needed for specification and technical coordination.
Together, they create a clearer journey from design intent to an appropriate installation principle and, ultimately, a specific product solution. In this way, the information develops together with the project.
BIM World Copenhagen: How does this make digital workflows simpler?
Arch. Sokolova: Building professionals should not have to search through disconnected sources or extensive technical documentation to answer a basic design question. Installation Types provide an accessible starting point, while detailed product pages allow users to go deeper when greater precision is required.
The aim is not to add another digital layer, but to make information easier to find, understand, and apply. Success should be measured by whether it supports better decisions, improves coordination, and reduces uncertainty.
BIM World Copenhagen: What will VELUX present at the event?
Arch. Sokolova: We will be present at two stands, each with a different focus.
At our shared stand with Graphisoft Denmark, visitors can discover the VELUX Project Development Guide. Based on a real building project, the guide presents a practical workflow from early concepts to project delivery. Through webinars, tutorials, models, and downloadable materials, it shows how BIM, coordination, life-cycle assessment, and daylight simulation can be integrated into the design process. We will also present the guide on stage as part of the BIM World Copenhagen program.
At stand 45, the focus will be on our BIM offering and digital tools. Visitors can explore our new Installation Types and detailed product pages and experience VELUX CoBIM, our online product configurator. CoBIM generates project-specific REVIT and IFC objects at different levels of detail, together with a corresponding bill of materials.
We will also showcase the VELUX ArchiCAD Library, one of our most advanced BIM offerings, and VELUX CAD, our established solution for AutoCAD-based workflows.
Together, these resources form a connected digital offering that supports building professionals from early design exploration to a coordinated and specified solution. We look forward to demonstrating what is already available, listening to the needs of the industry, and discussing how digital product information can become even more relevant and useful.
Meet us at our shared stand with Graphisoft Denmark, join our presentation on stage, or visit stand 45 to explore our BIM tools. We are ready to continue the conversation.
