Building Information Modelling (BIM)

Building Information Modelling (BIM)

Providing efficiencies and decision-making support through formalized information management

Providing efficiencies and decision-making support through formalized information management
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Building Information Modelling (BIM)
Building Information Modelling (BIM)
Red Overlay

BIM has been selected as a domain within the Built Environment sector in Outcome 1 of the UK-China Business Environment Programme Standards Strand: improvement in the adoption and use of International Standards in China.

The main objective of this activity is to support China in achieving the benefits associated with BIM, including buildings and civil engineering works that are better designed, with more sustainable construction, and more sustainably operated. The adoption and implementation of relevant BIM standards will be considered as a pilot to demonstrate the benefits of using International Standards.

A significant benefit is expected to be an increase in trade in Construction services; BIM services; and creating markets for UK expertise; a market for modelling services; a market for the production; verification and validation of structured information by UK firms using BIM as part of their service delivery (e.g. construction firms). Opportunities for investment in Chinese construction projects by UK investors will be opened up by widescale adoption and application of internationally aligned BIM standards.

BIM Standards in the UK context

Within the UK, there are several significant industry groups that promote the use of BIM in the built environment, such as the UK BIM Alliance and the Centre for Digital Built Britain. These bodies largely supported the UK’s BIM Level 2 Programme which has developed into the “UK BIM Framework”.

According to the National BIM Report 2019, the adoption and awareness of BIM (the way of working and managing information, not the BIM standard) in the UK in the past decade have grown from little more than 10% in 2011 to around 70% in 2019.

It should be noted there are other BIM focused FCDO PF programmes currently ongoing elsewhere in Asia (e.g. the FCDO PF Global Infrastructure Programme in Vietnam, Indonesia and Colombia) illustrating the UK’s high regards for using BIM best practices. This programme is referred to in the National BIM Report 2019: “BIM adoption can improve lives by reducing poverty in the world’s fastest-growing communities. That’s the view of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) which has allocated part of the Cross-Government Prosperity Fund to the BIM delivery methodology via the Global Infrastructure Programme (GIP)”.

Step 1 – Adoption of standards

  • Adoption and use of BIM International Standards in China will lead to improved buildings and construction, a reduced environmental impact and improving quality of life
  • BIM business opportunities will increase if International Standards are adopted in China

Step 2 – Piloting of standards

  • BSI and SAC have proposed to pilot the implementation of suitable standards for Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the construction sector in China

The theme of the pilot project is piloting the use of International Standards for BIM processes (such as the suitable parts of ISO 19650) in selected implementations in China. The programme will provide:

1. Introduction to information management processes described within ISO 19650-2 as well as standards which can be used in conjunction with ISO 19650-2
2. Guidance and support to team members in gaining the competencies to conform to the identified standards
3. Review of project info prior to and after the adoption of the standards to determine the project benefits realized