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Willmott Dixon Interiors delivers LSBU’s £47.35m campus transformation

Willmott Dixon Interiors has completed the £47.35 million refurbishment of London South Bank University’s (LSBU) London Road Building. The national fit-out and refurbishment specialist contractor has redeveloped the university’s learning environments as part of one of the biggest transformation programmes in its history. The new learning hub features modern workspaces,

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COLLIDA CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS THIS WORLD ENGINEERING DAY… 

TO CELEBRATE UNESCO’s World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development, digital construction company Collida highlights strategic alliances with three major international companies, SWAPP, Epic Games and Target 3D, that are driving the company’s UK growth.  Founded by construction giant Willmott Dixon, Collida aims to harness the very latest digital technology to

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Cambashi: Building Information Modeling (BIM) software market expected to grow to $21bn by 2025

New research data from Cambashi reveals that digital transformation in the construction industry is accelerating the demand for BIM software.  Cambashi’s latest BIM Observatory research data indicates that, while the construction industry’s use of software could be described as being in the ‘Stone Age’ compared with manufacturing’s deployment of digital engineering software,

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Mott MacDonald announces new strategic partnership with BIM innovators 3D Repo

Mott MacDonald Ventures, the investment arm of global management, engineering and development consultancy Mott MacDonald, has announced a new strategic partnership with 3D Repo, pioneers of cloud-based design collaboration for building information modelling (BIM). The partnership follows a recent £2.3m A-series investment round in 3D Repo led by The Ingenious

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Industry recognition for leadership in digital construction management

UK Power Networks Services has become one of the first companies of its kind in the UK to achieve certification in recognition of its industry-leading Building Information Modelling (BIM) credentials. BIM is an internationally recognised standard practice for construction project management and collaboration. The process helps create a digital replica

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Tridify makes BIM models instantly viewable online

Tridify today announced a new option to its BIM to XR Processing Service, which makes BIM models instantly available online and sharable via a web link. Using BIMs that have been exported to an IFC format, Tridify’s new Web VR option automatically generates an interactive 3D model and makes it accessible via a URL, ready to be

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New Wiki site is set to make BIM mainstream

On 19 June 2019, PCSG and Designing Buildings launched BIM Wiki, a free, open access knowledge sharing platform for building information modelling. The site launches with more than 150 articles already written, covering everything from employer’s information requirements to parametric modelling, and including a detailed step-by-step guide to BIM Level

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Latest Issue

BDC 319 : Aug 2024

BIM

Willmott Dixon Interiors delivers LSBU’s £47.35m campus transformation

Willmott Dixon Interiors has completed the £47.35 million refurbishment of London South Bank University’s (LSBU) London Road Building. The national fit-out and refurbishment specialist contractor has redeveloped the university’s learning environments as part of one of the biggest transformation programmes in its history. The new learning hub features modern workspaces, amenities and technology, designed to support individual learning needs and create new and different ways of engaging students. LSBU staff and students will benefit from 191,000 sq ft of dedicated learning spaces, including a new state-of-the-art library and learning resource, as well as improved Academy of Sport facilities, with a fully equipped gymnasium. There are new open access computer rooms with updated equipment, private rooms for group work and study, additional lecture capacity and new and improved places to eat. The transformation has also completely overhauled the arrival experience at the London Road Building, with a new entrance lobby, staircases and lifts greatly improving accessibility. Willmott Dixon Interiors has delivered the BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rated space to maximise natural daylight, removing existing facades and installing skylights in the library and concourse areas. It features a new building management system to support the efficient use of energy and uses LED lighting throughout. Sustainably sourced natural materials are a feature of the design, including a birch plywood feature wall showcasing a large fabric artwork, which injects colour and vibrancy into the building. Externally a new blue roof system and rain attenuation tank have been installed to attenuate and manage stormwater.   The project used BIM Level 2 methodology, with works delivered by Willmott Dixon Interiors and its supply chain partners during the pandemic and within a live campus environment. It is a key part of LSBU’s wider redevelopment project at its campus at Elephant and Castle, which aims to consolidate its position as a leading modern university, and provide benefits to students, staff and the wider community. Graham Shaw, managing director of Willmott Dixon Interiors, said: “This is a bold and exciting project that realises LSBU’s vision for revolutionising the student experience. It has made best use of space across the entire campus, delivering dedicated learning zones and the capacity and facilities to serve students, staff and the wider community for many years to come. “We have a substantial presence in the university sector and have built a deeply collaborative relationship with LSBU during the course of the project. It has provided us with the opportunity to showcase our full range of capabilities in structural refurbishment, interior fit out and working in a busy campus environment.” The project was delivered by Willmott Dixon Interiors and a team including Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Eckersley O’Callaghan as structural engineers, BDP as services engineer and Fulkers LLP as project manager and cost consultant.

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CLIVET extends its technical service by providing a complete library of BIM objects!

Only with integrated building design can truly sustainable buildings be built. Clivet, in order to meet the needs of design professionals in terms of BIM (Building Information Modeling) content and information, has made available the BIM objects of its air conditioning systems on the BIM&CO platform and implemented its website with the online 3D cataloging service, offering access to further technical information in a dedicated area. BIM & CO is a cooperative platform that allows everyone to create, publish, contribute and use BIM objects from all over the world, free of charge, for digital modelling (multilingual management, LOD classification, standard properties coordination system, IFC compatibility, etc.). The BIM library of Clivet products, which includes VRF systems, air conditioning systems and heat pumps for the residential sector, heat pumps and hydronic chillers for the tertiary sector and industry, air renewal and purification systems and is constantly implemented, allows the designer to quickly find the digital product he needs, in the most congenial format and with all the information required at that precise stage of design. Andrea De Piccoli, who coordinated Clivet’s BIM project, comments: Innovation and digitalization are elements in which Clivet has always invested, so we immediately took advantage of the opportunity offered by the Bim&CO platform.  The company’s objective is to become the European centre of excellence in air conditioning systems, and being present on portals and within the tools used by designers will allow us to reach a greater number of professionals worldwide, responding to their needs to simplify design and guaranteeing a complete 360° service.”

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COLLIDA CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS THIS WORLD ENGINEERING DAY… 

TO CELEBRATE UNESCO’s World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development, digital construction company Collida highlights strategic alliances with three major international companies, SWAPP, Epic Games and Target 3D, that are driving the company’s UK growth.  Founded by construction giant Willmott Dixon, Collida aims to harness the very latest digital technology to provide access to a portfolio of in-house platforms that deliver construction projects that meet a variety of sustainable benchmarks including, in the case of new homes, Passivhaus.  Tim Carey, chief product director at Collida, said: “World Engineering Day is a celebration of how international cooperation is essential for how we design and engineer spaces that meet the demands of people in the future.  “Collida’s suite of digital platforms that deliver heightened levels of customisable design, procurement and AI-generated technology is only possible by working with the best companies. This network of international industry connections helps us give our customers and contractors access to the very best technologies from all over the world.”  SWAPP – Design and planning you can rely on, delivered fast.  Partnering with Tel Aviv-based SWAPP, which prides itself on ‘designing buildings with data driven speed’, provides the perfect mix of design, sustainability, and technology to offer an experience at efficiency levels unheard of within the industry.   Collida says that together, they can create multiple options, undertake site and building-code analysis, and tailor the outputs – which include feasibility studies, construction documents and 3D renderings – to the customer’s needs. This can all happen with the click of a mouse – no specialist knowledge or additional software necessary.  Eitan Tsfarti, CEO and co-founder of Swapp, said: “Swapp is excited to partner with Collida. We share a belief that technology can be harnessed to revolutionise how architecture is practiced in modern times. Swapp looks forward to helping Collida leverage AI and data to enable the automation and optimisation of processes across the architectural ecosystem.”  Epic Games – Gaming industry levels of immersion coupled with architectural expertise.  Collida wants to provide an experience that changes the way it communicates the complexities of a construction project – and how its customers view, review, customise, and approve choices.  It says that this can only be achieved through industry leading real-time visualisations coupled with both the flexibility of an underlying engine coding and industry expertise. This is why it has collaborated with the US-based founder of popular game ‘Fortnite’, Epic Games, to use their Unreal Engine real-time 3D technology to create this new experience.  Ken Pimentel, architecture industry manager at Epic Games, said: “Pushing the boundaries of what’s possible is something the Collida team has been eager to do. The idea that we can radically simplify the process of stakeholder and client engagement by delivering high-fidelity experiences to any browser or device pays dividends for everyone involved.”  Target 3D – Research and development enabled through collaboration.  Elsewhere, Collida has been exploring the potential of immersive virtual learning environments to support the industry and workplaces of the future.   Working with Target3D at its Virtual Production Test Stage, Collida employees have taken part in a virtual Collida Living home to test design options at 1:1 scale to demonstrate the smart inner workings of its sustainable designs.  Dan Munslow, immersive producer at Target3D, said: “Target3D is delighted to have worked with Willmott Dixon on the Collida project. At our Virtual Production Test Stage, we have tested multiple workflows with filmmakers using Virtual Production in a traditional sense but this project has pushed the boundaries further. Working with the Collida team and a model at a 1:1 scale we were able to composite engineers and trainers into the build in real time using games engine Virtual Production techniques. This research has led to creating a new approach to construction design presentation and training tools.”  To find out more about how Collida is building back wiser, visit www.collida.com 

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Cambashi: Building Information Modeling (BIM) software market expected to grow to $21bn by 2025

New research data from Cambashi reveals that digital transformation in the construction industry is accelerating the demand for BIM software.  Cambashi’s latest BIM Observatory research data indicates that, while the construction industry’s use of software could be described as being in the ‘Stone Age’ compared with manufacturing’s deployment of digital engineering software, evolution is definitely driving BIM software uptake.  “Remote working trends resulting from the global pandemic, as well as government initiatives and regulations, are driving digital transformation in the construction industry,” said Petra Gartzen, Lead Analyst, Cambashi. “This in turn is accelerating a growth in demand for BIM software, enabling the construction industry to evolve from the ‘Stone Age’ to the ‘Digital Age’.”   She added: “Overall, we estimate that $14bn was spent on BIM software in 2021. Despite disruptions caused by the global pandemic, the market growth has remained positive at 9% in 2020 and 11% in 2021. We forecast the BIM software market to continue with double digit growth CAGR of 12%, reaching $21bn by 2025.”  Cambashi’s research data incorporates three categories of BIM:• BIM Design, which includes software used in the design stage of building and infrastructure projects. This includes five sub-segments – architectural design, structural engineering, civil engineering, MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) and plant design.• BIM Construct, which covers software for collaboration on planning and building, such as data management, estimating and costing.• BIM Operate, which includes software for facilities management.  According to Cambashi’s Employment dataset, currently around 200 million people work in a BIM-related profession, incorporating architecture and design, civil engineering and structural engineering services, as well as building owners/operators.  Key trends covered by the research include Building Digital Twin/IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things), Simulation and off-site manufacturing of prefabricated buildings.  Visit the Cambashi website to download “BIM – evolution from Stone Age to Digital Age” 2022 Research Paper. 

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PROPERTY BLUEPRINTS OFFER A PASSPORT TO IMPROVED BUILDING STANDARDS AND ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOMES

Building Passports as a means of certifying key information about a property are an extension of recommendations made in Dame Judith Hackitt’s review of building regulations and fire safety. In the report, which was published in following the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy, Dame Judith spoke of the need to create a ‘golden thread’ of data about a building for a supply chain of stakeholders from architects to engineers, through to building safety managers and end users. And whilst this ‘thread’ applied specifically to high-rise buildings, it has given credence to the idea that the same informative package could be produced for regular housing. So, how would a building passport work, and how useful might it be in addressing issues relating to the UK’s energy deficient housing stock? In essence, a building passport would be a constructional blueprint of a property. This would include information such as the thermal standards a property was built to – and that it achieved those standards – and the type of materials that were used to build it inside and out. Accessible to housing and building authorities, such data would be crucial to ensuring all homes within a new development, for example, were built to the same standard. It would also provide householders with a clearly-defined, certified baseline upon which to improve on their home’s energy performance, should they so wish. Call to action For easy accessibility, building passport data would be held digitally. This would lead in all probability to terabytes of information needing to be stored securely but accessibly. This information would need to be kept up to date when changes to the building are made, such as changing the boiler or building an extension, so it remains accurate and relevant to the building. The Insulation Manufacturer’s Association estimates more than 3,400 homes would need to be upgraded per day from now until 2035 in order to meet the government’s target for EPC band C for homes . Unfortunately, the necessary renovation work is nowhere near starting; a fact which is made all the more lamentable by the persisting instance of houses being built to outdated regulations. In my opinion, the government should be tackling the issue of Britain’s poorly-insulated homes with the same vigour it applies to other public endeavours and displays of national infrastructure investment. Easy access Having outlined the likely logistical issues involved with processing and storing a huge amount of building passport data, it is worth pointing out that the information is already available – it’s just a case of collating it. BIM, EPC certificates, U-value calculations and supporting data sheets are a basis for modern housing developments. If accessible in one easily downloadable digital space, this information would make retrofitting or altering a property to an acceptable standard a far more straightforward prospect. In her review of building regulations and fire safety, Dame Judith makes it clear that the UK construction industry requires a sea change in culture and practice to improve its all-round standards. Initiatives such as the building passport would certainly represent a positive break from tradition, as it would remove the element of guesswork involved in increasing a property’s energy efficiency. In knowing what a home’s performance is to begin with, small changes could be made to further improve it. And small changes on a mass scale could make a huge difference to the country’s emissions count. The government has shown favour to Dame Judith’s golden thread in relation to high-rise buildings, so it’s hoped the same accord will be bestowed upon a similar scheme for standard properties. As stated, upgrading nearly 30 million poorly-insulated UK homes represents an almighty challenge. Therefore, the imminent issue of building passports for new properties offers an easier option. It would mean we wouldn’t be adding to an already serious problem.

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Mott MacDonald announces new strategic partnership with BIM innovators 3D Repo

Mott MacDonald Ventures, the investment arm of global management, engineering and development consultancy Mott MacDonald, has announced a new strategic partnership with 3D Repo, pioneers of cloud-based design collaboration for building information modelling (BIM). The partnership follows a recent £2.3m A-series investment round in 3D Repo led by The Ingenious Group’s infrastructure ventures EIS service, and brings more positive momentum for the innovative start-up. Mott MacDonald currently utilises BIM across the building, oil and gas, transport, water, and power industry sectors, and plans to use 3D Repo’s online collaborative platform to enhance collaboration and to drive better results on construction projects across the UK. Darren Russell, chief digital officer at Mott MacDonald Digital Ventures, said: “BIM brings a long list of tangible benefits that ultimately save time and money through reduced risk, minimising waste, faster delivery, and enhanced sustainability. Through our partnership with 3D Repo we’ll be able to connect people with the information they need to drive better decisions and deliver more of the UK’s most ambitious construction projects.” Mott MacDonald is a US$2bn organisation, employing over 16,000 people and delivering projects all over the world. Notable developments include Heathrow Terminal 5, the Manchester Civil Justice Centre, and the US$13bn redevelopment of JFK Airport. Dr Jozef Dobos, founder and CEO of 3D Repo, said: “3D Repo is already partnered with a growing list of forward-thinking tech companies including Opentext, BrydenWood, and Mission Room, among others. Our new partnership with Mott MacDonald will open new doors for 3D Repo and allow us to deploy our digital construction platform on more of the most challenging infrastructure projects in the UK.” London-based 3D Repo has deployed its collaborative BIM platform on projects such as Wood Wharf district, the remodelling of King’s Cross railway station and Hinkley Point C nuclear power station. Its multi-award-winning digital platform for BIM provides access to data to anyone with a web browser whenever and wherever they need it. The service democratises the data, mitigates risk and reduces complexity for everyone involved including architects, engineers, and contractors. 3D Repo allows users to manage 3D model revisions and highlight potential clashes and safety issues using live collaboration tools which enable the whole project team to work from a single source of truth, anywhere and at any time. www.3drepo.com

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Industry recognition for leadership in digital construction management

UK Power Networks Services has become one of the first companies of its kind in the UK to achieve certification in recognition of its industry-leading Building Information Modelling (BIM) credentials. BIM is an internationally recognised standard practice for construction project management and collaboration. The process helps create a digital replica of the physical asset that is being constructed and is quickly becoming a standard requirement for national infrastructure and high-speed rail projects. The energy solutions company achieved BIM Certification for Design, Construction and Commissioning accreditations which will ensure project data is handled accurately by using intelligent standards, procedures and processes throughout the whole life cycle of the work. BIM is another step towards the digitalisation of the construction industry by generating a virtual construction environment. Information on BIM driven projects is always circulated from one source, which provides consistency on project design. The approach delivers environmental benefits, through highly accurate laser scanned surveys, helping the company to cut on-site waste and reduce CO2 emissions. UK Power Networks Services has already incorporated BIM Level 2 into its requirements when enlisting new suppliers to promote the highest standards of best practice. Head of Client Delivery, David Mitchell, said: “We are proud to be one of the first companies of our kind in the UK to achieve BIM Level 2 certification. Creating a virtual construction environment is the future of construction management which is resulting in faster and more efficient and collaborative processes so we are happy to be one of the very early adopters of it. “Working to BIM Level 2 further bolsters our reputation for providing safe and accurate delivery of airport and rail infrastructure projects that are resilient and sustainable.” The accreditations achieved by UK Power Networks Services, BS EN ISO 19650-1:2018, BS EN ISO 19650-2:2018 (incorporating UK National Annex) and BS 1192-4:2014, were awarded by the BSI, the national standards body for the UK.

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Tridify makes BIM models instantly viewable online

Tridify today announced a new option to its BIM to XR Processing Service, which makes BIM models instantly available online and sharable via a web link. Using BIMs that have been exported to an IFC format, Tridify’s new Web VR option automatically generates an interactive 3D model and makes it accessible via a URL, ready to be embedded on a web page, sent via email or text and viewable on a mobile phone. Early users of the new service include WSP, Stefan Ahlman Architects and SATO Corporation (user quotes below.) Feedback from architects revealed to Tridify how valuable it is to be able to send a link to a 3D model instead of sending files. With Tridify, users can now easily publish/unpublish their models and manage their visibility, giving greater control over how the models are used. Models cannot be copied and intellectual property rights are better protected. Targeted at the Architect, Construction and Property sectors and anyone working with BIM models, the new option creates countless opportunities for non-technical audiences, making 3D models easier to share internally, externally, with customers or consumers, on mobiles, tablets, desktops or VR headsets. Users simply upload an IFC file into Tridify and click ‘publish’ to create the model ready to view online, with no additional applications or programming skills required.  “Our new Web VR option solves a problem that the industry has struggled with for many years,” commented Alexander Le Bell, Tridify CEO. “By making BIM models instantly available and viewable in any browser, technical barriers are removed, they become a new commodity and are propelled into the mainstream. This will help to dramatically improve communication and collaboration workflows for architect, construction and property companies.”  “3D models can now be created from a BIM model in less than two minutes and shared with a global audience via WhatsApp, for example,” Le Bell continued. “The new service starts from $20 per month, which is enough to publish models of several small projects or a model of one medium size project. Soon it will become normal to share 3D models all the time, with anyone, anywhere.” Using the new Web VR option architects can now rapidly visualise their BIM models and share 3D plans with a client or contractor. Construction workers can share plans or review changes in 3D on site via mobile devices, while the property industry will able to market and sell properties more effectively, with 3D model views being easily tracked. Tridify will also be providing various web viewers to enable a model to be shown in different ways to different user groups, depending on the end use and skill level. Sample demo URL and model of a summer house, created using the new option: Images attached are of the same sample model. Early adopters WSP, the multidisciplinary design company, is an early user of the new service. Part of the global WSP group, the firm offers strategic advice to the construction and infrastructure sector. “WSP uses the Tridify Web VR option for fast and effective VR creation on early design stages to ease the communication process with our clients. We are happy to see services like Tridify that make the digitalization of the construction industry easier. This innovation also opens up a great variety of possibilities for further development of VR models as BIM communication tools, also containing BIM data and not only being a pure visualisation,” commented Roope Syvälahti, Project Manager at WSP Finland Oy. Stefan Ahlman Architects in Finland, who work with SATO among other clients, have been testing the new Tridify Web VR option, as CEO and partner, Marcus Ahlman explains: “The Tridify service works well as a quick way of presenting models to clients and members of design teams, as it only needs minimal time and preparation. In our office, the short conversion time makes it much easier to use 3D models during meetings, as it’s easier to switch between different versions. Alternative methods for presenting 3D models need more work and can’t be used as easily ad-hoc as Tridify. During the design process Tridify can help visualise problems and solutions that otherwise lay ‘hidden’ in the model.”Stefan Ahlman Architects is based in Helsinki with projects ranging from large developments and city planning projects to housing projects and public buildings. Jussi Väisänen, Planning Manager at SATO Corporation, one of Finland’s largest rental housing companies with 26,000 homes for rent, said: “Before Tridify we had to use separate viewers to view the IFC models, which took time to learn and master. But now Tridify makes it not only easier and faster to publish our 3D models, it also means we can share them with a simple web link and use them in new ways across the business. Internally it will benefit marketing, sales and technical teams while externally it will improve collaboration with planners and government bodies. Being able to view our 3D plans on mobile devices is particularly powerful when it comes to marketing our homes for rent.”

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New Wiki site is set to make BIM mainstream

On 19 June 2019, PCSG and Designing Buildings launched BIM Wiki, a free, open access knowledge sharing platform for building information modelling. The site launches with more than 150 articles already written, covering everything from employer’s information requirements to parametric modelling, and including a detailed step-by-step guide to BIM Level 2. Its creators are calling on the industry to help develop the site into a comprehensive source of BIM best practice by contributing new articles and engaging with the existing content. BIM Wiki has been launched in response to research published by Designing Buildings in 2017 that showed BIM remains an isolated subject, the domain of expert practitioners and not well integrated into the rest of the industry. This was confirmed by the recent NBS National BIM Report, which pointed to the emergence of a ‘two speed industry’, with 22% of those yet to use BIM saying they would rather not adopt it at all. PCSG Chairman, Mark Bew, said: “From our work around the globe it is clear that the UK’s progress to becoming a true digital economy for the built environment has made a fantastic start. The legacy of the 2011 Construction Strategy created a firm understanding of the scope and opportunity for change in the industry. Level 2 BIM has now been adopted around the world, and many nations are accelerating their uptake with the release of ISO 19650. “However, there is still much to be learnt, shared, and adopted before we can truly say we are ready for the next stage of this journey. A vital part of this process is connecting the people and organisations who are embracing a digital, data-centred, collaborative approach to practical, clear, and accessible information. This is why Designing Buildings Wiki and the free resource it represents is so valuable. I believe that the BIM Wiki will, going forwards, play a hugely important role in our continued digital journey.” BIM Wiki is a development of Designing Buildings Wiki, and is fully linked to its 8,500 articles and easily accessible by its 6.5 million users. This integration with an established and well-respected industry knowledge base will help take BIM processes beyond the realm of specialists. Gregor Harvie, Director of Designing Buildings, said: “The discipline that BIM processes impose on the industry needs to become a normal part of every project, not an optional extra. Having a common understanding and a common language is crucial to achieving this. What we are launching today is just the start, we are calling on the BIM community to engage with BIM Wiki, to add to and improve it, to debunk BIM myths and create a truly-comprehensive knowledge base that is fully integrated into the wider industry.” You can see BIM Wiki at: www.designingbuildings.co.uk/BIM_Wiki To create an article, just click the orange ‘Create an article’ button, and to add it to BIM Wiki, tick the ‘BIM’ category at the end.

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Construction continues its move towards greater digitisation

NBS, who have been monitoring BIM adoption in the UK for almost a decade have announced their 2019 BIM survey results which show that overall trends of BIM awareness and adoption have grown from little more than 10% in 2011 to around 70% in 2019. Although the latest report, which received more than 1,000 responses, does show a 1% decline in adoption, NBS remains confident that BIM will continue to embed itself in workflows as construction continues to move in a positive direction, embracing collaborative and digital ways of working. Commenting on this Dr Stephen Hamil, Innovation Director for NBS said, “In the early days of BIM, some may have equated it to simply generating drawings from a model. “There is now a wider understanding that BIM is about project teams following a common process based on standardised information and collaboration. We think we’re seeing a period of consolidation – where more people understand what BIM really represents and are embedding that into their workflows.” The survey shows that there has been a trend of increasing BIM awareness and adoption across the UK industry, using standards and protocols as the platform for this. This national success will be bolstered with the new ISO 19650 series, creating a standardised digital process across the world based, in part, on the BS 1192 standards. This BIM Report 2019 lists some of the main barriers to the adoption of BIM, such as lack of client demand, the need for training, the time required to get up to speed and a lack of standardised tools. NBS says it has sought to align the NBS content and software to the ISO method of working to allow its customers to more easily produce BIM deliverables within their project teams for clients. NBS Chief Executive Richard Waterhouse commented, “We have seen some negative trends within the report that might suggest the emergence of a ‘two speed industry’ – the ‘BIM engaged’ and the ‘BIM laggards’. “For the advocates, 60% of those who have used BIM have seen improvements in efficiencies whilst 22% of those yet to use BIM have indicated they would rather not adopt it. “In addition, the demand from clients, on both private and government projects, is mixed. The survey suggests that not all clients across the industry are seeing the benefits of BIM. We would expect this to increase as BIM, defined by ISO 19650, becomes more commonplace. “Once teams have had a good experience of working collaboratively using digital processes then they will demonstrate the benefit to the client. The client will then, in turn, request that this process is followed on subsequent projects.” The 2019 NBS survey also indicates that there has been a drop-in awareness of UK Government activities in this area despite the fact that Government’s initiatives led to the ISO standards that were launched at the end of 2018. This drop could be explained by recent changes such as the replacement of the BIM Task Group by the Centre for Digital Built Britain (CDBB). It may take time to rebuild this position in the market. There are however a number of key projects underway, involving Government, industry and academia which may drive greater awareness that will be seen in the 2020 survey. Richard Waterhouse continued, “Overall, there can be no doubt that digital processes and technologies are changing the industry. “Use of the cloud is enabling collaboration, giving the industry the opportunity to break down the silos and form a new approach to information development and distribution. “In addition, the latest International Standards are giving us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to standardise processes across the global industry. This is an exciting time, and we must now take advantage of it to help create a step-change in productivity, transparency and quality within our industry. “At NBS, we have already played a significant role in the UK’s BIM journey and we will continue to do so as we move towards a global digital construction industry. “We have supported the BSI committees that have developed BIM standards, as well as supporting the BIM Task Group’s original core initiatives, where we developed, published and now maintain the Uniclass 2015 classification system, defined in the UK as the system for classifying information on  BIM projects in BS EN ISO 19650-2. “This year, our journey to support the global BIM world takes a giant leap forward as we launch a global platform for BIM-related content. “Our ground-breaking cloud specification tool, NBS Chorus, has connected specification clauses, technical guidance and manufacturer specifications for North America, the UK and Australia, dynamically linked to geometry objects and standards, technical and regulatory data. We have, and will continue to develop digital content and to enhance our software offerings to support global BIM processes” For further information about NBS and to download the report please visit https://www.thenbs.com/knowledge/national-bim-report-2019 

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