BIM Adoption Case Study: The UK BIM Mandate
Contributing Author: Lot Kaduma
Our previous blogpost shed a light on the outlook of BIM adoption across the world. A key factor that we highlighted was the role of policy initiatives — popularly known as BIM Mandates — that have spawned across different regions through the past two decades. A policy initiative that helped elevate BIM’s global status is the United Kingdom’s BIM Mandate. As such, this article seeks to elaborate on its nature and the journey so far.
The UK BIM Mandate Explained.
For a clearer understanding of what the UK BIM Mandate is, we need to start in May 2011 when the Government’s Construction Strategy 2011 (GCS 2011) was published. In a bid to transform an underperforming UK construction industry the government set out a mandate for all public sector projects to be carried out at minimum BIM Level 2 from April 2016 onwards.
BIM Level 2 also known as ‘Fully Collaborative BIM’ is a concept that outlines the maturity level of BIM adoption based on these key requirements:
- Intelligent 3D (three-dimensional) CAD models used by teams to produce project and asset information.
- The 3D models can be exported into an open file format such as the IFC (industry foundation classes); and merged to form a federated BIM model — i.e., architectural, structural, and services models merged into one.
- All project and asset information and documentation must be in electronic format; and should be stored and accessible via a common data environment (CDE).
- The models should include additional dimensions of Construction Sequencing (4D) and Cost (5D).
What are the benefits of BIM Level 2?
A study by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) highlighted the benefits of BIM Level 2 according to these categories:
- Time Savings: The use of a Common Data Environment (CDE) allows faster access to project information. This reduces the time spent searching for information during design by shortening the review process while fast tracking construction planning and production on site.
- Materials Savings: BIM Level 2 enables the reduction of waste on construction sites by calculating the exact volume of materials needed, which prevents the purchase of surplus materials. As a result, a Highway England Road construction project achieved only 10% waste in pipe bedding material, while the Tate Modern Blavatnik building had almost zero waste for the exterior brickwork.
- Cost Savings: Clash detection from unified 3D models helps to identify and resolve issues early that translates into significant cost savings. For example, clash simulations from the federated model of a road construction project by Highways England found 360 issues which would have gone unnoticed and cause issues on site. At an average cost of £2,500 to rectify each issue, BIM Level 2 helped to avoid £900,000 of extra costs for the project.
A decade long BIM adoption journey: What are the results so far?
Fast forward till date, it is fascinating to see how the journey has progressed so far in the UK construction industry. We have been able to gather data from some sources that have been tracking the state of BIM adoption, and here are the results so far.
BIM Awareness and Use
According to the NBS BIM Report 2020, we can see a significant growth in awareness and use of BIM amongst respondents across a decade, which grew from 13% in 2011 to 73% in 2020.
BIM Adoption compared to other countries.
A 2021 survey by PlanRadar found that the UK is leading the race for BIM adoption as compared to other countries in Europe. It has a higher number of construction companies using BIM at level 2, whereas majority of BIM use in Germany is at BIM Level 1 and usually for design purposes.
Has BIM become “business as usual”?
A 2021 report by the UK BIM Alliance highlights that BIM is yet to become “business as usual” in the UK construction industry. However, a majority believe it would take about 5 years to reach such goal.
Are there any challenges?
Just like any new policy directive, there would surely be some setbacks that have sprung up from the BIM mandate. Despite the UK being recognized as a leading player in BIM adoption, the journey has not always been a smooth sailing one.
According to recent surveys, some of the key barriers towards the full implementation of BIM were highlighted as follows:
- Digital Skills: The lack of skills across the broad supply chain has been a main setback. A majority expertise is concentrated around architects, engineers and designers whereas execution teams (especially construction trades people and subcontractors) and owner/facility management teams struggle to keep up with the skill requirements.
- Cost: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) make up most construction companies but lack the needed investments to fully implement BIM. Unlike the larger companies that have had better results thanks to their ability to cover the cost for acquiring new technology.
- Software interoperability: Another major setback is that the wide range of software used in the construction industry aren’t compatible and unable to efficiently exchange data. Although Level 2 BIM encourages full collaboration using the IFC data schema, obstacles emerge as these processes tend not to be fully automated and are dependent on human efforts.
- Disconnected Data: The lack of seamless and uninterrupted flow of data from the design team to builders and suppliers makes collaborative processes more challenging. More time is spent on tracking data with the tendency of losing control of some vital data during execution.
- Client Demand: It was observed that some clients are not demanding BIM in construction projects as expected. Even in situations where BIM is required, the lack of a client-driven BIM process makes the tasks much more difficult for contractors and suppliers. As owners of construction projects, a lack of knowledge and ability to spearhead their technology requirements has been a stumbling block.
- Digitalizing Construction Products: Most manufacturers who have been willing to support the mandate have found it difficult to provide BIM objects with consistent product information that is relevant to the diverse demands of construction stakeholders.
What are the lessons learned?
Notwithstanding the barriers, the consensus favors a continued pathway for BIM adoption in the UK. This is due to the overwhelming acceptance of the benefits that BIM offers to the construction industry. As such, here are some key lessons to take away from the UK experience.
- Focus on People-friendly approach: BIM like every technology-related subject can be complex to understand. Therefore, it is necessary to speak in a language that people across board would easily follow. That way, we can ensure to drive increased acceptance and knowledge.
- Simplify technology solutions: Remove the complexity associated with integrating a wide pool of digital technologies in construction workflows. An open and web-based ecosystem that allows data from BIM models to be connected and accessible across businesses without the limitations of switching between different software and technology solutions would be a game changer.
- Emphasize on collaboration and integrated business models: it can never be overemphasized about the importance of collaboration for the pursuit of full BIM adoption. The enablement of new business models that allows the intersection between design, planning, execution, operation, manufacturing, logistics, and technology might be the reliable alternative to the status quo — you could imagine this as a combination of the ‘Tesla’ and ‘Amazon’ business model approach to construction.
Conclusion
It is clear to see that the decade-long journey of the UK BIM Mandate has come with some success and challenges. A strong degree of awareness and use of BIM in the UK construction industry, along with its international appeal, is an indicator of the mandate’s growth so far. However, some roadblocks were observed to be slowing down the pace of progress which include the lack of digital skills, high costs, and software complexity among others. As the UK construction industry seeks to transition from Level 2 to Level 3 BIM, key lessons must be taken into consideration to avoid past mistakes and ensure a smoother journey along the way.
References
[1] “BIM adoption across the world: a Global Outlook.”, Specter automation Insights, October 13, 2022, https://medium.com/specter-automation-insights/bim-adoption-across-the-world-a-global-outlook-1b3879f23bc6
[2] “BIM level 2”, Designing Buildings, September 15, 2021, https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/BIM_level_2
[3] “BIM Level 2 Benefits Measurement Methodology”, Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC), Retrieved November 21, 2022, https://www.cdbb.cam.ac.uk/files/3._pwc_benefits_measurement_methodology.pdf
[4] “NBS BIM Report 2020.”, NBS Enterprises, May 7, 2020 https://www.thenbs.com/knowledge/national-bim-report-2020
[5] “Who’s winning the BIM adoption game in Europe?”, BIMPlus, June 6, 2021, https://www.bimplus.co.uk/whos-winning-bim-adoption-game-europe/
[6] “State of the Nation Survey 2021”, UK BIM Alliance, Retrieved November 11 https://web.archive.org/web/20210731062926/https:/www.ukbimalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/UKBIMA-State-of-the-Nation-Survey-Report-2021.pdf
[7] “Evaluating BIM level 2 three years on”, BIM Today, September 4, 2019, https://www.pbctoday.co.uk/news/digital-construction/bim-news/bim-level-2-future/62595/
[8] “BIMplus survey: ‘More human language, less tech talk’.”, Construction Management, August 31, 2022, https://constructionmanagement.co.uk/bimplus-survey-digital-construction/
[9] “BIM Level 2 is now mandatory — but has it worked?”, PlanRadar, September 30, 2020, https://www.planradar.com/bim-level-2/
