With the government mandate for all government projects in the UK to be level 2 BIM compliant by 2016, Andrew Butterfield, Global Head of Construction explains how BSI can help organisations become BIM-ready.
For today’s CEO in the construction industry, the drive for faster, more efficient delivery of infrastructure or building projects has never been more challenging. Efforts to improve efficiency are difficult in a market that is too often defined by low margins, aggressive procurement, skills shortages, uncertain work pipelines and complex supply chains.
What is BIM and why is it important?
BIM is the management of information through the whole lifecycle of a built asset, from initial design all the way through to construction, facility maintenance and finally de-commissioning. It can be used for a wide range of projects such as new buildings or railway infrastructure.
It’s all about collaboration – between engineers, owners, architects and contractors in a three dimensional environment, and it shares information across these disciplines. BIM allows design and construction teams to communicate about design and coordinate information across different levels that has been unseen before. This information remains with the project throughout its lifetime.
From 2016, all government building and infrastructure projects in the UK will require level 2 BIM compliance, in particular PAS 91 (The Construction Pre-Qualification questionnaire standard) requires evidence of compliance with PAS 1192-2. BIM technology is considered invaluable to the delivery of a construction project since it provides a common single and coordinated source of structured information throughout the lifecycle of a project and can deliver significant cost savings and efficiencies both during the design/construction and handover stages.
How can organisation’s become BIM-ready?
BSI’s recently launched verification scheme for PAS 1192-2 Information management for the capital/delivery phase of construction projects is one of the ways in which contractors and their supply chain can provide evidence that they have the capability to deliver projects using Building Information Modelling (BIM).
PAS 1192-2 was designed with input from influential industry experts. The consensus-based standard sets out how to share information on BIM projects and lists the requirements for BIM Level 2. It makes recommendations for the adoption of industry conventions, challenges project complacency and promotes consistency and transparency of work processes between parties. PAS 1192-2 is one of the series of standards designed to drive cost savings and efficiencies through waste reduction and improved collaboration.
The principle requirement of this verification is that an organization can demonstrate its capability to work in compliance to PAS 1192-2 whether for Tier 1 contractors, or lower Tiered sub-contractors or specialist contractors. This will also incorporate BS 1192, which outlines the common data environment (CDE) and the standard methods and procedures (SMPs) that must be implemented. An organization does not have to have completed a BIM-led project in order to be compliant with the scheme, but must be able to show that they have the capability to do so. This capability needs to be prescribed in accordance to a documented system.
Verification to the standard will be determined through an onsite audit which will assess the documented procedures for all processes in PAS 1192-2, the competency of staff, and a documented complaints procedure. This verification scheme will provide evidence for construction companies involved in public sector projects as well as those companies within the construction supply chain including private sector building, civil, infrastructure, refurbishment and new-build projects both in the UK and abroad.
BSI’s training offering will support the scheme to ensure the requirements of PAS 1192-2 are fully understood and effectively implemented throughout the organization. A BSI Kitemark™ for BIM Design and Construction will also be developed in 2016 which will incorporate verification to PAS 1192-2.
BAM Construct UK Ltd and Skanska UK were the first organizations to be verified to ensure they met the requirements of the standard.
“We’re delighted to have received verification to PAS 1192-2 by BSI,” said Colin Pryor, UK Business Systems and Quality Manager at BAM Construct UK Ltd.
“BIM is a major driver influencing the direction of the construction industry both in the UK and abroad and we’re pleased that we’ve been able to work with BSI during the development of this scheme. In addition, with the UK government requiring all centrally procured government contracts to be compliant with BIM Level 2 by 2016, this verification will provide assurance to those within our supply chain that we are capable of delivering projects using BIM.”
David Throssell, BIM & Digital Engineering Operations Manager, Skanska UK also commented: “We’re very pleased to be one of the first companies to be verified by BSI to PAS 1192-2. This allows us to demonstrate to our customers and supply chain that we have the capability to deliver projects using BIM. We’ve worked closely with BSI to ensure that the verification scheme adds value and addresses the key challenges that the construction industry faces around BIM.”
The adoption of BIM by the construction industry requires organizations and individuals to embrace change and new roles within the supply chain. BIM is now at the heart of the future strategy for construction in both the UK and worldwide. ■
For more details, please visit http://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/Building-Information-Modelling-BIM/
Andrew Butterfield
Global Head of Construction
BSI (British Standards Institution)
Tel: +44 (0)20 8996 6330
