BIM certification isn’t just about a badge; it’s about making BIM business as usual. Paul Oakley, BIM director at BRE Group, discusses a new partnership with Graitec designed to make that a reality
From 30 years working in construction, I have seen all sorts of marketing hype and stretches of the truth, specifically when it comes to claiming competencies in BIM and associated technologies. This includes:
- Being asked to view an interviewee’s BIM portfolio, which was brilliant because I had modelled it and they were given my workstation while I was on leave.
- Turning up to deliver BIM software training for a company whose website talked about their outstanding BIM capability, only to find I would be training their first six software users.
- Working with companies who have a great BIM A team, but the other thousands of users follow no conventions whatsoever.
- Having calls come into BRE stating they have just purchased four copies of Revit, so can they now have their BIM certification.
When joining BRE, I was therefore intent on trying to establish an industry benchmark against which those who are BIM competent can be measured.
The BIM Level 2 mandate was about changing the way the construction industry works; about removing waste and ensuring on-time delivery at the appropriate cost. PAS 1192-2 clearly states that employers should check the BIM capability of their supply chain and PAS 91 Table 8, along with the CPIX documents, attempts to establish that competency. However, what we have seen is that the industry can tick these boxes, but still fail to deliver the required result.
What has protracted the problem is the array of BIM badges that now have been given out by various accreditation bodies with no clear definition of what they all mean. The differences between verification, kitemarks and certification, along with the requirements to meet specific ISO accreditation standards, mean nothing to your average company. They just want a BIM badge to flash around prospective clients. And while there is lots of talk, there is no clarification on when this will be resolved.
Unfortunately, the issue for BRE and customers of our BIM Business Certification scheme is how do we get companies that do want to achieve the business and project outcomes up to the datum required? While BRE can support our pre-assessment and BIM Level 2 process training through BRE Academy, we cannot provide all the other areas required to meet prospective clients’ needs.
To resolve this, BRE has gone into partnership with innovation-focused software solution provider Graitec. This provides companies with a smooth, end-to-end process for adopting BIM Level 2 Business Systems Certification.
By the two organisations joining forces, companies can benefit from a unified, all-inclusive service that supports them on their BIM journey from gap analysis with a pre-assessment service through to advisory, consultancy, software training and support, right through to BIM certification.
BIM certification should not be about obtaining a BIM a badge. It should be about adopting the BIM Level 2 process so that it becomes business as normal. This will ensure that the reduction in waste and the delivery of information for lifecycle requirements can be achieved in order to build a better world.
Paul Oakley
BIM Director
BRE Group
Tel: +44 (0)333 321 88 11
Twitter: @BRE_Group
