Casey Rutland, vice-chair of nima, explains the change of identity and a shift in the focus of digital transformation in the built environment
In full swing of UK Construction Week show in Birmingham on 4 October, the UK BIM Alliance announced it had rebranded to nima. The new name is a Greek word for ‘thread’, not an abbreviation, and was selected to help give the volunteer-led community a sense of purpose and a set of behaviours which are better aligned with the current and anticipated future thinking about digital working in the built and managed, environment.
The identity change reflects the shift in focus of industry discussion about digital transformation in the built environment over the last seven years. After months of hard work, industry-wide consultations and enormous contributions from stakeholders and volunteers to start a new chapter as nima, the non-profit organisation and its volunteers continue to share practical advice, tools and resources on the implementation of information management, while being a key part of policy changes.
A greater emphasis on information management
The new name is only one of many elements of the broader strategy and vision change for the former UK BIM Alliance. As the debates among built environment professionals have been evolving beyond building information modelling (BIM), we all felt it was the right time for the alliance to evolve too.
Indeed, a lot has changed since supporting the original BIM Mandate in 2016, and since the development of the UK BIM Framework and the advocation of Better Information Management.
It’s simply no longer just about BIM in the context of 3D modelling, although the confusion surrounding the acronym still remains on some level. We had a sense that momentum had been lost around BIM, either because the audience felt it’d achieved what it needed to achieve, or because it no longer feels relevant given other more urgent or exciting things happening across the key industries we support and collaborate with. However, where it’s still appropriate and relevant to bring up or refer to the BIM aspect, we won’t leave it behind, but rather evolve it in line with our new vision.
Practical information management implementation and integration
Following the launch of the updated information management mandate last year, the Construction Playbook, and the UK government’s Transforming Infrastructure Performance: Roadmap to 2030, it became clear that the element of “information” is in project deliveries and management across the whole lifecycle is, and should be, more prevalent. It’s precisely why nima is now focusing on the practical information management implementation and integration across build and environmental infrastructures.
Helping to navigate the ever-changing landscape
The built and natural environment is facing more challenges than ever before, from sustainability, decarbonisation and meeting performance targets to building and fire safety management and supply chain disruptions. Alongside a great volume of external shocks impacting today’s projects and built and managed environment businesses, there are also many future digital initiatives like creating smart, connected places and ongoing efforts across organisations to accelerate their digital transformation strategies.
Information management also has a greater connection to wider digital initiatives like digital twins, construction technology, property technology, Internet of Things, blockchain, machine learning and artificial intelligence, robotics, wellness, carbon emissions and so much more.
Although the UK BIM Framework has always been about whole-life asset management, as nima, we have recognised there is a greater demand for our support in understanding the application of better information management through the whole life of the built environment and its relation to the ongoing economic, geopolitical and technological changes. Regardless of where organisations are in their digitalisation journeys, there always will be either internal or external challenges that organisations need help with overcoming to realise the full potential and benefits of better information management practices.
Leadership across the UK BIM Framework
Taking the breadth of experience from the foundational work as the UK BIM Alliance, nima is in a great position to share knowledge and experience, inspiring a wider uptake of information management, and support in facilitating change and shaping the future of UK’s built environment.
As nima, we will continue to support the development and implementation of the UK BIM Framework together with BSI. Our goal is to continue to provide leadership across the UK BIM Framework, steering its strategic direction to serve the needs of the relevant industries. We are committed to providing compelling evidence of the practical, hands-on approach to the framework’s adoption, as well as share easy to understand guidance to accelerate the adoption of information management.
Also, to offer more support, help those willing to embark on an IM journey to develop the right skillset and gain more confidence, we are encouraging them to explore the interoperability work being undertaken by buildingSMART UK & Ireland and the buildingSMART International Professional Certification Programme they coordinate.
buildingSMART, nima’s communities, affiliates, ambassadors and the Technology Group are open to everyone who wants to come together, share their stories or challenges, and help us support the UK’s built environment in successfully adopting information management.
Casey Rutland
Vice-chair
nima
The name has changed but the lack of industry direction has got worse.
Our industry is in complete disarray. We have broken new standards being published every month that are obviously money makers for the writers and standard bodies but are just leaks in the pockets of contractors and designers.
NIMA have admitted faults exist with the new BS8644 and promised to work on a fix. Months down the line we don’t even have a plan and those of us interested in a fix are ignored.
We need more accountability and less bureaucracy.