Being level 2 BIM compliant will soon be a government project requirement. Mark Eggleton, Managing Director at EaglestoneUK Limited explains that it needn’t be a giant leap to meet the new standards.
With the 2016 government deadline looming, companies of all shapes and sizes are starting to feel the pressure to evolve their current working practises to deliver level 2 BIM. The prospect of having to be level 2 compliant could be perceived to be daunting for companies both small and large. New processes, new technologies, and a whole new cultural way of working to absorb and make sense of the requirement has left many organisations frantically hurrying to get things in place.
If you are reading this and are thinking “this is me” don’t worry, you are not alone.
I have encountered many companies and organisations who are all heading off down their own individual rabbit holes trying to solve this apparent mystery. All too often recently I have come across companies who have invested heavily in technology, with no real clue as to what they are purchasing and how it fits into their business model. At the same time I have encountered clients who have quite simply instructed “BIM” to be included in the contract, with no real idea of what they want, need, or are asking for.
As an industry we have been managing our building and asset information through design, construction, operation, maintenance and disposal for some time. BIM is nothing more than the next evolutionary step to unlocking more efficient and effective ways of working. There are new processes, there are new technologies and there is a new cultural shift required, but the step to level 2 needn’t be a giant leap.
The key to unlocking the success of BIM is ensuring value can be recognised by all parties, for BIM to be successfully adopted, everyone has to benefit.
It is a reality that investing in BIM (knowledge, skills, technology, training and resource) is an expensive exercise for any company; size is not an issue, the cost per head is scalable and relative from small practises to multi-national corporations.
With the current economic pressures and financial constraints, clients who commission projects are quite simply looking for more for less. It is clear that clients have the most to gain from BIM; there are many case studies available now which demonstrate BIM as an enabler to faster, better, cheaper and safer construction projects. But with the supply chain having to invest upfront in BIM and the opportunity to pass the costs onto the client not a viable option, the value and benefit of adopting BIM for the supply chain has to be identified.
The value proposition to the supply chain is of course through repeat business, if you can accept as a business that you are not going to realise a return on investment for some time, but can also acknowledge that adding value through demonstrating effective and efficient ways of meeting your client’s requirements will lead to more work, then you are already heading in the right direction.
Mark Eggleton
Managing Director
EaglestoneUK Limited
Tel: 01793 329250
