Out-Law News 1 min. read

Government to invest millions in easing construction firms with transition to Building Information Modelling


The Government has set aside a seven-figure sum to encourage the construction industry to adopt centralised information management systems.

Paul Morrell, the Government's construction adviser, said at a conference that the money would be invested in Building Information Modelling (BIM) over the next few years.

A phased roll-out of BIM is due to begin next summer, with a view to the system becoming mandatory on all public sector projects by 2016.

Speaking at the Autodesk BIM Conference 2011, Morrell said that the Government would not be choosing technology providers.

"The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is investing seven figures in BIM, this year and next. We are looking at contracts and legal situations but we won't be backing horses – we will not be choosing technologies," he said, as reported by trade publication and event media partner Construction News.

A spokesperson for BIS confirmed that the Government was making a grant of "just over £1 million" available to the Construction Industry Council, which is the representative body for the professional bodies, research organisations and specialist business associations in the UK construction industry. This money would be available to "support activities relating to the implementation of BIM", the spokesperson said.

A BIM system uses a computer generated model to collect and manage information about the design, construction and operation of an asset centrally. It is especially useful where many parties provide input on the same project. Any changes to the design of a project made during its construction are automatically applied to this model.

The Government set out its commitment to BIM earlier this year in its Construction Strategy (43-page / 496KB PDF). The report announced the Government's intention to require collaborative 3D BIM, with all project and asset information, documentation and data being electronic, on its projects by 2016.

At an industry lunch in June, Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk said that the Government's commitment to a "phased introduction" of BIM before its 2016 deadline would "boost the adoption of BIM throughout the construction supply chain".

Martin Roberts, a construction law expert with Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, will be speaking at a conference on BIM hosted by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) early next year. He said that the construction industry would welcome the Government's "tangible commitment" to BIM.

"The computer hardware, software, staff training and business restructuring required for BIM represents a very significant investment at a time when many contractors and consultants are facing an increasingly challenging market," he said.

"BIM will be game changing but, although larger consultants and contractors are already changed and on the pitch, many more are still either in the changing room or warming up. Many will find it challenging to move their businesses into a position where they can compete for BIM-based projects, especially public sector projects where BIM will become a requirement."

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