BICP
Global BIM Study Lessons for Ireland’s BIM Programme
Prepared by
Dr. Alan Hore Principal Investigator, DIT Dr. Barry McAuley Post Doctorate Researcher DIT and CitA Professor Roger West Advisory Research Supervisor, Trinity College Dublin
T
he study sought to identify how BIM was being currently addressed in 27 countries across the globe. The study sought to identify the presence of three key ingredients in these countries: 1. Regulatory requirement for BIM 2. Champions driving BIM 3. Noteworthy publications The report identified a number of recurring themes that would help to shape Ireland’s BIM programme. The report concluded that Ireland should adopt a programme of partnership between industry and the Irish Government in order to affect a cultural shift in attitudes to collaborative working. The key components of this strategy are shown in Figure 1. The strategy included reviewing and adapting contracts and procurement to create the environment for BIM to work; selecting appropriate pathfinder projects from which to deploy and test the use of BIM during the implementation programme; development of BIM guidelines; training and education; adoption of international BIM standards and critically important the allocation of an appropriate funding model to sustain the delivery of the programme. The second major report from the BICP team is the imminent Irish BIM Study 2017, which seeks to document the Republic of Ireland’s
Irish BIM Study 2017 The Construction IT Alliance (CitA) recently published its Global BIM Study as part of its BIM Innovation Capability Programme (BICP).
engagement with BIM over recent years and its current state of readiness to respond to working with BIM in a formal regulated environment for public sector projects.
BIM in Ireland The BIM in Ireland report will document but also celebrate the achievements of the Irish construction industry to embrace BIM despite the absence of any formal position in respect to BIM by the Irish Government. Back in 2011, the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) conducted a survey, which found that BIM adoption among their members was relatively low. Whilst not directly comparable the figures reported in the most recent CitA and Enterprise Ireland Digital Transition survey reported a very high level of confidence in BIM skills and knowledge. Whilst confidence is relatively high the extent of BIM adoption remains low despite the extent of debate and publicity that BIM is receiving both at home and overseas. The important work of Enterprise Ireland in recognising the value proposition of BIM for both its client bodies but also the wider construction supply chain in Ireland should be acknowledged. The funding of the BICP and the formation of the National BIM Council (NBC) by Enterprise Ireland are significant interventions that will assist in the formation of an eventual BIM policy for public sector projects in Ireland in the future.
The second national survey to benchmark the of Building Information Modelling (BIM) adoption in Ireland that 76% (67% 2015) of respondents possessed confidence in their organisation's BIM skills and knowledge. 79% of the sample also reported an increase in demand for BIM in Ireland. Extract from National BIM Survey 2016 (CitA and Enterprise Ireland, 2016)
Figure 1; Recurring Themes in International BIM Programmes (Hore, West and McAuley, 2017 pp. 48)
77