Government plans to roll out Building Information Modelling (BIM) across the industry for public contracts could cost £4m, Building reported.
The BIM Industry Working Group report for the Cabinet Office said it would cost about £4m for a central group to manage delivery of the strategy.
But the paper also estimated that modelling could save the industry at least 5% on build costs. The report quoted a 2008 government paper which extrapolated American data to estimate that the UK construction industry could save £1bn to £2.5bn a year in the construction phase if BIM was used on all major projects.
The publication, “A report for the Government Construction Client Group Building Information Modelling (BIM) Working Party Strategy Paper”, also recommends that the government insist public sector clients test contractors for BIM competence at pre-qualification stage on contracts, Construction News reported.
It wants to see BIM level two adopted on public sector projects within a five-year timeframe and states that one of the primary concerns raised by industry – that of changes to contract and insurance models – would not necessarily be required to get the industry to BIM Level 2.
Paul Morrell, government chief construction adviser, said: “The report gave government a clear and convincing message that the adoption of BIM is not only of huge advantage to government and the public purse, but that a BIM requirement could prove influential in creating a framework for the industry to adapt new ways of working, integration and forward thinking needed to create a fit for purpose industry able be competitive both at home and overseas.”
Dr John Connaughton, director of thought leadership at consultancy Davis Langdon, welcomed greater use of BIM but expected implementation would cost more than £4m and said getting industry to change its ways of working would be the biggest tasks in rolling it out.
“It is about training and also embedding a new way of working. You have to approach the design and construction processes differently, you have to share information rather than hold onto the bit you think is yours. It is a fundamental change in how people approach their discipline,” he said.
