From today the BIM Regional Hubs, set up in 2012 in partnership with the Construction Industry Council and the BIM Task Group to support BIM adoption, are to be known as BIM Regions.
The rebranding comes as the groups reorganise to work more cohesively and develop a national strategy as a connected community. A national group bringing together regional BIM champions has also been set up.
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According to the trademark database, The BIM HUB was filed as a trademark by The BIM Hub Limited in January 2013, filing application no. 011511664 “before the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OAMI).”
Following the trademark becoming registered, it is understood that solicitors’ letters were received by some of the former Hubs. This gave the BIM Regions the impetus to move forward with pre-existing plans to reorganise and rename the organisations.
John Eynon, joint chair of the recently established BIM Regions champs group, explained to BIM+: “The rebrand happened for a combination of reasons. This [the legal challenge] suddenly happened, but we had already been thinking and discussing our strategy for moving the regions forward. A couple of people had mentioned that the ‘hubs’ name was getting a little dated.”
“The new organisation aims to have a more coherent and cohesive national strategy. We will be communicating more between the regions and aiming to partner with other organisations such as the BIM4 groups,” Eynon continued.
As part of this reorganisation, the BIM Regions have established the champs group, which is made up of one or two BIM champions from each region, and which will meet quarterly to discuss national strategy.
At present there are 16 active groups in the UK, but Eynon expects this group to grow over the next year.
One of the first projects for the newly rebranded BIM Regions will be to collaborate with the UK BIM Task Group and BIM4 groups to host the BIM Hub village during Digital Construction Week at the Business Design Centre in Islington over 21 and 22 October.
According to the BIM Regions, their purpose is to provide regional and local networks where anyone can get help and guidance about what BIM is, what Level 2 means and where to begin.
The groups say they provide a safe place where people can ask the “stupid” questions (although it adds that there aren’t any) and rub shoulders with people facing similar challenges.
They also aim to provide a conduit for disseminating best practice on BIM, and providing feedback to the BIM Task Group and the 2016 legacy delivery team.
However, the BIM Regions receive no government, central or BIM Task Group funding or support. Details on the current BIM Region groups are available online here.
The rebrand happened for a combination of reasons. This [the legal challenge] suddenly happened, but we had already been thinking and discussing our strategy for moving the regions forward. A couple of people had mentioned that the ‘hubs’ name was getting a little dated.
– John Eynon, joint chair of the BIM Regions champs group
