Do We Really Need BIM in the Construction Industry?

What is BIM in Construction?

Building Information Modelling, often referred to as BIM, is a digital process which can be used in the Construction Industry to create and manage detailed information about a building or infrastructure project throughout its lifecycle. There are 3 levels to BIM in construction, but the Government mandated that BIM Level 2 is used in all centrally procured contracts which means a 3D model is shared within a Common Data Environment. BIM in construction can enhance project efficiency, reduces errors, and supports better decision-making throughout the construction process. 

Do we really need BIM in the Construction Industry?

An immediate incentive for many businesses to embrace Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the Construction Industry is the UK government’s requirement that from April 2016 BIM Level 2 has to be adopted for all government procured construction projects where it will offer a positive return on investment.

Many larger architectural practices, engineers, contractors and manufacturers are embracing BIM in the Construction Industry, with some now using BIM on all of their projects. Having invested money on new software and time training and developing their BIM capabilities, these organisations can now start to reap the benefits of enhanced efficiencies and capabilities from working in a collaborative 3D environment.

Use of BIM in Construction SMEs

By contrast, BIM uptake amongst SMEs in the Construction Industry is patchy; there are still many small businesses lacking the digital capacity and capability to work within a BIM environment. This disparity is significant because SMEs are the backbone of public sector procurement and construction. In fact, nearly £407 billion was spent on public sector procurement in 2023/24, which is expected to rise by 10% in the following year.

For SMEs involved in maintenance and small works the lack of a BIM capability is unlikely to have had much of an impact – yet.

Edward James, work-stream lead at NHS London Procurement Partnership says that one reason for trusts not insisting on BIM-enabled projects is that they do not have BIM capability in-house. “Many do not have people who are able to understand BIM, or to use and maintain it”.

The situation, however, is changing.

Until recently, BIM in the Construction Industry was driven by architects, large contractors and developers for new-build projects. Now public sector procurement organisations are driving the change. Many are asking for projects to be completed using BIM in order to provide them with the BIM project outputs, such as maintenance schedules to assist in the management of the facility following occupation. Once an organization is BIM ready, project size is less relevant because the BIM processes on small new-build projects is the same as for larger projects – it is simply on a smaller scale.

For refurbishment projects the additional cost of having a survey done makes the use of BIM less attractive. “People see BIM as an added cost if it is an existing building,” says James.

On site it’s a similar story with SME operatives still reliant on photocopied drawings and red pen annotations. According to Edward Godden, European Projects Coordinator at Ingleton Wood there is a huge variation in BIM ability across contractors: small- and medium-sized firms lag behind big contractors while sub-contractors are even further adrift. Godden says that this disconnect often results in a lack of feedback from site to design team, which can be a significant factor in causing projects to run over budget and programme.

Benefits of using BIM in the Construction Industry

Many designers and larger contractors have embraced BIM in the Construction Industry for the competitive advantage it brings. In addition to using the model and information during the design stage, professionals are also using BIM to programme works, to assist with clash avoidance, access and delivery schedules.

BIM is also being used to improve cost certainty by producing schedules of components for use in bills of quantities. On site, many larger contractors are equipping their staff with tablet computers, giving them access to the BIM information on site. In addition, some are using BIM-enabled laser positioning systems and laser surveys of a completed installation.

With BIM in the Construction Industry increasingly being used on both private and public sector projects, and many larger contractors and designers developing their capabilities in BIM Level 3 and beyond, the evidence suggests that SMEs should increase their understanding of BIM sooner rather than later so they can identify how they need to adopt and develop BIM capability to meet the needs of the market. For those that do, BIM has the potential to offer more efficient ways of working and increasing their competitive edge.