​International Digital Construction Implementation Review

Principal Author

Dr. Conan O’Ceallaigh B.E. Hons. (Civil), PhD., CEng MIEI, Atlantic Technological University

Contributing Authors

Jimmy Fahy, Lecturer, Dept. of Building & Civil Engineering, Atlantic Technological University

Dr. Barry McAuley, Head of Geospatial Surveying and Digital Construction, Technological University Dublin

Build Digital Leadership & Editorial

Dr. Clare Eriksson, Project Director and Principal Investigator, Build Digital and Head of School of Transport and Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Technological University Dublin

Robert Moore MSc, Project Lead, Build Digital, Technological University Dublin

1. Introduction 

This report provides an in-depth international review of information management frameworks and Building Information Modelling (BIM) implementation strategies. The objective is to consolidate global best practices, lessons learned, and regulatory frameworks to support the development of a localised information management framework. The review covers various regions, including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Scandinavia, the United States, Germany and BuildingSMART, highlighting their approaches, mandates, and innovations in BIM implementation. 
 

2. International BIM Frameworks and Implementation

2.1. United Kingdom and Scotland 

The UK BIM Framework, now known as nima (National Information Management Alliance), is a collaboration between the British Standards Institution (BSI), the Centre for Digital Built Britain (CDBB), and the UK BIM Alliance. It provides a structured approach for BIM adoption (UK BIM Framework, n.d.). Key components include: 

  • BIM Process Design: The deployment of digital techniques for designing high-performance buildings, homes, and infrastructure, with secure information management prioritised from project inception. 

  • Build Phase: Exploiting digital construction methodologies to enhance safety, quality, and productivity while encouraging collaboration among clients, designers, contractors, and suppliers. 

  • Operate Phase: Utilising real-time data for smart asset management, predicting maintenance needs, and optimising building performance. 

  • Integration: Ensuring infrastructure enhances citizen well-being and integrates seamlessly into social and economic planning. 

The Information Management Initiative (IMI) 
The Information Management Initiative (IMI) aspires to become an industry-led and government-supported programme to progressively transform information management practices across the built and natural environment sector. Led by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and supported by nima, the IMI: 

  • Invites organisations to sign up to overarching principles (‘step one’). 

  • Sets out a sector-wide directive to industry, including overarching principles and a roadmap through to 2030. 

  • Requires organisations to create an organisation-wide mandate (‘step two’), encompassing information principles, overarching rules, and desired outcomes. 

  • Provides a framework and resources to support organisations in applying role-specific rules, standards, and guidance. 

The IMI Framework is currently based on the existing UK BIM Framework (NIMA, n.d.). 

Scotland’s BIM Framework emphasises adherence to ISO 19650 and includes tools such as: 

2.2. Australia and New Zealand 

BIM implementation in Australia and New Zealand focuses on government-led initiatives and standardised data exchange. Key highlights include: 

  • ISO 19650 Compliance: Many clients mandate ISO 19650-2:2018 adherence in tender documents, ensuring consistency in large-scale project execution (NATSPEC, 2021). 

  • National BIM Standards: Australia has developed national annexes for AS ISO 19650-1:2019, AS ISO 19650-2:2019, AS ISO 19650-3:2021, and AS ISO 19650-5:2021 (NATSPEC, 2021). 

  • New Zealand BIM Handbook: New Zealand does not have a national annex for ISO 19650. Instead, their deployment of the standard is outlined in The NZ BIM Handbook by the BIM Acceleration Committee.  The BIM Acceleration Committee has published a national guide for consistent BIM application across projects (BIM Acceleration Committee, 2020). 

  • Government Procurement Policies: State and territory governments emphasise open and harmonised BIM data formats to enhance transparency in contracting (NATSPEC, 2021).  

  • State and Territory Governments develop policies and guidance appropriate to their areas through a joint Government and Industry approach consistent with the Framework. BIM data formats, standards, protocols, systems, and tools should be open and harmonised across the nation, where possible, to ensure that the benefits of BIM can be fully realised by industry and governments.  

  • State and Territory Governments recognise that transparency in procurement and contracting is essential for building capability and enabling industry engagement and development.  

  • State and Territory Governments recognise the importance of developing skills and capabilities to enable BIM to be utilised across the entire asset lifecycle. 

2.3. Singapore 

Singapore has a highly structured BIM framework supported by national policies and technological innovations: 

  • BIM Execution Plan (BEP): Required for aligning employer and project team expectations (BCA, 2020). 

  • Integrated Digital Delivery (IDD): Seamlessly integrates digital technologies across design, manufacturing, and construction phases (BCA, 2020). 

  • BIM Essential Guide: Provides foundational knowledge for organisations embarking on BIM adoption (BCA, 2020). This guide helps organisations jump-start their BIM adoption journey. It covers areas such as leadership, planning, information standards, BIM quality assurance, BIM process, people and capability, and customer engagement. 

  • ISO 19650 Certification: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has achieved ISO 19650 certification for its BIM strategy, setting an industry precedent (LTA, 2021). 

2.4. Scandinavia 

Denmark and Sweden, have extensive digitalisation strategies in construction: 

  • Denmark: Since 2011, ICT regulations mandate BIM use in large public sector projects, overseen by the Danish Building and Property Agency (Danish Building and Property Agency, 2020).The regulations stipulate requirements for the use of BIM (Building Information Modelling) and the adoption of the open-source IFC standard. 

  • Sweden: The BIM Alliance Sweden maintains the Swedish National BIM Guidelines, aligned with ISO 19650 (BIM Alliance Sweden, 2021).A set of process standards and manuals known as the Swedish National BIM Guidelines is maintained by the industry association BIM Alliance Sweden. For their base standard, the guidelines take ISO 19650 of 2018, which in 2019 was also adopted as a Swedish national standard (SIS). The first step has been to set requirements for BIM in all procurements within new investments as of 2015. The next step was to introduce BIM in planning and management. To use BIM throughout the infrastructure’s lifecycle, from planning to maintenance and management. 

2.5. United States 

BIM adoption in the U.S. is industry-led, with state-level mandates influencing implementation: 

  • The NBIMS-US provides consensus-based standards by referencing existing standards, documenting information exchanges, and delivering best business practices for the entire built environment 

  • Allowing owners to build and renovate more buildings, bridges, and roads with greater efficiency in design, construction, and asset operation.  

  • Accelerating project delivery, managing costs, and increasing productivity through information standards and protocols shared across the supply chain. 

  • It serves as a valuable resource for practitioners, ensuring consistency and interoperability in BIM processes. 

  • To achieve optimal economic, environmental, and functional performance of the U.S. built environment. 

  • To drive critical digital transformation throughout the entire lifecycle of designing, constructing, and operating built assets. 

  • U.S. National BIM Program (NBP): Aims to drive digital transformation across the built environment (NIBS, 2021). 

  • The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) initiated the U.S. National BIM Program to drive critical digital transformation throughout the entire lifecycle of designing, constructing, and operating built assets. 

  • Vision: To achieve optimal economic, environmental, and functional performance of the U.S. built environment. 

  • Mission: To transform lifecycle information management practices by promoting consistent adoption of next-generation information management standards and practices. 

  • The program involves collaboration with industry stakeholders, both public and private sectors, and spans various asset/project types. 

  • State-Level Requirements: Wisconsin mandates BIM for publicly funded projects over $5 million, while Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) requires BIM for sustainable construction projects (NIBS, 2020). 

  • Private Sector Adoption: While ISO 19650 is not federally mandated, many private firms adopt it as a best practice (NIBS, 2021). 

2.6. Germany 

Germany’s approach to BIM is driven by government mandates and strategic roadmaps: 

  • BIM Roadmap (2015): Established phased implementation for transport infrastructure (BMVI, 2015). 

  • Mandatory BIM for Public Projects (2022): Requires all federally funded infrastructure projects to comply with BIM standards (BMVI, 2022). 

  • Industry Training Investments: Long-term government-backed training initiatives aim to develop BIM proficiency across professions (BMVI, 2022). 

  • Digital Twin Technology: Increasingly integrated into BIM processes for enhanced asset lifecycle management (BMVI, 2022). 

 

3. International organisations and standards  

3.1. BuildingSMART 

BuildingSMART is the worldwide industry body driving the digital transformation of the built asset industry. BuildingSMART is a neutral, international forum for initiating, developing, creating, and promoting adoption of open digital standards for BIM processes.(buildingSMART, n.d.). 

  • Purpose of BuildingSMART: To bring together the global community to develop and implement open digital standards & services that enhance automation and decision-making across the built environment lifecycle, improving productivity, sustainability & profitability. 

  • Vision BuildingSMART: The seamless exchange of trusted information across the built environment 

  • Mission BuildingSMART: To create & maintain open & reliable digital standards for the built environment & promote their global adoption. 

BuildingSMART International divide their work into the following ‘Domains’: 

  • Airport: unification of digital airport standards will enable more efficient working from the common supply chain and create a uniform approach for the industry. 

  • Building: enable process and data integration for buildings for the entire lifecycle. 

  • Construction: advance site productivity, lower construction costs, and improve construction safety through the use of BIM and the application of open data standards. 

  • Infrastructure: combine, enhance and develop open standards for intelligent data, which enable process and data integration for Infrastructure 

  • Railway: accelerate and exploit new digital opportunities for railway systems and create a comprehensive and applicable digital representation of the entire railway ecosystem that will support all phases of the lifecycle 

  • Product: development and provision of processes, templates, tools and functionality to enable the robust and efficient use of product data, relevant third-party standards, classification systems and other forms of structured content for openBIM 

  • Regulatory: helping project owners and regulatory authorities benefit from the use of openBIM 

  • Electrical: ensure a more sustainable future for the built asset industry 

  • Technical: explore and coordinate the investigation and where desirable facilitate buildingSMART’s engagement with fundamental technical advancements which may enhance or accelerate the provision of robust openBIM solutions to users 

BuildingSMART drives the creation and adoption of open, international standards for infrastructure and buildings. Key resources include: 

  • Information Delivery Specification (IDS): Defines information requirements in a computer-interpretable format, enabling automatic compliance checking of Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) models  

  • Information Delivery Manual (IDM): Captures and specifies processes and information flow during the lifecycle of a facility, recognised as ISO 29481-1:2010  

  • buildingSMART Data Dictionary (bSDD): A comprehensive collection of interconnected data dictionaries that facilitate seamless data exchange and interoperability 

Outcomes from using BuildingSMART supports include: 

  • Efficient collaboration: openBIM enables architects, engineers, and construction companies to collaborate more efficiently and effectively, reducing errors and improving communication and project quality. 

  • Better data management: the use of data-rich models is emphasized, and accessible by all stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle, allowing for better project data management and sharing 

  • Data visibility and transparency: The use of standardized data exchange, consistent representation, and seamless integration enhances collaboration among building professionals, improves product visibility, and increases the chances of product specification and selection 

3.2. BS EN ISO 12911:2023 (Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM). Framework for specification of BIM implementation) 

The main purpose of this ISO is the organisation and digitisation of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including  

  • building information modelling (BIM) — Framework  

  • for specification of BIM implementation. 

Role of the framework according to BS ISO 12911:2023 

The objectives of the framework are as follows: 

a) Create a common approach for BIM implementation specifications by: 

1) aiding the development of clear and repeatable processes. 

2) allowing international, national, institutional and project/enterprise BIM implementation specifications to be prepared according to a common framework. 

b) Make BIM implementation specifications manageable by: 

1) encouraging completeness of BIM implementation specifications by providing a common  

structure for outcomes, controls, and inputs. 

2) encouraging the provision of reasoned explanations for demanded performance. 

3) enabling the extensibility of BIM implementation specifications. 

4) supporting the comparing and merging of BIM implementation specifications. 

c) Make BIM implementation specifications able to be tested by: 

1) encouraging the testing of BIM implementation specifications against this document. 

2) supporting the testing of outcomes against BIM implementation specifications. 

3) encourage the use of formal arrangements that refer to BIM implementation specifications. 

4. Common Themes and Key Recommendations 

Across all regions, the following themes and recommendations emerge: 

  • Regulation/ Decision: To promote a consistent BIM approach by the building and infrastructure regulation bodies nationally. 

  • Technology/Organisation: To encourage and support innovation and efficiency in the delivery and management of public and private infrastructure.  

  • Information flow: To promote consistency and openness in the data requirement and exchange for public buildings to facilitate a transparent and harmonised information exchange Process.  

  • Infrastructure/Platforms:  To invest in infrastructures to in increase the capability and optimise the benefits of BIM of providing the right information at the right time. 

  • Standards: Identify the best practice for the creation, collaboration, and management of asset information through a series of procedures and standards. 

  • Training: Practice approach to manage the BIM implementation and then the information management throughout the project life cycle. 

  • Financial support: to allocate the required budget to support information management framework implementation. 

  • Sustainability: To design a long-term and sustainable approach to cover the implementation and the use of the framework. 

5. Conclusion 

This review underscores the increasing global importance of BIM in the construction industry. Regulatory frameworks, technological advancements, and training initiatives play crucial roles in ensuring effective BIM adoption. Lessons learned from leading countries highlight the need for well-structured strategies tailored to local needs, ultimately fostering a more efficient and sustainable information management framework. 

6. References 

  • Danish Building and Property Agency. (2020). ICT Regulations for Public Sector Projects. https://en.bygst.dk/ 

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