Advancing BIM in Canada

by mbuckstein | March 7, 2012 8:41 am

bigstock_Total_City_968690 — The Institute for BIM in Canada’s (IBC’s) building information modelling (BIM) survey results show people often interpret BIM as 3-D modelling alone because there is not enough clarity in its definition. *Photo © BigStockPhoto/Andreas G.*

Architects, engineers, and specifiers are aware of building information modelling’s (BIM’s) slow adoption process and are looking to the regulatory authorities to advance it, according to the results of a national survey.

Conducted by the Institute for BIM in Canada (IBC), the survey examined the perceptions, challenges, and uses of BIM across the country’s architectural/engineering/construction (AEC) sectors. According to respondents, many users are not aware of any BIM planning documents, manuals, or best practice guides. About three-quarters of the participants still use traditional computer-aided design (CAD) systems.

“This survey was a great opportunity for the institute to learn more about the general feelings about BIM usage in the AEC sectors, as well as some of the challenges involved,” said IBC’s Dave Pelletier. “These results will provide a great background for our work, including the development of a BIM practice manual in Canada.”

According to respondents, using BIM has helped with better end products, productivity enhancement, a competitive advantage, and improved documentation. They also indicated BIM has added value to concept design, co-ordination, interference checking, and massing.

The survey also found:
• BIM is often interpreted as 3-D modelling alone—there is not enough clarity in its definition;
• user understanding of BIM is vendor-conditioned;
• interest in BIM is high, but true BIM projects are rare; and
• BIM is rarely a contract requirement.

“Due to this survey, IBC was able to draw a number of conclusions and make some great recommendations as we move forward,” Pelletier explained. “This includes the development of contract language documents for the purpose of BIM, and of a communications strategy to help inform stakeholders on their roles and responsibilities as it relates to the implementation of BIM.”

For more on the survey results, visit www.ibc-bim.ca.

Source URL: https://www.constructioncanada.net/advancing-bim-in-canada/