BIM worldwide: How building Information modeling is revolutionizing the AEC Sector

BIM worldwide: now accepted as a technological revolution to enhance the global economy: read more about why many countries are digitizing their AEC sectors.

BIM is now recognized as a central part of governmental policies dedicated to the development of infrastructure and construction in many countries: let’s take a look at the use of BIM throughout the world, regarding 5 major countries in each continent.

Here’s an analysis of the various policies, tools and organisms that the different countries worldwide are rapidly implementing for the digitalization processes of the AEC sector, thanks to the undeniable strategic value of BIM.

What is BIM

BIM stands for ‘Building Information Modeling’; a methodology (and not a simple software tool) which allows you to generate a virtual construction model that contains all the information related to it (architectural, structural, plant engineering, energy efficiency, etc.); information that does not concern only the project phase, but the entire life cycle of the construction.

The Advantages of BIM

For years now it has been clear that traditional construction processes are unsustainable due to their inefficiency, for example:

Loss of information accumulated at each stage procedure
Redundant or incorrect information
Frequent reprocessing caused by inadequate sharing of project decisions or shortcomings by the client
Uncontrolled increase in time and costs
Communication gaps between the various actors

Of course, Critical issues can be overcome thanks to BIM: this is the reason why such a powerful tool is considered fundamental for a digital and sustainable re-launch of the AEC sector in various countries.

BIM throughout the world

Let’s analyze the spread of building information modeling in various countries: some of them are at the forefront (United Kingdom, Scandinavia), others are approaching BIM gradually but in a decisive way (Australia and Canada).

BIM in North America

In North America, and in particular the United States where BIM started, and therefore already experimented and tested, has now established itself globally. However, after an initial phase, the process of transformation within the AEC sector has lost momentum due to a strong fragmentation between federal agencies and the single federal states. Today the digitalization of construction processes in the United States has again taken hold thanks to two fundamental aspects, that has enabled major productivity gains in the construction sector: Standardization and Collaboration.

In Canada, the efforts made in recent years are notable not only to encourage the adoption of BIM in the AEC (Architecture Engineering Construction) sector, but also and above all to approve targeted national policies.

While the Canadian community of technicians and companies of the AEC sector are ready to change towards digital construction, the institutions however are not, since there isn’t an institutional policy on BIM and yet alone regulatory obligations for its use in public works. Canadian companies and technicians are therefore organizing themselves to enable the spread of innovative and avant-garde pilot projects

BIM in the United States

Discover more on the current level of BIM in the United States in this article.

BIM in Canada

Discover more on the current level of BIM in Canada in this article.

BIM in South America

In Latin America the process of digitalization in the AEC sector started later compared to other European countries or North America; however their vigor and impulse towards this target is enabling a rapid diffusion.

In June 2017 Brazil established the Strategic Committee for the implementation of BIM (CE-BIM) and a Technical Support Group (CAT-BIM) with 6 types of groups that deal with specific topics. The BIM BR strategy is organized in aims, objectives, actions, indicators and goals according to a precise logical scheme.

On 9^th of September 2019 the decree containing the provisions for the progressive integration of BIM in public projects was published in Peru on the Official Journal ‘El Peruano’

The decree elaborated by the ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) aims to reduce additional costs and delays in the execution of public infrastructures making operations and maintenance more efficient, as well as promoting transparency in public investment processes: the first step to a national strategy called the BIM Peru Plan.

Even if Argentina is behind other countries, it introduced a plan in august 2019 to adopt BIM for all public works by 2025. The aim of this plan is to develop an ordered set of principles, guide lines and procedures to establish a methodology in the public works sector for the implementation of BIM processes

BIM in Argentina

Discover more about how BIM is being adopted in Argentina in this article.

BIM in Brazil

Discover more about how BIM is being adopted in Brazil in this article.

BIM in Perù

Discover more about how BIM is being adopted in Peru in this article.

BIM in Australia

The Australian authorities have followed with interest the construction digitalization progress in the UK, introducing BIM gradually also in Oceania: meaning that today the sector is in the middle of a full development phase.

The experiences assimilated by the United Kingdom have highlighted the opportunity to act by adopting an organic national approach, involving industries, local authorities and universities.

Just as the success of a BIM project derives from an effective collaboration between construction professionals, the same applies to the success of Australian national policies that need collaboration between the various institutional and private stakeholders.

Discover more on the state of BIM in Australia in in this article.

BIM in Asia

The analysis regarding BIM adoption around the globe cannot ignore the Asian continent in the middle of a digital and economic development.

In Asia, China is surely the country which has more familiarity with BIM, having also the highest rate of economic growth and diffusion of this type of methodology: in fact starting from 2016 there has been an exponential growth in the use of BIM by architects and above all Chinese entrepreneurs.

From 2016 the number of architects that have started to use BIM in their projects has risen by 89%, and even 108% amongst businesses. A growth rate which clearly shows the elevated added value that is being attributed to this tool.

In contrast Turkey.

The situation was analyzed in a survey published in December 2018: From this survey it is clear that there are many obstacles that need to be overcome regarding construction digitalization, overall caused by the indifference of institutions and universities.

Russia (the largest transcontinental state in the world) is trying to become one of the leading countries for the use of BIM in the construction sector, with the aim of trying to export its expertise abroad.

According to a report titled ‘Market for BIM building information models – Opportunities and forecasts for 2022’, the BIM market will reach 11.7 billion dollars by 2022, with an annual growth rate of 21.6%.

In particular the demand for BIM services in Asia and in Caucasian countries foresees a huge growth, thanks to the construction activities that are in continuous expansion; a market which Russia does not want to lose (and for this reason it has been inserted in the paragraph regarding Asia).

BIM in Europe

Europe surely boasts the highest number of plans and solutions regarding BIM, thanks to a wider approach towards policies regarding the AEC sector.

The European governments (with the United Kingdom and Scandinavian countries at the forefront) have already for many years understood that the only way to make the construction sector more efficient, limiting waste in terms of time and costs, is to encourage the digital transformation of construction processes.

Since the postwar period, the British government has faced the problem of how to use information technology in the construction sector to use its obvious advantages.

The progress of the British digital revolution finds an emblematic example with the introduction since 2011, of the compulsory use of BIM models for any public projects or large infrastructures: this has placed the United Kingdom first in Europe for the construction development.

In France the digital construction transitional plan (Plan Transition Numérique dans le Bâtiment) promoted by the French government, poses the target of 2022 for the complete diffusion of BIM strategies in the design/management of public works, in large infrastructures as well as in private construction.

In 2015 Germany began to inspire itself by using the example of the United Kingdom.

German state policies has taken shape with the approval of the digital construction plan which underlines the importance of accurate planning and digitalization of processes as a necessary step for the development of this sector. Subsequently, it was officially announced that the use of BIM will be compulsory for all German transport and infrastructure projects by the end of 2020.

BIM in the United Kingdom

Discover more about BIM implementation in the United Kingdom in this article.

BIM in France

Discover more about BIM implementation in France in this article.

BIM in Germany

Discover more about BIM implementation in Germany.

Compared with the difference of many countries throughout the world, the Scandinavian countries have developed organizations and common platforms.

buildingSMART Nordic, for example is a non-profit organization common amongst many countries, members of buildingSMART International, is made up of representatives of Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

In Finland the use of BIM is now consolidated, as early as 2001, the government Senate Properties, which is responsible for public real estate assets, began promoting projects with BIM.

In Sweden the Swedish Standards Institute (SI) has since 1991 published a number of guides for the promotion of BIM within the country, while since 2014 the BIM Alliance Sweden has brought together the entire industry authorities, both public and private, with the aim of finding more resources to support construction innovation.

The key element of the BIM Spanish strategy is the collaboration between the different actors of all the sectors involved by monitoring the process through the Ministry of Development. It has created, through the BIM commission, the es. BIM project, with the aim of accelerating the spread of BIM in Spain.

A report by e.s.BIM shows that in the first quarter of 2018 there was a 700% increase in public tenders based on BIM methodologies compared to the first quarter of 2017. It can therefore be said that the trend to include the use of BIM protocols in public tenders is constant and in growth, given that these data confirm the growth that already occurred before 2017.