Everything about the future of BIM

The challenges BIM faces

This entire article is supported by the latest editions of the reports mentioned below.

Despite all the benefits of BIM, there is still some hesitation about adopting this new way of working. This sector is known for its characteristic scepticism towards the application of new technologies in the workplace and its resistance to changing mindsets.

The first and perhaps most important challenge facing the implementation of the BIM methodology involves the human factor: changing the mindsets of industry professionals and the often difficult task of creating effective, collaborative teams that put into practice the entire philosophy associated with this new way of working. Companies struggle to implement a culture of information sharing due to a lack of clear definitions and consistency. This change requires time, persistence and investment in training people. For example, it is wrong to assume that all stakeholders are expected to retain knowledge of all construction activities and all associated information, despite the premise of integrated, shared working. What is expected from implementing BIM is that everyone gains a greater appreciation of each other's needs and how their behaviour will affect others. Another misconception is that, in a project where BIM is to be implemented, all stakeholders must necessarily work within that framework. If, for example, the architect chooses to work using the traditional method of paper-based information and the contractor already wants to take advantage of BIM, the contractor will “build” the model from the available information and then use it for construction planning, cost estimating and coordination. Despite the potential complexity, errors, omissions, additional costs and time involved in creating the model after the building has been designed, the contractor still gains value from the BIM process. In addition to these preconceived misconceptions, there is a lack of training and curiosity among professionals about discovering and learning to use new tools available on the market, as well as the fact that BIM tools are often mistakenly associated with 3D CAD tools or the use of a single software application.

The BIM methodology envisages multiple users always being able to work on the same document at the same time, regardless of their location or role in the project, which is a major advantage. However, despite the theoretical advantages of this collaborative working approach, in practice this capability is one of the main sources of hesitation and criticism surrounding BIM. It can be difficult to identify and hold a particular person accountable throughout all the updates and modifications made to the project, which has implications for each professional's individual responsibility. However, it is important to understand that the constant exchange and sharing of information promotes complete transparency in the construction process, in which all professionals on the team will know who is responsible.

This difficulty reinforces the need to define protocols for managing and editing data, as well as the methods to be used for appropriately sharing documents and information among all members, before starting any project. It is clearly important to appoint someone at the BIM project kick-off meeting who will be responsible for managing all information, the data exchange process and compliance with the defined processes. In a collaborative BIM environment, since information will be reused multiple times and possibly over several years, it is imperative that it is accurate and correct, and this must be ensured by the provider of that information. However, there is also a need for someone to verify the validity and reliability of this data, a responsibility that once again falls to the BIM Coordinator.

The “NBS National BIM Report” (NBS, 2019) provides insight into the main difficulties identified by UK professionals in adopting the BIM methodology, with the four most frequently mentioned being the following:

65% of respondents cite low client demand for this type of service;
63% point to a lack of in-house knowledge;
59% blame the lack of...

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