The Business Value of Bim For Owners: Smartmarket

SmartMarket Report
The Business
Value of BIM
for Owners
Premier Partners: Contributing Partners: Supporting Partners:

■ Design and Construction Intelligence
SmartMarket Report
McGraw Hill Construction The Business Value of

BIM for Owners
President SmartMarket Report
Kathryn E. Cassino
Executive Editor
About McGraw Hill
McGraw Hill Construction Harvey M. Bernstein, F.ASCE, LEED AP
Research & Analytics/
Construction
Editorial Advisor and Chief Author
Industry Insights & Alliances McGraw Hill Construction’s data,
Stephen A. Jones
analytics, and media businesses—
Vice President, Industry
Insights & Alliances Editorial Director Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record,
Harvey M. Bernstein, F.ASCE, LEED AP Michele A. Russo, LEED AP and Engineering News-Record—
Managing Editor create opportunities for owners,
Senior Director, Research & Analytics
Burleigh Morton Donna Laquidara-Carr, LEED AP architects, engineers, contractors,
building product manufacturers,
Director, Research Communications Senior Director,
Head of Marketing and distributors to strengthen their
Michele A. Russo, LEED AP
William Taylor market position, size their markets,
prioritize prospects, and target and
Reproduction or dissemination Creative Manager, Media
build relationships that will win more
of any information contained Juan Ramos
business. McGraw Hill Construction
herein is granted only by contract Art Director serves more than one million
or prior written permission from Alison Lorenz
customers through its trends and
McGraw Hill Construction.
Contributing Art Director forecasts, industry news, and leading
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Copyright © 2014, Terumasa Yamada benchmarks, and analytics.
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Bruce Buckley visit www.construction.com.
Deborah Snoonian Glenn
Katharine Logan
Jeffrey Yoders
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For further information on this

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SmartMarket Report
Introduction
O
wners are the greatest ■ Current BIM owners plan to actively
THE BUSINESS VALUE OF BIM FOR OWNERS
beneficiaries of BIM. Even increase the share of their projects that

when not actively involved in involve it, with almost half (38% in UK
their project teams’ use of it, and 40% in US) saying BIM will be used
BIM accrues powerful benefits to them. on more than three quarters of their work
In fact, the top BIM benefits consistently within two years.
identified by design and construction firms ■ Top BIM benefits perceived by
in McGraw Hill Construction’s past BIM owners include: Stephen A. Jones

research actually generate even greater • BIM visualization to enable better Senior Director
positives for their owners. understanding of design McGraw Hill Construction
■ Design firms always cite visualization • Fewer problems during construction
to better engage clients and align from deficient documents or coordination
expectations, and BIM analyses and • More well-reasoned design due to BIM
simulations to improve design solutions, analysis and simulation
both of which provide outstanding • Beneficial impact on the project schedule
benefits to the owner. ■ The impending implementation
■ Contractors’ top two BIM benefits are of the UK BIM mandate is driving a
usually spatial coordination to reduce much higher general level of owner
costly rework and digital fabrication to BIM involvement there than in the US,
increase speed and assure quality; again including a growing focus on the use of
each of these ultimately helps owners BIM for facility management.
Harvey M. Bernstein
to deliver excellent projects on time and F.ASCE, LEED AP
Greater owner involvement with BIM
within budget. Vice President
will accelerate the already exciting pace Industry Insights & Alliances
Now that owners everywhere are at which it is growing around the globe. McGraw Hill Construction
increasingly becoming more directly involved This research establishes owners’ current
with BIM, their power is even greater to align views on BIM use and value in several
BIM use with their specific goals, engage economies where it has gained important
more effectively with all stakeholders and traction, and it will serve as an effective
extend the value of BIM beyond construction baseline against which to measure their
into facility management. growing BIM involvement over the
This new SmartMarket Report focuses coming years.
exclusively on the business value of BIM McGraw Hill Construction thanks all its
from the perspective of owners on whose partners for their support, in particular our
projects it is being deployed. Research with premier partners Autodesk and Skanska,
these “BIM owners” in the US and the UK and the owners who willingly shared their
yields several key trends: experience for this research.
Stephen A. Jones leads High Performance Construction Harvey M. Bernstein, innovation and sustainability and
MHC’s initiatives in BIM and events. Before joining MHC, F.ASCE, LEED AP, has been a currently serves as a member of
how emerging economic and Jones was a vice president with leader in the engineering and the Princeton University Civil
technology trends are transforming Primavera Systems (now part of construction industry for over and Environmental Engineering
the construction industry. Active Oracle), a global leader in project 30 years. Currently, he has lead Advisory Council and the
in numerous industry associations management software. Prior to responsibilities for MHC’s market National Building Museum Board
research group, including MHC’s
(including the buildingSMART that, he spent 19 years in creative of Trustees. He is a visiting
thought leadership initiatives in
Alliance, the BIMForum, and management roles with top professor with the University of
areas such as commercial and
Construction Users Roundtable, design firms, most recently as a Reading’s School of Construction
residential green building, BIM,
Alliance for Construction principal and Board of Directors information mobility, innovation Management and Engineering in
Excellence and Charles Pankow member with Burt Hill (now and global construction markets. England. Bernstein has an M.B.A.
Foundation), Jones frequently merged with Stantec), one of the Prior to joining MHC, Bernstein from Loyola College, an M.S.
speaks at events around the world largest A/E firms in the U.S. served as President and CEO of in engineering from Princeton
on the business impact of emerging Jones holds an M.B.A from the Civil Engineering Research University and a B.S. in civil
technology and trends. He also Wharton and a B.A. from Foundation. He has written engineering from the New Jersey
hosts MHC’s ENR FutureTech and the Johns Hopkins University. hundreds of papers covering Institute of Technology.
McGraw Hill Construction 1 www.construction.com SmartMarket Report

SmartMarket Report
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
04 Executive Summary
04 Executive Summary
06 Observations and Recommendations
07 Data
07 Introduction
08 Owners’ Engagement With BIM

08 Owners’ Past, Current and Future BIM Activity
09 Owners’ Initial Interaction With BIM
10 Owners’ Use of BIM Software
11 Owners’ Use of BIM Consultants
11 SIDEBAR How to Select and Derive Value From Consultants
12 Owners’ Greatest Challenge to Expanding Their Use of BIM
Cover: Image courtesy of HYLC, a joint venture of Hansen Yuncken and Leighton Contractors; Following page: Images courtesy of Kohn Pederson Fox Associates
15 BIM Policies
15 Role of Public and Private BIM Policy Initiatives
15 SIDEBAR Influence of the Private Sector on BIM Use
16 Owners’ BIM Requirements and Guidelines
17 Government Policy Impact on Owners’ Interest in BIM
18 DATA SIDEBARBIM for Public Owners: Global Policy Trends, Including Full Discussion of Influential Policies in
Singapore, the UK, the US and Scandinavia
26 Owners’ Perceptions About BIM Use by Project Teams

26 Perceived Frequency of BIM Use by Project Teams
29 Perceived Frequency of BIM Activities by Project Teams
30 DATA SIDEBAR Insights From Owners on Use of BIM in Singapore
33 Owners’ Perspectives on the Impact and Value of BIM

33 Overall Impact of BIM on Owners’ Projects
34 Owners’ Views on the Single Greatest Benefit of BIM
35 Owners’ Ratings of BIM Benefit Statements
36 Owners’ Measurements of the Impact of BIM
40 SIDEBAR Building Information Modeling for Sustainability
41 Owners’ BIM Needs

41 Owners’ Perspectives on Support for BIM
43 What Owners Need to Expand BIM Use
45 Owners’ Messages to the Industry
46 DATA SIDEBAR Insights From Owners on Use of BIM in Scandinavia
SmartMarket Report McGraw Hill Construction 2 www.construction.com

Front Cover:
The model for the New Royal Adelaide
Hospital in Adelaide, Australia will be used
to support operations and maintenance.
This page:
Left: The Abu Dhabi Airport Midfield
Terminal’s grand 17-story departure hall
will make it the tallest airport terminal
in the world.
Below: An integrated 3D model of the
Midfield Terminal was created by all
disciplines in the design stage, including
scheduling and clash detection.
49 Owners’ Perspectives on BIM for Facilities Management

49 Value of BIM for Facilities Management and Operations
50 Capability to Leverage BIM for Operations After Construction
51 Owners Currently Receiving Models for Operations After Construction
52 DATA SIDEBAR Owner Insights on Using BIM for Facilities Management
56 Owner Perspectives
56 Desiree Gandrup-Dupre, Vice President and Business Information Officer, Kaiser-Permanente Hospital System
57 Richard Draper, BIM Process Manager, Birmingham City University and
Derek Hughes, Technical Director, Connect Plus M25 Limited
58 SIDEBAR AEC Perspectives on Owners and BIM
Case Studies
13 An Owner’s Path to BIM Accelerated by Government Mandate
Ministry of Justice, United Kingdom
38 Switching to an Integrated Process on the Fly

Midfield Terminal, Abu Dhabi Airport, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
60 Methodology
61 Resources

Executive Summary
BIM, which began primarily as a design tool then evolved

to a must-have for leading contractors, is now rapidly

gaining traction with owners around the world.
Owners see BIM’s benefits on their projects and also want to use BIM in their facility operating environments. A central
government mandate, which takes effect in 2016, is proving highly effective at driving owner BIM involvement in the UK.
Owners’ BIM Involvement Owners’ BIM Requirements

Steadily Expanding Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
Owners have been steadily increasing their

US
BIM involvement over the last two years, and
UK
most plan more expansion in the near future.
■ While only 11% of US owners surveyed for this study Require BIM
report that they were at a very high BIM involvement 25%
level (over 75% of their projects involve BIM) two years 68%
ago, almost four times as many (40%) forecast they will
be at that level two years from now. Encourage BIM But Not Required
■ BIM use in the UK is being driven rapidly by the 43%
government mandate requiring BIM use by 2016. 25%
• Most (98%) UK owners are currently at least
No Policy
moderately involved with BIM (25% or more of their
32%
projects involve BIM).
• 38% of UK owners predict being very highly involved 7%
(more than 75% of their projects involve BIM) in the
next two years, up from 28% currently.
Less than a third (30%) of the US public owners and just

1_5_B10_#02.eps
■
Central Government BIM Mandate 11% of private sector ones say they will require BIM on
is Highly Impactful new projects they will be starting.
UK owners are extremely active in driving BIM use on
projects, a direct reflection of the pervasive effect of the
upcoming 2016 BIM mandate.
Owners Are Aware of Core Team
■ Over two thirds (67%) of UK owners report a high
BIM Usage, But Less so for Other
or very high impact from the pending mandate.
Team Members
Because of more day-to-day exposure, owners report
Among those:
higher awareness of BIM use by architects and general
• 76% were inspired to initiate a specific BIM project.
contractors (core team) than by engineers or trade
• 66% were encouraged to add BIM resources to
contractors, regardless of what those firms’ actual levels
their organization.
of use may be.
■ Two thirds of both public sector (65%) and private
Because of the recently heightened overall awareness
sector (70%) UK owners say they will require BIM on
of BIM in the UK, those owners generally report greater
new projects they will be starting.
awareness of BIM usage by project teams and specific
By contrast, US government BIM policies only exist at a BIM activities than US owners, especially design-related
few agencies and have not had the same effect. activities. For example, all UK owners (100%) report
■ Only 12% of US owners (almost all from the public awareness of BIM being used to generate preliminary
sector) say that government policies have had a major schematic design, compared with only 28% of US
impact on their interest in BIM, while nearly two thirds owners, highlighting the greater focus on BIM design
(62%) report little or no impact. activities in the UK.

Executive Summary CONTINUED
US owners are typically more aware of construction- Owners’ Ratings of BIM Benefit Statements
related uses than their UK peers, reflecting the relative (Those With a High or Very High Level of Agreement)
maturity of BIM in the US and its adoption by contractors, Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
which recently surpassed architects there. In fact, over US Owners UK Owners

half (55%) of US owners, and even more (80%) of those at
very high levels of BIM involvement are aware of model- BIM Visualization Enables a Better 66% 98%
Understanding of the Proposed Design
driven spatial coordination being conducted among the
trades, versus only 39% in the UK. The UK percentage is There Are Fewer Problems During
likely to rise as construction-related BIM activity grows Construction Related to Design Errors, 53% 85%
Coordination Issues or Construction Errors
and becomes more visible to owners.
BIM Analysis and Simulation Capabilities 50% 92%
Produce a More Well-Reasoned Design
UK Owners Highly Engaged in
Measuring and Experiencing The Use of BIM Generates a Beneficial
Benefits of BIM Impact on Project Schedule 49% 85%
Most (88%) UK owners report they are formally
measuring the impact of BIM on their projects, The Use of BIM Generates a Beneficial 44% 72%
Impact on Control of Construction Costs
compared with only 16% of US owners, many of
whom say it is too difficult or not necessary.
A far higher percentage of UK owners express
agreement with key benefit statements related to BIM
than their US counterparts. This enthusiasm may be a 6_1_Batch6_BIMforOwners_#01.eps
combination of more awareness through metrics and
an overall excitement about the benefits of BIM being
■ Standards of Model Development and Exchange: This
generated by the upcoming mandate deadline.
need is felt especially strongly in the UK where the
vision for BIM is comprehensive, involving all parties
What Owners Need to Expand BIM throughout the lifecycle and therefore relying heavily on
Once owners have initiated BIM, they need both reliable
proper standards to exchange data between parties.
internal support and adequate external resources to
■ More BIM Skills Among Contractors/Trades/
successfully expand the volume and value of their BIM
Fabricators: This stated need leads with US owners,
involvement. In general, UK owners feel much more
probably reflecting their relatively greater experience
comfortable that those elements are currently in place
with the value of contractor-driven BIM activities.
than owners in the US.
■ On average, 87% of UK owners feel positively about
their level of internal support and external resources

Use of BIM for Owners’
needed to expand BIM.
Facilities Management and
■ By contrast, no more than half of US owners showed a
Operations Still Emerging
Lifecycle value of BIM is a core feature of the UK
similar level of enthusiasm for any aspect of support in
government BIM program, which is reflected in the
their organization or their market.
findings about owners’ capabilities to leverage BIM for
UK and US owners’ wish lists for improvements that operations after construction in the UK versus the US.
would better enable their BIM expansion include: ■ Over half (54%) of UK owners say they already have
■ More BIM Skills at Design Firms: This reflects owners’ high capabilities, with about a quarter of those
reliance on good model development by the design claiming very high skills.
team as a fundamental cornerstone of BIM. ■ Five years from now almost all (92%) of the UK owners
■ More Ability for Operations/Maintenance to Utilize the believe they will have high capabilities, with more than
Model: Owners see the potential to expand the value of half of those forecasting very high level skills.
BIM beyond design and construction to operations and ■ By contrast, only 14% of US owners believe they
maintenance but realize the current limitations of both currently have high capabilities, and less than half
staff and technology to implement it. (49%) think they will be at that level in five years.

Recommendations
Observations and Recommendations
The following observations and recommendations are intended

to help owners implement and derive more value from BIM

on their projects and in their managed facilities.
Owners Should BIM Planning Owners need to be open, Explore

Actively Is Key, Regardless for instance, to adjusting Extending BIM
Embrace BIM of Project the timing, quantity to Facilities
The time has come. Delivery Method and responsibility for Management
Compelling evidence Once an owner’s BIM deliverables to integrate The UK government BIM
from this and many other goals are established, it construction expertise initiative includes BIM
research studies around is critical to invest time in into the design process, or for FM as one of its core
the world demonstrate early-stage BIM planning driving design to maximize tenets. US owners need
BIM’s significant to make tactical decisions offsite prefabrication, to identify opportunities
benefits for building about processes and both of which are greatly to leverage BIM data after
projects. Owners need to deliverables that will facilitated with BIM. construction and put the
actively get familiar with optimize BIM. Owners can requirements into their
resources—both online include BIM Execution Plan Stay Committed initial BIM plan with design
and in their local markets— development in the design Because BIM and construction firms to
that can help them to either firm’s scope, even on Experience ensure proper and timely
initiate a BIM program design-bid-build projects. Increases data transfer.
or expand their existing On more collaborative BIM Benefits
activities to enjoy project delivery methods, Results in this and all Governments
greater benefits. more members of the other McGraw Hill Should Study the
construction team can also Construction BIM research UK BIM Mandate
Identify Your contribute, making it even studies clearly show that The dramatic differences
Organization’s more comprehensive. BIM benefits increase between UK and US
BIM Goals directly for firms with owners in many of the
One of the great benefits Measure Progress, the percentage of their study results are a striking
of BIM is that each owner Insist on projects that involve BIM. testimony to the potential
organization can apply Accountability Owners getting started power of a well-conceived
BIM uniquely to address its and Remain need to recognize that and executed central
specific challenges in the Open to Process early challenges will give government BIM mandate,
markets where it operates, Innovation way to increasingly greater such as the one in the
and tailor its processes Owners should track benefits as they persevere. UK, that focuses on the
and expectations to those progress against their Experienced BIM owners, full lifecycle and provides
goals. Owners should goals, share the results who have absorbed many appropriate standards,
talk with their peers, BIM and make course of the initial costs, process processes and materials
consultants, or design corrections as needed. changes and cultural to support the demand.
and construction teams to Experienced BIM owners shifts, are well positioned Governments everywhere
help identify achievable know that not every aspect to enjoy dramatically that want to improve
goals based on their BIM of the plan will work and improved project productivity in their
maturity and the specific not every firm will perform outcomes and ever- construction industries
project at hand. to expectations. advancing capabilities to should study the UK model
Incorporating BIM is use modeled data for post- mandating BIM and adapt
more about changing occupancy management. it for their economies. n
process than technology.

Data: Introduction
Section Hed1
O
wners are critical to the continued advancement of BIM.
THE BUSINESS VALUE OF BIM FOR OWNERS DATA
McGraw Hill Construction has been studying the accelerating Note About
growth and evolving business value of building information the Data
modeling (BIM) since 2007 but has been primarily focusing on Structured telephone
designers and contractors. This is natural because, in most cases, BIM use was interviews were
initially driven by architects who were drawn to its powerful visualization and conducted with 101
US owners and 40 UK
the ability to optimize design solutions through digital iteration, analysis and
owners to collect the
simulation. Contractors quickly followed, enjoying immediate, tangible and data for this research.
repeatable benefits through spatial coordination, model-driven prefabrication,
and cost and schedule integrations, in addition to the improved understanding Owners for this study
of design intent that BIM visualization enables. were required to be
Although owners were regularly included in the research over the years, “involved with BIM”,
they typically showed relatively low awareness of how often BIM was meaning that they
are aware that BIM
being used on their projects, which parties were using it or for what specific
is being used by at
purposes. And they generally had only a scant sense of the value it provided. least one party on a
However, as BIM consistently advances around the world, many more owners current project. Each
are becoming involved in understanding and measuring its value, actively owner who met that
engaging in model-centric processes and in some cases even prescribing requirement was
its use. To capture the dynamics of this emerging trend, The Business Value asked how much of
of BIM for Owners SmartMarket Report focuses specifically on the owners’ their work involves
BIM, and the owners
perspectives on BIM.
were categorized into
In addition to detailed survey data (described on the right), four levels of BIM
this report features: involvement (low,
• Interviews with key owners in Singapore and Scandinavia, two areas where medium, high, very
BIM has been actively mandated high) based on the
• Profiles of owners whose paths to BIM and current high commitment may percentage of their
serve as inspirations to other owners interested in starting or accelerating projects that involve
BIM. Due to the smaller
their process
sample size (40), UK
• A description of many of the current central government BIM policies and owners are generally
programs around the world referred to as a whole
• A feature focusing on how innovative owners are using models after with regard to BIM
construction to enhance facility management and operations activity involvement.
Our goals in conducting this research and publishing this report are to: Other owner
• Establish a baseline for current owner perceptions about BIM that can serve characteristics
as a benchmark for future research used to analyze
• Determine a forecast for increased engagement by owners with BIM in the differences include:
future and the factors that they believe would impede or accelerate their ■ Tiers of annual
increased use of BIM construction budget
• Inspire owners around the world to become involved or to increase their ■ Percentage of
engagement with BIM so that the global construction industry can enjoy the renovation versus
productivity benefits of digital technologies, and owners everywhere can new work
have better buildings ■ Public sector versus
private sector

Data: Owners’ Engagement With BIM
Owners’ Past, Current and Future BIM Activity
For the purposes of this research, the metric for the Proportion of BIM Usage
degree of owners’ BIM involvement is determined by (Moderate, High and Very High Involvement)
the percentage of their projects for which they are Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
aware that at least one team member is using BIM, 25%–50% 51%–75% More Than 75%
in four levels of intensity:
■ Low BIM Involvement: Less than 25% of their projects
US
involve BIM 2 Years From Now
■ Moderate BIM Involvement: 25%-50% of their projects
25% 19% 40% 84%
involve BIM
■ High BIM Involvement: 51%-75% of their projects Currently
involve BIM 21% 13% 25% 59%
■ Very High BIM Involvement: More than 75% of their
2 Years Ago
projects involve BIM
20% 11% 11% 42%
To gauge the dynamics of their BIM involvement, the
owners were asked to identify the level that represents UK
their activity two years ago, their current activity and their 2 Years From Now
forecasted activity two years from now. 22% 35% 38% 95%
The US owners show extraordinary growth over that
Currently
four-year period.
■ Although BIM is relatively mature in the US, 17% report 12% 58% 28% 98%
they had no BIM projects two years ago, so a number of 2 Years Ago
US owners are still getting involved. 42% 28% 22% 92%
■ The low involvement tier, which dominated just two
years ago (58%), is projected to shrink to just 16% two

years from now.
■ While only 11% were very high involvement users two
1_1_A3_#02.eps
years ago, almost four times as many (40%) plan to be
at that level two years from now, which will make it the
most populated level.
The UK owners are generally more enthusiastic about

their BIM involvement, almost certainly spurred by the
impending government mandate for 2016.
■ The very high involvement level shows consistent
growth from 22% in 2012 to a forecast of 38% in 2016.

■ Almost all (92%) report being at least moderate users
two years ago.

That enthusiasm for UK BIM leadership is also
Several factors may be driving this response. At least expressed by Richard Waterhouse, chief executive, RIBA
one contractor heavily involved with BIM has found that Enterprises, who says in the introduction to the NBS 2014
large private sector owners and many of their public BIM survey of design and construction firms, “The UK is
sector clients ”are now increasingly demanding BIM.” in an enviable position of being among the world leaders
He also believes that there is a shared goal among leaders in BIM adoption and implementation. [BIM] has the
in the UK construction industry to strive “to lead the potential to bring improved efficiencies and profitability
world in BIM.” to the construction sector and better buildings to clients.”

Owners’ Engagement With BIM
Owners’ Initial Interaction With BIM
Owners have many paths to BIM. While some are Initial Interaction With BIM
introduced to it by design or construction firms, others Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
take the initiative themselves to learn about it and drive its

US
use through a top-down program.
UK
For this study, the owners were asked to think back
to the first project where they were aware that BIM was Design Team Used BIM Without Owner's Request
being used and to indicate if one or more of the following 58%
four statements applied to that project, acknowledging 90%
that multiple forces may have been at play.
Construction Manager/General Contractor
■ The design team (architects and/or engineers) were
Used BIM Without Owner's Request
using BIM without our request: Design team initiation 53%
is the most common method in the US (58%) and even
70%
more so in the UK (90%). This makes sense because
design professionals consistently have been the earliest Owner Requested That BIM be Used
BIM adopters in all previous McGraw Hill Construction 49%
BIM research. 52%
■ The construction manager or general contractor
Trade Contractors Used BIM
(CM/GC) was using BIM without our request. The Without Owner's Request
most recent US research shows that contractors have 32%
surpassed architects in BIM adoption. This dynamic is
25%
reflected in these findings, drawn from the Business
Value of BIM for Construction in Major Global Markets
SmartMarket Report and the Business Value of BIM in
North America SmartMarket Report:
1_2_B1_#02.eps
• Over three quarters (76%) of the US owners at a very
high BIM involvement level say that both the design
team and the CM/GC were already using BIM without
owner request on their first BIM project.
• Among the large US owners (greater than $400M
annually spent on construction), the CM/GC was more
often already using BIM (61%) than the design team
• Two thirds (67%) of the large US owners say they
(44%), reflecting its rapid adoption among the large
requested BIM, indicating an expanding trend toward
CM/GC firms that serve those mega-clients.
top-down BIM programs at those larger organizations.
In the UK, more private sector owners (85%) say that • In the UK more public owners (65%) say they
the CM/GC was using BIM on their first BIM project requested BIM on their first project than private sector
than public sector ones (55%). This may indicate that owners (40%). This likely derives directly from the UK
the firms primarily working for private clients are more government BIM mandate.
active users of BIM than those concentrating more on ■ The trade or specialty contractors were using BIM
the public sector. without our request. This is least frequent both in the
■ My organization requested that BIM be used on US (32%) and UK (25%), although half (48%) of the US
the project. owners now at the very high BIM involvement level
This is a growing trend on both sides of the Atlantic. and 39% of the large US owners each say that a trade
• Half of the lesser-involved BIM owners (those at low, contractor was using BIM on their first BIM project.
moderate and high involvement levels) cite that they This probably points to the industry-leading specialty
requested BIM on their first BIM project. Since they contractors (steel, mechanical, etc.) who adopted BIM
likely started BIM more recently, this may indicate an early and who work regularly with the top CM/GC firms
accelerating trend. that serve the large and BIM-savvy owners.

Owners’ Use of BIM Software
While design teams and contractors frequently own BIM majority (60%) of the UK owners who have model
software to author and analyze models, owners generally review technology use it heavily, versus just
have less of a direct hands-on need for it. 15% of the US group.
To assess the status of this, owners were asked if they
The sharp difference between UK and US owners’
own software to develop/author building information
engagement with BIM software can perhaps be partially
models, and among those who say they do, how
explained by the recent and intense focus on BIM
frequently are they using it to develop/author models.
throughout the UK construction industry, or what one
■ Twice as many US owners (43%) report owning BIM
contractor actively deploying BIM in the UK refers to as
authoring software than UK owners (20%).
the “novelty factor plus technical innovation factor.” He
■ Among those who do own the authoring software,
says, “Most clients who commission BIM want to see
all the UK owners report high activity developing/
what it is offering, and they expect to engage more.”
authoring models, whereas only a few of the US
This is supported by the firsthand account of a head
owners show that level of engagement.
teacher with a primary school who used BIM software
Even higher numbers of owners in both regions report to access the model for a significant project. “I certainly
using BIM software to review models. feel more confident because we can actually see what
■ Slightly more of the UK owners (68%) report having it’s going to look like. We have been able to order the
software to review than their US counterparts (59%). furniture now in advance, which we would never have
■ Similar to the pattern with authoring software, the been able to [do] with the use of flat plans.”
Owners’ Use of Software to Develop Owners’ Use of Software to

and/or Author Models Review Models
Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014 Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
Do Not Own Do Not Own

Own but Do Not Use to Author Models Own but Do Not Use to Review Models
Own and Sometimes Use to Author Models Own and Sometimes Use to Review Models
Own and Frequently/Always Use to Author Models Own and Frequently/Always Use to Review Models
US US
6%
15%
21% 41%
57%
36%
16%
8%
UK UK
20%
32%
80% 60%
8%

Owners’ Use of BIM Consultants
BIM consultants (separate from the design team Owners’ Use of BIM Consultants
or contractors) can provide important expertise to Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
owners, especially related to developing their BIM Always Use Frequently Use Low Use Never Use
procedures and guidelines or helping them comply
US
with government ones.
2014 2016
US and UK owners were asked about their current
use of BIM consultants and what they forecast their use
12% 16%
will be in two years. The results clearly show that the UK 22%
owners’ use of BIM consultants is far more extensive than
40%
in the US, and use will grow dramatically in the UK over 26%
the next two years. 22%
One contractor with a high level of BIM involvement 40%
believes this can be attributed primarily to government 22%
BIM requirements: “The UK government guidelines
appear quite complex, and the need for clear briefing
information [in the contractual form of Employers UK
2014 2016
Information Requirements] is critical to explain what 0%
clients want.” His experience is that “most clients do not
have the detailed knowledge to articulate exactly what
they need in that format, hence the growth of 35%
BIM consultants.” 45%
65% 55%
1_7_B12_#03.eps
How to Select and Derive Value From Consultants
According to Kristine Fallon, from BIM implementation plan with and have end-user review of
KFA, BIM consultants can provide milestones and budgetary pricing. deliverables to ensure quality.
three main values to owners:
2. Implementation Guidance: 3. Doing BIM: Consultants can
1. BIM Strategy: Consultants For example, getting COBie outsource modeling, checking
provide internal and designer/ output from BIM software of BIMs and COBie data from
contractor requirements, with may be an opaque process. project teams, transfer of COBie
goals and metrics, and a plan to A BIM consultant can provide data to owner systems or
achieve them. training, videos, documentation, maintenance of BIMs.
templates, object libraries, etc.,
Owners should seek consultants for owners’ internal use and with Owners should seek consultants
who know all BIM perspectives— project teams. who understand industry
designer, contractor, CM and workflows and who automate
owner—and understand project Owners should seek consultants processes rather than billing a
delivery, contracts, licensing, with the prerequisite software lot of hours.
liability, business processes and skills, discuss the intended
culture. They should ask for a results, agree on deliverables

Owners’ Greatest Challenge

to Expanding Their Use of BIM
Owners were asked to describe what they believe is the Owners’ Perspectives on the Single
single greatest obstacle to expanding the use of BIM on Greatest Obstacle to Expanding BIM Use
their projects. Their responses are grouped into three Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
major themes, and the top five are rank ordered in the
Ranking US UK
table. (Note that only four obstacles received enough
acknowledgement by UK owners to be included.) Training Investment/ Cost/Funding/
1 Lack of Skilled Users Initial Investment
Training Investment/Lack
of Skilled Users 2 Cost/Funding/
Training Investment/
Lack of Skilled Users
■ In the US, this challenge is most deeply felt by the Initial Investment (tie)
owners with a very high level of BIM involvement Buy-In Among Industry/
(32%) and those with large annual construction 3 Adoption on Wider Scale (tie) Buy-In Among Industry/
Adoption on Wider Scale
programs (28%).
■ This issue was not identified by any US healthcare Lack of Standards for
4 Upper-Level Buy-In
owners (0%), perhaps because that is such a popular BIM Across Industry
project type for BIM.
Not as Adaptable for
Small Jobs (tie)
Cost/Funding/Initial Investment 5 N/A
Lack of Standards for BIM
Far more of the US owners currently at a low BIM Across the Industry (tie)
involvement level (26%) and those with small
construction budgets (28%) named this as an issue than
those at a very high involvement level (8%) or with large
budgets (0%).
The same pattern holds true in the UK, where only 11% 2_7_B31_#02.eps
of the large budget owners cite this as an obstacle versus
27% of the smaller ones. This may reflect the investments
that the larger and more BIM-active organizations
have already made, and, therefore, they no longer see
investment as an obstacle to growth.
In fact,Terry Stocks, the director of project delivery for
the UK Ministry of Justice states, “Our experience has been
that [BIM] hasn’t cost more .... BIM kept us on [our intended]
trajectory of savings so we didn’t see any spike in increased
procurement cost.” (See page 13 for more information on
the UK Ministry of Justice’s adoption of BIM.)
Industry and Upper-Level Buy-In

■ Industrywide buy-in is noted as an obstacle by more
renovation-oriented US owners (24%) versus those
doing mostly new construction (13%). This likely
reflects the slower penetration of BIM in that segment of
construction activity. ■ Buy-in by top management is not identified by any US
■ More large US owners (28%) cite industrywide buy-in healthcare owners (0%), perhaps because healthcare
as an obstacle than small ones (7%). This is probably is such a popular project type for BIM in the US, and
because larger owners do projects in more geographic the value proposition is well established. Neither is this
regions and require extensive resources, so they issue identified by any UK owners (0%), probably due to
encounter a greater diversity of BIM buy-in by AEC firms the widespread communications underway about the
and pockets of lingering resistance to BIM adoption. government mandate.

ca
se
st
ud
An Owner’s Path to BIM Accelerated
y
by Government Mandate
Ministry of Justice
UNITED KINGDOM
T
erry Stocks is a chartered project.” It was a critical transition Now there are a series of what
structural engineer by from being “adversarial into more Stocks calls BIM4 hubs (e.g., BIM4
profession with 20 years’ collaboration and cooperation.” manufacturing, BIM4 clients,
experience in construction BIM4 offsite) that are tied into
BIM SEEN AS KEY TOOL TO
and project management. At central government, but run by
SUPPORT COLLABORATION
the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), organizations or private sector
When the UK construction strategy
he is responsible for design and individuals who are interested.
mandating BIM was announced, “We
construction for the prison system,
were the first on the phone to the
judicial courts and all related
BIM Task Group. I said, ‘We’ll be the
Strategies for
administrative buildings in the
first trial project to run through,’ and
Transitioning to BIM
whole of the UK, delivering over 100 Stocks’ approach was successful.
fortunately they agreed.”
projects a year. Two thirds of MoJ work is now BIM
Stocks saw that BIM “sits in the
Level 2, and the 2016 goal is 95%.
middle of what we’re trying to do to
Lean Was First Step on enhance the level of collaboration.”
“For us, BIM is business as usual.
the Path to BIM He told his group of firms, “We
You’ve got to opt out of using BIM
Among the stated goals of the MoJ rather than opt in, which is a total
expect you to become BIM proficient
is to “Build a prison system that mind shift.” He finds that “the small
over a couple [of] years.”
delivers maximum value for money.” projects are really good training
To improve MoJ efficiency, Stocks grounds for your supply chain.”
launched a lean construction program
Building Toward BIM Reflecting on the transition he
in January 2009. His team began
Acceptance says, “It’s not all been smooth riding
Stocks recalls that initially, everyone
collecting and analyzing project data for sure. We had enough [large]
expressed eager acceptance. “It’s
to “benchmark where we were, [so we contractors that were really up for
not until you really engage with them
could] demonstrably put value into it to give us that critical mass. But
that [you see] tepid acceptance, no
the way we procure our buildings.” we’ve had to support them in building
acceptance and willful belligerence.”
relationships with their tier twos and
CHANGE IN PROCUREMENT To ease firms into BIM on the first
threes.The big mechanical electrical
POLICY FOSTERED A MORE project, Stocks told them, “We’ll make
subcontractors are not a problem. But
COLLABORATIVE APPROACH it a job with BIM, rather than a BIM
we made it clear that the onus was on
In order to engage the supply project.” He believes that approach
the tier ones to support the smaller
chain in the lean initiative, Stocks “took the fear out of them a bit
suppliers [with BIM]”.
made significant changes to MoJ’s because they realized that BIM was
To facilitate this, Stocks continued
procurement policy. “It’s really not the be-all or end-all.” After that he
to modify MoJ procurement policy.
important that your procurement says, “They went at it wholeheartedly.
“We were working in alliances, but
culture is aligned with the outcomes They really took the challenge up.”
we were asking our tier ones to
you want. So instead of having To encourage adoption he set
competitively tender three or four
to depend on a whole bunch of up a special interest BIM group for
quotes for their sub packages. That
contractors and professional service suppliers, led by a member of the
was just driving poor behaviors
providers, we started working in supply chain. “We didn’t want to lead
lower down, because we’d have to
alliances with a smaller number.” the whole thing. We wanted a real
go with the lowest supplier and that
By concentrating on a group of relationship. We had the road map
would just create problems later on.
about two dozen design firms and that we took to [the special interest
We had to step back and say, ‘Hang
contractors, Stocks could “get a bit of BIM group] and said, ‘This is where
on, no, no, no. Yes, we want value,
cultural alliance and trust between us. we need to be in terms of milestones;
but we’ll measure that overall. We’ll
We always had them inside the tent now you guys need to work with us
let you build up your relationships
[to create] the practice and process to put the detail in it.’ That helped
with your sub suppliers so you can
that we wanted to use to deliver a accelerate engagement.”
build up innovation.’”
CONTINUED

y
ud
Ministry of Justice
st
ED
se
UNITED KINGDOM
U
N
ca
TI
N
CO
Engaging Facility really efficient at asking for the renovation projects also shortens
Managers wrong things,” he jokes. Instead their out-of-service time.

Incorporating the Government Soft of the traditional approach of
Landings initiative, Stocks engages “overburdening our supply chain Growing BIM in the UK
facility managers to help the design with ‘Give us this, and we want it all Stocks says the UK government
team “think in terms of operations or now, but actually we might not look BIM initiative is now spreading in
cost right at the beginning of the job.” at it for six months,’” he is taking several ways:
In early meetings he asks them more of a just-in-time approach, “so ■ Government: “We are really lucky
about existing facilities. “What are we can work in a calm way rather to have that massive focus from our
your top 10 issues? What don’t you than a whirling dervish environment central government system. Most
like? What can we design better?” that is quite easy to whip everyone of the departments are on board
Adding BIM to this process has up into.” with this now, and the ones that are
been a great success. “With 2D not are running to catch up.”
EXPECTED BENEFITS
drawings, nobody wants to say they ■ Private Sector: “By up-skilling the
Although efficiency is up and risk
don’t understand, and you end up government, we’re also up-skilling
is down, Stocks hasn’t seen supply
making late-stage changes that cost the private sector supply chain.
chain fees and pricing reductions yet.
you money. What you really can’t Now commercial development
“That’s our expectation,” he says.
underestimate is the power of that companies are using BIM for their
“We’ve been using BIM about two
3D [BIM] image to walk them through signature projects in London.”
years, and everybody is starting to
their facility.” On a £20-million ■ Europe:“France, Spain and Italy
realize [BIM] reduces risk at the front
project “we took £800,000 out of the are all starting to use BIM Level 2
end of projects. I think we’ll start
initial phase designs” with virtual processes wider.”
to see that manifest itself in their
walkthroughs to refine the design.
pricing. At the moment, they’re just As to the future, Stocks is confident
And having studied the model so
at that cusp where they’ve done a that “BIM Level 3 is going to take it
closely, the operations manager said,
couple of projects, they’ve been able even further.”n
“When I went into the building, I felt
to de-risk the construction, but they
as though I had already been in it.”
haven’t been brave enough to put it
Stocks is now using BIM
in their price. That’s something, as
on maintenance and repair
an intelligent client, you’ve just got to
projects to expand the database
live with; otherwise, you’re not going
of existing facilities.
to get them on the journey.”
By leveraging model-driven
Benefits of BIM prefabrication and laser scanning,
Project Facts
st
CURRENT BENEFITS Stocks foresees more “design for

at
and Figures
s
Stocks says measuring cost/benefit manufacture, so the working time

is core to the MoJ BIM initiative. onsite can be installation rather than Owner
Ministry of Justice
“Our experience has been that [BIM] fabrication.” His team recently built
hasn’t cost more.” And in terms a full-scale mock-up of an improved Annual Construction Budget
of “pounds in the ground” (the service duct that saves 15 minutes £350 million per annum
percentage of a project budget that in servicing. They then scanned Current BIM Engagement
ends up in the actual facility), he says, it into a model for prefabrication. Approximately two-thirds of
projects currently using BiM
“We’re about 25% more efficient than “Leveraging 15 minutes for one duct
we were in 2009.” times 180 in one facility, then using BIM Engagement Goal
BIM helped Stocks re-engineer that design across 10, 15, 20 projects, 95% of projects using BIM
by 2016
MoJ’s approach to deliverables it’s a huge time savings.” He finds
and their schedule. “You can be laser scanning existing facilities for

Data: BIM Policies
Role of Public and Private BIM Policy Initiatives
BIM initially gained traction in the global construction It is now becoming increasingly important for public
industry from the bottom up, as a practitioner-driven and private owners to engage with these initiatives and
initiative. It has grown through a constant process of provide more comprehensive direction and guidance to
trial and error by architects, engineers, contractors and their project teams about the use of BIM. The practice of
owners on thousands of projects all over the world. just putting the word “BIM” into an RFP and sitting back
As BIM matured, the more experienced users to see what happens must evolve to a more conscious,
documented and institutionalized proven practices reasoned and intentional deployment of BIM for specific
within their own organizations to more consistently purposes, by proven and repeatable processes, and with
and reliably achieve the benefits of BIM, and several metrics appropriate to the initial objectives.
industry groups initiated guideline and standards This section of the report addresses the current state
programs for broad dissemination. Examples include of and attitudes about owners’ BIM policies, including
the National BIM Standard from the buildingSMART a matrix of national-level government policies from a
alliance at the National Institute of Building Sciences, number of construction markets around the world.
Level of Development standards from the BIMForum,
Owner’s BIM Guide developed by Penn State University,
and various types of BIM agreements, amendments and
execution plans.
Influence of the Private Sector on BIM Use

The data in this report at a higher rate than in any of consists of more than 140
clearly reveal the influence of the other markets examined. companies from the AEC
government mandates for BIM, AEC firms have been leading industry, as well as owners and
and an overview of government
the way in developing internal building operators.
efforts in several major
construction markets globally
BIM workflows and processes ■ Japan: In 2012, the Japan
begins on page 18. However, to keep pace with foreign Institute of Architects created
the research on these markets competitors. buildingSMART BIM guidelines. In addition,
also demonstrates efforts by the has also announced its intention currently, private owners such
private sector, either on their to form a chapter in Brazil to as Samsung have taken the
own or in partnership with promote open data standards. lead in requiring BIM on projects
government, to encourage more ■ Canada: The Institute for BIM in Japan.
widespread use of BIM.
in Canada is working with the ■ Hungary: A BIM trade group
■ Brazil: Despite the fact that
buildingSMART alliance to adapt is, as of publication date, still
Brazil has no official government
the UK National BIM standard as developing their website (http://
standard, the use of BIM is
a basis for a Canadian standard. www.mabin.hu/). In addition,
quickly rising for Brazilian
■ Sweden: The BIM Alliance— a local technology company
building and infrastructure
created in 2014 by merging hosts software-related events
projects. In fact, the Business
a few separate BIM-related in which BIM case studies are
Value of BIM for Construction
organizations—is promoting presented. However, at this
in Major Global Markets
open standards and processes, point, the private sector is still
SmartMarket Report reveals
methods, tools and best implementing BIM on a case-by-
that BIM use is increasing
practices for BIM. The Alliance case basis only.
among contractors in Brazil

BIM Policies
Owners’ BIM Requirements and Guidelines
Requiring or Encouraging BIM Owners’ BIM Requirements

While all the owners in this research study are Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
currently involved with BIM on their projects, they

US
vary greatly in the degree to which they require it,
UK
merely encourage it or, in some cases, take no official
position on it whatsoever. Require BIM
■ Around two thirds of both public sector (65%) and 25%
private sector (70%) UK owners say they will require 68%
BIM on new projects they will be starting, compared
with less than a third (30%) of US public owners and Encourage BIM But Not Required
just a handful (11%) of US private sector ones. 43%
■ Among US owners, their current level of BIM use and 25%
annual construction spend relate directly to their No Policy
propensity to require BIM. This reflects the growing
32%
commitment to BIM programs among owners who
7%
use BIM frequently and among those with large annual
construction budgets:
• Over half (52%) of the subgroup of US owners who are
currently at a very high level of BIM involvement (more
1_5_B10_#02.eps
than 75% of their projects) say they will require BIM, Owners’ BIM Guidelines
compared with only 10% of those at a low involvement Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
level (less than 25% of projects). Well-Developed Guidelines

• Similarly, more than half (56%) of US owners with Some Development of Guidelines
largest annual construction budgets (greater than $400 No Guidelines
million) plan to require BIM, compared with just 10% of
US UK
owners with relatively small construction spend (less
0%
than $50 million).
• BIM is required by far fewer renovation-oriented
US owners (13%) than those doing mostly new 24%
25%
construction (32%), reflecting its much lower use for 45%
that type of work in the US.
■ While nearly a third of US owners (32%) say they
76%
will neither require nor encourage BIM use on their 30%
upcoming projects, only a few (7%) UK owners plan to
take that passive stance. This US group largely consists
of those with small annual budgets, low current levels of
BIM involvement and a higher proportion of renovation
projects than new construction.
1_6_B11_#02.eps
■ Among this subgroup of US owners, almost half
BIM Guidelines (45%) have what they consider to be well-developed
To make the most effective use of BIM, owners who guidelines, although a quarter (25%) still have no
mandate or encourage it ought to have BIM guidelines for guidelines at all.
their teams to deploy. In this study, the owners who say ■ By contrast, over three quarters (76%) of the UK
they will require or encourage BIM on upcoming projects subgroup believe that they have well-developed BIM
were asked to characterize the status of their guidelines, and none of them report being completely
BIM guidelines. without guidelines.

BIM Policies
Government Policy Impact on Owners’ Interest in BIM
It is clear that BIM use in the UK is enormously Impact of Government Policies on

accelerated by the Government Construction Strategy Owners’ Interest in BIM

published in May 2011, which mandates a minimum Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
requirement for fully collaborative 3D BIM (with all US

project and asset information, documentation and data UK
being electronic) on centrally procured public projects
by 2016. In the US, while several federal agencies have Very High Impact
developed BIM programs as well as various other state 4%
and municipal initiatives, there is no such cohesive 25%
national BIM agenda.
High Impact
Overall Impact of Government Agency 8%

BIM Requirements 42%
This BIM policy differential explains the dramatic Moderate Impact
variance in results between the US and UK owners when
24%
they were asked how much impact government agency
28%
BIM requirements have had on their organization’s
interest in BIM. Low Impact
■ Over two thirds (67%) of all UK owners, and 80% of the 20%
ones in the public sector, report a high or very high 5%
impact, versus only 12% of all US owners (almost all of
No Impact
whom are in the public sector).
■ Only 5% of all UK owners (all of them from the 41%
private sector) report that government policies have 0%
had little or no impact, versus almost two thirds (61%) Don't Know
of all US owners.
3%
0%
How Government Policies
Impacted Owners How Government BIM Policies Impacted
Owners who reported at least a moderate amount of
Owners’ Interest in BIM
impact from government BIM policies (95% in UK and 1_3_B2_#02.eps
(According to Owners Who Report Being at Least
36% in US) were asked to select one or more of three
Moderately Impacted by Government Policies)
statements that describe the impact on their organization.
Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
■ In the UK, over three quarters (76%) of that subgroup
cite that government policies spurred them to initiate US

a specific BIM project, and two thirds (66%) say it UK
encouraged them to add BIM resources. In each case
Encouraged Organization
these figures were slightly higher among public sector to Add BIM Resources
owners than private.
39%
■ In the US, however, the impact of government
66%
agency BIM policies on expanding owners’ BIM
programs is more muted. Most (80%) of the private Inspired to Initiate a Specific BIM Project
sector owners indicate that the impact, small as it 36%
may be, does not include any of the options offered to 76%
them in the survey.
Accelerated BIM Use on Projects
36%
45%

1_4_B3_#02.eps
Data: Government Policies
BIM for Public Owners:
Global Policy Trends, Including Full Discussion of Influential
Policies in Singapore, the UK, the US and Scandinavia
Many major economies today are considering a national BIM mandate

or already have one in place because they believe that BIM adoption
is a necessary step toward minimizing lifecycle building costs.
L
owering long-term costs conducted through interviews with carbon emissions in the US, the EU
is a top goal for all public government officials and policy and other regions
owners. “BIM has become experts and through extensive ■ Global economic downturn of the
essential to the realization of secondary research on published late 2000s, which has kept material
recent aggressive energy reduction policies. In addition to reviewing and labor costs in check relative to
mandates [enacted in the US and the key trends, the analysis includes the boom years
around the world],” says Charles a more extensive look at how and ■ Technological advances that have
Matta, deputy chief information why mandates and policies were improved the value proposition for
officer for the Public Buildings established in the UK, Singapore, BIM, such as:
Service of the US Government the US and Scandinavia (Denmark, • Cloud-based data storage and
Services Administration (GSA). Finland, Norway). services, including software-as-a-
“Only through using BIM and service (SAAS)
smart building technologies can Factors Driving • Better and more BIM-authoring
public real estate owners design Adoption of BIM Policies tools for a broader range of
and deliver innovative buildings, building disciplines
SHIFT IN FOCUS FROM INITIAL
maximize energy efficiency and • Software, applications and
TO LIFECYCLE COSTS
achieve effective building operations interfaces that allow for complex
BIM gained traction during the
throughout the building lifecycle.” “big data” analyses of and uses
economic and building boom of
In addition, broad regional for information contained in digital
the early 2000s, when prices for
directives will likely drive the building models
labor and materials were increasing
adoption of BIM mandates or
worldwide. So the earliest adopters Countries that adopted BIM
incentives in some parts of the world.
of BIM for public buildings, most mandates later, particularly the UK,
For example, in January 2014, the
notably the US’s GSA, did so have been crafting mandates that
European Parliament passed a set
primarily with an eye toward keeping align explicitly with the goal to lower
of reforms to the European Union
design and construction costs in lifecycle costs; future adopters will
(EU) Public Procurement Directive
check. At this time there were also likely do the same; and countries with
to help reduce costs and project
fewer BIM-authoring tools on the existing mandates are moving their
overruns. Included in these reforms
market, and the most mature tools policies in this direction.
were clauses designed to encourage
were geared toward architects and
BIM adoption and other electronic COMPETITIVE EDGE
designers. So it stands to reason that
tools on public works contracts. It is IN THE GLOBAL
the early focus on BIM was achieving
widely believed that the directive will CONSTRUCTION MARKET
efficiencies early in a building’s life.
encourage some EU nations to adopt All countries mandating BIM, along
This goal is still important,
BIM mandates or incentives. with those considering a mandate,
but public owners have shifted
want to ensure that their building
their attention to lowering total
About the Policy lifecycle costs and recognize that
industries are keeping pace with
Research implementing BIM is a necessary
innovative technologies and
McGraw Hill Construction researched practices, believing them crucial to
step toward this goal. The shift is the
the BIM policies, mandates and future success. In countries where
outgrowth of several factors:
resources of 21 countries in Asia, BIM is not yet required for public
■ Rising energy prices worldwide
Europe, North America and South buildings, there is a general fear of
■ Passage of aggressive reduction
America. The research was primarily falling behind rival economies and a
targets for energy use and/or

Data: Government Policies CONTINUED
Countries With National Mandates

Building Sizes Submittal Supporting Date of Future

Country
Name of BIM Data or Budgets File Reasons for Establishing Policy Materials Original/ Phase-In
Mandate Required Requiring BIM Formats (e.g., Training, Current Plans
Guidelines) Mandate(s)
Denmark: Executive Project 5M kroner and IFC, • Reduce energy consumption in buildings 2007 / 2013
Building & Order lifecycle higher for Native • Improve productivity
Property No. 118 (architec- national projects • Shorten project delivery timeframe
Agency under ture • Improve coordination and
the Ministry of through 20M kroner and communication among team members
Climate, O&M) higher for regional
Energy and and municipal
Building projects
Finland: Common Project All national IFC, • Support making design and construction Guidelines 2007 / 2012
Senate BIM lifecycle public projects Native lifecycle process safe (updated in 2012)
Properties Require- (architec- • Support making design and construction
ment ture lifecycle process compliant with sustainable
2012 through development
O&M) • Utilize models for facility management
Norway: Statsbygg Architec- All national IFC, • Reduce errors and omissions BIM Manual 1.2.1 2005 / 2013 Additional
Statsbygg BIM ture and public projects Native • Improve communications and coordination BIM data
Manual handover • Gain efficiencies requirements
1.2.1 data • Increase energy efficiency expected by
• Use cutting edge research, technologies and 2016
processes to improve the built environment
Singapore: BIM Road Architec- All new buildings IFC, • Increase construction industry • Training 2012 All new
Building and map and ture and over 20,000 sq.m. Native, productivity by 20% to 30% over the next • Financial buildings over
Construction e-sub engineer- 3D PDF decade Incentives 5,000 sq.m. in
Authority** mission ing data or • Achieve BIM use by 80% of • Guidelines 2015.
require- 3D DWF Singapore's construction industry by 2015 • Sample Contract
ments • Realize a highly skilled and technologically Language
advanced construction sector led by • E-submission
progressive firms and supported by a skilled Templates
and competent workforce in 2020 • Award
Programs for
Innovators
South Korea: BIM Guide Architec- All public IFC, • Increase energy efficiency 2010 BIM required
Public Version 1.2 ture and buildings costing Native • Reduce design errors for all projects
Procurement property over $27.6M • Reduce construction costs by 2016
Service (PPS) data • Support efficient facility management
United Govern- Project All national COBie, • Reduce construction costs BIM Task Group 2011 BIM
Kingdom: ment lifecycle public projects Native, • Reduce project delivery time provides support requirements
The Cabinet Construc- (architect- PDF • Make UK's design and constuction industry for both the UK will apply in
Office of tion ure through more competitive globally government and 2016.
Government Strategy O&M, • Help UK meet carbon reduction targets for supply chain
Construction defined in buildings
Board tthe U.K. as
Level 2)
** Singapore is the only government to require that performance metrics are reported on projects
Definitions of file formats
IFC (Industry Foundation Classes): open standard for exchanging BIM data between different proprietary software applications
COBie (Construction Operations Building Information Exchange): open standard for the capture and delivery of information needed for facility management (FM)
Native: proprietary software standard from the authoring tool of a BIM model
PDF (portable document format): typically extracted automatically from a 3D model authored in BIM software
DWF (design web format): proprietary to Autodesk, used to transmit 3D model information in compressed form to reduce file size
6_1_Prod_NationalMandates_#01.eps

desire to take advantage of business this article, only Singapore makes as Hong Kong and other Asian
opportunities offered by BIM in collecting BIM-related metrics a economies, use it as a means of fine-
robust building markets, whether requirement. Policymakers are not tuning and prioritizing resources for
in-country or abroad. convinced that data is needed to implementing BIM.
The desire to advance innovation capture cost savings due directly
and become an industry leader is to BIM on building projects for two Data Standards
most explicit in the BIM policies of main reasons: Matter More Than
the UK and Singapore. Part of the • It is difficult to quantify cost Authoring Platforms
UK’s overall construction strategy avoidances due solely to BIM Public owners have embraced open
is “to drive a more competitive with accuracy, due to variables in data standards for submittals of
construction sector that’s effective, factors such as project size and BIM information and, at present,
efficient, productive, and can export location, contractor experience have largely settled on Industry
design and engineering services to and project complexity. In the Foundation Classes (IFC) as the
other parts of the world. BIM fluency words of one public owner, “Every preferred standard. IFC is an open,
is part of the needed skill set,” says project is vastly different, and international and standardized
Adam Matthews, an Autodesk many of the assumptions needed specification that makes it possible
executive who participates in the to calculate the savings can be to hold and exchange data between
UK’s BIM Task Force that supports called into question. We don’t different proprietary software
the government’s BIM goals. think it’s worth the effort.” applications. They comprise
Singapore has often imported • Many public owners in major data from all the disciplines that
design and construction services to economies are already convinced contribute to a building throughout
keep up with building demand and to of BIM’s value. Therefore, public its lifecycle, from conception through
take advantage of the most effective owners are no longer making design, construction and operation
methods and tools. Its BIM mandate adoption decision based on proof to refurbishment or demolition.
and road map aim to turn the tide so of cost savings. By and large, public owners
that Singapore-based companies are also considering, or in some
Quantifying cost savings due to
can compete with international firms cases like the UK and the GSA
using BIM on public buildings will
for work in-country, thus supporting in the US, planning to adopt, the
likely continue on an ad hoc basis:
the industry’s employment figures Construction Operations Building
for example, for papers presented
and revenue. Information Exchange (COBie) data
at professional conferences and
standard. COBie is an information
symposia; for awards submissions;
Success Metrics Not and as part of studies done by AEC
exchange specification developed
Widely Tracked firms or BIM software vendors as a
by the US Army Corps of Engineers
Whether they already have BIM (USACE) for the capture and delivery
way to attract clients.
mandates or are just considering of information needed for facility
In terms of broader measures of
them, public owners report benefits management (FM). COBie data
BIM’s success and effectiveness, a
from documenting and sharing case can be accessed and viewed
metric called bimSCORE, developed
studies to champion BIM, educating in design, construction and
by Calvin Kam at Stanford University,
the industry on best practices and maintenance software, as well
assesses a BIM project’s efficacy
processes, and helping owners and as in simple spreadsheets. This
in four areas: maturity of the BIM
their contractors learn from past versatility allow the data to be
planning process; levels of adoption;
successes (and mistakes). The UK used in projects of varying size and
sophistication of technology and
and Singapore are undertaking technological sophistication.
data standards; and measures
significant efforts in this regard due Though some owners,
of performance.
to their mandates. practitioners and BIM experts
However, of all the major Overall, public owners are aware express reservations about COBie
governments investigated for of bimSCORE and some, such because the relevant data are

Countries With BIM Policies by Agency or Municipality

BIM Building Sizes or Submittal Supporting

Agency or Name of Budgets Requiring File Reasons for Establishing Policy Materials Date of Future Phase-In Plans
Country
Municipality Policy Data (e.g., Training, Policy
Required BIM Formats
Guidelines)
USA General National Architec- All national public IFC, • GSA was the first national public • In collaboration 2003 A plan for phasing in
Services 3D-4D- ture and projects Native, owner to adopt BIM and to with the COBie compliance
Administra- BIM design PDF develop criteria and guidance National Institute and additional BIM
tion (GSA) Program for delivering BIM work of Building data requirements will
• Original intent was to control Sciences, be announced by the
costs academia and end of 2014.
• Focus has shifted to achieving other industry
energy efficiency and lowering partners,
long-term operational costs championed
• Broad goals include using the IFC
BIM to increase project quality, standard
productivity and efficiency
throughout project lifecycles.
USA U.S. Army ECB Architec- All projects IFC, • Initially adopted to streamline • Minimum data 2006 Developing checklists
Corps of 2013-18: ture and Native and lower the cost of designing requirements for BIM submittals
Engineers Building as-built prototypes of "standard facilities" • Templates for and reviews to
(USACE) Information data • Currently plans to transform its BIM execution streamline workflow.
Modeling BIM implementation to focus on plans Plans to require
(BIM) business process transformation • Sample additional BIM data
Require- contract to support
ments on language downstream uses in
USACE the project lifecycle
Projects and is in discussions
about adding COBie
as a submittal
requirement.
USA Naval ECB Architec- New buildings Native • Standardize data processes and • Currently 2014 October 1, 2014:
Facilities 2014-01: ture and costing $750,000 or data format for facility lifecycle requires FM data required as
Engineering NAVFAC’s engineer- more sustainment (enter facility data electronic e-submittal for use in
Command Building ing data once, use it repeatedly, use it delivery of data MAXIMO; BIM
(NAVFAC) Information Major renovations consistently and keep it up to for use in its training will begin
Manage- costing $2.5M or date.) facility manage- internally.
ment and more and greater ment system
Modeling than or equal to • Eventual goal is October 1, 2015:
(BIM) 50% of plant that the BIM BIM architectural and
Phased replacement value model will engineering data and
Implemen- capture data FM data required as
tation Plan needed across e-submittals.
the project
lifecycle
United Dubai BIM Architec- Buildings over Still 2014
Arab Municipality Mandate ture and 40 stories high being
Emirates MEP Buildings that are deter-
data 300,000 sq. ft. or mined
larger
All hospitals,
universities and other
specialized buildings
on campuses
Buildings delivered
by and/or through an
international party
6_3_AgencyMandates_#01.eps

“frozen” in large spreadsheet files, infrastructure information such UK

they recognize that it is better to as parking lots, location of street

GOALS
have an imperfect but evolving lights, utility conduits and water
The UK’s BIM mandate is widely
delivery standard for FM data than supply mains.
acknowledged as the most ambitious
no standard at all. Some countries, • The UK’s Digital Built Britain
and forward-thinking policy in the
such as Sweden, have developed initiative, formed in 2013 as an
industry today, requiring that all
their own delivery standards for FM outgrowth of their government
centrally funded public projects
data, but public owners believe that construction strategy, is working
(buildings and infrastructure) deliver
country-specific standards will be hand-in-hand with the BIM Task
BIM data for the entire project
folded into international ones. Group to deliver what they define
lifecycle by 2016, which they have
In general, public owners have as “Level 3” BIM capability,
defined as BIM Level 2. BIM fluency
become less concerned in recent comprising building, infrastructure
is viewed as a must-have skill set for
years about the tools used to create and geospatial information.
the future health of the industry. The
3D models and capture a building’s
mandate is one action to support
design information, as long as the How to Create a BIM the UK’s broader goals for its
BIM data handed over at critical Mandate: Examples construction industry: to cut lifecycle
stages in the project’s lifecycle are The methods for mandating BIM
costs and carbon consumption by
useful, accurate, accessible and and for supporting those mandates
20%, and to transform itself into an
relevant. This trend is indicative of have differed among public owners,
efficient, integrated and collaborative
the broader shift in the conversation even those seeking the same goals.
industry and supply chain whose
about BIM from concerns regarding Broadly speaking, the earliest
services are in demand worldwide.
accurate modeling of a building’s adopters—the GSA, Norway and
geometry to thorough capture of Finland—have opted for prescriptive ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO
relevant building information. data and authoring requirements ACHIEVE GOALS
that center on a workflow based on Along with the BIM mandate and
Looking to the Future: delivering IFC data during a project. broader construction strategy of
Merging BIM With GIS Other mandates, such as those 2011 came resources to support
and Infrastructure Data in the UK and Denmark, take more meeting these targets by 2016.
In the longer term, public owners are of a performance-based approach, The government established a
talking about merging BIM data with setting performance objectives multidisciplinary organization called
infrastructure and GIS data to enable and guidelines for BIM projects and the BIM Task Group (bimtaskgroup.
smart grids, cities and infrastructure. allowing the supply chain to figure org) to ready both the government
These systems would enable public out how to best deliver the data. Still and the supply chain for delivery
owners to manage built assets in a others, such as those adopted by of Level 2 BIM data. The group
safe and efficient manner. Singapore and South Korea, offer is comprised of experts from
There are many barriers to elements of both approaches. industry, government, the public
overcome—managing the huge In addition, the UK provides an sector, institutes and academia,
amount of data; cybersecurity; data example of a top-down government and members are grouped into
exchange standards among different approach, whereas the US provides various disciplinary and functional
systems—but some sample efforts a look at a bottom-up approach, committees. They have established
underway include the following: with individual agencies working in multiple avenues that provide
• Based on requests from its client collaboration with industry. resources, training and education to
owners, USACE is undertaking government and industry:
an initiative to marry geospatial • Establishing of appropriate
information with its BIM data processes and guidelines
and civil information modeling for BIM
(CIM) data, which comprises

Countries With Current BIM Guidelines, Standards or Handbooks or

Future Plans for BIM Support Materials

Current Guidelines, Date Future Plans for

Country Organization Standards or (if known) Guidelines, Standards, Background/Purpose (Where Available)
Handbook Road Maps or Handbooks
Australia Australasian Procurement and National BIM Guide 2011 • Developed by NATSPEC, a nonprofit group
Construction Council composed of industry and government members
• BIM fluency for the construction industry believed
to be crucial to maintain competitive advantage
China Ministry of Science and Technology N/A N/A National BIM Standard • National adoption may be driven by infrastructure
by 2016 rather than buildings, through "smart city" management
and mass transit projects in China's near-term
development plans
• Carbon reductions are a near-term priority that may
help drive BIM for buildings
France Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable N/A N/A BIM Road map in draft N/A
Development and Energy, and form expected by end of
Ministry for Territories and Housing 2014
Germany Federal Office for Building and BIM—Guide for N/A Guide intended to provide N/A
Regional Planning (BBR) Germany structure for future
national BIM mandate
Hong Kong Committee on Environment and N/A N/A Working group currently N/A
Technology of the Construction determining industry-wide
Industry Council BIM road map and
implementation strategy
Hong Kong Hong Kong Housing Authority BIM standards, 2014 Experimenting with • Goal is to use BIM for at least the design stage by
user guides and merging GIS and BIM data 2014-2015
library components into facilities management
for contractors for streamlining operations
and maintenance
Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Guidelines for 2013 • In addition to guidelines set by the ministry, the
Transport and Tourism architectural BIM Japan Institute of Architects put forth its own BIM
models guidelines in 2012
Malaysia Public Works Department N/A N/A Announced intention to • To address the concern of the readiness of the
develop guidelines and industry to adopt BIM, industry groups have
standards by 2016 recommended that the government provide seminars,
training workshops and incentives such as tax breaks
New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and New Zealand BIM 2014 • Handbook developed by the Building and Construction
Employment Handbook Productivity partnership, a government/ministry
collaboration
• Handbook establishes consistent approach, efficient
process and common language for BIM
• Increasing BIM use is seen as one means to help meet
their goal to improve their construction industry's
productivity by 2020
• Defining open standards used • Hosting competitions for the • Establishing awards programs for
6_2_GuidelinesStandards_#01.eps
for BIM data exchange (COBieUK, development of free digital tools BIM projects across every building
a version of COBie adapted for that lower the cost of storing, category to give successful case
their use) sharing and analyzing BIM data, to studies a high profile and to raise
help make the information more the bar on BIM practice
accessible and usable

• Setting up regional hubs for GOALS firms defray part of the cost of
BIM, a network of centers In 2010, Singapore set forth a broad training, consultancy, software
where members of industry can goal for its own industry: to realize or hardware related to BIM
meet with BIM experts to share “a highly skilled and technologically adoption— To date hundreds of
information and experience advanced construction sector that firms have used monies from the
• Forming BIM community groups will be led by progressive firms BIM Fund, and they have been
that target different clients and supported by a skilled and required to document project
and supply chain organizations competent workforce in 2020.” The metrics as a way to quantify and
(e.g., BIM4Regs [regulators], government aimed to increase the demonstrate BIM’s value
BIM4SMEs) and give them a industry’s productivity by 20% to • Hosting conferences, symposia
forum to communicate about their 30% in this time frame. Realizing and seminars to educate and train
needs with BIM these goals would mean that their practitioners, largely overseen
• Disseminating information about industry could remain competitive in by the Centre for Construction
BIM through the regional hubs local and regional markets. IT (CCIT), established under the
and community groups, via BCA Academy to provide technical
ROAD MAP TO ACHIEVE GOALS
regular conferences, seminars, support for the industry
A 2010 BIM road map set forth
workshops and other modes of • Establishing BIM competitions
Singapore’s five-year plan to provide
bidirectional communication to raise awareness and advocate
the industry with the resources,
best practices
David Philp, head of BIM tools, incentives and information
• Working with key Government
Implementation for the task group, needed to adopt BIM, with a goal of
Procurement Entities (GPEs) to
says that the task group’s ultimate having 80% of its industry using BIM
stipulate BIM as a requirement in
goal is not to implement BIM on in 2015. These activities would take
their projects
behalf of the government, but to help place in parallel with the country’s
• Establishing BIM Manager Forum,
the government build up its capacity BIM requirements for regulatory
which gathers more than 40 BIM
and knowledge so that they can approvals, rolled out as follows:
managers from the industry to
become self-sufficient. “Already we ■ 2013: Mandatory BIM
study the process issues in BIM
are regularly realizing savings of 20% e-submissions for architectural
implementation—The forum’s
and more due to our government approvals for all new building
work led to the publication of the
construction strategy, and a lot of projects over 20,000 square meters
BIM Essential Guide Series, which
those savings can be traced back to ■ 2014: Mandatory BIM
provides references on good BIM
using BIM,” says Philp. e-submissions for engineering
practices in an illustrated,
approvals for all new building
easy-to-read format
Singapore projects over 20,000 square meters
• Partnering with professional
■ 2015: Mandatory BIM
FACTORS THAT SUPPORT bodies to set up project
e-submissions for architectural and
SINGAPORE’S ABILITY TO collaboration guidelines and object
engineering approvals for all new
CREATE THE MANDATE library standards
building projects of more than 5,000
Singapore’s small population, top- • Establishing Singapore’s
square meters
down form of government and BIM Steering Committee to
tradition of embracing technology ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO provide strategic direction on
have enabled it to set forth ACHIEVE GOALS the development of local
progressive requirements regarding Singapore’s actions that support BIM Standards and
the use of BIM. industry adoption of BIM include: supporting resources
To date these efforts have • Introducing a $20M BIM Fund, • Setting up Centres of Excellence in
largely focused on simplifying and under the auspices of the BIM at local universities to develop
streamlining the permitting process. Construction Productivity & BIM solutions for industry
Capability Fund (CPCF), to help

United States serves as the contracting agency for (Finland and Denmark), not long after
Unlike the UK and Singapore, the public owners at the national level the GSA established its mandate in
US does not have one mandate that (e.g., National Air and Space Agency, 2003. Like the GSA, they were also
applies nationally for BIM. However, Federal Aviation Administration and focused on controlling initial costs,
two agencies—the GSA and the many others) as well as state and but other factors were important for
USACE—have created policies local governments. As such, its their adoption as well, including:
requiring BIM for their projects. mandate supports and reflects the • Significant investment at the
wishes of a broad range of owners national government level in
GSA
with varying requirements. innovative technologies, including
As a champion and the first national
In order to shape their BIM advanced technologies, tools and
public adopter of BIM in 2003, the GSA
requirements to the needs of their services for buildings
has worked top down and bottom
clients, USACE founded the USACE/ • The potential of BIM to lead to
up with national and international
Industry BIM Consortium, a group better-performing buildings and
collaborators, including government
consisting of personnel from USACE lower energy costs
agencies, professional and standard-
and private firms who participate • Interest at the national level in
setting organizations, academic
voluntarily and at their own expense. becoming innovation leaders
institutions, BIM vendors and private
Their overall mission is “to push for and global leaders in the building
AEC firms to implement its mandate.
innovation within a BIM application- industry and exporting those skills
One of the agency’s key
neutral context and to ensure that to other nations
accomplishments has been its
requirements are practical, fair and
collaboration with the National The Finnish and Norwegian policies
reasonable within the current state of
Institute of Building Sciences, are generally more prescriptive in
technology and standards.”
academia and other industry partners, nature and centered around delivery
Specific tools and requirements
foreign and domestic, to champion of IFC data at various points in the
created include:
the IFC open data standard that is building lifecycle. Denmark has left
• A template for a BIM project
now internationally specified as its standard looser, in that it defines
execution plan (PxP)
a delivery requirement in BIM goals for the use of BIM data, but
• Template “work spaces” using
mandates and policies. leaves it to the industry to determine
popular BIM-authoring tools
Public owners agree that GSA’s how to best deliver it, similar to the
• USACE’s minimum modeling
multiple outreach, research and approach the UK would take later.
requirements for BIM projects in a
collaboration efforts have been critical Like other countries with public BIM
matrix/spreadsheet (M3)
to spurring increased adoption of mandates, Scandinavia has supported
• Sample BIM contract language
BIM in-country and elsewhere. its long-term BIM goals with outreach
Highlights include: Going forward, USACE continues to beyond the mandate, including:
• An eight BIM Guide series identify downstream technologies • Providing resources for training,
containing case study and pilot and processes to leverage its education and dissemination of
project data investment in BIM, to look at merging case studies
• A toolkit of case studies BIM data with GIS and infrastructure • Authoring guidelines, manuals
• Fostering a team of BIM information, and to continue and process recommendations
champions around the US “moving from graphic-centric BIM relevant to BIM implementation
• Sharing best practices and other to info-centric BIM.” • Working to improve BIM education
information with the industry at the university level
USACE
Scandinavia (Finland, The national governments continue
The US Army Corps of Engineers
Norway, Denmark) to provide support for research
These three small to medium-size
(USACE) differs from the GSA in of building technologies and
nations first made BIM as a public
that it doesn’t own the buildings it for innovative uses of BIM data
mandate in 2005 (Norway) and 2007
designs and constructs, but instead throughout the building lifecycle. n

Data: Owners’ Perceptions
About BIM Use by Project Teams
Perceived Frequency of BIM Use by Project Teams
While every owner participating in this research is Owners’ Perception That BIM Is Used Very
currently involved with BIM on their building projects, Frequently/Always by Core Team
they are not always aware of precisely who is using Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
BIM for what on a given project because they are often US: Low BIM Involvement US: Very High BIM Involvement
removed from the day-to-day activities related to UK: All BIM Owners
authoring and use of models. Understanding owners’
perceptions about BIM use by project team members 100%
sheds light on their engagement with BIM. 84% 80%
Owners were asked to rate their perception of the 68%
level of BIM use by nine different team members on their
projects. The charts show the combined percentage
29%
of owners who perceive BIM to be used either very 21%
frequently or always by each team member.
Owners’ perception of BIM use by these various team
members shows a correlation to their probable level of Architects Construction Managers/
General Contractors
day-to-day contact with, and visibility to the activities of,
those parties.This aligns with the survey results, where
an increasing percentage of respondents selected “Don’t
Know” regarding various team members’ BIM use in
3_2_B24B25_Frq by Plyr_CoreTeam_#02.eps
proportion to an owner’s typical firsthand exposure to that
firm’s activities on a project.Therefore, for the purpose of
reporting these findings, the nine project team members
are divided into three groups reflecting differing levels of
Core Project Team
Awareness of the core project team’s use of BIM is
typical exposure to/ interaction with an owner.
generally high, which makes sense because of the
■ Core Project Team: Architect, Construction Manager/
direct level of involvement by owners with one or both
General Contractor (CM/GC)
throughout the project.
■ Engineering Consultants: Mechanical/Electrical/
■ Every UK owner, and almost all (84%) of the most
Plumbing (MEP), Structural, Civil
BIM-active US owners, report perceiving a high
■ Specialty Trade Contractors: MEP, Structural, Building
level of architectural BIM use on their projects,
Envelope, Interior Construction
compared with less than a third (29%) of the least
Another trend throughout the results is a frequently BIM-active US owners.
higher perception of BIM use in the UK than by US ■ CM/GC use is not quite as commonly perceived in
owners. This likely relates to the high level of recent the UK (80%), and much lower in the US (36% among
focus put on BIM throughout that region, driven by the all owners), although over two thirds of the most
impending 2016 government mandate. BIM-active US owners (68%) and those with large
Also, a US owner’s relative level of BIM involvement budgets (67%) perceive it. This is likely due to their
has a major impact on their perceived awareness of BIM tendency to work with the more sophisticated US CM/
use by the various team members. To demonstrate the GC firms that have aggressively adopted BIM.
impact of owners’ BIM experience on their awareness ■ No UK owners, and only a few US owners select
of project team member BIM use, the charts show US “Don’t Know” for architects (11%) or CM/GC (9%),
owners at low and very high involvement levels. (For reinforcing the effect of their visibility to owners
more information on BIM involvement levels, see page 8.) throughout the process.

Owners’ Perceptions About BIM Use by Project Teams
Perceived Frequency of BIM Use by Project Teams CONTINUED
Engineering Consultants Owners’ Perception That BIM Is Used Very

Owner perceptions about BIM usage by engineering Frequently/Always by Engineers

consultants shows even more variation. Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
■ MEP engineers lead in the US (45% among all US US: Low BIM Involvement US: Very High BIM Involvement
owners), and especially among academic (54%) and UK: All BIM Owners
healthcare (58%) owners, likely reflecting the relative
MEP complexity of their projects that lends itself to 98% 95%
BIM use. 85%
72%
■ A higher percentage (85%) of UK owners cites 64%
frequent BIM use by MEP engineers, although,
interestingly, it is the lowest among the three 32%
26%
engineering types. 19%
■ Structural engineers show a similar pattern 7%
of perception in the US (40% among all owners)
with a higher recognition by those with large MEP Engineers Structural Engineers Civil Engineers
construction budgets (67%), and an almost
unanimous rating (98%) in the UK.
■ Civil engineers show the greatest variance between
Owners’ Perception That BIM Is Used Very
US (15% of all owners) and UK (95% of all owners)
3_3_B24B25_Frq by Plyr_Engineer_#02.eps
Frequently/Always by Trade Contractors
perceptions of their BIM use, with only a third (32%) of Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
even the most BIM-active US owners reporting seeing
US: Low BIM Involvement US: Very High BIM Involvement
it frequently. This visibility differential may be the UK: All BIM Owners
most striking example of the intensity of focus on all
players using BIM that is growing in the UK. Typically 68%
to date, the emphasis in the US has been on design and
52%
construction team members most closely involved 40%
36%
with the building itself, with less attention paid to 30% 28% 28%
24%
model-driven processes for site/civil activities on 18% 14%
12%
5%
building projects.
■ About twice as many owners select
MEP Trades Structural Building Interior
“Don’t Know” for these three engineer Trades Envelope Construction
types (18%, 18% and 19%, respectively) than Trades Trades
either of the core team members.
Specialty Trade Contractors 3_4_B24B25_Frq

MEP TRADES by Plyr_Trades_#02.eps
Specialty trade contractors are often active in ■ MEP trades score well with US owners at a very
BIM because of its spatial coordination, digital high level of BIM involvement (68%) and among
fabrication and model-driven site installation those with the largest construction budgets (57%).
benefits. But typically, they are the furthest removed Because of virtual coordination and prefabrication,
from owners on a day-to-day basis, so it is not surprising MEP trades are increasingly using BIM on large and
that owner perceptions of their BIM use rate somewhat complex US projects.
lower, with the proportion selecting “Don’t Know” ■ Unfortunately, far fewer US owners at a low
relatively high (19%, 21%, 27% and 19%, respectively involvement level (24%) and those with small annual
for the order in the chart). Interestingly, as the chart budgets (21%) perceive MEP trade BIM use, likely
shows, perceptions by US owners across the four indicating that the relatively smaller MEP trades who
trade contractor types in the survey run exactly tend to work on those projects are either not using BIM
opposite to UK owners. or not making owners aware of it.

Perceived Frequency of BIM Use by Project Teams CONTINUED
The same reasoning may be behind the low (18%) Perceived Frequency of BIM Use on
■
rating on MEP trades from UK owners, where these Renovation Versus New Projects
firms either need to get more involved or need to alert (According to Owners by Type of Work They
owners to the multiple benefits of their BIM usage. Predominately Construct)
STRUCTURAL TRADES
■ About a third of all UK owners (30%) and US US US UK UK
More Than More Than More Than More Than
owners (32%) claim to see very frequent BIM 50% New 50% 50% New 50%
use by structural trades. Construction Renovation Construction Renovation
■ Among US owners, over half of the most BIM-active Core
(52%), and almost half with the largest annual Project Team 55% 27% 93% 89%
(average)
construction budgets (44%) perceive BIM use by
Engineering
structural trades, again reflecting the sophistication of Consultants 41% 20% 95% 91%
these owners and of the structural trade companies that (average)
tend to work on their projects. Specialty Trade
■ In the UK, private owners (40%) outnumber the public Contractors 31% 17% 16% 35%
(average)
owners (20%) in their perception of structural trades
Overall
using BIM, perhaps because a higher proportion of Project Team 39% 20% 59% 66%
private projects involve more complex structural (average)
design solutions, lending themselves to more owner
awareness of fabrication modeling to achieve the
design intent.
4_1_Batch4_BIMforOwners_#01
BUILDING ENVELOPE TRADES
■ Over a quarter (28%) of UK owners see a lot of envelope
modeling by the trades, as do over a third (36%) of the

■ By contrast, perceived use of BIM by interior
US owners most actively involved with BIM.
construction trades receives the lowest average rating
■ A similar percentage of the large-budget US owners
from US owners (20%). Findings from another recent
(33%) perceive frequent use by envelope trades,
study by McGraw Hill Construction (The Business
compared with far fewer small-budget owners (15%).
Value of BIM for Construction in Major Global Markets
■ BIM use by building envelope trades is still an emerging
SmartMarket Report) reinforce this. When contractors
activity in the US, which probably accounts for it
from 10 major construction markets around the world
receiving the highest percentage of “Don’t Know”
were asked to rate the BIM capabilities of specialty
responses (27%) from US owners.
contractors, interior construction ranked last with only
INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION TRADES 19% giving a high or very high rating.
■Among all the trades in this survey, interior
construction receives the highest rating for perceived Variation by Level of New
BIM use by UK owners (40%). This is likely due to Construction Versus Renovation
the relatively higher proportion of renovation work Awareness of BIM use by project team members is twice
involving interior reconfiguration in the UK versus as high on average among US owners doing mostly new
greenfield projects in the US. And it also may be another projects (39%) than those doing primarily renovations
example of the focus on whole-team BIM usage in the (20%). In the UK, however, a greater percentage of work
UK, rather than in the US, where BIM activity focuses involves renovation, so awareness is much more equal,
more on core and shell and the major systems. In fact, and in some cases is greater among renovation-oriented
there is an active BIM4Fit-out interest group in the UK. owners, such as with trade contractors.

Perceived Frequency of BIM Activities by ProjectTeams
Owners were asked to indicate how frequently they Owners’ Perception of Frequency
perceive that each of four key BIM-related activities is of BIM Activities

being conducted on their projects. The chart shows the (Those Who Perceived High/Very High
combined percentage of owners who perceive that Frequency for Each Activity)
BIM activity is occurring either very frequently or Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
always on their projects. The chart also shows the US: Very High BIM Involvement
differential between US owners at low and very high US: Low BIM Involvement
BIM involvement levels, to reinforce how awareness UK: All BIM Owners
of BIM activities increases dramatically with greater
owner involvement. Spatial Coordination Among Models of Work of
Major Trades to Reduce Conflicts in the Field
SPATIAL COORDINATION AMONG MODELS OF 80%
THE MAJOR TRADES TO REDUCE CONFLICTS 19%
IN THE FIELD
55%
This activity consistently ranks first or second for both
frequency of use and for value in every McGraw Hill Visualization for Stakeholder Engagement
Construction BIM research study all over the world. 76%
■ On average, more UK owners (55%) perceive this taking
21%
place at a high frequency on their projects than US 70%
owners (39%).
■ Importantly, 61% of the large-budget US owners
Using BIM-Authoring Tool to
Prepare Preliminary Schematic Design
and 80% of those most active with BIM perceive it,
52%
likely reflecting its high necessity and value on their
relatively complex projects. 14%
100%
VISUALIZATION FOR STAKEHOLDER
ENGAGEMENT Model-Driven Prefabrication by
Trades/Fabricators
This activity typically pairs with spatial coordination as
16%
the first or second place ranking for frequency and value
in McGraw Hill Construction BIM research. 10%
■ Although on average only 41% of US owners are 32%
frequently aware of model-driven visualization on
their projects, about three quarters of those at a very
high BIM involvement level (76%) and those with large
budgets (72%) do perceive frequent use. This supports 3_6_B15_Top2_#02.eps
one of the key value propositions of visualization, which owners likely reflects the high level of focus on
is to help engage multiple stakeholders efficiently in using BIM as much as possible to comply with the
large organizations and on complex projects. government guidelines.
■ The high awareness among UK owners is probably
MODEL-DRIVEN PREFABRICATION BY
another example of the keen focus on the use of
TRADES AND/OR FABRICATORS
BIM on projects, and the creation of high-quality
McGraw Hill Construction’s BIM research consistently
visualization is one of the most immediate and
shows that specialty trade contractors are increasingly
tangible BIM activities.
active users of BIM for prefabrication, so the relatively low
USING A BIM-AUTHORING TOOL TO PREPARE awareness by owners in the study is likely more because
THE PRELIMINARY SCHEMATIC DESIGN of their distance from these team members’ day-to-day
This activity has been slow to develop in the US and methods than an accurate assessment of the frequency
only rates as highly frequent among an average of 12% of these activities.This is an important opportunity for
of US owners, and only about half (52%) of the ones construction teams everywhere to raise owner awareness
most active with BIM. The unanimous rating from all UK of the benefits of model-driven prefabrication.

Data: Singapore Owners
Insights From Owners on Use of BIM in Singapore
Owners in Singapore see potential in BIM, but they are cautious about the
short-term impacts of adopting it on their projects. However, the drive toward

wider adoption in Singapore, fostered by a national government mandate, will
help demonstrate the benefits that can encourage wider owner engagement.
G
overnment policy in most firms use BIM, not all use it help Singapore reach a variety of
Singapore is helping to the same level. BIM is gaining productivity and life-quality goals
to drive the use of BIM traction among contractors; in fact, covering sustainability, accessibility,
in that country among some of the largest contractors are durability and the overall experience
construction professionals, but already quite advanced in their use of dwelling in the built environment.
interviews with five owners, two of BIM and, therefore, reaping its The BCA also recognizes that
in the public sector and three in the benefits more fully. On the other BIM is a tool that can support better,
private sector who are recognized hand, other contractors are just more collaborative processes, in
experts on BIM, demonstrates that beginning to use BIM. There are also addition to the efficiencies it offers.
owners in Singapore are interested in growing BIM skills among architects Cheng Tai Fatt, deputy managing
BIM but prudent regarding adoption. and structural designers. director of the BCA Academy, states,
Interestingly, though, the owner “We believe that when teams are
Adoption of BIM interviews suggest that owners are managed collectively, they will
in Singapore slower to adopt BIM. However, as achieve better outcomes, and we are
A 2013 survey conducted by the rest of the industry embraces encouraging process transformation
Singapore’s Building Construction BIM, and the owners see the benefits to raise productivity throughout
Authority (BCA) reveals dramatic achieved by project teams using BIM, the entire value chain, including
growth in the use of BIM in the owner engagement with BIM is likely design, construction, and asset
construction industry in Singapore, to increase. and facility management.”
growing from 25% in 2009 to 76% While the BCA’s efforts are
in 2013. In addition, nearly all of the Drivers for Adoption by described in greater detail on page
respondents who were not currently Owners in Singapore 24 in the review of BIM policies
using BIM at that point expected to from major countries around the
GOVERNMENT MANDATE FOR
do so within the next 24 months. globe, it is worth noting here that the
BIM USE IN SINGAPORE AND
In addition, the intensity of BIM transition to BIM is part of a larger
EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE
use is also growing, with the firms effort to improve the industry, which
INDUSTRY ADOPTION
using BIM on more than 50% of began back in 2001, with the switch
The most critical driver of BIM use in
their projects increasing from only from a paper-based submission
Singapore across the construction
4% in 2012 to 15% in 2013. McGraw system for project approvals to an
industry is the government mandate
Hill Construction’s research on BIM electronic submittals submission,
in place for all projects over 20,000
adoption in North America suggests the CORENET e-Plan Check. The
square meters to use BIM for their
that this steep growth is likely to government’s initiative had a
electronic submission of plans. In
continue, with a consistent pattern of difficult transition, marked initially
2015, the minimum size for using BIM
firms steadily increasing the intensity by the mistrust of construction
will go down to 5,000 square meters.
of their involvement with BIM. professionals for electronic
The mandate is just one aspect
The findings of the owner in-depth documents or e-signatures, but
of the BCA’s deep commitment
interviews demonstrate that the top eventually the industry recognized
to BIM as a method to raise
few tiers of Singapore’s AEC industry the efficiency and reliability of this
building industry productivity on a
are now BIM-ready. However, the approach, which led to CAD skills
national scale. They see BIM as an
state of BIM adoption in the overall now being common throughout the
empowering tool informing design
market is uneven today. Although Singapore AEC community.
and management decisions that will

Data: Singapore CONTINUED
In order to encourage BIM use, BENEFITS DERIVED FROM USE interests, and they are positioning
the new BIM-based e-submission OF BIM ON PROJECTS their firms to take advantage of new
program was implemented in 2013. Confidence in achieving real benefits frontiers as BIM skills improve within
However, the transition from CAD through BIM adoption may be the their companies.
to BIM is also challenging for firms. most significant factor for BIM Eugene Seah Hsiu-Min, group
Therefore, the BCA’s experience adoption by facility developers and managing director of Langdon &
with the challenges from that early owners in Singapore. However, Seah Singapore, states, “I decided to
transition has led them to encourage the interviews demonstrate that adopt BIM in my company because
industry adoption of BIM beyond the confidence is not high at this point. A I wanted to be on the forefront and
mandate through broad programs 2013 BCA study on BIM use revealed have a voice in getting what I needed
to stimulate, advance and reward that it is still relatively recent in from BIM to support my business.”
BIM adoption. This has helped create Singapore at any significant scale.
a supportive environment for BIM With adoption so recent, many Benefits of BIM
adoption that is widely recognized owners may not yet see the benefits
REPORTED BY OWNERS
as unique. of BIM from their teams. In addition,
INTERVIEWED
To lay out their goals and McGraw Hill Construction’s research
All five of the owners interviewed
initiatives, the BCA developed a BIM on BIM consistently reveals that
mentioned productivity as the
road map. They set up education and greater experience with BIM also
greatest benefit gained from the use
incentive programs to assist the AEC yields greater benefits. As their
of BIM. Other benefits mentioned by
community with BIM adoption. design and construction teams gain
the five owners include:
Now that BIM adoption is in BIM experience, it is likely that the
■ Increased efficiency
progressing well among contractors benefits that the owners see will also
■ Smarter ways to accomplish tasks
and design firms, the government grow, increasing their confidence in
■ Better control of cost and
has turned their attention to adoption the value of BIM.
time variance
of BIM among sub-contractors, In addition, the owners will
■ Higher value at a similar or
fabricators and suppliers. This have the benefit of the metrics
decreased overall cost
is seen as a necessary step to being gathered by the BCA. The
promote integrated design and BCA’s metrics requirements may Some of the owners also believe
construction processes. prove to be critical in encouraging that use of BIM can improve
One truly unique aspect of their owners to adopt BIM. The data on the design quality of their built
program is that they also set up benefits collected by the BCA can assets through tools like design
metrics to measure change in the demonstrate the value to owners analysis and performance
industry. The BCA has a checklist beyond their immediate experience simulation. Interestingly, though,
in place to assess BIM uses and with their own design and build none of the owners reported
benefits on a project-by-project teams’ gains. This may encourage that they have had sophisticated
basis. The goal of these measures owners to begin to require BIM on all automated capabilities such as
is to gain additional detail on the their projects, rather than just those multidisciplinary optimization
actual outcomes, not only within covered by the mandate. performed on their projects.
individual companies, but also to In addition, the interviews with
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
measure the cumulative benefits owners revealed the owners believe
For BIM adopters in Singapore,
BIM brings to collaborative efforts. that contractors are currently the
competitive advantage is also
This is necessary to build stronger, greatest beneficiaries of the use of
important. While many firms in
documented support for adoption of BIM. They find that BIM increases
the construction industry are
advanced BIM use. contractor productivity and provides
motivated by the new government
them with a competitive advantage.
requirements, others believe that
adoption will help their business

Data: Singapore CONTINUED
REPORTED IN THE (VDC) leadership program for CEOs The owners interviewed agreed
BCA SURVEY to help owners, facility managers that owners in Singapore need to
The following are the percentage and operators appreciate the many be reassured that BIM adoption is
of firms reporting gains for key benefits BIM can have for their worthwhile and not prohibitively
BIM benefits in the 2013 survey companies. Bringing BIM into the full costly or expensive. They also need
conducted by the BCA: lifecycle of the building will increase to see that real benefits will be
■ 86% report improved its value for owners and help them to gained. In order for government and
visualization/presentation see deeper benefits from its use on groups advocating for BIM adoption
■ 85% report that they identified their projects. to be effective with owners, they
and resolved design conflicts must be able to present the intrinsic
up front How to Increase BIM value propositions of BIM in a way
■ 84% report improved Use in Singapore that is contextualized to speak to the
productivity in construction In the short term, productivity is owners’ business objectives.
documents preparation an ever-present consideration in Another critical challenge for
■ 82% report reduced Singapore. While research on BIM the Singapore construction market
rework downstream clearly demonstrates that it has is to help improve the skills of
■ 81% report reduced an overall impact of improving those working with BIM, from the
errors and omissions in productivity, owners and project design and build teams on projects
construction documents teams still have concerns about the to the owners’ staff. Many are
■ 69% report reduced overall impact on productivity during the comfortable with the use of 2D
project duration initial adoption and implementation CAD and workflows involving the
of BIM. Many cite tight project passage of CAD-based drawings
Use of BIM by timelines and budgets as inhibiting from consultant to consultant for
Owners for Facility factors, especially since projects sequential, iterative coordination and
Management in Singapore often have very tight refinement of design details. These
The five interviews revealed that schedules compared with design processes must change to benefit
very few owners use BIM after and construction timelines in other from the full adoption of BIM for a
construction for facility or asset countries. Even brief periods of more collaborative workflow. n
management. While there is reduced productivity connected with
currently interest among owners learning new methods are regarded
to learn how BIM can be used post- as potentially catastrophic by some
construction, most owners are at owners. Research to address this
the very early stages of awareness particular concern and to demonstrate
and understanding. that the learning curve on BIM does
The BCA does intend to address not have a net-negative impact on
this gap by giving more emphasis project productivity would be useful
to owners and developers. Dr. John to persuade owners to more widely
Keung, the BCA’s chief executive adopt BIM on their projects.
officer, affirms the importance of The more long-term challenges
these efforts: “We need to help bring of increasing BIM use in Singapore
facility managers and operators on are in many ways similar to the
board. We have a great deal of work challenges faced by the BCA when
to do now in helping them see the they moved from paper to CAD
pathways to increased productivity in 2001. Overcoming skepticism
of their work through BIM.” and resistance will be the keys
The BCA is therefore developing to unlocking the power of BIM
a Virtual Design and Construction adoption in Singapore.

Data: Owners’ Perspectives
on the Impact and Value of BIM
Overall Impact of BIM on Owners’ Projects
Owners were asked to make an overall judgment of Overall Impact of BIM on Projects
the positive, negative or neutral impact of BIM on their Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
projects. Those who voted either positive or negative (i.e., Positive

not neutral) were further asked to assign a 1-5 score for Neutral
the degree of positive or negative impact. Negative
Owners Who Perceive BIM Has a US

Positive Impact 2%
Most owners in the US (69%) and UK (80%) are positive
in their overall assessment of BIM. The percentages
of positive ratings from US owners at very high 29%
BIM involvement levels (88%) and those with large
69%
construction budgets (78%) likely indicate the benefit
of their deeper commitment and the value of BIM on
large projects.
Within the positive group, over half of the US owners
and more than nine out of 10 UK owners (91%) assigned
particularly high positive scores (4/5 out of 5), registering UK
strongly positive feelings.
12%
Owners Who Perceive BIM Has a 8%
Negative Impact
While some UK owners report a negative impact (12%),
none of those rated it highly negative (4/5 out of 5), so 80%
the negative UK ratings are relatively mild.
Interestingly, most (80%) of the negative UK owners
are from the public sector. This may reflect a sense that
the government mandates are forcing them to adopt BIM,
regardless of their own interest in doing so.
Compared with the UK (8%), the US market still has a

relatively large number of neutral owners (29%) taking 2_1_B21_#02.eps
a wait-and-see attitude. Not surprisingly, this group is
dominated by owners with low BIM involvement and
those with smaller annual construction budgets. As these
owners gain more BIM experience, it can be expected
that their attitudes will turn more positive.

Owners’ Perspectives on the Impact and Value of BIM
Owners’ Views on the Single Greatest Benefit of BIM
Owners were asked to describe what they believe is the Owners’ Perspectives on the Single Greatest
single greatest benefit of BIM to their organization. Their Benefit of BIM

responses are grouped by major themes, and shown in Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
rank order in the matrix.

Ranking US UK
UK Owners Better Team Coordination/ Better Team Coordination/

1 Collaboration Collaboration (tie)
Although three benefits tie for top rating among
UK owners, there is variance between the public and Better Accuracy/
Use for Facility Maintenance Fewer Errors/
private sectors. 2 and Operations/ Better Quality (tie)
■ Better team coordination/collaboration rates a strong Long-Term Management
first among private sector UK owners with twice as Helps With Visualization/ More Efficient Design/
3 Understanding Concepts Build Process/
many of their votes as any other benefit. This may Standardized (tie)
& Scope
speak to the critical financial/budget control benefits
that can be generated by this type of activity. Better Accuracy/
4 Fewer Errors/ Cost Savings
■ Conversely, UK public sector owners more strongly Better Quality
favor better accuracy/fewer errors/better quality and Helps With Visualization/
more efficient design/ build process/standardized. 5 Cost Savings Understanding Concepts
& Scope
This may reflect the specific challenges that those public
owners commonly faced on pre-BIM projects.
US Owners
2_6_B30_#02.eps
Among US owners, better team coordination/
collaboration is appreciated by almost twice as many
of the large budget owners (44%) than small ones (24%).
This makes sense because improved collaboration
generally provides benefits in proportion to the size of
the project team, which is a direct function of the size
and complexity of the project and is therefore most
meaningful to the largest owners.
For similar reasons better team coordination/
collaboration is also appreciated by a greater percentage
of the US owners who do mostly renovations (34%),
where coordination can be particularly troublesome, than
the ones doing mostly new projects (19%).
Cost Savings From BIM

In general, BIM has gained traction so far for its cost
avoidance benefits rather than actual cost reduction.
So the relatively low rating given to cost savings by
US and UK owners alike is probably due to the fact
that owner-related cost savings directly attributable to
BIM have not yet become established as a reliable and
scalable benefit across many projects. It should not be
interpreted that owners are not interested in cost savings
as a potential benefit.

Owners’ Ratings of BIM Benefit Statements
Owners were asked to rate how much they agree with Owners’ Ratings of BIM Benefit Statements
each of five key BIM benefit statements, based on the (Those With a High/Very High Level of Agreement)
degree they apply to their projects. The chart shows Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
the percentage of owners who were in strong or very US: Very High BIM Involvement
strong agreement with each. It also features responses US: Low BIM Involvement
from US owners at both low and very high levels of BIM UK: All BIM Owners
involvement to demonstrate the impact of owners’ BIM
experience on their perceptions about its benefits. BIM Visualization Enables a Better
Understanding of Proposed Design
BIM VISUALIZATION ENABLES A BETTER 76%
UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROPOSED DESIGN 67%
Consistently scoring as a potent benefit in all McGraw 98%
Hill Construction BIM research studies, visualization gets
a top rating from essentially all the UK owners (98%) Use of BIM Has a Beneficial Impact on
Control of Construction Costs
and over three quarters of the most BIM-active US ones
68%
(76%). Even over two thirds of the least BIM-active US
owners (67%) support it strongly. 33%
■ Weighing in most emphatically among US owners 72%
are those with large annual budgets (94%), probably Use of BIM Has a Beneficial Impact on
because of the power of visualization to more efficiently Project Schedule
engage the many stakeholders on their large volume 68%
of projects. 38%
■ More renovation-oriented US owners (71%) cite the
85%
value of BIM visualization than those primarily doing
new construction (62%). This is counter to most other BIM Analysis and Simulation Capabilities
Produce a More Well-Reasoned Design
findings between these subgroups, and it may point to
an important value proposition to generate more use of 68%
BIM for renovations. 50%
92%
THERE ARE FEWER PROBLEMS DURING
CONSTRUCTION RELATED TO DESIGN There Are Fewer Problems During Construction
Related to Design Errors, Coordination Issues or
ERRORS, COORDINATION ISSUES OR Construction Errors
CONSTRUCTION ERRORS
68%
Benefits derived from improved documents and
45%
coordination also score strongly, though less so among
the least BIM-active US owners. This may relate to other 85%
findings about those owners’ low perception of this
activity; therefore, they may not be aware of how much of
a benefit they are actually receiving from it.
3_1_B28B29_Benefits_#02.eps
Coordination/documentation benefits receive
above-average support from US healthcare owners
(71%) and owners with large construction budgets
(83%). This is natural because health projects are often
programmatically intense and benefit especially strongly
from improved coordination.

Owners’ Ratings of BIM Benefit Statements CONTINUED
BIM ANALYSIS AND SIMULATION CAPABILITIES Enthusiasm shown by 85% of the surveyed UK owners
PRODUCE A MORE WELL-REASONED DESIGN may be somewhat aspirational, but it is a positive

This scores well with UK owners overall (92%) and indicator of strong faith in the potential for this benefit.
unanimously with the private sector ones (100%). This
THE USE OF BIM GENERATES A
finding is part of a larger pattern throughout this study,
BENEFICIAL IMPACT ON CONTROL OF
which reveals a focus in the UK on BIM’s impact on
CONSTRUCTION COSTS
design, while in the US, there is a stronger focus
As shown in other results, cost savings that can be
on construction.
directly attributed to BIM have not been as widely
Owners with large annual budgets are the most
demonstrated as other benefits that reduce or avoid
supportive of this benefit (72%) in the US, perhaps
problems on projects. Encouragingly, it is cited as a
because their higher volume of projects gives them a
benefit by over three quarters of large-budget UK owners
better basis of comparison to judge a BIM-driven design
(76%), and it should improve among others as more BIM
solution as “more well-reasoned” than traditionally
projects are completed and owners with similar buildings
generated work.
are able to make meaningful cost comparisons to their
THE USE OF BIM GENERATES A BENEFICIAL non-BIM projects.
IMPACT ON PROJECT SCHEDULE
■ It requires a number of completed BIM projects to be
able to know that BIM generates a beneficial impact

on project schedule, which probably explains the large
differential between the US owners at low (38%) and
very high (68%) BIM involvement levels, because the
latter group has had the opportunity to evaluate more
completed projects.
Owners’ Measurements of the Impact of BIM
In order to evaluate any new process, it is important to Owners Formally Measuring the Impact of BIM
measure its impact. To assess their level of commitment Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
to measurement, owners were asked if they are currently

doing anything to formally measure the impact of BIM 88%
on their projects. The results show a dramatic difference
between UK and US owners.
■ A vast majority of UK owners (88%) are formally
measuring BIM impact, versus only 16% of all US

16%
owners surveyed.
■ Above average in the US are the large-budget owners
(56%) and healthcare owners (29%). US UK
Among those who are measuring BIM impact, there

is general alignment between US and UK owners
on the frequency of using particular methods to
2_2_B24_#02.eps
conduct measurements.

Owners’ Measurements of the Impact of BIM CONTINUED
However, there is some variation among the Types of BIM Measurements Conducted
UK owners. Private sector UK owners actively use (According to Owners Who Conduct Measurements)
multiple methods: Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
■ Comparing Specific Results From BIM Projects to US UK

Non-BIM Projects (82%) Comparison of Results of BIM Projects to Non-BIM Projects
■ Using Their Organization’s Established Process for
62%
Measuring ROI (59%)
71%
■ Using a Custom Process Developed By Their
Organization, as Well as Asking Design and Comparison of Results With a Benchmarking Group of Other Owners
Construction Firms for Their Input on Specific Process 44%
Improvements (both 53%) 14%
Those in the UK public sector report using fewer Process Adapted From Others in Design/Construction Industry
methods, concentrating mostly on two: 44%
■ Using Their Organization’s Established Process for
20%
Measuring ROI (61%)
■ Comparing Specific Results From BIM Projects to
Custom Process Developed by Their Organization
Non-BIM Projects (also 61%) 44%
46%
The owners who do not formally measure the impact
of BIM on their projects (84% of US and 12% of UK total Input on Process Improvements From Design
and Construction Firms on Their Projects
respondents) were asked for their reasons.
■ Two thirds (65%) of the US group say they never 38%
formally measured it because they informally 49%
understood its value. Use of Organization’s Established Process for Measuring ROI
■ The largest portion of the UK group (40%) also deems
38%
it a non-issue, saying they used to formally measure
60%
it but do not feel it necessary to do so anymore, along
with 6% from the US.
■ Many (40%) from the US admit they do not know how
to formally measure the impact of BIM. 2_3_B25_#02.eps

■ Some others from the US (28%) say it is too hard
to measure it, which 20% of the UK group also

agrees with.

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Switching to an Integrated Process on the Fly

Midfield Terminal, Abu Dhabi Airport
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Use of BIM was critical to help an

integrated team deliver a complex,
“once in a lifetime” project.
B
ack in 2005, Kohn Pedersen Owner-Driven Use of BIM massive airport terminal took shape.
Fox Associates (KPF), and an Integrated Team KPF’s contract stipulated that after
headquartered in New York, KPF won the project in 2006. At the a date of completion, the design team
NY, participated in a design time, BIM was not standard delivery would work with the contractor’s
competition for the Midfield Terminal methodology like it is today. For model as the governing 3D model
of the Abu Dhabi Airport. The scope certain disciplines there wasn’t for the project, but as they delivered
of the project was ambitious from even reliable software at the time, more electronic deliverables and
the outset. At 7.6 million square feet particularly on the mechanical side. talked with their client, a more robust
and with a budget of $3.5 billion, KPF BIM software has come a long way way of using BIM and 3D modeling
principal Anthony Mosellie knew since 2006, and toward the end of emerged. In March of 2013, Tony
that this project offered a unique the design process, ADAC (the Abu Douglas, who was chief executive
opportunity to design a welcoming Dhabi Airport Corporation) asked of the £4.3-billion Terminal 5 build
Image Courtesy of Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
transportation hub in a burgeoning KPF to do at least a clash detection program at Heathrow Airport in
part of the world, the tourism- model and make sure that the big London, joined ADAC as its new CEO.
focused United Arab Emirates, the construction issues were taken care He brought with him a much higher
only part of the Middle East that of. This was during the construction demand for integrated processes and
much of the West will ever see in documents phase of the project. As information sharing.
person. The new terminal would the architect and client talked more “Heathrow was an integrated
be the home of Etihad Airlines, the about the project, a broader vision of delivery methodology,” Mosellie
flagship carrier of the UAE. how BIM could be used to deliver the said. “When Tony came on, given
CONTINUED

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Midfield Terminal, Abu Dhabi Airport
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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
U
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the schedule demands of the project, integrated web capabilities.The While Midfield Terminal’s
the size and complexity of it, he and platform includes software packages construction will continue through
his team insisted on a much stronger for modeling, collecting, managing 2017, the integrated process has
site presence for all of the design and synthesizing project data. It also already yielded some major project
team members, including structural, embeds workflows for quality control, wins. CCC was able to provide a
mechanical, electrical, architectural review and approval processes. plan for accurate temporary works
[and] specialty systems. Over the last Standards, procedures through explicit 3D modeling of
two years, we’ve built a very robust and workflows were developed works, cranes and installation
site team. Between the architects and carefully to unify and streamline sequencing, for example. Site
engineers, we have about 65 people the BIM production and operations, preparation was finished on schedule
there. We sit in the same complex and guarantee complete and in 2011.
as the contractors. The day-to-day accurate results.
meetings are shoulder to shoulder. 4D and 5D capabilities such Influence on Participants
Scheduling, logistics, coordination, as cost, time, quality, material The experience has had influence
are all going on. BIM is the primary management, progress and others beyond the UAE as well. “It has
platform, logistical and coordination- were integrated into the platform. heavily influenced how we’re doing
wise, to deliver the project.” CCC developed in-house, business- a big project here in New York, the
oriented 3D applications that can Hudson Yards project, which is
BIM and the host, integrate, manage and report one of the largest BIM projects in
Construction Team 3D, 4D and 5D information. Electronic America right now,” Mosellie said.
The joint venture of Consolidated data interchange standards have “We learned our lessons from the
Contractors Company (CCC), Arabtec been set, and all BIM objects can be Abu Dhabi Airport.” n
and TAV won the construction tagged within their individual BIM-
contract for the Midfield Terminal authoring tools and subsequently
Building in April 2012. The pre-award saved to a BIM project database.
preparations of the joint venture
played an essential role in convincing Team Coordination
ADAC of its ability to deliver the BIM- KPF was a big proponent of using
integrated project as they needed it a joint venture contractor for the Project Facts
st
at
to be done. project because of the sheer size and Figures
s
“The owners have been forward- and scope of the job. TAV is a major Owner
thinking in how this can be helpful in developer and operator of airports. Abu Dhabi Airport Corporation
scheduling, coordination, logistics They brought a multiheaded
Architect
and maintaining the design quality. approach that is cognizant of airline Kohn Pedersen Fox
Those demands all came from issues. Arabtec is the most local
Joint Venture Contractor
ADAC,” Mosellie said. “The Emirates member of the group, although all
CCC/Arabtec/TAV
is going to get the best-in-class of the joint venture companies have
facility they asked for, and they came previously worked in the UAE. Type of Project
Airport Terminal
around to a BIM process as the way TAV set up a project BIM theater in
to ensure that.” their site office. Between the Chinese Size
7.6 million square feet
CCC immediately dispatched steel fabricator, the curtainwall
40 BIM engineers to the site upon fabricator, the MEP engineer, ADAC Cost
winning the project. CCC also brought representatives, and personnel from $3.5 billion
in a collaborative BIM-sharing KPF and the joint venture, there are Expected Completion
platform used by all disciplines for at least 15 to 20 people constantly 2017
model updates. It is a secure online updating and coordinating the model
collaborative BIM platform with with input from subcontractors.

Sidebar: Sustainability
Building Information Modeling for Sustainability
BIM offers useful tools to help owners achieve their sustainability

goals for their building projects, both during design and

construction and into the operational phase of the building.
A
sk project owners accurately, and make better Dubler defines BIM two ways.
whether building decisions,” says Eckblad. “It gave The first is BIM as a product: the
information modeling [us] more options and improved our model itself, its geometry and data.
(BIM) contributes to ability to hit our goals.” This aspect of BIM enabled Penn
productivity and efficiency during Two Pennsylvania State University State’s design team to test facility
design and construction, and they’ll projects under construction in management priorities such as
likely have lots to say. Ask whether Philadelphia’s decommissioned whether service points are well
BIM contributes to sustainability, and Navy Yard are making use of BIM in located and whether maintenance
they’ll need to think for a minute. their mission to serve as living labs workers will have enough room to
“When we started this project, for reducing commercial buildings’ do their work. The second is BIM as
we were developing BIM for virtual energy usage. The main challenge in a process: design through building
construction of the building,” says using the copious information BIM virtually and construction from the
J. Stuart Eckblad, AIA, director of generates, according to Craig Dubler, virtual model. This aspect of BIM
design and construction for the Ph.D., virtual facilities engineer with facilitates information gathering,
University of California at San Penn State’s Office of Physical Plant, from servicing intervals to part
Francisco’s new Medical Center at is integration. numbers, to support building
Mission Bay, a $1.5 billion, three- Each BIM program is set up for operations and maintenance. “With
hospital facility targeting LEED Gold a certain use, says Dubler. For BIM,” says Dubler, “we’re collecting
certification. “If I’m honest, I can’t example, a facade model generates information to make sure whatever
say we did BIM for any purposes information about structure, thermal efficiencies we set up don’t stop once
of sustainability.” envelope and daylighting, and an the project is turned over.”
MEP model generates information At UCSF Mission Bay, Eckblad
Design for Sustainability about heat and cooling distribution also perceives BIM’s potential as
Made Easier and electric lighting. It is up to a platform for managing building
Eckblad’s experience is common the design team to integrate the maintenance and energy usage.
among the building owners information and apply it effectively. He is currently upgrading the
contacted for this article. Also “The models definitely assisted Medical Center’s BIM to make use
common, after a moment’s in identifying the problems,” says of this potential, with the addition
reflection, is his identification of Dubler. “They didn’t solve them.” of attributes that were not part of
BIM as a facilitator, if not a direct the design process, including more
cause, of his project’s sustainability Sustainability and BIM O&M-focused detail. The goal is
achievements. In particular, BIM for Facility Management to use BIM as a comprehensive
made designing for UCSF Mission While Dubler values the contribution and precise institutional memory,
Bay’s energy reduction goals easier, of BIM to designing for sustainability leveraging its information into
more predictable and more accurate, goals, his primary focus for BIM continuing energy and operational
he says, and BIM’s analytics enabled from an owner’s perspective is efficiencies. “You’ll be able to call
the design team to make quick, facility management. “Sustainability in an issue, and spot it in the BIM
iterative evaluations of the balance is only as good as the function of model,” says Eckblad. “That’s what
of priorities, including sustainability, the facility,” he says. “We want we’re working toward.”n
represented in design alternatives. to maintain [the projects’] level of
“BIM allowed [us] to do those energy efficiency throughout the life
things faster and much more of the building[s].”

Data: Owners’ BIM Needs
Owners’ Perspectives on Support for BIM
Owners were asked how much they agree with seven Owners Who Agree With Described Level of
positive statements and one negative statement about Resources and Support for BIM
their perceived level of resources and support for (Those With High/Very High Level of Agreement)
BIM involvement. The chart shows the combined Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
percentage of owners who either agree or strongly US: Very High BIM Involvement US: Low BIM Involvement
agree with each statement. UK: All BIM Users
To demonstrate how owners’ experience with BIM Top Management Provides Adequate Support for the Use of BIM
positively impacts their perceived level of BIM support, 68%
the chart shows responses of owners with low BIM
29%
involvement (less than 25% of projects involve BIM)
82%
and with very high BIM involvement (more than 75%
of projects involve BIM). On average, 50% of the Organization's Project Delivery Method(s)
Help Support BIM Use on Projects
very high involvement group agree with the seven
positive statements, versus only 21% of those at 64%
low involvement. 21%
A consistent and highly evident trend in these 92%
findings is that UK owners are more positive about their Organization Has Standards/Policies for BIM Execution
environment for expanding BIM use than even the US Able to be Implemented Consistently With Project Teams
owners with the highest levels of BIM activity. In fact, 52%
87% of UK owners on average agree with the seven 19%
positive statements. This is likely another example of the
90%
enthusiasm that has been generated for BIM over the last
three or four years in preparation for the UK government Their Design and Construction Communities
Have Sufficient BIM Skill
mandate that takes effect in 2016.
52%
THERE IS ADEQUATE TOP MANAGEMENT 26%
SUPPORT FOR THE USE OF BIM ON THEIR 85%
ORGANIZATIONS’ PROJECTS
■ More UK owners in the private sector (90%) agree than
Staff Involved in Design/Construction Have
a Good Understanding of BIM Benefits
those in the public sector (75%), and more in the public
52%
sector actually disagree (25%). This may reflect that,
31%
although implementation of the mandate is pending,
support has not been established at the leadership level 92%
of various public entities. Organization Uses Appropriate BIM-Related Language
■ In the US, twice as many owners with large budgets in Procurement and Contracting Documents/Processes
agree (67%) than those with small budgets (38%), 40%
reflecting the growth of established BIM programs at 14%
the larger companies. 82%
■ Agreement is also weighted more toward firms doing
There is a Perception at Their Organization
mostly new work (44%) than renovations (34%), where That BIM Adds Extra Cost to Projects
BIM use is still emerging. 24%
THE PROJECT DELIVERY METHOD(S) THEIR 33%
ORGANIZATIONS USE ARE HELPFUL IN 20%
SUPPORTING THE USE OF BIM ON PROJECTS
Organization Has Established Ways to Measure BIM Benefits
■ Half of US owners with large budgets agree (50%),
20%
compared with little more than a third (34%) of those
with small budgets and almost a quarter of those 7%
smaller owners (24%) actually disagree with this 88%

2_4_B28_#02.eps
Owners’ BIM Needs
Owners’ Perspective on Support for BIM CONTINUED
statement. Smaller owners may use the design-bid- Though still very highly rated by UK owners (85%)
build delivery system more, where larger owners compared with US results, this falls among the
tend toward more collaborative methods such as bottom three with both, reflecting the need to
construction management, design build and integrated continue spreading BIM capabilities throughout the
project delivery. construction economy.
■ Almost half (44%) of US owners focused on new
THERE ARE STANDARDS AND POLICIES AT
construction agree, compared with only about a
THEIR ORGANIZATIONS FOR BIM EXECUTION
quarter (24%) of renovation-oriented owners, so work is
THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED CONSISTENTLY
needed in that market segment to support BIM.
WITH PROJECT TEAMS
THE PEOPLE DOING DESIGN AND ■ No UK owners disagree with this statement, and
CONSTRUCTION AT THEIR ORGANIZATIONS a third (35%) of private sector ones strongly agree,
HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF although only 15% of the public sector ones do. This
BIM BENEFITS may reflect a sense that these public agencies still have
■ While 92% of all UK owners agree, over half (55%) of some work to do in preparation for the implementation
private sector UK owners say they strongly agree, of the mandate.
compared with only a third (35%) of the public sector ■ In the US, over two thirds (67%) of the owners with
ones, perhaps suggesting that more education about large construction budgets agree versus only a
BIM benefits would be helpful in the public agencies third (31%) of the relatively small-budget ones. This
that will be implementing BIM because of the mandate. underscores the need among smaller owners for more
■ The findings for US owners are similar, with more well-developed BIM policies and procedures.
private sector ones agreeing (55%) than public ones
THERE ARE APPROPRIATE BIM-RELATED
(40%), so a focus on that market segment will help drive
TERMS AND LANGUAGE IN PROCUREMENT AND
BIM expansion.
CONTRACTING DOCUMENTS AND PROCESSES
■ Also in the US, over a third (38%) of small-budget
IN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS
owners disagree with the statement, reflecting the
■ While 82% of all UK owners agree, a higher proportion
need for broader dissemination of data about BIM
of those with larger annual construction budgets (94%)
benefits within the smaller owner organizations that are
agree compared with those with smaller budgets
already involved with it so that they can get support to
(73%). This is also the case in the US, where nearly half
expand their programs.
those with the larger budgets (44%) agree versus far
■ Less than a third (32%) of the US owners who do
fewer (17%) of the smaller owners. So clearly, smaller
mostly renovations agree, versus over half (52%)
owners would benefit by incorporating BIM more fully
of those focused on new work, indicating the still-
into their procurement and contracting processes.
developing status of BIM for renovation in the US.
■ Owners in the education sector (41%) show the highest
THERE IS SUFFICIENT BIM SKILL IN THE level of agreement among the various project types in
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION COMMUNITIES the US. So other owner types may be able to learn from
WHERE THE OWNERS DO PROJECTS their work.
■ Over half of the US owners with the highest BIM ■ US renovation-oriented owners are least well
activity (52%) and those with the largest construction aligned, with about a third (32%) expressing strong
budgets (56%) agree, perhaps because their projects disagreement compared with only 19% of new
frequently employ larger, more sophisticated AEC firms construction-focused owners. Again this reflects the
and are often in or near major urban areas, where BIM lower penetration of BIM into US renovation projects.
skills are more plentiful.
THERE IS A PERCEPTION AT THEIR
■ Only a quarter (25%) of small-budget US owners agree
ORGANIZATIONS THAT BIM ADDS EXTRA COST
and a third (34%) actually disagree, with about half
TO PROJECTS
(43%) being neutral. This points to the need for more
As the only negative statement among this group, its very
AEC BIM capabilities among the smaller firms that
low level of agreement from both US and UK owners is
typically service these owners.
not surprising.

Owners’ BIM Needs
Owners’ Perspective on Support for BIM CONTINUED
Similar to other aspects of BIM, US owners with low owners are far more engaged in those activities than ones
■
BIM involvement (33%) and smaller US owners (38%) in the US. (See pages 36 to 37 for more information about
are more likely to have this negative perception than owners measuring the impact of BIM.)
their very highly involved (24%) and large-budget (11%) ■ 80% of UK public sector owners strongly agree,
counterparts, whose BIM experience has reduced this compared with 65% of the private sector,
concern. To further emphasize this point, almost two suggesting that they are a bit better prepared to
thirds (61%) of the large-budget US owners actually measure BIM impact.
disagree with the statement. ■ Owner size (as reflected by annual construction
■ There is an interesting variation in US results between budget) is a factor. Almost all (94%) large-budget
private sector (16%) and public sector (33%) owners owners in the UK agree, compared with 82% of small-
who think that BIM adds cost to their projects. This budget owners. Also, nearly three times as many large
speaks to a need for more data in the public sector about US owners agree (28%) than small ones (10%).
the actual cost of BIM on their projects. ■ Further reinforcing the lower commitment to
measuring BIM impact in the US, three quarters

MY ORGANIZATION HAS ESTABLISHED WAYS
(75%) of all US owners disagree with the statement,
TO MEASURE THE BENEFITS OF BIM
with nearly half (45%) strongly disagreeing. Only 4%
These results echo the other findings in this report about
strongly agree.
measuring the impact of BIM, showing clearly that UK
What Owners Need to Expand BIM Use
Owners were asked to rate the potential positive impact (72%) BIM capabilities. This probably results from their
of seven different factors on the likelihood that they will desire to implement BIM on large projects, requiring
increase BIM involvement and value. The chart shows the extensive resources.
combined percentages of those who find that each factor By contrast, UK owners show dramatically different
would have a high or very high positive impact. attitudes on the importance of increasing design (95%)
As with other findings in the research, UK owners versus construction (58%) BIM skills. In fact, designers
show more intensity in most of their responses, likely with more BIM skill is their highest rated need and more
reflecting the growing wave of BIM activity pending from construction BIM skill the lowest. This probably reflects
the government mandate. the timing of focusing on design first on a BIM project.
Given the finding that 85% of UK owners say the design
Factors That Will Increase BIM Skills team was already using BIM on the first project where
and Activity Levels they encountered it (see page 9), and the finding that 85%
Three of the factors relate directly to this theme: believe that “there is sufficient BIM skill in the design
■ More BIM Skills Among Contractors/ and construction communities where they do projects”
Trades/Fabricators (see page 42), it is likely that owners recognize the value
■ More BIM Skills at Design Firms derived from having a design team that exceeds merely
■ More Use by Other Owners in the Areas Where sufficient BIM skills.
They Work Although architects and contractors in other McGraw
Hill Construction BIM research studies always clamor
US owners are in close alignment about the benefit of
for more owners in their area using BIM, most owners in
increasing design (47%) and construction (50%) BIM
both the US and the UK ascribe relatively low beneficial
skills, and rate them as the top two most impactful
value to it. An exception is that more than a quarter (29%)
factors. Even more of the large-budget US owners stress
of US owners currently at a low BIM involvement level
the importance of increasing design (61%) and contractor

Owners’ BIM Needs
What Owners Need to Expand BIM Use CONTINUED
say it would help them to expand their BIM programs, Most Impactful Factors to Increase Owners’
probably because it would help them, by reference, BIM Implementation and Value
to gain top management support and to more reliably (Percentage Who Consider Them to Have a High/
access BIM-capable design and construction talent, both Very High Impact)
identified as challenges for that sector. Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
US: Very High BIM Involvement

Factors That Will Enhance BIM Use for US: Low BIM Involvement
Facilities Management UK: All BIM Users
Two of the factors relate directly to this theme:
■ More Ability for Operations/Maintenance to
Standards of Model Development
and Exchange
Utilize the Model
60%
■ More Demonstrated Benefits of BIM for
31%
Post-Construction
82%
While UK owners generally exceed American owners
in their enthusiasm for greater use of BIM for facilities More BIM Skills Among Contractors/
Trades/Fabricators
management, some sectors in the US show a much more
56%
marked interest in this area.
■ More UK owners express a need for models that
43%
are useful to operations/maintenance (88%) than 58%
cite a need for post-construction BIM benefits to be More Ability for Operations/
demonstrated (68%). Maintenance to Use the Model
■ In the US, above-average percentages of healthcare 48%
owners (71%) and owners with large construction 40%
budgets (61%) cite their need for that as well, 88%
reinforcing their eagerness to expand the value
proposition of BIM past design and construction. More BIM Skills at Design Firms
■ Renovations-focused owners cite the need for both of 48%
these factors at higher rates than greenfield owners, 40%
perhaps because many of those owners manage 95%
multiple renovations in their buildings and feel they
More Demonstrated Benefits
would benefit by having accurate models as a baseline. of BIM for Post-Construction
More about owners’ perspective on BIM for facilities 40%
management is on pages 52–55. 38%
68%
Other Factors
More Use by Other Owners
■ Ability to Quantitatively Measure the Positive Impact of in the Areas They Work
BIM: Aligned with other findings in this report, far fewer
24%
US owners (21%) are enthusiastic about measuring BIM
29%
benefits than UK owners (80%).
■ Standards of Model Development and Exchange: 62%
This technically oriented factor shows the greatest Ability to Quantitatively Measure
differential between very high involvement US owners the Positive Impact of BIM
(60%) and low level ones (31%), likely owing to a greater 20%
appreciation by BIM-active owners of the critical 17%
importance of moving project data efficiently between 80%
BIM users. Not surprisingly, it also scores high with
UK owners.
2_5_B27_#02.eps
Owners’ BIM Needs
Owners’ Messages to the Industry
Owners were asked if they have a single message to A few of the smaller owners and those with less BIM
give to the design and construction industry about their activity were more cautionary:
perspectives on the future of BIM. • Needs to be used properly
Most US owners focused on positive messages, • Needs standardization
with themes such as: • Should not rely on it exclusively
• It is the future/Stop resisting (especially popular with
One owner advised, “It’s a good tool, but it’s just a tool,
large owners and those in the healthcare sector, who
so it doesn’t solve all your problems. You can’t disengage
are generally the most highly committed to BIM)
your brain.”
• Learn its value and usefulness (also coming strongly
While many UK owners also offered positive outlooks
from healthcare owners)
and none offered cautionary notes, the largest portion
• Should be a standard
(48%) used the opportunity to make the point that
• Need to encourage its use
people need to be educated on it. This probably derives
• Useful for finding/preventing errors and
directly from their current initiative, preparing an entire
maintaining quality
construction economy for the government BIM mandate.
One owner’s statement in particular summed up the
general responses by saying: “To not adopt BIM and
all its capabilities is like continuing to use a flip phone
instead of a smartphone.”

Data: Scandinavian Owners
Insights From Owners on Use of BIM in Scandinavia
Countries in Scandinavia, particularly Finland and Norway, have a

long history with innovation, which as aided BIM adoption. However,

owners in these countries are still seeking to encourage wider use
of BIM to support collaboration and facility management.
T
wo of the most mature BIM which BIM will play an important municipal and local governments, as
markets in the world are role. There will be decreasing levels well as for infrastructure projects.
Scandinavian countries: of funding from the public sector,
NORWAY
Finland (population of 5.5 and Senate Properties’ clients cannot
An early step toward BIM use
million) and Norway (population predict their modes of operation
in Norway was the collaboration
of 5.1 million). Interviews with over in the next five years. In addition,
on digital e-submissions between
20 individuals representing various public sectors are adjusting to
the Norwegian Building Authority
public and private organizations, how these changes are altering
and the Map Authority of Norway
as well as industry associations in the ways in which citizens interact
in 2000.This collaboration led the
Norway and Finland, reveal that both with the government, Kaj Hedvall,
Norwegian Building Authority to
countries are widely adopting and director of strategy, development
determine that BIM would play an
innovating with BIM as an integral and information management
important role in providing drawing
part of their construction industries. at Senate Properties, sees these
information. In particular, they
While this analysis focuses on changes adding up to a more
realized that Industry Foundation
Finland and Norway, it should be dynamic environment, requiring
Classes (IFC) open standards
noted that BIM is widely used in other a realignment of functions that
would be crucial in supporting the
Scandinavian countries, such as focus on the portfolio and resource
information exchange. By 2005,
Finland, which has a BIM mandate, optimization in order to improve
an extension of IFC was available
and Sweden, which is considering space utilization.
to support the interoperability
one. (See the policy analysis BIM will help support these
between the map information and
beginning on page 18.) changes. It allows faster explorations
building information.
of design/construction scenarios
Other agencies have also seen
Strategic and Public with more iterations, which will allow
value in BIM.
Positioning of BIM: Senate Properties to interact more
■ Statsbygg, an agency in charge of
Government Leadership effectively with clients who have
managing a real estate portfolio
and Owner Demands rapidly shifting demands.
for the government of Norway,
The example of Senate Properties’
FINLAND has mandated BIM on all new and
BIM policy also encouraged Finavia
Since 2007, Senate Properties renovation projects since 2010.
Airports, owner of more than
(Senatti), the national public owner ■ The Norwegian Defense Estates
20 airports throughout Finland,
in Finland, has required BIM on Agency (NDEA), the agency
to require BIM in its Helsinki
every project over €1 million. responsible for real estate
International Airport Terminal project
Its capital assets include 10,500 belonging to the military, created
in 2007. Kari Ristolainen, design
buildings totalling 6.4 million a BIM strategy in 2012, in order to
manager at Finavia Airports, explains
square meters, and its diverse improve the efficiency of buildings
the appeal of BIM for owners:
portfolio include military facilities, through their entire lifecycle.
“BIM allows decision-makers to
ministries, museums and offices. In ■ Major hospitals in Norway are
understand their investments with
2013, 46 major capital projects met using IFC-based BIM. This is a
better accuracy.”
the minimum requirement for the particularly active market with new
In addition to building projects
mandated use of BIM. software applications and mobile
and airport terminals, there has
Senate Properties is in the midst apps emerging.
been a growing adoption of BIM by
of a transition to a “new norm,” in

Data: Scandinavia CONTINUED
A joint statement has been issued by Tomi Henttinen, chair of There is evidence of increasing
Statsbygg, the NDEA and healthcare buildingSMART Finland, states owner engagement as well,
owners in Norway that they will all it quite succinctly: “By BIM, we including a recent BIM for
require BIM deliverables by July always mean open BIM.” Owners event in Norway,
2015, following buildingSMART attended by 80 representatives
Norway Standards. Active Private Industry from 30 owner organizations.
Involvement
Common BIM The adoption of BIM in Finland Technology Innovation
Requirements and Norway has not been solely One striking feature of the long-
In 2012, buildingSMART Finland based on top-down, government term use of BIM in Finland and
published the “Common BIM influence. Private industry has also Norway is the degree to which it has
Standards” (COBIM2012). been actively advocating for the been fostered by their rich culture
Having a national standard has use of BIM. In fact, Øivind Rooth, and impressive record of research
encouraged broader BIM adoption Norwegian Building Authority, and development in construction
in Finland because public and states, “The industry has no debate information technology.
private owners were now able to about BIM, and industry will have this Lars Christiansen, founder of
rely on this standard to specify up and running by itself.” multi-BIM and former co-CEO of
BIM requirements. buildingSMART International, sums
FINLAND
Recognizing the value of up the engagement with research
The buildingSMART chapter in
one common standard, and development with a local saying:
Finland has over 100 organizations
owners with preexisting BIM “The Finns conduct research, the
that are members, and that
guidelines and standards, Swedish develop the product, the
membership has grown dramatically
including Senate Properties, Danish sell the product, and the
in just the past five years, revealing
have now adopted COBIM2012. Norwegians own the technologies.”
an ongoing interest in engaging with
Active government support
BIM by Finnish companies.
Open Standards as The long-term involvement with
has helped foster this culture of
Common Practice BIM is also not confined to the public
innovation. In the 1990s, the Finnish
Open standards hold particularly government—building upon the
sector in Finland. For example,
strong sway in Finland and Norway, success of government-funded
Granlund, the largest building
as well as in other Scandinavian research in telecommunications
services design consultant in Finland
countries. In fact, 93% of industry and biotech—set up agencies to
with a staff of 500 people, has been
professionals in a survey of more support research endeavors and
using BIM on 100% of its projects
than 400 Finnish firms reported the provided a substantial research
since 2000.
use of IFC on their projects. and development fund for the
In this region, BIM is widely NORWAY building industry. This investment
associated with an open standard, buildingSMART has a particularly helped provide a foundation for BIM
which provides greater potential for strong influence in Norway, with its by developing technologies that
interoperability. This opens up the membership accounting for 75% of demonstrated the value of product
potential to link BIM with other tools the construction market, according to modeling and 4D modeling. Senate
like zoning maps, web services and the Norwegian Building Authority. Properties engaged in one of the first
GIS data. BIM use is evident across many public-owner pilots of an array of
One vivid example is the use project types in the private sector in design, construction and operation
of IFC open standard BIM on the Norway, including retail, museums BIM applications on an actual
€16-million Helsinki Music Center, and residential projects. The use renovation project using IFC-based
one of the largest projects to rely of BIM by design consultants has open standards.
on an open standard for model helped encourage its widespread use Norway has also invested in
exchanges and analysis. across building types. innovation through funds such as

Data: Scandinavia CONTINUED
Innovation Norway and Statsbygg but only 15% or so are using BIM.” Reliability and Value for Owners:
Research and Development, which Representatives from Granlund During the tendering phase of a
have catalyzed efforts in conceptual agrees that “collaborative BIM is not new €30-million parking structure
energy simulation, data dictionary, [used] frequently enough; BIM in project at the Finland Helsinki
information exchange and delivery project management or construction Airport, Ristolainen reported that
standards, model services and management has been lacking.” by giving IFC-based models to
requirements modeling. One area in which industry general contractors, the owner
Private industry has reaped leaders and experts hope to was able to see that the bill of
the benefits of the culture of be able to better use BIM is in materials and the quantity take-
innovation with a wide variety of support of lean approaches, such off across the general contractors
software products and apps that as using BIM in the Big Room or varied only between .6% and
push construction information bringing a lean production mind- 3.3%, giving the owners much
technology forward. A number of set to the BIM process. Lean better reliability and value moving
BIM entrepreneurs from Finland construction approaches rely forward to construction.
and Norway, as well as other on team communication and ■ BIM’s Appeal to a Younger
Scandinavian countries, have collaboration, and BIM provides a Generation: In 2013, Granlund
successfully exported their software critical tool to enable firms to was able to attract 95% of its new
beyond the European Union to engage collaboratively in pursuit employees under the age of 25.
markets in the Americas, Asia, of efficiencies. ■ Quality Assurance: Ole Kristian
Australia and the Middle East. Another area in which BIM Kvarsvik, head of business and
Moving forward, companies in can be employed to encourage technology with Nosyko and former
these areas are engaging with the collaboration is with the Spearhead senior engineer at Statsbygg, points
issues for which the industry seeks Alliance project delivery system in out that while 2D CAD requires a
better technology, including how BIM Finland. Adapted from integrated lot of resources to ensure a good
intersects with facility management, project delivery and the use of public- design (and may only cover about
GIS integration, information security, private partnerships, the Spearhead 20% of the design through spot
infrastructure and interoperability. Alliance keeps a certain percentage checks), BIM has enabled owners to
Rooth indicates further priorities of the consultants’ profit at risk (up automatically check the design for
for research and development: “We to 6% of project cost), while placing space management, accessibility,
need open source and dynamic more focus on bonus clauses (which information take-off, requirements
means to refine, maintain, and may reach up to 12% of project cost.) management and conducting
“plug and play” the updating of the Senate Properties has introduced design compliance checks early
building codes in automated code- this approach on three large-scale, during the design phase.
checking BIM applications, rather complex projects. They will focus
than hard-coding.” on the upside incentives when BIM Use Moving Forward
design consultants and contractors Clearly, the commitment to BIM
Better Processes and can meet the price, value and in this region will continue. As
Collaboration Needed performance targets, and they are Henttinen states, “We are very
Despite the long commitment developing BIM requirements to practical people ... We are utilizing
and high levels of use of BIM align with this approach. open BIM, [and] nobody sees that
technologies in the region, the as a big issue. There may be some
industry has not fully leveraged the Benefits technical issues, [but] let’s just find
opportunities that come with the Many of the owners interviewed a workaround. You don’t need to
collaborative processes of BIM. expressed difficulties in consistently cover everything.” n
Christiansen estimates from his measuring the benefits of BIM.
experience that “70% [of the industry However, there were some clear
is engaged in] model production, benefits reported by owners.

Data: Owners’ Perspectives
on BIM for Facilities Management
Value of BIM for Facilities Management and Operations
Potential of BIM for Facilities Perceived Value by Owners of BIM for

Management and Operations Facilities Management and Operations

For as long as BIM has been used, practitioners have Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
foreseen the potential value to owners of bringing the High Value

data-rich models developed by design and construction Moderate Value
teams into owners’ facility management and operations No Value
environments. In theory, benefits would include:
• Complete and accurate data that is linked directly US
to graphics 2014 2019
• BIM-FM software integration to eliminate double entry
of information into their existing automated systems 10%
18%
(the main purpose of the Construction-Operations
Building Information Exchange [COBie] standard) 39%
• Ability to capture real-time performance data in a 52%
38%
“digital double” of the physical facility 43%
• Reliable as-built model that can be maintained
in perpetuity
• Scheduled maintenance integrated into the model
and work order systems
UK
• Robust, iterative space management 2014 2019
• More accurate planning, scoping and budgeting 0%
0% 2%
for alterations
Although the potential is still strong, the traction has 22%

been slow among US owners, who are still primarily
focused on BIM for design and construction. This is
changing, though, and the results show that many 78% 98%
owners, especially in the UK, are getting involved and are
planning to become much more actively engaged with
BIM for post-construction over the next five years.
Perceived Value of BIM for Facilities

Management
3_7_B29_#02.eps
Aligning with a general trend throughout this report, UK ■ Among the relatively few US private sector owners
owners are more enthusiastic than US ones about the giving a high rating, the largest project-type group
value they perceive of BIM for facilities management and is healthcare, again aligning with owner/operator
operations in their organizations. thinking. By contrast, nearly half (48%) of the private
■ All UK owners report some degree of value, and over commercial owners see no value at all, and none feel it
three quarters (78%) say it currently has high value. is of high value.
■ Virtually all UK owners (98%) predict they will perceive ■ US owners perceiving value only increase to 27% in five
high value in five years, with the vast majority of those years, but they are led by the healthcare and education
believing it will have very high value. sectors (both 75%), again reinforcing the anticipation of
■ Meanwhile, only 5% of US owners regard it as having value for hands-on owner/operators.
very high value. Three quarters of those are in the
This spread between US and UK results likely reflects a
public sector, perhaps indicating more of a long-term
more concentrated focus on the comprehensive lifecycle
owner/operator mind-set.
value of BIM in the UK, whereas the US industry has been
heavily focused on design and construction benefits, and
traction is slow for post-construction uses.

Owners’ Perspectives on BIM for Facilities Management
Capability to Leverage BIM

for Operations After Construction
A similar pattern to the findings on the value that owners Owners’ Capability of Leveraging BIM for Operations
place on BIM for facility management and operations Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
(FM) appears when owners were asked to rate their High Capability
organization’s capability to leverage BIM for operations Moderate Capability
after construction, both currently and in five years. No/Low Capability
■ Over half (55%) of UK owners feel they already have
high capabilities, with about a quarter of those US

claiming very high skills. 2014 2019
■ Five years from now, almost all (92%) of the UK owners
believe they will have high capabilities, with more than 14%
half of those forecasting that their skills will be at the 26%
very high level. 18% 48%
■ By contrast, only 14% of US owners believe they
68%
currently have high capabilities, and less than half 26%
(48%) think they will be at that level in five years.
However, two thirds of those do say they will have very
high skills, particularly in the healthcare and education
market sectors. UK
2014 2019
As with the rest of the data, firm size and level of 0%
BIM activity matter. Larger US companies and those 8%
13%
with higher BIM activity are already more capable at
leveraging BIM for operations than the average. And
they, as well as public sector owners, all foresee above- 55% 92%
average capabilities five years from now. 32%
■ Large owners generally have well-established
investments in automated FM systems, so they

are better positioned to engage with digital data
and models, and several software companies have
offerings to enable that.
US Owners’ Perceptions of Their Organization’s
■ BIM-active owners are already aware of the depth
Current and Future Capability to Leverage BIM
1_8_B17B18_#02.eps
of data available in models, so moving to the post-
construction phase is not a conceptual leap. Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2014
■ Initiatives such as Integrated Facilities Management for
Federal Agencies (FED iFM) are driving interest among Currently High Capability
High Capability in Five Years
government agencies, especially the Department of
Defense. The Whole Building Design Guide site for Small Owners
(<$50M annual construction) 10% 38%
the National Institute of Building Sciences describes
FED iFM as “an initiative to create shared and common Large Owners
(>$400M annual construction) 28% 78%
practices for integrated facility management in federal
agencies and the private sector.” Low BIM Involvement
(<25% of projects) 10% 31%
Very High BIM Involvement

(>75% of projects) 24% 72%
Private Sector Owners 16% 35%
Public Sector Owners 13% 53%
5_1_FM_Matrix_#01
Owners’ Perspectives on BIM for Facilities Management
Owners Currently Receiving Models

Owners may believe BIM for FM is valuable and may be Owners’ Frequency of COBie Use
developing their capabilities to work with models, but The Construction-Operations Building Information
how often are they currently receiving models from their Exchange (COBie) was devised at the United States Army
design and construction teams? Corps of Engineers in 2007 as a standard data format for
To determine this, the owners reporting moderate, delivering building information, as opposed to geometric
high or very high current capability to leverage BIM for modeling data. This standard is being widely promoted
operations after construction (32% in the US and 87% in as a highly effective format for data integrations between
the UK) were asked how frequently they are receiving building information models and automated facilities
models for that purpose and how often they are using the management programs.
Construction-Operations Building Information Exchange In alignment with findings about perceived value of
(COBie) standard for the models. BIM for facilities management, UK owners are more
actively embracing COBie than their US counterparts.
Owners’ Frequency of Getting Models Nearly three quarters in the UK (74%) say they frequently
Most UK owners (94%) report they frequently get models, use COBie, with almost one quarter (23%) claiming they
with a third of those saying they always get them. No UK always use it, and none saying they never use it. This
owners (0%) say they rarely or never get models. high degree of commitment is likely a direct result of the
US owners are less engaged. Fewer than half (47%) UK BIM Task Force’s focus on COBie as an element of the
say they frequently get models, and over one quarter impending 2016 BIM mandate.
of US owners report rarely (12%) or never (16%) In the US, only 15% of owners say they frequently use
receiving them. COBie, with a mere handful (3%) always using it. While
■ Not surprisingly, BIM activity is a key factor, with over a third either rarely (19%) or never (16%) use COBie,
82% of very high involvement US owners reporting almost half (41%) report they are not sure, probably also
getting models frequently, versus only 12% of low reflecting unfamiliarity with it.
involvement ones. This is an opportunity for the US BIM community to
■ Size is also a factor, with over half of large US owners learn from the leadership being demonstrated in the UK
(56%) getting models frequently, versus just a third and help owners to embrace the value of structured data
(33%) of small ones. exchange that enables BIM for FM, which will allow them
■ The renovation-oriented owners who report frequently to finally realize the potential that so many people have
receiving models (22%) fall significantly behind owners identified for so long.
largely doing new construction (57%), reflecting the
generally lower level of BIM activity for renovations.
■ Among project-types, more healthcare owners
(67%) report a high frequency than others,

which makes sense because of the popularity of
automated facility management systems in that
owner/operator segment.

Data: Facilities Management
Owner Insights
on Using BIM for Facilities Management
Owners who adopt BIM for facilities management are eyeing

numerous potential benefits, but they face a range of cultural

and technological challenges along the way. In order to achieve
integration, owners are pursuing a variety of strategies.
W
hile BIM has proven its of equipment data as it passes general, FM is not really prepared for
value during design from designers to contractors and, models yet. They are looking more
and construction, ultimately, to owners. His work for data right now. Even if they do
some owners helped lead to the Construction- recognize the value in models, they
also see the potential benefits of Operations Building Information don’t have the software to maintain it
integrating data from BIM models Exchange (COBie) standard. or [the models] don’t work with their
into facilities management systems. While Brodt has seen existing [systems].”
Early adopters of BIM for facilities considerable technology
management are eyeing a range hurdles during development BIM for FM Champion
of opportunities, from eliminating of COBie, he says the cultural As is often the case with process
the need for reentry of equipment- challenges have been considerable. changes, getting an owner to
related data into existing FM “I have a heck of a time getting recognize the value of BIM for
software to creating more model- people to wrap their heads around facilities management often requires
based virtual environments for the this,” he says. “I run into a lot an in-house champion to drive
planning and execution of operations of issues with operations and adoption. At Florida International
and maintenance activities. maintenance people. At first they University in Miami, Brian Perez,
To realize these benefits, owners ask, ‘Why do I need this information?’ associate for information technology
also face significant challenges. Then they complain later when they in the FIU facilities department, is
Facilities management and don’t have the information. They spearheading the effort. Perez says
operations departments use a wide don’t see the value in investing he saw an opportunity when FIU
range of software and systems that resources up front.” first began accepting BIM models
typically do not integrate seamlessly In some cases, Brodt says, users as deliverables from design and
with BIM deliverables. In addition, are simply resistant to change. construction teams.
owners may face cultural challenges “A senior maintenance guy with “I jumped into this because I saw
when bringing BIM data into facilities 30-plus years of experience and near the potential to extract information
management, as use of this data retirement isn’t usually interested in up front, which we were entering
may change—or be perceived as doing things differently,” he adds. ourselves later on,” he says.
changing—established operations Birgitta Foster, vice president of Perez notes that, traditionally, it can
and maintenance practices. operations and facility integration take up to a few months for the FM
at VDCO Tech, says getting facilities team to input building data into its
Cultural Challenges managers to understand the value existing work order system. “We had
Bill Brodt, chair of the Facilities, of that building data is a critical first an arduous task when we got a new
Maintenance and Operations step. Through working with owners building,” he says. “We’d pull together
Committee with the on BIM for facilities management the O&M manuals and equipment
National Institute of Building strategies, Foster says she has information—it was a very labor-
Sciences, has pursued the potential focused on data first, rather than the intensive effort. I would ask people on
benefits of BIM for facilities 3D aspects of BIM. the facilities team—when they had a
management since its earliest days “The basic problem I see is that chance—to go out and start gathering
and has met considerable challenges owners are very data-centric, while information,” he says. “Some were
along the way. Early on, Brodt saw contractors and designers are mechanics with other jobs, so they
the potential to eliminate reentry more model-centric,” she says. “In got to it when they had time.”

Data: Facilities Management CONTINUED
Once FIU saw the value, Perez “The basic problem I see is that owners are
says it became a matter of defining very data-centric, while contractors and

the data that the university needed
designers are more model-centric.”
to receive in its BIM deliverables
and determining how that data — Birgitta Foster, VDCO Tech
could be exchanged. FIU is currently
developing a BIM standard that element.” But Perez plans to “layer its current facilities so that they can
leverages COBie to integrate BIM them out,” so that each discipline all exist in a BIM environment. More
data with FIU’s existing systems. area gets what it needs. than 75% of the 17 million square feet
Perez says defining FIU’s needs in “Initially, we showed [the FM staff] of space in its primary system has
contracts will be a critical component the BIM models, and a lot of guys been modeled to date, she says.
of its strategy. “Often, the models thought it went over their heads,” he Next, CHS moved on to integrating
we see are built from the designer’s says. “So we want to simplify it and BIM data into its work order
standard and when they deliver it, it only show them what they need to management system. Throughout
doesn’t work for the owner,” he says. make it easy for them.” the process, consistent standards,
Once FIU begins to leverage BIM Going forward, Perez says, FIU’s such as naming conventions, have
for FM, Perez expects to see greater next challenge will be how to keep its been critical, she says.
buy-in from the field. As with many 3D models updated. “The key is the consistency and the
institutions, FIU traditionally kept “We don’t have an in-house design format,” Ruffo says. “We developed
building documents in planrooms, staff, so we need to decide if we will add-ins that check the model for
but the university is moving toward hire staff or partner with a firm to accuracy and make sure the correct
giving mobile devices to field staff. manage the models,” he says. parameters are populated. We
“There can be a tremendous developed tools that help with the
benefit to the technician, having a set Crawl, Walk, Run input and tracking of that data on
of plans on a tablet,” he says. “They Carolinas HealthCare System has the contractor side. We know that
can have a portion of the model to been on the path to adoption of not every contractor will be very
navigate through the system and see BIM for FM since it first started sophisticated, so it can be done using
where things are located. I saw that receiving models in 2009. Meghan a spreadsheet.”
people were against it before, but Ruffo, BIM manager with its While Ruffo sees the value in
I’ve shown them the potential. It’s facilities management group, says models for facility management to
opened people’s eyes, and people she recognized the cultural and provide crews with drawings, she
really see the benefits. There is a technology challenges and instituted is less interested in making those
time-savings when you don’t have to a “crawl, walk, run” strategy of available via mobile devices.
keep going back to a planroom.” gradual adoption. CHS first created “We have a virtual planroom at a
While the 3D benefits of BIM standards and tested them for a year few facilities, where they can pull up
could be leveraged by FIU’s facilities and a half, establishing guidelines “to drawings on monitors and print out
staff, Perez recognizes its limits. FIU ensure that we get the deliverables portions, if they need to,” she says.
plans to set a standard of LOD 350 we need.” “If you think about someone doing
for its deliverables. According to the The next big goal was to their work [in the field], it’s not always
BIMForum, to meet LOD 350, model integrate BIM models with the CHS the easiest thing to do while holding
elements are graphically represented space management system. As a an iPad. Sometimes printing out a
within the model as specific systems, healthcare provider, Ruffo says CHS piece of paper and recycling it is the
objects or assemblies in terms of needs to record its square footage best option.”
quantity, size, shape, orientation as part of reporting for Medicare and
and interfaces with other building Medicaid reimbursement. Space
systems. Non-graphic information management is such a priority that
may also be attached to the model CHS is now modeling the majority of

Private Sector explain what we can provide, one of the key aspects for leadership
Opportunities that’s not a hard sell for them.” has to do with freezing the footprint.
While some institutional owners, Part of the key is starting with the Both of those things can’t be done
such as hospitals and universities, “low-hanging fruit,” extracting data without integration of BIM and our
see the value of BIM for FM, the trend from BIM that can flow into existing CMMS (computerized maintenance
is also making inroads with other FM software for daily use. “At this management system).”
private sector markets. Trammell point, how BIM models can be used As part of the effort, GSA awarded
Crow, which develops a wide range for operations and maintenance a national CMMS contract in early
of properties through its 15 US is still foreign to more facilities 2014 and is currently adding facilities
offices, has started to evolve its manager,” he says. to its GSALink system, which
BIM strategy to include facilities But that could be changing. manages building system data,
management. George Farrish, senior Although it is an added service including integrating information
associate at Trammell Crow, says now, Farrish sees some owners from manufacturers as well as
the company offers it as an option beginning to inquire about it. “More automation systems and energy
for its clients. The key, he says, is and more owners know about this meters in buildings.
early engagement. But in order to or have heard of it,” he says. “We’re Currently, the GSA is developing
do that, Trammell Crow needs to educating them about it now, but a road map for a central facility
know who the building tenant will be it could become an expectation at repository, which will archive BIM
and what needs they will have. As some point.” models and related building data
a result, Farrish says he sees great and documents. According to the
potential of build-to-suit projects for Federal Road Map GSA BIM Guide Series 08, “through
an established client. However, on a Among some areas of the federal the central facility repository, it is
speculative project, where a tenant government, BIM for FM is already envisioned that buildings’ BIMs
has not been determined, Trammell seen as an important part of the BIM would be managed and maintained
Crow would be less likely to pursue road map. At the General Services for all types of projects, including
BIM for FM. Administration, pressure from new construction, major renovation,
One core issue is cost. “If you can Congress has helped advance its BIM [renovations and additions], small
discuss [BIM for FM] early enough adoption. Charles Matta, deputy CIO projects, and [operations and
with your AE and general contractor, at the GSA’s Public Building Service, maintenance]. Furthermore, O&M
there should be little to no cost,” he says that, prior to the recession, personnel would be able to view the
says. “The later you discuss it, the concerns about cost overruns helped BIMs. Software tools would ‘sit on
more likely it will become a premium push the case for BIM. Now he sees top’ of the central facility repository
cost. The one cost we expect to see operational issues deepening the to provide security, search and
is third-party services for running need to leverage BIM. Specifically, view capabilities, version control,
validation of the model, testing it to Matta notes that legislation that has notifications on updates, and
make sure the models deliver what set targets on energy reduction at analysis and reporting.”
is contracted.” GSA facilities is a big driver for BIM’s The central facility repository
Right now, Farrish says Trammell use in facilities management. illustrates a major challenge that all
Crow sees offering BIM for FM as “What really matters to the federal agencies face: incorporating
added value for clients, providing leadership about how BIM is used all of an agency’s building
them with additional tools to help has shifted [over the years from] information—ranging from paper
them operate and maintain their planning to facilities management,” documents to BIM models—into a
facilities. “People in the facilities he says. “There has been a lot of usable system. The GSA oversees
management world know how legislation about energy efficiency more than 1,500 buildings, and Matta
expensive it is to run their facilities, goals that, at the time, looked very says that it receives BIM models of
and they know solid data is daunting and required innovation facilities as part of the design and
important,” he says. “When we within the agency to get there. Now construction processes for both new

construction and renovations “[Start] with the data you have, and [do]
or modernizations. what you can with it. But you also establish
“We don’t have models for all
the standards of what you need in the long
facilities because that’s how funding
works,” he says. “There is no fund
term and work toward those goals.”
for that. Instead, buildings get built — John Roach, Consultant,
or modernized and that’s what it will Defense Health Agency Facilities Division
take to get there. So, it will be a long
process to get them all onboard.” “I advocate starting with the data have been devised for that data,
that you have and doing what you including maps and location services
Integrating can with it,” he says. “But you also on smartphones.
Existing Data establish the standards of what
The Department of Defense (DOD) is you need in the long term and work Staying Secure
exploring how to best leverage the toward those goals. You improved Naturally, security is a major concern,
information it has in order to develop the data stores as you go, so you given the numerous sensitive
a cloud-based inventory of buildings incrementally improve it.” facilities that the DOD and other
data. “Like a lot of owners, DOD is agencies operate. Onuma says that
sitting on a lot of information about Decoupling the Data specific data can be secured, creating
their buildings,” says John Roach, a The DOD approach is in keeping rules about who can access specific
consultant with the Defense Health with the new FED iFM initiative. FED pieces of data.
Agency Facilities Division. “DOD iFM aims to tackle interoperability However, long-standing cultural
recognizes the value of that and is issues that hinder the advancement concerns remain. GSA’s Matta
trying to figure out a way to share it of BIM for facilities management. says that several agencies it works
between different users and uses.” Typically, buildings data is locked with typically keep facilities data
Roach says the first step is into information silos or proprietary within a closed system that cannot
identifying the data they have, formats, says Kimon Onuma, be accessed via the Internet.
defining the standards to hold it president of Onuma, Inc., which is “We had an agency agree to be
together and having tools to make consulting on the FED iFM project. part of a pilot study on this, but
that information widely accessible. The goal of FED iFM is to “decouple” then decided against it because
This could range from BIM models to the facilities data from applications, of security concerns.”
basic inventories of rooms, he says. making it neutral rather than bound Roach says DOD and DHA are
“The model at the simplest to a specific application. embracing the approach, trusting
stage can start from an image, Instead, the system would create that data can be secured properly.
which you use to identify the a backbone of accessible data that “DHA sees the importance of
footprint of the building,” he says. multiple applications can draw from. being able to share information,” he
“It could resemble an evacuation Onuma suggests that this would says. [DHA] doesn’t want a system
floor plan. More simply, you could allow for greater development of new that lives in isolation from the rest. If
just input information about the and better tools for facilities planning [DHA] can get other federal owners
space inventory and build a and management. By making the to adopt a similar framework or
stacking diagram.” data more accessible, applications approach, everybody wins. There
While the approach often provides could be developed to carry out are economies of scale. Everyone
only basic information, Roach says various functions, drawing from the isn’t inventing their own system, and
that is still valuable. Ultimately, he data it needs that is available through there’s incentive for everyone
says the approach is scalable and the open data service. to contribute.” n
can evolve to include more complex Onuma likens it to GPS data. Since
information as modeling becomes GPS data has been made available
more prevalent in the future. to the marketplace, numerous uses

Interview:Owner Perspectives
Desiree Gandrup-Dupre, Vice President and Business
Information Officer, Kaiser-Permanente Hospital System
An integrated managed-care consortium, Kaiser operates in nine states making

it the largest managed-care group in the nation. Desiree Gandrup-Dupre

discusses Kaiser’s experiences implementing BIM practices as an owner.
How did Kaiser-Permanente What has worked well in your Any advice for other owners?
originally get into BIM, and implementation, and what has GANDRUP-DUPRE: Our advice for
where are you in the process been a challenge?? other building owners is to engage
of using it systemwide (plan, GANDRUP-DUPRE: BIM is, and everyone on your project teams;
standards, projects, etc)? had been for some time now, an beginning with your internal planning
GANDRUP-DUPRE: Kaiser extremely successful planning tool. staff and moving on to your design
Permanente first started exploring In addition to using it to manage and construction professionals, and
BIM about four years ago. We worked our clinic room templates, we’re finally the facilities operations and
with UC Davis to understand how currently working [to] create maintenance staff to ensure that BIM
BIM can help us plan and execute our autocode checking functionality, is leveraged from beginning to end
projects more efficiently. where we will use BIM technology and back again.
Originally, we were focused to validate life-safety requirements For example, on our San Diego
on room templates and facilities through ongoing digital design Central Hospital project, which began
management in planning and design, plan checks. construction earlier this year and
and on clash detection, scheduling As stated earlier, our challenge opens in 2017, we had our planners
and material management during going forward with BIM will be and facility engineers at the table
construction. However, we quickly to leverage the full power of our almost from day one of the project.
realized there was tremendous models throughout the building Thanks to BIM and other supporting
opportunity to leverage the tools lifecycle. It’s very clear that BIM technologies, this building will be
of BIM across the total lifecycle of offers a tremendous advantage for very smart.
a building—not simply the initial building operations. We’ve realized, since design and
planning and construction phases. construction takes less than 10%
Presently, Kaiser Permanente How have you determined what of the total building lifecycle, if we
utilizes BIM on virtually every major “success” would be, and do you want our facility engineers and
project. We even leverage BIM measure it? If so, how? stakeholders to enjoy the full
technology on many of our smaller GANDRUP-DUPRE: The true test will benefits of BIM across the lifecycle,
maintenance and remodeling be: Are we taking full advantage they need to be involved in the
projects. It’s truly become a standard of the tremendous amount of design so that they can leverage
tool in our building arsenal where we information available through BIM in the operations. n
require its use for clash detection and BIM for FM to actually operate our
schedule optimization. buildings more efficiently? We can’t
And we’re not stopping there. do this alone in our own planning and
We’re now exploring its use in our construction silo. We need to help
facility management and operations, our facility engineers incorporate
while continuing to push the the model’s parametric information
envelope in design and construction technology into their day-to-day
with laser-scanned point-clouds as work and leverage the available
well as cloud-based BIM desktops. information to operate these
buildings at maximum efficiency.
That’s the challenge we’re trying to
measure and quantify right now.

Interview:Owner Perspectives
Richard Draper, BIM Process Manager, Birmingham City University
and
Derek Hughes, Technical Director, Connect Plus M25 Limited
The UK has seen wide BIM adoption due to the upcoming

implementation of the BIM mandate. Two UK owners, one public

and one private, share their specific experiences with BIM.
Why and how did your HUGHES: BIM has been very to it as BIM anymore, and when
organization first get involved effective. The introduction of [laser more Estates Management systems
with BIM? scanning] as an associated tool [are] being fed by new/maintained
DRAPER: Initially BIM was has made a significant difference BIM models.
introduced to the organization by to its effectiveness and usefulness
a BIM consultant after a scheme for the type of work that we do. We HUGHES: [When these can be
we had needed to be redesigned. have also used BIM supported by achieved] Has the data and tool been
After the announcement of [the very high definition [laser scanning] used? If so, how effectively? Does a
central government BIM mandate], for precision machining of critical quick calculation indicate that BIM
Birmingham City University construction components. This was has been at least cost neutral? Most
mandated the use of BIM during pioneering [work] in construction, as important, has it provided safety risk
the redesign period and provided far as we know, in the UK. reduction in some tangible way?
training for all of the design
consultants to get them up to speed. What have been the key What advice do you have to
Our use of BIM came before the challenges so far? owners like yourself?
government mandate to use BIM. DRAPER: Culture change/buy-in DRAPER: Start at the end of the
from users. For example, we have process: What do you want out of the
How far along are you in your mandated that the contractor uses BIM? What do you really want to do
engagement with BIM? [a cloud-based BIM server] ... on with it for the management of your
DRAPER: We have used BIM for the projects, and it has taken a little facilities? What information does
design [and] construction and are while to get the processes working your maintenance team need access
now embarking on using BIM for fully onsite. to quickly, and what information do
maintenance. We also hold our space they need linked to the BIM, such as
database within the BIM environment HUGHES: Economic and rapid operations and maintenance (O&M)
and currently manage the database translation of [laser scanning] data documentation? BIM structure and
through BIM. into 3D CAD. Also consultants O&M structure should match.
treating 3D CAD/BIM as something
HUGHES: For the new major special requiring special in-house HUGHES: BIM is already, and
construction works that we units attracting higher hourly rates will continue to grow into, an
have undertaken, our “step- to do the work. It should be part of everyday part of construction and
down“construction contractor has every CAD technician’s capability maintenance. You can start small, but
relied upon BIM extensively. We have suite. We are in a similar position to it is important to start somewhere.
used BIM extensively for planning, that of the early days of CAD. It is also good to identify a trusty
briefing, training and clash detection supply chain that can contribute to
purposes on all our major and more How do you determine what the overall end-to-end processes. n
complex lifecycle renewal projects. “BIM success” is, and how do
you measure it?
What has worked well so far? DRAPER: The ultimate BIM success
DRAPER: Most areas are working for me would be when we have a fully
well. We are constantly developing integrated system in the organization
new ways of using BIM and improving that is in daily use by an Estates
on the process we are using. Management team that doesn’t refer

Sidebar: AEC Perspectives
AEC Perspectives on Owners and BIM
As owners expand their BIM involvement, there is a growing need for them
to understand how best to enable their project teams to provide them with
the greatest BIM value. In other words, what makes a good “BIM owner”?
Several experienced AEC firms offer perspectives on that question.
B
ecause AEC firms work necessary and sufficient to the benefits. After that,” he says,”
with a variety of owners, support the process. everything else is easy.”
they have a broad set of ■ Assign (or train) an educated Jesse Whalen, from Balfour
BIM experiences from staff, and define roles and Beatty, recommends that owners
which to draw hard-earned wisdom responsibilities consistent with too inexperienced to direct BIM
and guidance that can improve BIM achieving the BIM goals. planning should “be open to making
outcomes for everyone. ■ Assess the BIM capabilities of it a collaborative journey to discover
service providers (designers, what their BIM needs are and create
Navigating, trades, GC) to ensure that they can a joint BIM execution plan [with their
Not Driving BIM support the BIM strategy. AEC team]. Having them say, ‘This is
“In simple terms” says Hal Jones, our vision: Show me what BIM can
VDC director with Skanska, “good Investing in Pre-Project do to help us achieve that‘ is how
BIM owners understand the intrinsic BIM Planning owners can most quickly learn what
value that BIM can bring, whether Mike Lefevre, vice president of they should ask for.” Jones adds that
it’s empowering team collaboration, Holder Construction, often sees by defining the project problems they
enhancing the project’s quality that “owners—experienced, want to solve, owners empower their
or improving the continuity of knowledgeable ones—continue teams to apply BIM appropriately
information. They don’t need a deep to set up projects without the time and “drive toward a more positive
technical knowledge of BIM to see to establish the infrastructure, and effective end result.”
these values manifest.” protocols and systems required to
realize even modest benefits from Asking for and Getting
Preparing Their BIM. They end up in a rush to execute the Right Things at the
Organization for BIM their projects, and we have to [fall Right Time
Owners will benefit by having back on] dumb hard work to succeed. Gidez says the best BIM owners
the right internal organizational The lack of time to set up a BIM “define expectations for BIM
framework for BIM. Greg Gidez, process continues to extinguish deliverables and level of
director of design services with BIM flames.” development in their procurement
Hensel Phelps, recommends several Mark Konchar, chief enterprise documents during the proposal and
key steps: development officer of Balfour negotiation phase, not at the end of
■ Establish goals for BIM—cost/ Beatty, concurs that establishing the project.” Erleen Hatfield, partner
benefit, faster completion, ground rules for BIM—such as “Will with Buro Happold, cites an example:
less rework, etc.—and assign a there be a Big Room?” or “How are “Telling an architect or engineer for
champion to implement the we going to share the models?”— the first time to hand over a model
BIM program. is a key owner role. He sees owners after CDs creates a series of process
■ Assess internal capabilities that who “have the capacity in-house, and legal issues that are not easy to
align with the BIM goals, and but they’re not focused” on advance resolve quickly, and the owner may
supplement resources if necessary. BIM planning, and when BIM doesn’t end up paying a contractor to rebuild
■ Assess internal technology meet their expectations, “they’re the BIM.”
capabilities, making sure that unhappy.” Lefevre applauds owners Gidez also notes that good
systems are compatible with who “set aside enough time for BIM owners don’t “ask for BIM
the designers/builders where BIM planning so that they can reap deliverables that provide no value

Sidebar: AEC Perspectives CONTINUED
to the designer, the builder or the “Set aside enough time for BIM planning so [you] can
owner, such as camber in a beam or reap the benefits. After that, everything else is easy.”
exactly placed wall outlets, unless — Mike Lefevre, Holder Construction
there is a specific reason for it.”
He also encourages owners not to should be an active participant in lifecycle, while also allowing the
“dictate the software that the teams the project [and] be accessible and owner to use the model as part of
should use, only the end product that engaged in the day-to-day decision- their facilities management program
is expected.” making. It promotes both team unity if desired.”
Hatfield says BIM owners can and accountability.” Konchar notes Regarding BIM for FM, instead
get what they ask for by carefully that it also keeps team members of simply saying, “I want a BIM
evaluating competing firms’ BIM from resorting to old behaviors. “We at the end of the project,” Brian
proposals, warning that some “may use the analogy that when you pull Skripac, Astorino Associates,
be lower in price because they a rubber band, if you ever let go of advises interested owners to work
take shortcuts on the modeling.” it, it goes right back to its shape, and backwards from the end result to
Examples are leaving out fire alarms, if any individual at any point in the understand what information is
fixtures or steel connections, not project lets go of the rubber band, critical to maintain their facilities and
modeling the pitch of pitched pipes it reverts back. Other people let go then define a process/path for the
or modeling ducts sitting on a floor easier when the client lets go.” AEC team to deliver that information
slab. “The 2D picture looks right, but at the right time. “If you ask for
you can’t coordinate with it, which Measuring What Matters everything and get everything, you’ll
hinders one of the best uses of BIM.” Metrics are important for any new have way more than you can really
She recommends that owners initiative, but as Jones advises, “It’s do anything with. Owners need to
“level proposals by validating important for owners to remember have a process in place to use the
the modeling scope, just like they that the value [savings] of BIM on a information before they receive
validate design scope.” project is often the money or time it.” Konchar encourages owners to
not wasted rather than a quantifiable “identify the facility management
Encouraging reduction in total cost or schedule. staff who will be the ones who will
Collaboration Focus on the total value BIM brings to take over in the end” so that they can
BIM greatly facilitates collaboration the project, rather than its perceived get involved early.
and integration. Konchar encourages upfront cost.” Daniel Shirkey, from Skripac, who is implementing
owners to promote collaboration Balfour Beatty, expands on that a 36,000,000-square-foot BIM FM
because “when you drive teams point, encouraging “a philosophical program at Ohio State University,
together to collaborate and change from first cost to lifecycle also strongly counsels owners
innovate early, before final design cost on buildings” when evaluating to embrace data standards. “The
choices are made, you can find real BIM impact. simple task of leveraging COBie to
opportunities [for project value].” He structure and consume data can have
also recommends that BIM owners Thinking With the End a tremendous ROI over traditional
be open to creative collaborative in Mind methods. Integrating systems and
approaches, such as having “the Jones states that a successful removing the redundancy can be
trades can pick up some of the owner practice is to require that an extremely valuable by-product
modeling for better benefit.” contract documents be generated of implementing BIM [for owners]
from models and that the design to define a single source of truth for
Staying Involved team must maintain and update building information.” n
BIM planning is critical, but a good models through the construction
BIM owner can’t just set-it-and- phase. “This assures that the models
forget-it. Jones says, “To maximize and documents accurately reflect
AEC team collaboration, the owner each other throughout the project

Methodology:
The Business Value of BIM for Owners Study Research
McGraw Hill Construction conducted The use of a sample to represent a Variables Used in the
the 2014 Business Value of BIM for true population is based on the firm Analysis of US Owners
Owners survey to assess the level of foundation of statistics.The sampling The larger sample size in the US
owner involvement with BIM and the size and technique used in this allows for comparisons across
value it is generating on their projects study conform to accepted industry different subgroups, most notably
and for facility management. research standards expected to by level of BIM involvement. The
The research in this report was produce results with a high degree of following lists the percentage of total
conducted through a computer- confidence and a low margin of error. US respondents in each category.
assisted telephone interview The total sample size (141) used ■ Level of BIM Involvement
(CATI) survey of owners between benchmarks at a 95% confidence (based on current level of BIM
July 7th and August 26th, 2014. interval with a margin of error (MOE) use on projects)
The survey was targeted to owners of about 8.25%. For the US alone, • Low BIM Involvement (Less than
in the United States (US) and the the MOE is about 9.8%. For the UK 25% of projects involve BIM): 41%
United Kingdom (UK). alone, the MOE is 15.5%, but the 40 • Moderate BIM Involvement
UK respondents are enough to look (25% to 50% of projects involve
Definition of BIM for and note significant differences BI M): 21%
Use Employed in across countries. • High BIM Involvement
the Research (51% to 75% of projects
For the purpose of the survey, BIM Screening Criteria involve BIM): 13%
use was defined as BIM being used Size of firm was used as a screening • Very High BIM Involvement
on at least one of the owners’ current criteria for firms in the US but not in (More than 75% of projects
projects by at least one member of the UK. involve BIM): 25%
the design and construction team. • In the US, larger firms, those with
While the majority of the analysis
project values totaling over $10
in this report focuses on level of
Survey Participants million, were contacted because
involvement, the following variables
The survey had 141 complete BIM tends to be used on larger
are also used on occasion:
responses, 101 in the US and projects in the US.
■ Size of Firm by Annual
40 in the UK. • Because of the recent proposed
Construction Budget
• More owners were sought in guidelines in the UK around BIM
• Small (Budget less than $50
the US because of McGraw Hill use, more owners were expected
million): 29%
Construction’s strong connection to be using BIM, and, therefore,
• Medium (Budget $50 million to
with construction in the US and no criteria by size was placed on
less than $400 million): 53%
the large Dodge database of those owners.
• Large (Budget $400 million
construction projects to
Other screening criteria included or more): 18%
draw from in order to contact
knowledge of BIM use on their ■ Sector
potential owners.
projects and types of construction. • Public: 69%
• A survey panel was used in the
• Owners did not have to be direct • Private: 31%
UK to reach owners.
users of BIM but did need to be ■ Type of work
aware of its use on their project. • More Than 50% of

• Owners were also asked if they do Construction Projects Are
more vertical building projects or New Construction: 47%
infrastructure projects. Those who • More Than 50% of Construction
responded vertical building were Projects are Renovation
included in the survey to ensure Projects: 38% n
consistent types of owners were
being interviewed.

SmartMarket Report
Resources
Organizations and websites that can help you get smarter
about the business value of BIM for owners.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
The authors wish to thank our premier sponsors Autodesk and Skanska. We
thank Autodesk for their ongoing support for the series of BIM SmartMarket
Reports. We also thank Rupert Hanna at Skanska for hia support.
McGraw Hill Construction
Main Website : construction.com In addition, we thank contributing partners Balfour Beatty and Mortenson
Dodge : construction.com/dodge Construction, including Peter Trebilcock of Balfour Beatty Construction Services
Research & Analytics : UK, Mark Konchar and Jesse Whalen of Balfour Beatty Construction Services US,
construction.com/dodge/ and Derek Cunz and Ricardo Khan at Mortenson Construction. We also extend our
dodge-market-research.asp thanks to our other partners, including the American Institute of Steel Construction,
Architectural Record : archrecord.com the buildingSMART alliance and Hensel Phelps.
Engineering News-Record : enr.com
We thank Calvin Kam and the team at bimSCORE for contributing to the insights
Sweets : sweets.com
gathered in the Singapore and Scandinavian markets.
SmartMarket Reports :
construction.com/market_research Finally we thank the owners, design and construction industry professionals,
government officials and policy experts who agreed to be interviewed and shared
their insights and expertise with us.
Autodesk Skanska
www.autodesk.com www.skanska.com/group
Contributing Partners Australia National Guidelines for Digital Modeling:

Balfour Beatty Construction Services UK: http://www.construction-innovation.info/images/
www.balfourbeattycsuk.com pdfs/BIM_Guidelines_Book_191109_lores.pdf
Balfour Beatty Construction Services BIMForum: bimforum.org
US : www.balfourbeattyus.com bimSCORE: www.bimscore.com
Mortenson Construction : www.mortenson.com BIM Task Group (UK): www.bimtaskgroup.org
Partners buildingSMART International: www.buildingsmart.org
American Institute of Steel Construction: www.aisc.org National Institute of Building Sciences: www.nibs.org
buildingSMART alliance: www.buildingsmartalliance.org National Institute of Building Sciences “The COBie
Produced with support
Hensel Phelps from
: www.henselphelps.com Guide”: www.nibs.org/?page=bsa_cobieguide
Other Resources Penn State Computer Integrated Construction

American Institute of Architects— “BIM Execution Planning Guide”: bim.psu.edu
AIA E202 BIM Protocol Exhibit: RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors):
info.aia.org/aia/form_free_bim.cfm www.rics.org/us/knowledge/bcis/about-bcis/
forms-and-documents/bim-downloads/
AIA Practice BIM, Standards & Interoperability :
network.aia.org/technologyinarchitecturalpractice/ Singapore, Building Design and Construction
home/bimstandards Authority, BIM Guide: www.corenet.gov.
sg/integrated_submission/bim/BIM/
AIA Guide to Integrated Project Singapore%20BIM%20Guide_V2.pdf
Delivery: www.aia.org/ipdg
U.S. General Services Administration, Building
Association of General Contractors ConsensusDOCS, 301 Information Modeling: www.gsa.gov/bim
BIM Addendum: www.consensusdocs.org/Resource_/
FileManager/301_Guidebook_08_12_13.pdf US National BIM Standard:
www.nationalbimstandard.org
■ Design and Construction Intelligence
SmartMarket Report
www.construction.com
McGraw Hill Construction SmartMarket Reports™
Get smart about the latest industry trends.

For more information on these reports and others, visit
www.construction.com ⁄market _ research

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SmartMarket Report

Premier Partners: Contributing Partners: Supporting Partners:

McGraw Hill Construction The Business Value of

For further information on this

beneficiaries of BIM. Even increase the share of their projects that

in McGraw Hill Construction’s past BIM owners include: Stephen A. Jones

McGraw Hill Construction 1 www.construction.com SmartMarket Report

08 Owners’ Engagement With BIM

26 Owners’ Perceptions About BIM Use by Project Teams

33 Owners’ Perspectives on the Impact and Value of BIM

41 Owners’ BIM Needs

SmartMarket Report McGraw Hill Construction 2 www.construction.com

49 Owners’ Perspectives on BIM for Facilities Management

38 Switching to an Integrated Process on the Fly

McGraw Hill Construction 3 www.construction.com SmartMarket Report

BIM, which began primarily as a design tool then evolved

to a must-have for leading contractors, is now rapidly

Owners’ BIM Involvement Owners’ BIM Requirements

Owners have been steadily increasing their

Less than a third (30%) of the US public owners and just

SmartMarket Report McGraw Hill Construction 4 www.construction.com

which recently surpassed architects there. In fact, over US Owners UK Owners

their level of internal support and external resources

McGraw Hill Construction 5 www.construction.com SmartMarket Report

The following observations and recommendations are intended

to help owners implement and derive more value from BIM

Owners Should BIM Planning Owners need to be open, Explore

SmartMarket Report McGraw Hill Construction 6 www.construction.com

McGraw Hill Construction 7 www.construction.com SmartMarket Report

years ago (58%), is projected to shrink to just 16% two

The UK owners are generally more enthusiastic about

growth from 22% in 2012 to a forecast of 38% in 2016.

two years ago.

SmartMarket Report McGraw Hill Construction 8 www.construction.com

Owners’ Initial Interaction With BIM

take the initiative themselves to learn about it and drive its

McGraw Hill Construction 9 www.construction.com SmartMarket Report

Owners’ Use of BIM Software

Owners’ Use of Software to Develop Owners’ Use of Software to

Do Not Own Do Not Own

SmartMarket Report McGraw Hill Construction 10 www.construction.com

Owners’ Use of BIM Consultants

McGraw Hill Construction 11 www.construction.com SmartMarket Report

Owners’ Greatest Challenge

Industry and Upper-Level Buy-In

SmartMarket Report McGraw Hill Construction 12 www.construction.com

McGraw Hill Construction 13 www.construction.com SmartMarket Report

Managers wrong things,” he jokes. Instead their out-of-service time.

CURRENT BENEFITS Stocks foresees more “design for

Stocks says measuring cost/benefit manufacture, so the working time

SmartMarket Report McGraw Hill Construction 14 www.construction.com

Influence of the Private Sector on BIM Use

McGraw Hill Construction 15 www.construction.com SmartMarket Report

Owners’ BIM Requirements and Guidelines

Requiring or Encouraging BIM Owners’ BIM Requirements

currently involved with BIM on their projects, they

level (less than 25% of projects). Well-Developed Guidelines

SmartMarket Report McGraw Hill Construction 16 www.construction.com

Government Policy Impact on Owners’ Interest in BIM

It is clear that BIM use in the UK is enormously Impact of Government Policies on

accelerated by the Government Construction Strategy Owners’ Interest in BIM

requirement for fully collaborative 3D BIM (with all US

Overall Impact of Government Agency 8%