Scottish BIM implementation plan officially launched

The Scottish BIM Delivery Group (BIM DG) has officially launched the Scottish BIM implementation plan that sets out the strategy for public sector projects within Scotland to adopt BIM Level 2 by April 2017.

BIM DG was set up by Scottish Futures Trust and the Scottish government and is headed by Professor David Philp, Head of BIM at the UK BIM Task Group and BIM Director at AECOM. Its brief is to support the Scottish government in meeting it’s objective to move towards a digital built environment and put into place the recommendations from the review of Public Sector Procurement in Construction.

The delivery group has recommended the requirement of BIM Level 2 for all projects above the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) threshold of £4.32M. Projects that cost less than this figure will be assessed to see whether the implementation of BIM would be beneficial.

The BIM implementation plan has several fundamental objectives including providing a roadmap to the implementation of BIM Level 2 by April 2017 on public sector projects. It will also seek to address the recommendations of the Review of Procurement in Construction report in relation to BIM and support the public sector by demonstrating the benefits of adopting BIM.

Experienced leadership and direction is to be provided at a national level in the adoption of BIM for public sector projects within Scotland.

Guidance will be prepared and published for procuring authorities to better equip them in adopting BIM Level 2, with benefits of adopting BIM being demonstrated.

The group will also develop and introduce a BIM decision matrix, which will help procuring authorities to understand and decide whether their project would benefit from the use of BIM.

The Scottish BIM implementation plan sets out five steps along the road to BIM implantation. These ‘horizons’ are Planning & Objectives; Mobilisation; Pathfinder Projects; BIM Guidance; and Launch of BIM Level 2.

Commenting on the launch of the implementation plan, Mr Philp said: “It is an exciting time for the Scottish construction industry as we have a great opportunity to change the industry. I have no doubt in my heart that we will be successful.

“People have been talking about improving the industry for the last 40 years, but this is the first time we genuinely make a chance of making a change.”

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