{"id":19237,"date":"2015-07-28T11:10:11","date_gmt":"2015-07-28T11:10:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=19237"},"modified":"2016-09-07T13:41:07","modified_gmt":"2016-09-07T13:41:07","slug":"bim-countdown-2016-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/planning-construction-news\/bim-countdown-2016-3\/19237\/","title":{"rendered":"The BIM countdown to 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the BIM clock continues to tick, Kath Fontana, Managing Director of BAM FM and chair of RICS FM PG board, shares her thoughts on why it\u2019s important for the facilities management industry to engage with BIM now, and what professionals in the industry need to know about it\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Facilities management (FM) is a discipline that has the power to change organisations of all shapes and sizes for the better. Whether it\u2019s the improvement of estate management, the restructuring of how goods and services are procured or the more effective use of company facilities, FM plays a vital role in bringing about positive benefits when viewed as a strategic necessity.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s when thinking about the vast array of functions covered by FM practitioners that one can\u2019t help but realise the impact that BIM is going to have on the sector \u2013 particularly when it comes to helping the sector do its job with greater efficiency and effectiveness.<\/p>\n

Take the public sector for instance. Its increasing focus on BIM shows that the operational stages of a project will only become more important and it expects FM to be ready for these new ways of working. There are a few things happening that only increase the importance of BIM for the FM sector.<\/p>\n

The first is fulfilling the government mandate of reaching Level 2 BIM by 2016, which requires all project and asset information, documentation and data to be electronic. This target is less than 200 working days away.<\/p>\n

The recent Digital Built Britain<\/a> report is clear about how the government wants to move BIM after 2016. This includes creating new commercial models that link design\/build\/operate contracts, and developing commercial mechanisms requiring FM to deliver against BIM standards. Public sector requirements are going to be increasingly robust for FM. We can\u2019t ignore this momentum and we need to respond well to this public sector challenge.<\/p>\n

Secondly, the private sector is very keen on BIM, especially for new speculative developments. BIM is seen as cutting edge and high-specification premium buildings expect to have a model as part of the handover package. Facilities managers working with premium developers are starting to be asked to handle BIM and digital FM.<\/p>\n

The final point is a general one around data. The term \u2018big data\u2019 is a little overused but management of data, transparency, management information, smart buildings, aggregation of data, smart cities, etc are all becoming much more important. FM must be aware of this new focus.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, Jones Lang LaSalle has recently said its vision is to be a technology company that delivers property. It wants to use data to enable clients to make strategic decisions about their property assets, especially during the operational phases.<\/p>\n

FM and BIM maturity<\/b><\/p>\n

On the BIM maturity scale, FM is roughly at Level 1, i.e. data is moved around manually, or sometimes electronically through spreadsheets, but it\u2019s not federated or validated. For some, achieving Level 2 by 2016 will be quite a challenge.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s some talk about a Level 3A, which is effectively an enhanced Level 2 with added operational depth. Unfortunately, some clients don\u2019t want to engage with BIM and the FM supply chain because they can\u2019t find a commercial or contractual solution for it, other than varying a building contract or consultancy agreement. This is a barrier to adoption but the wider industry reaching Level 3A will actually help FM achieve Level 2.<\/p>\n

10 things FM should know about BIM<\/b><\/p>\n