Adoption of BIM Within the UK Construction Report 2022

ADOPTION OF BIM WITHIN THE UK CONSTRUCTION
Introduction
Technological adjustments have been experienced in nearly all sectors of developments
worldwide. The AEC sector in the UK has advanced technologically in running most of the
projects' construction-related operations. Through technology, various construction
transformations have been experienced through digital innovations and digital solutions.
This report provides insights into the current approach to construction design, facility, and
management, known as BIM (building information modeling). It seeks to provide adept
information on BIM related operations and the results that proper utilization of BIM can offer
to all team members of the project. BIM is one of the flourishing developments in the AEC
(architectural, engineering, and construction) sectors. The current BIM dates back to around
30 years back, but it is now that these concepts, approaches, and methodologies are beginning
to get rooted in the way buildings and other infrastructure are planned, designed, and
constructed.
With the use of building information modeling technology, a virtual model of a building is
accurately constructed digitally. The digital generated model carries some geometry and
useful data required to promote fabrication, construction, and procurement. Furthermore,
BIM contains functions used to model building lifecycle forming the basis for new
constructions and providing information to the project team on changes in roles and their
relationships. Therefore, BIM is an integrated masterpiece detailing construction design and
processes aimed at better quality buildings, reduced cost, as well as reduced project duration
(Hijazi, Donaubauer, & Kolbe, 2018, pp. 319).
The construction sector in the UK has increasingly transformed from traditional methods to
modern methods. The government is involved in construction in several ways. BIM was
adopted by the UK government in 2011 through the influence of the Government
Construction Strategy, which is a government body in charge of construction projects. During
its launch, the implementation was categorized into four broad levels, each level having
different goals basing on the collaborative teams. The first level involves simply 2D designs
(unmanaged Computer Aided Designs) with low collaborative teams, which means no
sharing of information. The second level is a bit advanced with both 2D and 3D designs,
while the third level involves pure managed 3D designs with data for different models. The
fourth level is more advanced in project models and information sharing (Azhar, S., 2011, pp.
241-252).
Objectives of BIM
Basically, BIM was meant to improve the sharing of information among the parties involved
in construction projects, i.e., the designers, contractors, and the owners. Information itself is
an important tool, hence the right information at the right time throughout the construction
period. For successful adoption and implementation of BIM, various objectives were set
based on the information required by different parties (Iyim, Rivera, & Zhu, 2015).

According to AEC professionals, the main aim of BIM is to enhance the performance of the
project and produce impressive results through better decision making. The construction
managers will effectively communicate with other relevant parties through the information
acquired from the BIM (Azhar et al., 2008, pp. 435-446).
Other objectives of BIM include:
1. To support decisions on investment based on the cost, functionality, and the scope of the
construction project.
2. To enhance environmental data analysis on construction objectives and designs to
effectively oversee building operations.
3. To enhance sharing building model designs and displaying construction possibility
studies.
4. To effectively use the project data throughout the construction period as well as its
maintenance.
5. To offer support to the design processes through quality data exchange.
6. To enhance cost-effective projects as well as increase productivity and minimize project
time.
These objectives are what drive the implementation process of the BIM through experiencing
several challenges. Though the UK government is seen in the forefront global BIM program
through project delivery modernization and asset management, it admits there are some
challenges with those who participate in BIM implementation to the required standard is still
minimal.
Benefits of BIM
BIM is basically an integrated process supported by technology and contracts, which involves
the digital representation of physical features and facilities. The process consists of model
files shared by various parties to enhance decision making. Modern BIM is in use mostly by
government agencies, private companies, and businesses in planning, designing, and
managing a built asset. In the UK, BIM came into being in 2011 through the Government
Strategy on Construction projects. The first phase of implementation of BIM in the UK
(Level 0) went for two years, while the implementation of level 1 was done by 2015. It is no
doubt that that BIM level 2 mandates came in April 2016 spearheaded by the UK
government. According to the UK government, the process is essential in improving the
construction industry, although the number of those who favor it is still small (Barlish &
Sullivan, 2012, pp. 149-159).
According to the strategic plan on the implementation of the process in the UK through the
UK Alliance, it was expected that by 2017 16% of the people should have adopted BIM
Level 2 and approximately 75% by 2020. The NBS of the UK indicates that a bigger growth
in the number of people who adopted the process was experienced in 2018.

In recent decades, BIM has been the talk over the UK AEC industry. Compared to the
traditional building techniques, BIM is gaining popularity through there still exists some
confusion on how it is useful contractors. Most people in the architectural, engineering, and
construction sectors perceive BIM as a 3D design technology. Actually, BIM is an all-round
process that concerns with creating and managing information of a project and contains all
aspects of a physical project described digitally. Although BIM seems to concern with design
and preconstruction majorly, it plays a critical role in every phase of the project lifecycle.
Actually, it provides an allowance for projects to develop virtually before the actual physical
construction, thus helping in getting rid of inefficiencies as well as challenges likely to arise
during the process construction (Dowsett & Harty, 2013, pp. 13-23). The following
discussion highlights the benefits of BIM level 2 processes and technologies to centrally
procured projects.
Enhanced collaboration and communication
As opposed to paper drawing sets, digital BIM models enhance better collaboration and
communication across various stakeholders through sharing, collaboration, and versioning.
Cloud-based BIM allows team members to coordinate planning as well as project sharing,
and this ensures all design stakeholders are aware of the projects (Khosrowshahi & Arayici,
2012).
Cost estimation
Most of the AEC firms are beginning of late to realize the importance of including cost
estimates in the planning phase. Cost estimate ensures cost-effective construction and has
given rise to the development of model-based cost estimation tools such as BIM Autodesk's
Revit. The BIM cost estimating tools are automatic hence time-saving, allowing higher value
focus such as including risk factor.
Preconstruction visualization
The use of BIM allows prior planning and visualization of the whole project before the actual
physical construction begins. The 3D visualization and space-use simulation properties of
BIM provide the clients with overview experience of how space will appear hence can make
changes before commencement of construction.
Cost reduction and risk mitigation
A reach by McKinsey indicates that about 75% of companies that have implemented the use
of BIM level 2 technologies report positive returns on investment. It is a fact that proper
utilization of BIM saves money in a plethora of ways. Prior overview of the project allows
for extensive prefabrication and waste reduction of unused materials. Working with
contractors closely helps reduce tender risk premiums, minimal claims opportunities, and few
overall variations. Labor costs used in miscommunication and work documentation are
significantly minimized. BIM 360 Docs allow single repository document and real-time
collaboration which ensure any company using it remain at the peak through the elimination
of risk of relaying outdated information (Doumbouya, Gao, & Guan, 2016, pp. 74-79).

Proper scheduling
In the same manner, most of the BIM benefits save money; time is saved through the
reduction of project time cycle as well as the elimination of construction schedule drawbacks.
Through BIM, design, and documentation are done simultaneously; this eases the process of
project document alteration to fit new information. Accurate and precise planning of project
schedules with enhanced coordination results in the likelihood of projects to be completed
within the predicted timeline (Eadie et al., 2013, pp.145-151).
Safe construction
Site safety, stakeholder safety, and environmental safety are the key factors for any
construction work. BIM is important in improving construction safety by pointing out the
possible hazards before they occur and avoid physical hazards by visualizing and planning
future site logistics. Safety evaluation and visual risk analysis play an essential role in
ensuring project safety throughout the execution period.
Quality builds
Dependence on improved, coordinated models directly leads to obtaining quality buildings.
Through the use of common BIM tools, team experts with hand-on experience work closely
with builders at all stages of construction, providing control over critical decisions as far as
design execution is concerned. With the use of visualization, aesthetic designs are chosen
since optimal construction approaches are tested early with structural deficiencies identified
and eliminated before actual construction (Yi & Yang, 2017, p. 19).
Labor-saving
BIM allows model sharing; therefore, less demand for rework and drawing duplication to suit
various building disciplines' requirements. In addition, BIM has more features and
information as opposed to the drawing set giving every discipline an opportunity to annotate
and connect the intelligence of the project. Drawing tools of BIM have an added advantage
over the 2D drawing tools of being faster with each object connected to a database. The link
of objects to a database is essential in that quantity takeoff for windows number and size are
automatically updated. The fact that components counting in BIM are computerized alone has
a significant implication of time and labor-saving (Bryde, 2013, pp. 971-980).
Review of Related Literature
Various studies concerning the adoption and implementation of BIM, as well as challenges
facing its adoption, have been carried out. The history of BIM dates back to some decades
since the development of construction industries and has transformed from the traditional
approach to the current modern approach. Although it has been in existence for more than 20
years, it is only recently that built asset owners came to realize its importance in terms of
construction design and maintenance. Since its launch in 2011 in the UK, the number of those
adopting the process still remains low, which means its adoption and implementation is slow
(Walasek and Barszcz, 2017, pp. 1227-1234). As an impressive current development in AEC,

a number of researches have been carried out to establish the various reasons behind the slow
adoption of the process despite being a promising development. According to the Waterhouse
(NBS CEO), like any other process, BIM requires time for learning, growth, and adjustment,
and challenges are expected along the way to its full adoption and implementation.
As a process, BIM involves several important changes in the construction industry.
Therefore, apart from understanding how the software works, significant changes in
workflows, staff-training, assigning responsibilities, and construction modeling should be
done (Eastman et al., 2008). The adoption and implementation of the process do not only
consider the technology in it but also the socio-cultural environment surrounding (Arayici et
al., 2014). According to (Abanda et al., 2018), the adoption of BIM in the last decades by the
construction industry has enhanced productivity as well as improving collaboration among
the relevant stakeholders despite various challenges. BIM adoption visualizes designs, offers
creation of various designs, the establishment of reliable models, and forecasting of building
performance (Sacks et al., 2010, pp. 968-980).
By 2018, the BIM adoption rate was approximately 75% in the UK, which means it was in a
good position in implementing it by the set period (Malleson et al., 2018). Considering the
process of adoption of BIM, the management team should be created to oversee the
developments and measuring performance basing on the achievement of each set objective.
The overall BIM manager represents the client in the build team by providing support to
building information models, which pushes the analysis takeoffs and schedules. Various
companies have considered adopting BIM at different levels rather than depending on
software only, which does not provide all the required information concerning building
information models (Leite et al., 2011).
Adopting the BIM in the construction industry increases certainty and improves safety by
providing critical information concerning building models as well as reducing errors of
structural designs. Through it, minimization of waste is ensured since products are delivered
on-site on time (Smith, 2007). (Liu et al., 2009, pp. 95-104) anticipated that critical
information about the building, such as signals and sensors, may be incorporated in the
Building Information Modeling software to enhance the management of the building and
further effective analysis of the operation models.
BIM is being adopted in different countries worldwide with the aim of bettering building
construction planning, designs, and maintenance. Despite the significant efforts of the
relevant authorities to implement BIM, there are still a number of challenges faced in
adopting it.
Barriers to the adoption of BIM
There are many challenges that affect the adoption of BIM throughout the world. According
to Tuvi (2017), there is a need to investigate the various factors that contribute to the slow
adoption of BIM to ensure productivity in the construction industry. According to NBS CEO,
adoption of BIM Level 2 is of great to all the parties involved in the building since it
improves project outcomes. However, he stated that despite various provided efforts, the

process still goes through barriers for which should realize and address them accordingly.
Discussed below are some of the major barriers to the adoption and implementation of BIM
Level 2 in the UK.
• Failure by the government to provide policies that stress on the adoption mandate. These
have led to slow adoption in various central departments raising confusion in the supply chain
as to whether the set objectives will be met.
• The Employers Information Requirements (EIRs) does not provide a clear guideline on
the way of delivering the projects basing on the client's requirements. There are no details
provided on improving the delivery of the project as well as the management and
maintenance of the built asset.
• The supply chain is under total confusion since there is no accurate data and information
from the Asset Information Requirements. The AIRs are expected to provide critical
information to the supply chain for data exchange. This deficiency of information increases
uncertainty in the process of adoption and implementation.
• Collaboration is an essential requirement in BIM Level 2. According to Waterhouse, there
are no collaborative teams in the procurement and contracting processes, rendering the all
process of implementation slow. The relevant parties are rather involved in blame games,
which influence the slow adoption despite the current incorporation of Integrated Project
Insurance.
• The process is faced by several contradictions between the relevant parties causing errors,
which leads to confusion in the whole process.
• As a matter of fact, the process aims at improving productivity and management in the
construction industry. This is no so as seen through the drivers of the adoption process who
do considers the general benefit of the process in terms of information management but rather
tend to satisfy just the client.
• Another challenge is that a good number of people are still satisfied with BIM Level 1,
which just provides management information. This is contributed by a lack of important
information concerning how BIM Level 2 works.
• According to (Ahmed et al., 2014), contractual requirements are not to the standard. He
indicates that there are actually no requirements for contracts for the implementation of BIM
Level 2. He also attributes that the building information models are complex, and the sub-
contractors are not ready to adopt it.
• To this far, there are no experts in BIM who can facilitate the process of adoption. Lack of
experts contributes to more uncertainties hence getting less support from and lack of
awareness concerning the benefits of BIM (McAuley et al., 2017).

Way forward on adoption BIM
As explained above, BIM Level 2 is an advanced system that provides significant information
on 3D models in designs, management, and maintenance of the built asset. Despite various
measures and efforts put in place to adopt BIM, there are challenges that still face the
process. There is a lot to be done; therefore, to ensure the adoption of BIM continues towards
realizing its objectives.
The businesses in the construction industry should take the barriers as a challenge and work
on it accordingly to ensure that all the businesses digitize their operations through BIM
technology. Immediate and serious actions should be taken to ensure that the implementation
of the process does not fail. The businesses need to invest more in technology to improve
productivity in the industry by ensuring the skilled workforce and increasing profits.
For BIM Level 2 to effectively work and hit the market, the country needs to understand that
in order to experience the changes, time to learn, adjust, and implement is needed. The
relevant parties should, therefore, participate fully in ensuring that more than 2m people are
made aware of reaching the target of 2020. The risk of extinction of BIM technology might
be experienced if no policies are put in place. The government should give appropriate and
sufficient support to the adoption of the technology. Policies should be set and applied to the
BIM Level 2 mandate to ensure that all the central departments adopt it (Melon & Koudier,
2016).
It is no doubt that the successful adoption of BIM is of great benefit in the construction
industry through improving productivity and visualization, enhance information linking, and
reduce costs and faster delivery of products on-site.
Conclusion
From the discussion above, it is evident that BIM is the current and future for the AEC sector
not only in the UK and Scotland but across the world. BIM adoption simplifies operations
and processes for all the concerned stakeholders. Review from construction firms that have
implemented the use of BIM in their undertakings affirms that the technology has a plethora
of positive impacts on a project with a promising return on investment. Despite the vast array
of benefits derived from BIM level 2 implementation, there exist a couple of barriers that
limit the penetration, perception, and full adoption of BIM level 2 technologies among the
construction firms while undertaking their projects.

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