Launch of Digital Built Britain - Get Ready for BIM Level 3

This article was produced by Nabarro LLP, which joined CMS on 1 May 2017.

Last week, business secretary Vince Cable announced the launch of Digital Built Britain, the UK's programme to get the industry ready for BIM Level 3.

The programme will build on the standards and savings delivered by the BIM level 2 initiative which have been estimated at £840m in 2013/14.

Level 2 - the use of which has been mandated for all publicly procured projects by 2016 - involves parties using their own 3D models but not necessarily working on a single, shared model. Collaboration comes in the form of how the information is exchanged between different parties.

Level 3 requires full integration and collaboration between parties to the construction process by the use of a single, shared project model and the first adopted public projects are expected to be operational by 2017.

There may follow BIM Level 4D construction sequencing, Level 5D cost information and - the holy grail of BIM - Level 6D project lifecycle management information.

It will of course take time for even BIM Level 2 to be used universally across the industry and there remain a significant number of technical, legal/contractual and commercial obstacles to overcome, but the Government's drive towards the better use of technology in construction and infrastructure projects and the efficiencies and cost savings likely to be achieved can only be a good thing.

What's more, it is highly likely that the integrated and collaborative working encouraged by BIM will ultimately be adopted by private sector projects and will give UK businesses another major competitive advantage when exporting their skills internationally.