Embrace the Spirit of Level 2 BIM and Reap the Business Rewards

Collaborative working is the spirit and principle behind level 2 BIM. Open collaboration informed by shared information within the supply chain, project partners and other contractors delivers significant benefits to everyone involved in seeing a project through to the best outcome.
Traditionally the construction industry was fragmented. Defects and delays happened simply because each party to a project saw their elements and systems in isolation.

BIM is centered on the principle of better knowledge sharing through a common platform. This, in itself, is a significant step forward. But customers and contractors gain more through a more joined up approach to planning and better information sharing when all partners fully embrace level 2 BIM.

Here are just a few of the benefits we’ve experienced:

• Early engagement and pooled knowledge delivers optimum solutions for the entire project.
• Each specialism contributes more to the overall project by not being isolated.
• Communication between the different companies and advisors working on the project is faster. This is essential as projects come under more time pressure.

Similarly, considering the whole project lifecycle from the outset provides a number of significant benefits for customer and potential efficiencies and savings:

• People see the wider perspective and consider the impact of their activity on everyone involved.
• Project phasing is clearly defined so that contractors can plan resources more accurately.
• Potential issues are identified and addressed early so there’s time to identify the best solutions for the project as a whole.
• Outcomes – such as delivery time and asset management – drive the project structure and delivery, rather than individual production processes.

BIM enables you to see all elements of a project in relation to each other so you can achieve a better balance between each of them.  With a forward-looking focus and shared information it’s easier to identify contingency and respond quickly when unexpected problems occur. Design revisions are easier to make and unexpected problems become rarer.

Finally, BIM makes it easier for everyone to access project information at the level of detail they need. Whether they want the ‘big picture’ view of the final project or detailed technical insights for project management, it’s all available from a single source. This common environment that incorporates suppliers, contractors and utilities means that understanding and expectations are consistent across all partners.