National Federation of Builders secures funding to throw light on barriers to BIM progress

The National Federation of Builders is surveying its members and the wider industry for a snapshot of views on building information modelling (BIM).

It said the use of 3D design in programming, construction and managing buildings in use had received an increasing amount of attention since the government’s Construction Strategy announced the intention to mandate BIM on all central government projects by 2016.

But the NFB said potential barriers to wider adoption had received less attention, prompting it to secure ConstructionSkills funding for a project to pilot a BIM early-adoption scheme for SME builders and contractors - the first part of which will be the survey.

NFB chief executive Julia Evans said the construction sector had faced up to major challenges in recent years, not least of which had been modernisation brought on by technological developments and innovative working practices.

“BIM is clearly central to this modernisation but the challenges and benefits it offers the SME sector will be different and varied,” she said.

“We are very pleased to be helping our members explore this new territory and potentially providing a blueprint for the broader adoption of BIM across the industry.”

The federation said that over a 12 month period four projects would explore the development of BIM processes and behaviours within SME contractors and subcontractors, and the benefits of - and barriers to - BIM adoption for those firms.

It said the aim was to develop a blueprint for wider packages of training and support capable of meeting the needs of the SME sector as firms look ahead to what BIM might mean for them.

The survey can be found here.

Learn the latest on Building Information Modelling at BIM Show Live on the 9 and 10 May, London. Visit www.bimshowlive.co.uk to learn more.

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