OPEN BIM NETWORK and buildingSMART join forces

The UK’s primary network for building information modelling (BIM) users, the OPEN BIM NETWORK with the support of its partner Construction Excellence, is joining forces with BuildingSMART UK and Ireland, who provide the standards that are driving the adoption of Open BIM in line with Government’s 2016 compliance target.

The new joined-up group is significant because it brings together two key groups that are critical for the accelerated take up of BIM: the people who will use and deliver open BIM across the construction industry, and the people who are developing standards, training and software products.

BRE and BuildingSMART Director Nick Tune said ‘Getting the users and technical people together in this way means we can create the most effective, user friendly standards and products that will help the construction industry realise the benefits of BIM – its a very strong dynamic’  

The two groups are currently collaborating on an industry COBie trial involving Gatwick Airport Ltd (GAL) and a number of key contracting partners (COBie allows information to be exported from the building model into a spreadsheet format which is used to inform the construction and operation of a building). Results from the trial, which will be available this October, will be used to influence future developments by software vendors, academia and the wider construction industry with the use of COBie in relation to the adoption of Level 2 BIM.

David Jellings, Director OPEN BIM Network said: "The combined resources of the OPEN BIM Network, BuildingSMART UK&I, Constructing Excellence and BRE will accelerate the adoption of open protocols and workflow, enabling realisation of the huge benefits of BIM and driving the UK construction industry forward."

Don Ward, Chief Executive of Constructing Excellence added: "Constructing Excellence stands above all for collaborative working and we are delighted to work with the OPEN BIM Network and BRE to unite the unparalleled technological focus of buildingSMART with our focus on process and behaviours. This will ensure the successful uptake of BIM, so that clients and suppliers are able to maximise the benefits."