Stewardship of International BIM Programmes: Lessons for Ireland

The support by central government of national Building Information Modelling (BIM) programmes is common throughout the developed world today. To further understand how the different international governments have supported their BIM programmes the BIM Innovation Capability Programme (BICP) research team in Ireland recently completed a comprehensive Global BIM Study to help inform the National BIM Council (NBC) of Ireland in developing a Roadmap to Digital Transition for Ireland’s Construction Sector. This paper details the findings of a more concentrated investigation on a selection of jurisdictions on how particular international BIM programmes are orgainsed, managed and the level of governmental support that is evident in those jurisdictions. The BICP research team chose eight countries of particular interest given the relative advancement in their BIM journey. The authors secured responses from principal contacts in the countries chosen using an online survey. Whilst the results showed variation in approach amongst respondents, the consistent ingredient evident was decisive support from central government and representative groupings from industry. Evidence collated suggest that this is best achieved through the establishment of a central resource funded by central government to drive digital transition