Some 70% of construction companies believe Business Information Modelling (BIM) has given them a competitive advantage, a survey has revealed.
With all centrally funded public-sector projects required to be using BIM by 2016, the fourth annual NBS national survey has found adoption is accelerating across the construction industry – up 15 points on last year to 54%.
Around nine in ten respondents expect to have adopted the design tool in two years' time.
However, the survey also found only 27% of respondents said they ‘trusted what they heard about BIM’.
Just over half of respondents said the Government was on ‘the right track’ with its BIM strategy.
Commenting on the findings, chief executive of RIBA Enterprises, Richard Waterhouse, said: ‘What this report clearly shows is an industry in transition from the stage when the early adopters are taking the lead to a position where BIM is becoming the norm.
‘In the UK, through BIM, we are at the forefront of a significant change in how buildings are conceived, designed, built and maintained. This change has the potential to bring improved efficiencies and profitability to the construction sector, and better buildings to clients, something current users of BIM have reported in this survey.
‘There remain significant challenges and investment of both capital and time are needed. However, there is a wide appreciation of the benefits BIM will bring and the projections of BIM adoption tell us that the UK can be world leaders in this.’
