In conversation with Portfolio, Adam Mathews, President of the International Global Bim Network, Director of the Center for Digital Built Britain and former president and co-founder of the EU BIM Task Group spoke about the importance of the implementation of BIM technology in the country and the region during the Camacol annual congress. In addition, the expert highlighted the potential of Colombia and its leadership capacity.
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From your perspective and experience at the head of the Global BIM Network in the United Kingdom, should the implementation of the BIM methodology be part of the public policies of a country?
Public sector interventions to promote the digitization of the construction sector have been a strong trend throughout Latin America and globally for ten years.
This experience shows us that when the public sector leads and supports the adoption of BIM, this has a strong effect on the market and provides an impact and many more benefits for the sector.
However, the executive often does not know what to do or how involved they should be, so knowledge networks such as the Global BIM Network and regional groups can help.
What is the importance of incorporating technology and making a digital transformation?
If we want to radically improve the way we deliver and operate the built environment, it is impossible to see this as our future without digital transformation.
Digitization has helped improve almost every other industry, it has changed the way we bank and the way we buy food and goods.
BIM is the basis of this digital transformation that increases the skills and productivity of the construction sector.
What are the main barriers in the adoption of the BIM methodology?
Perhaps the greatest benefit of BIM is its ability to be a social tool to increase collaboration and improve collective decision-making in the construction industry.
However, that is also its biggest challenge: it is a social and technical innovation that needs different skills and new ways of working. Therefore, you need constant leadership and support for change.
Time, leadership and patience are great enablers.
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What cost reduction can a company generate that uses the BIM methodology compared to the traditional one?
This varies greatly for each type of business. A London architect saw savings of over 20% on projects with BIM, which actually increased when they adopted the national ISO 19650 standards.
It was observed that the contractors are the greatest beneficiaries along with the final client. A recent UK study by KPMG and Atkins found a seven-fold benefit to information management across more than 30 projects. For every GBP invested in information management based on the UK BIM framework, the return was between GBP 6.40 and GBP 7.80.
Why is it important to reach more actors?
The benefits of BIM and information management grow exponentially thanks to the fact that more and more people implement it consistently, hence standards are key.
Do you think its implementation in countries should be mandatory?
No, every country is different. For some it works, but what is important is that governments say “we want projects to be done better with digital processes”.
This can be achieved by progressively increasing the use of BIM in public projects over a period of three to five years, for example.
The UK government, for example, does not mandate the use of BIM, but does require its buildings and facilities to have specified and detailed information in accordance with the national guideline ISO 19650 / UK BIM Framework.
How has the implementation been in Latin America and Colombia? What is the OBJETIVE?
From 2012 to 2018 I would say that Europe saw the fastest growth in BIM promotion by governments and adoption by industry.
For me, Colombia is one of the leaders in Latin America, with two very strong areas of focus in the use of BIM. First, improve decisions that support sustainable development goals: better buildings and better infrastructure.
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We see that BIM is frequently used as a tool to bring the community together, which is important to see that BIM benefits people.
Furthermore, BIM in Colombia is a creative and dynamic market force. From my point of view, it is adding something to the entrepreneurial spirit of Colombia.
How is trade growing?
Commerce is growing as a result of this digital trend. Digital doesn’t stop at a national border and that’s how we see it with BIM.
Based on international standards, ISO 19650, we see that companies can work together more easily using these standards and sharing their capacity and learning.
This is good for Colombia’s competitiveness and opens the market to investment.
Paula Galeano Balaguera
