Construction projects around the world have been, and are continually being revolutionized by the techniques of building information management, or BIM. The benefits of BIM in the realms of architecture, engineering and construction are multifaceted, from improvements in speed and efficiency to reducing materials wasted and increasing safety.

These benefits offer a strong argument to both business owners and government regulators; and around the world, BIM is slowly becoming mandated by law or as a necessity for certain contracts. This rise in BIM adoption has led some to wonder the question of today's blog: Will BIM become the standard in the U.S.?

BIM Adoption Outside the U.S.

Among countries around the world that are adopting BIM as a standard for new construction projects, there are a few leaders who stand out among the crowd. The United Kingdom and Singapore could be considered to have the most stringent BIM-usage mandates in the world; and although these are relatively recent changes, the effects are quite evident. In 2016, the government of the United Kingdom mandated that all publicly funded construction projects would have to be constructed using BIM, at a level 2 minimum.

This change greatly incentivized the adoption of BIM among firms, as it became a prerequisite for government contracts. Since this adoption, the U.K. has seen estimates as high as 20% of construction costs saved. To learn more about BIM adoption around the world, visit our BIM News blog.

BIM Mandates in the U.S.

So, what is the status of BIM in the U.S. today? BIM is not required quite as intensely as it is in other countries, but it is slowly becoming more and more necessary. See what our BIM projects look like on our projects page. One of the earliest steps towards the adoption of IBM in the U.S. was the National 3D-4D-BIM Program, created by the U.S. General Services Administration(GSA) in 2003.

This program mandated BIM usage for all public buildings services projects, and the U.S. GSA has since created a network of BIM technology vendors, professional associations, government agencies, and research institutions. BIM has become mandated on levels lower than the federal level, as well: Since 2010, Wisconsin has required BIM on all public projects with a budget of $5 million or more, and all new general construction with a budget of $2.5 million or more. It's even estimated that 72% of construction firms in the United States are already making use of at least some aspects of BIM techniques!

Stories of BIM mandate in the United States have clearly already shown results, such as a savings of $12 million in a sustainable building construction project for the Los Angeles Community College District. With evidence mounting, it seems only logical that BIM mandates in the United States are on the horizon!

This article was written by representatives of Smarcon. To view the original article, click here.