The BIM4SME group has released its second annual report, which describes the not-for-profit business’s aims and calls for more industry professionals to join the group.
According to the report there has been a lot of progress within the SME community this year when compared to 2013- 2014 with the BIM4SME helping contractors on their BIM journey, however there is still a great deal of work to be done.
The report sets out BIM4SMEs achievements from the past year, including launching its first awards, the inaugural BIM4SME Awards and the Build Earth Live! Event, 48 hour BIM competition held in conjunction with Asite.
Andrew Turner, vice chair of BIM4SME, told BIM+ “The report recaps on the past year and looks forward to the year ahead when we want to build on the success of our events and awards. This year we want to have more entrants to the BIM4SME Awards and Build Live as well as reaching more companies at our free BIM clinics.
“We will continue giving advice with out a commercial incentive and want to welcome new SMEs to BIM as well as promoting the ways that the existing SME community is excelling.”
The BIM4SME annual report concludes by setting out how the BIM4SME group will continue to promote Level 2 BIM, and go beyond this to help create a digital construction sector that will be “future proof”.
The report states: “The vision of the future is to create a high performing, transparent digital construction sector that efficiently delivers services. The SMEs are nimble and can adapt quick with a low cost impact and will be at the heart of this agenda.
“The opportunities for the future will see SMEs in the construction sector exchanging information faster and more efficiently, through the web.
“BIM4SME are not only promoting Level 2 BIM, but are providing guidance for businesses becoming future proof.”
Tim Platts, chair of BIM4SME says “With some 300,000 SMEs in construction, it is perhaps understandable that there may still be work to do.
“The BIM Task Group are now forging ahead with shaping Level 3 in Digital Built Britain, but for the BIM4 special interest groups and especially BIM4SME more than most, the job of reaching and supporting the ‘long tail’ of the supply chain is relentless with the workload ever increasing.”
Platts calls for more professionals to join the group: “As always, we need more members and more core group volunteers, if you have a passion for the industry and the SME you will find a very warm welcome at BIM4SME.”
In the foreword, David Philp FCIOB, head of the UK BIM Task Group, believes that groups such as BIM4SME will take a more important role as the work of the BIM Task Group draws to a close in 2016.
“The BIM Task Group take this opportunity to thank the BIM4SME team and their community for their continued support, giving valuable time to help nudge industry to a better place both for present and the future.
“As we head towards 2016 and the BIM Task Group’s Level 2 program nears completion, it is critical that organisations such as BIM4SME can take the baton and offer industry leadership in how we can utilize the Level 2 standards, processes and tools.”
Peter Hansford, chief construction adviser to the government added: “It is clear to me that SMEs, and particularly the BIM community, are the key to transforming construction in the UK to becoming world class over the next decade and fit for a 21st century. Keep up the good work!”
Read the full report here.
As always, we need more members and more core group volunteers. If you have a passion for the industry and the SME you will find a very warm welcome at BIM4SME.– Tim Platts, chair, BIM4SME
