Employer's information environment

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a very broad term that describes the process of creating and managing digital information about a built asset such as a building, bridge, tunnel and so on.

One of the key activities that should be undertaken in the early stages of projects adopting BIM is setting up and configuring an employer's information environment for the collection, verification, storage, and exploitation of information delivered by suppliers.

The employer's information environment is a digital collaboration area where project information defined in the employer's information requirements and supplied by tier 1 suppliers is exchanged, verified and stored. It provides an employer-side document and data management system for receipt, validation and approval of project information delivered by suppliers and is the single source of information about the project that the employer uses to make informed decisions.

The employer's information environment may be located in the 'cloud' or an on-premise server.

The employer's information environment should be set up and configured by the employer's information manager. They will also take responsibility for; the progressive definition of the employer's information requirements, for including relevant aspects of employer's information requirements in procurement documentation for suppliers and overseeing the exchange of that information from suppliers and the internal team during the course of the project. In addition, they will establish information standards methods and procedures.