Step-by-step guide to Level 2 BIM launched

Construction firms confused by the recent BIM mandate now have a free online guide to compliance.

Last month (April 2016) Level 2 Building Information Modelling (BIM) became mandatory on centrally-procured public projects, with far-reaching implications for those involved. Clients, consultants, contractors and suppliers are all required to understand the finer details of the Level 2 process. But the 2016 NBS BIM Survey found 42% of respondents were just aware of BIM and 28% were not very, or not at all confident in BIM.

The new guide, created by Designing Buildings Wiki and PCSG, takes users step-by-step through the Level 2 workflows, from the basics of storing project information to preparing employer's information requirements. It is “open access”, meaning anyone in the industry can edit and improve the guide to reflect their experiences of using BIM in practice. It is aligned to Level 2 standard PAS 1192-2 and the 2013 RIBA plan of work.

Designing Buildings Wiki chairman David Trench CBE said: “We don’t all have to know how to operate BIM software, but everyone needs to understand the information workflows, collaborative practices and terminology that Level 2 has introduced.

“We’ve translated the jargon into plain English and explained the processes in a way that will feel familiar, rather than intimidating, to encourage the industry to embrace this change.”

Adrian Burgess, technical director at PCSG said: “It’s all about collaboration. What we have created is a starting point. We’re now calling on the industry to add to and improve the guide and its supporting articles to help create a truly comprehensive resource.”

Click here to access the guide.

About the guide

The step-by-step BIM guide is available to use, edit and improve free of charge. It is supported by more than 100 linked articles about BIM.

To improve the guide, just click ‘Edit this article’ at the top of the page you want to change. To add more supporting articles, just register and click ‘Create an article’.

About Designing Buildings Wiki

Designing Buildings Wiki is the construction industry knowledge base. It has one simple goal: To put all construction industry knowledge in one place, available to everyone for free. It includes more than 3,000 articles and is used by 10,000 people a day.

Designing Buildings Wiki is supported by: The Institution of Civil Engineers, BRE Trust, BSRIA, The Chartered Institute of Building, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, Buro Happold and U and I Group PLC.

About PCSG

PCSG is at the leading edge of developing digital strategies in the construction and built asset sector including BIM, business systems and IP solutions. Over the past fifteen years it has steadily built its services internationally to help ensure the sustainability of its clients’ businesses in all respects – financial, social and environmental through the use of digital techniques.

PCSG chairman Mark Bew MBE chairs the Government’s Construction BIM Task Group, charged with delivering Level 2 BIM and as of March 2016 Level 3 through the Digital Built Britain programme. He is also former chairman of Building Smart (UK) Ltd, tasked with the definition and delivery of data and process interoperability standards for the built environment.