PwC BIM Benefits Methodology and Report

The UK BIM Task Group was formed around the then Department for Business in May 2011, following the launch of the BIM strategy. The strategy kick-started the formation of BIM Level 2 with drafting of the PAS 1192 suite of standards and the deployment of departmental BIM support to bring six key departments (Highways England, Environment Agency, Ministry of Justice, Defence Infrastructure Organisation, Department of Health and Education Skills Funding Agency) to a level of awareness and readiness for BIM by April 2016.  

This was achieved with all departments having identified BIM champions, working to deliver agreed organisational BIM strategies through compliant templates and processes.  

Through benchmark reporting led by the Cabinet Office (now IPA), BIM supported the delivery of £3bn capital project delivery savings as stated in the CO Benchmarking Report dated March 2016. Departments are now working to implement BIM as business as usual. This requires a further degree of engagement within their supply chains, across all functions of their organisations and also a different model of peer support and knowledge share.

Over the past 70 years, the UK Construction Industry has experienced 35 different initiatives to increase its efficiency. Many have had a short-term effect, but have, over the medium term, lost impact and hence the industry has resumed the norm, in terms of attitudes and productivity.  

The UK construction industry is made up of circa 30,000 different companies with a further circa 30,000 product-manufacturing companies and material suppliers. It is a patchwork of large organisations, SMEs and micro enterprises. As BIM is essentially a change in the way projects are procured, designed, delivered, handed over and operated, it represents a significant driver of change. The BIM programme has had central UK government as a champion over the past six years. This has made a significant difference. Key benefits have been delivered, with measurement methodology and case studies appended to this report.  

Through the UK BIM Task Group and CDBB support, key documents have been produced to support the BIM Level 2 wrapper (1192 specifications, contract protocols etc.). Documents include the specification for an Asset Information Model Common Data Environment, BIM Benefits Measurement Methodology and key standard BIM templates. As we write, work is ongoing to support a Products Data standard and UKAS accredited programmes. All are in support of progressing BIM Level 2 as business as usual and in support of current Government's initiatives around Modern Methods of Construction (off-site, volumetric and componentised manufacture). In addition, outcomes of the recent Dame Judith Hackitt Review suggest BIM could be significant in ensuring increased certainty, quality and provenance in the assets delivered. Furthermore, the data handed over could improve the operational management of the asset over the whole lifecycle. Dame Judith’s findings came out of the tragic events of the Grenfell fire.  

The deployment of BIM level 2 within departments and organisations acts as a catalyst for improvement and change beyond the Level 2 core deliverables. The Environment Agency states efficiencies of circa £600k per annum in managed data transfer from capital projects to operations. 

Several benefit statements indicate that the targeted request of information supports the supply chain in focusing their data capture, thus reducing wasted effort and cost in capturing and sharing unwanted information. Clear client requirements also deliver on the Government’s Construction Strategy Intelligent Client Performance Capabilities. 

Adoption of BIM will coordinate design and reduce on-site rework. The appended Highways England case study indicates a potential saving of circa £1m brought about by the coordination and pre-planning enabled by BIM. 

The benefits of stakeholder engagement run through all the case studies. Producing 3D models and using them to enhance scheme development and linking to virtual reality enable stakeholders to better understand the potential asset and comment very early in the process, thus reducing wasted design effort, cost and on-site rework.  

Increased coordination of operations supports reduced impact on the public and the locality, thus reducing disruption of local businesses. A case study by TFL on the Old Street Upgrade illustrates this. 

Increased co-ordination supported by BIM enhances Health and Safety planning. The TFL case study for Bond Street to Baker Street tube tunnel lining upgrade explains more on how BIM was used to reduce risk. Reducing risk and injury has a major impact on cost and societal outcomes. 

Working collaboratively is a key requirement of BIM. A Common Data allows collaborative working, information sharing and design co-ordination. An Environment Agency case study on the impacts of a CDE is attached. In support of effective CDE procurement, the CDBB BIM Level 2 team have published and issued a specification to support effective procurement of software systems. 

The benefits of BIM are direct and indirect. In order to further evidence the direct impact of BIM on projects, a benefits model of measurement has been developed by PWC under the direction of the BIM Level 2 team. The model is currently being tested with projects across the Environment Agency, Department of Health and Ministry of Justice.