The document discusses the current state and future direction of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in Canada, highlighting the need for a comprehensive regulatory framework to support its adoption. Key elements include a national BIM strategy, mandate, and standards to improve industry performance and value. It emphasizes learning from international best practices and the importance of collaborative efforts among various stakeholders.

1. BIM in Canada:
where are we headed?
98th Annual Conference
Erik A. Poirier, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow | Dept. of Civil Eng.
University of British Columbia | Vancouver (BC) Canada
Vice-­‐Chair, Operations | Chair, Communications
buildingSMART Canada

2. • BIM is a catalyst for change
• We need the appropriate regulatory / policy framework to support this
change
• 3 key elements to this framework
• National BIM strategy
• National BIM mandate
• National BIM standards
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 2
Key takeaways
BIM
strategy
BIM
standards
BIM
mandate

3. March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 3
Where are we now?
Where are we headed?
How do we get there?

4. March 8, 2016 4
• Established in 2010
• Joint national committee
• Objectives:
• Define collaborative approaches
• Develop and recommend
consistent terminology & best
practices
• Endorse and Develop Open BIM
Standards
• Industry BIM education
© Poirier, 2016

5. March 8, 2016 5
• Established in 2011
• Initiated and run by IBC
• provide the appropriate body
and home for Canadian BIM
Standards Development
• participation in the
development of international
BIM standards
© Poirier, 2016

6. March 8, 2016 6© Poirier, 2016

7. March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 7
• Established in 2008
• “the business voice of
Canada’s BIM Community”

8. March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 8
Where are we now ?

9. 9
(n=175)
(McGraw-­‐Hill, 2009) March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016

10. © Poirier, 2016 10(McGraw-­‐Hill, 2012)
(n=29)
(n=175)
March 8, 2016

11. 11
(NBS, 2013)
(n=72)March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016

12. (n=127)
March 8, 2016 12© Poirier, 2016
(NBS, 2015)

13. March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 13
(n=521)
(Tahrani, Poirier & Forgues, 2015)
BIM & integrated approaches in Quebec

14. March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 14
BIM & integrated approaches in Quebec
(n=521)
(Tahrani,
Poirier &
Forgues,
2015)

15. March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 15(n=127)(NBS survey, 2015)

16. • Limited rate of adoption
• Limited to specific portions of the supply chain
• Inconsistentuse of BIM across Canada
• Variable level of maturity and capability
• Hinders potentialvalue to Canada
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 16
Some observations

17. March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 17
Resources currently available

18. IBC Contract Appendix for BIM projects
18
• IBC 100-­‐2014 – IBC BIM Contract Appendix
• IBC 201-­‐2014 – IBC LOD, Authorized Uses and Model
Elements Table
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016

19. Benefits of BIM for Owners Report
19
•Benefits of BIM for Owners Report
• Overview of BIM from Owners
Perspective
• Non-­‐technical
• Case Studies which attempt to
measure the impact of BIM
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016

20. IBC BIM PxP Toolkits
March 8, 2016 20© Poirier, 2016

21. March 8, 2016 21
Other resources
© Poirier, 2016

22. March 8, 2016 22
Other resources
© Poirier, 2016

23. March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 23
Where are we headed ?

24. International Consensus
Strategic reform of the industry
Adoption of innovative approaches
• Integrated Approaches
• Building Information Modeling
• Lean Construction
24
The need to change
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016
Source: (Tahrani et al. 2015)

25. March 8, 2016 25
Where do we focus?
© Poirier, 2016
Improve performance Generate value

26. March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 26
Where do we focus?

27. 27March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016

28. A call to action
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 28
(Goodland, Lindberg & Shorthouse, 2015)

29. 29March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016

30. 30March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016

31. March 8, 2016 31
Are we ready?
© Poirier, 2016
Grande Rencontres BIM Contech, May 2015 CanBIM quick poll, December 2015

32. March 8, 2016 32
Are we ready?
• Should government mandate the use of open standards for BIM in their
projects?
• Yes, federal
• Yes, provincial
• Yes, municipal
• Yes, all level of government
• No
© Poirier, 2016
99%
Yes, all levels of
government
bSC Members’ Community Meeting – January 2016 (n=31)

33. March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 33
How do we get there ?

34. March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 34
How do we structure the
BIM adoption and
implementation process
in Canada?

35. 1. learn from other countries’ experiences in the
transition to innovative project delivery approaches?
2. develop a comprehensive reform strategy in order
to improve its performance and efficiency to
ensure its sustainability and competitiveness?
35
How can the Canadian AECO industry:
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016
Source: (Tahrani et al. 2015)

36. Public sector
Governmental
policy
BIM standards
and guidelines
Clear
information
exchange
requirements
Designated
organizations
Reporting and
promotion of
BIM
BIM research
programs
36
Key Drivers for Canada
(Wong et al., 2010)
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016

37. 1. Public sector
International
• Recognition of the power of the public
sector as a key actor in the reform of
the AECO industry
• A specific government department
leads the initiative
• Investments
Canada
• The complexity of multi-­‐layered
governmental context
• The need for a national initiative
• National framework for innovative
project delivery adapted at all levels of
government
37March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016
Source: (Tahrani et al. 2015)

38. Country Organization Investment
United
Kingdom
BIM Task Group
Public sector funding
Mobilisation -­‐ £ 1.4 million
Operations – £ 480 000 / year (5 years)
Total – £ 3.86 million ($ 6.94 million CAN)
Finland
Tekes Public and private sector funding
Pre program at RYM oy. R & D – € 21.7 million (4 years between 2010 and
2014) ($ 30.9 million CAN)
Norway Statsbygg
Public and private sector funding
R & D – € 21.7 million (4 years between 2010 and 2014) ($ 30.9 million CAN)
Singapore
Building Construction
Authority (BCA)
Public sector funding
BIM fund – cover up to 50% of costs associated to BIM adoption within firms:
12 millions SGD ($ 10.4 millions CAN)
France Transition committee € 20 million for a road map
1. Public sector
38March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016

39. 2. Governmental policy
39© Poirier, 2016March 8, 2016
Source: (Tahrani et al. 2015)

40. No formal policy mandating BIM implementation on all
public projects in Canada
Four separate initiatives
40
2. Governmental policy
Space management and
open BIM
Royal Alberta Museum
pilot project
Several small
pilot projects
Moose Jaw
Hospital
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016
Source: (Tahrani et al. 2015)

41. No formal policy mandating BIM implementation on all
public projects in Canada
Four separate initiatives
41
2. Governmental policy
Space management and
open BIM
Royal Alberta Museum
pilot project
Several small
pilot projects
Moose Jaw
Hospital
Fragmented initiatives across the county
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016
Source: (Tahrani et al. 2015)

42. 3. BIM standards and guidelines
A Review of BIM-­‐-­‐Guidelines: Content, Scope & Positioning
Martin Hooper, LTH Interreg midtvejsseminar 2 November 2011
Presence of so many different standards
Problem for broadcasting a consistent message and gaining
traction within the industry
42March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016

43. Advantage for Canada
Benefit from the efforts and lessons learned of other countries
in developing its standards
43
3. BIM standards and guidelines
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016
Source: (Tahrani et al. 2015)

44. International
44
4. IE & open standards
Reconfiguration of practice
Requirements for reuse of information
over the product lifecycle
Canada
An international consensus:
The use of the exchange standard
provides relative stability and
confidence
Joint statement in 2008 to support
open BIM (IFC)
GSA, Senate Properties, Statsbygg and
DECA (Denmark)
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016
Source: (Tahrani et al. 2015)

45. 5. Designated organizations
TOP
Government
Designated organizations
For BIM implementation
Bottom
Industry
BIM task group-­‐ UK
BCA – Singapore
Professional associations –AIA, RIBA
45March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016
Source: (Tahrani et al. 2015)

46. TOP
Government
Designated organizations
For BIM implementation
Bottom
Industry
National level: IBC, bSC, CanBIM
Provincial level: aceBIM, BIM BC user
group, BIM Quebec group
46
In Canada
The need for an organization mandated to lead the national initiative
All professional associations to support and buy into this initiative
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016
Source: (Tahrani et al. 2015)
5. Designated organizations

47. TOP
Government
Bottom
Industry
47March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016
Source: (Tahrani et al. 2015)
Guidelines:
AEC (Can) BIM Protocol
Toolkits, Practice
Manual + contract
language document
Strategy & Standards
(people, process &
technology)
5. Designated organizations

48. 6. BIM research programs
International
• Investment in research and
development
• Innovation programs
• Technology development
• Transition Support
Canada
• Involvement of research groups,
universities and organizations
• Funds from government : Engage
Grants, IRAP
• Research projects are one off and
remain fragmented and the findings
are highly contextual
The need to redefine professional curricula to fit the new context of
integrated approaches
48
(Forgues and Farah, 2013)
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016

49. 6. BIM research programs
49
(Goodland, Lindberg & Shorthouse, 2015)
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016

50. • Innovative approaches improve the performance and value
generated
• Governments around the world are driving the reform
• Canadian mandate can rely on international efforts to inform its
initiatives
• Canadian initiative must share a single vision
50
Some observations
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016
Source: (Tahrani et al. 2015)

51. 51March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016

52. Need for reliable Canadian data
• At the core of any change / continuous improvement effort
• If we want to inform decisions
• If we want to develop policy
• If we want to move forward
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 52
Next Steps:

53. Need for a national strategy for the built environment
• Aimed at improving the performance of the industry
• Aimed at generating more value for Canada
• Aimed at delivering a better and more sustainable built
environment
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 53
Next Steps:

54. March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 54
(Goodland, Lindberg & Shorthouse, 2015)
Next Steps:

55. March 8, 2016 55© Poirier, 2016
“Canada, with its federalist system,
struggles with the same challenges
international climate action poses:
how to corral widely different
political players – its diverse
provinces – towards a stringent
emissions target.”
https://www.opencanada.org/features/cop21-­‐what-­‐canadas-­‐role/
Next Steps:

56. • BIM is a catalyst for change
• We need the appropriate regulatory / policy framework to support this
change
• 3 key elements to this framework
• A national BIM strategy
• A national BIM mandate
• A national BIM standard
March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016 56
Key takeaways
BIM
strategy
BIM
standards
BIM
mandate

57. 57March 8, 2016 © Poirier, 2016