Increase in building information modelling forecast for A/NZ

In partnership with software provider Autodesk, McGraw Hill Construction has released the SmartMarket report ‘The Business Value of BIM [building information modelling] in Australia and New Zealand’.

The report indicates that over the next two years, both countries will see a dramatic increase in the implementation of BIM - a 3D design process for buildings and infrastructure claimed to reduce errors and rework, improve collaboration and help Australia position itself as a global AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) industry leader.

According to the report, three quarters of all firms using BIM have reported positive return-on-investment (ROI), with 30% citing ROI of 25% or more. Data from the report shows that ROI tends to increase as the level of implementation deepens.

“Australian firms are already benefiting from their current implementation of BIM, and more than half of users surveyed for the report believe they still have more to gain,” said Rob Malkin, director of architecture, engineering, construction and infrastructure for Asia Pacific at Autodesk. “New solutions that take advantage of cloud, mobile and social technologies can help firms speed up the delivery of better project outcomes and improve cross-function collaboration as they deepen their engagement with the process.”

Report data suggests that “within two years, 77% of the [architects, engineers and multidisciplinary design] firms and 66% of the contractors currently using BIM in Australia and New Zealand will be doing so at high or very high implementation levels”. Over 90% of owners surveyed for the report indicated that BIM expertise influences their selection of project teams.

“This is a great time for companies in Australia and New Zealand to deepen their implementation of BIM,” said Stephen A Jones, senior director of McGraw Hill Construction. “These firms can learn from the successes of users in more experienced countries and still maintain an edge over non-users in other parts of the world.

“For non-users, now is also the time to start engaging with BIM, as data suggests that the longer they wait, the more challenging it will be for them to close the gap with competitors.”

Malkin noted, “Our new pay-as-you-go licensing model and Cloud Service Subscription allow new BIM users to test the waters, without making a full up-front investment in new software and services.”

According to the report’s findings, factors that could encourage BIM adoption include greater evidence of the value of BIM for small projects and increased demand from owners, including a government mandate.

“With more than half of non-users surveyed working solely on projects in Australia and New Zealand, growing adoption should help bring the benefits of BIM closer to home,” said Malkin.

The report can be found here