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MAY 26 2018

Association of Consulting Architects QLD/NT

Australian Institute of Architects QLD

BIM Ready BIM CAPABILITY OF QUEENSLAND

ARCHITECTS IN 2018

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BIM Ready BIM CAPABILITY OF QUEENSLAND ARCHITECTS IN 2018

Issued for Release May 2018

Report Author: ACA QLD|NT | AIA QLD BIM Taskforce

Chair: Nathan Hildebrandt Fulton Trotter Architects

Members: Don Marshall Thomson Adsett

Kevin Green ICE Architects

Louise Street ACA

Mark Cronin Peddle Thorp

Mark Williams ACA President | MWA

Mell Greenall AIA

Quinton Cooper Cottee Parker Architects

Scott Crichton BVN

Stephen Tritchler Jacobs

Copyright 2018 Association of Consulting Architects QLD/NT and Australian Institute of Architects QLD

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Introduction

In February 2017 the Queensland Government, through the then named Department

of Infrastructure and Local Government and Planning released their ‘Building

Information Modelling – draft policy and principles for Queensland.’ This draft policy

was released for public consultation which closed in April 2017. The draft policy

proposed that projects where feasible delivered by State Government from 2020

would require Building Information Modelling (BIM) deliverables.

In a proactive move the Association of Consulting Architects QLD/NT branch (ACA) and

Australian Institute of Architects QLD branch (AIA) signed an MOU and formed a BIM

Taskforce to assist the Queensland Architectural profession understand and adapt to

the incoming BIM Policy through the following actions.

1. Provide quarterly updates on industry movement and government requirements

though joint newsletter reports.

2. Investigate the viability of providing BIM training to architects for required skills

through joint CPD events or training series similar to PALS.

3. When Policy or Standards are mandated that we provide Practice Notes (or

equivalent) to assist in implementation.

Prior to setting a path and direction for the committee a survey was created and sent

to members of ACA and AIA to complete. Overall the results from the survey present a

strong starting point for the profession. Many Architects in Queensland are already

using BIM processes to deliver projects without clients specifying or requiring it.

Over the next 2 years the Taskforce will deliver content and recommendations aligning

with the three nominated actions to ensure that the Architectural profession in

Queensland is BIM Ready for the State Government’s BIM requirements.

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Findings – Practice Demographics

Overall the survey had a total of 172 responses, of those responses 141 (82%) were

metropolitan based and 31 (18%) regional based. Of those practices 78% of

metropolitan practices use BIM and 71% of regional practices advised that they used

BIM processes. The results also demonstrate that the majority of practices that have

over 25 staff used BIM processes with the percentage of non-BIM use being highest at

the sole practitioner level reducing as it approached more than 25 staff.

Metropolitan Architects

Regional Architects

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

SO

LE

PR

AC

TIT

ION

ER

2 -

5

6 -

10

11

-2

5

26

-5

0

51

-1

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10

0+

No BIM

BIM

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

SO

LE

PR

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TIT

ION

ER

2 -

5

6 -

10

11

-2

5

26

-5

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0+

No BIM

BIM

No

. of

Res

po

nd

ents

N

o. o

f R

esp

on

den

ts

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Findings – Client Types

Client type hasn’t driven any abnormalities in BIM usage with BIM usage based on

client type sitting between 69-82% in all of the client types. The key statistic being that

41% of the respondents provided Architectural Services for a State Government

Agency. Of these respondents 80% of them currently use BIM processes putting a clear

majority of Architectural practices that currently provide services to the State

Government in a strong position to adapt to meet BIM deliverables from Government.

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

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No BIM

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Findings – Project Type and Scale

The results of BIM use by practices vs the project type and scale that they are providing

services for produced unexpected scattered results with dips appearing across a

number of project types in the $1M - $25M ranges. Key findings to take from this

graph is that all practices that are working on projects over $100M are using BIM and

across all project types that the State Government would procure all sit over 70% BIM

usage already.

60%

65%

70%

75%

80%

85%

90%

95%

100%

0 > $1M $1M > $5M $5M > $10M $10 > $25M $25M > $100M $100M +

Education Cultural Health Civic Infrastructure Sports and Recreation

Per

cen

tage

usi

ng

BIM

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Findings – BIM Uses

To gain a true understanding of the current level of BIM usage occurring within the

profession it needs to be pegged against a common source. The table above shows

BIM uses included in the NATSPEC BIM Guide. This is a source document that a number

of practices in Queensland use as a base for their BIM Management Plans.

To gain a better understanding of the current profile of architects using BIM, the

results have been split into all respondents as the bottom bar and respondents that

currently provide services to State Government Agencies as the bar immediately above

it.

11.0%

15.9%

8.1%

14.5%

7.6%

17.4%

15.1%

21.7%

22.7%

27.5%

8.7%

15.9%

9.3%

18.8%

1.7%

4.3%

6.4%

11.6%

2.9%

7.2%

63.4%

65.2%

52.3%

46.4%

38.4%

29.0%

55.8%

52.2%

50.6%

50.7%

47.1%

40.6%

42.4%

43.5%

8.1%

4.3%

19.2%

14.5%

7.6%

4.3%

1.2% 0.0%

1.2%

1.4%

1.2%

1.4%

2.9%

1.4%

2.9%

2.9%

1.7%

2.9%

5.8%

4.3%

2.3%

2.9%

7.6%

14.5%

2.3%

2.9%

1.7%

2.9%

1.7%

4.3%

2.9%

4.3%

1.2%

2.9%

0.6%

0.0%

2.3%

2.9%

5.2%

4.3%

9.3%

10.1%

4.7%

4.3%

8.1%

13.0%

22.7%

15.9%

36.6%

33.3%

50.0%

47.8%

25.0%

21.7%

23.3%

18.8%

40.1%

37.7%

37.2%

29.0%

78.5%

78.3%

62.2%

55.1%

79.1%

72.5%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Modelling Existing Conditions

Site Analysis

Space and Equipment Validation

Spatial and Material Design Modelling

Design Visualisation for Communication

Design Visualisation for Functional Analysis

3D Coordination

Quantity Take off and Cost Planning

As Built Modelling

Facilities Management

Currently delivered as client requirement Currently part of most / all projects (not required by client) Completed a Pilot Project Currently Conducting Research No BIM used

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At a high level across all BIM uses Architects that currently provide services to State

Government Agencies are utilizing BIM at a slightly greater level than the group as a

whole.

The positive that can be taken from this graph is that despite the very low

requirements by their current clients across the majority of BIM deliverables, a large

number of Queensland Architects are either currently using BIM processes on their

projects, have undertaken a pilot project or are currently conducting research into

specific BIM processes.

The low BIM usage in the Quantity Take off and Cost Planning, As Built Modelling and

Facilities Management categories are a stand out for low client requirement and low

Architect use.

The low usage of BIM for Quantity Take off is aligned with the Quantity Surveying

profession working to develop processes and methodologies of implementing BIM into

standard practice1

The low usage of BIM for As Built Modelling and Facilities Management is probably due

to there being no benefit for a Consultant in undertaking this level of service if they are

not being engaged and remunerated by their client to do so.

1 The Building Economist – September 2017 – The BIM Issue

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Findings – Standards, BIM Management Plans and Contracts

When it comes to Standards the biggest challenge we face here in Australia is that

there are no BIM delivery Standards in place. In other countries there are well

documented standards including the UK and North America which some of

respondents nominated as the standard they were following. A number of the

respondents out of the 33% that nominated that they were using a standard stated

that they were following software based standard ANZRS or an internal standard.

Disappointingly BIM Management Plan usage of BIM users was extremely low at 22%.

Of those respondents that did use a BMP a large number of respondents advised that

they used a modified NATSPEC template.

The level of usage of BIM inclusions in the Client Architect Agreement at first

appearance is low at 17% but when you look through the client deliverable

requirements a number of the client required deliverables have been a traditional

deliverable from Architects in traditional delivery practice.

33% Standards

22% BMP

17% Contract

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Conclusion

The Survey results indicate that the level of BIM capability perceived by the Design

industry is exceeding the client delivery requirements, however the BIM requirements

of the client/construction groups at this stage are not fully defined and do not have the

clarity to provide an explicit framework for the Design industry to aim for. It is

important that there is a solid baseline understanding of the current and possible

future BIM requirements with the capability to be nimble enough to meet any future

industry needs. If the Queensland Government was to endorse a BIM policy for

mandatory BIM deliverables from 20202 the profession should be well placed, with

additional training to be BIM Ready in time.

With 80% of respondents that provide services for State Government already started

on their BIM implementation journey the number of Architects requiring starting from

no BIM capability is minimal.

The ACA | AIA BIM Taskforce will continue to increase awareness of BIM requirements

through quarterly newsletters and articles.

The Taskforce is currently investigating options for its members to provide training in

accordance with the APCC & AFIC BIM Knowledge and Skills Framework.3 This training

may be delivered by an RTO or delivered as a structured course similar to the PALS

series delivered currently by the AIA.

Prior to Architectural Practices developing internal processes and delivery systems the

State Government will need to nominate standards and document their Information

Deliverables. Once the client-side templates are in place the Taskforce will write

Architectural Practice Notes for Acumen and use by ACA members. These Practice

Notes will provide advice for Architects on how to meet the State Government’s

requirements.

2 Date nominated in the Draft Policy. May not be the same date in a future endorsed policy. 3 APCC & ACIF BIM Knowledge and Skills Framework