The built environment is becoming smarter, with the rise of intelligent infrastructure – enabled by tools like artificial intelligence – driving efficiencies, accelerating the transition to net zero, and optimizing the performance of the sector. However, there is still a long way to go in the adoption of these digitalized processes.

In September 2021, the Infrastructure & Projects Authority (IPA) launched its new Transforming Infrastructure Performance: Roadmap to 2030.

The purpose of the roadmap is to improve the services and outputs from the built environment so that it benefits society and project needs as well as the natural environment. This includes looking to meet contemporary challenges such as digitalization, regeneration, and achieving net zero carbon. To help achieve this objective a new information management mandate has been introduced.

This mandate requires clients of major infrastructure projects that procure services from the built environment to implement the UK BIM Framework: this includes ensuring information requirements are sufficiently and competently defined at the right time, and that there is a process for receiving, checking, storing, and using information.

What’s changed since the 2016 mandate?

In 2011, the UK government mandated that all central government-funded building project clients incorporate what was known as Building Information Modelling (BIM) Level 2 from April 2016. This accelerated the uptake of information management systems and acted as a catalyst not just in the public sector but in the private sector as well.

In general terms, the deployment of BIM Level 2 was received positively within the built environment. Many more organizations have now adopted the principles of information management, and case studies report that it has saved time and money on thousands of building and infrastructure projects.

However, since the passing of April 2016, and the deadline for all government funded projects to implement BIM Level 2, it has been argued that the impact of the original BIM Mandate has diminished. The 2021 information management mandate now addresses this in full.

The new mandate now requires public sector clients to:

• Ensure all procurement and contractual processes are compliant with the standards set out in the UK BIM Framework at the time of delivery

• Determine whether to implement a security-minded approach. Where a security-minded approach is required, to develop and implement this following the requirements set out in BS EN ISO 19650-5 clauses 5 to 9

• Have in place the capability to deliver and fulfill its information management system, as set out in BS EN ISO 19650-1

By listing what is required of the client, confirming that BIM good practice is now defined by the UK BIM Framework, which has superseded BIM Level 2, and signposting its guidance for assistance on adoption, it is now clear what is expected of organizations, and where help is available.

Discover how the UK BIM framework will help your business by downloading our infographic here.

Has your organization started its BIM journey? Get instant access to all the standards and best practices you need to achieve the efficient and cost-effective delivery of information management across your projects with a BSI Knowledge subscription. It enables you to quickly search, discover and interpret standards and insights to help you meet your current BIM challenges and add value to your organization, anytime, anywhere, and on any device. Request to learn more.

Getting started with BIM: The importance of BIM standards

The TIP roadmap places emphasis on the importance of adopting standards to achieve the defined objectives and expected outcomes. This highlights clearly the UK Government’s faith in the good practices written in the standards.

For businesses, the new mandate calls for the standards in the UK BIM Framework to be followed. This framework sets out the way to adopt information management using BIM in the UK - using the framework for managing information provided by the BS EN ISO 19650 series of BIM standards.

All these core enabling standards are made available for organizations to purchase in one place with our UK BIM Framework Solution Pack. This Solution Pack helps organizations conform to the terms of the new information management mandate and achieve their business objectives through the adoption of BIM standards for effective and efficient information management.

The UK BIM Framework Solution Pack is available to buy here.