Dive Brief:
- A Timetric Construction Intelligence Center (CIC) survey found that the majority of respondents believe building information modeling (BIM) is the "future of the industry," with 49% already using BIM and another 10% planning to utilize the technology within a year.
- Despite enthusiasm for BIM, the survey also found that 82% of respondents only used BIM on fewer than 25% of their projects and that 25% of those surveyed found either limited or no demand for BIM at all.
- Although respondents identified ease of planning and increased ability to price out, schedule and design a project to be advantages of BIM, the survey determined that the major drivers of BIM adoption are cost savings and efficiency.
Dive Insight
The Timetric CIC report — which surveyed 100 global construction industry representatives — also found that in the next two years, 27% of respondents planned on using BIM Level 2, which is considered to the be the current industry standard. BIM Level 3 use will rise to 37% in the next three to five years, with increased adoption of BIM spurred on by regulation or competition, according to the survey.
Last month, a Research and Markets report found the international BIM market — with the Asia-Pacific region showing the most growth — should hit $11.7 billion by 2022, growing 21.6% between 2016 and 2022. In addition, a McGraw Hill Construction 2014 Smart Market Report found that BIM adoption by contractors in North America grew from 17% in 2007 to more than 70% in 2012, indicating that BIM use is almost certain to continue, as well as escalate.
The Research and Markets report also noted that the increasing number of government mandates requiring contractors to use BIM on public projects has helped BIM adoption along. The U.K. recently implemented a Level 2 BIM requirement for its contractors, and Russia has some plans for one as well.
In fact, Russia is so enthusiastic about the benefits of BIM that it is aiming to become a worldwide authority on the technology and exporting that expertise internationally. While there are some U.S. BIM requirements from federal agencies, experts agree that there likely is no U.K.-comparable mandate in the near future for the U.S., partly due to the fragmentation of the U.S. construction industry.