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  • Outputs

    Outputs

GUIDE TO CREATING A BIM HOUSING MANUAL

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a process which can bring benefits to any housing development. It brings new challenges to the way we work.  In housebuilding it requires developers to adopt new design standards, approaches and processes.

BIM brings many new terms and vocabulary into the working environment and navigating them can be daunting. There are many help forums and guides, however they do not fully reflect the house building industries processes, from land identification through to customer care. 

The housing industry is well suited to BIM adoption, where the benefits of standardised designs, collaborative procurement and repeatable processes are built into the delivery process.

AIMCH has created a Guide to Creating a BIM Housing Manual, providing a framework for those developers, housebuilders and stakeholders keen to adopt BIM. The guide allows housebuilders to consider and tailor their BIM transition approach to their specific business drivers, systems and needs.

Finished housing development
CAD workstation
Team workshop

summary

The AIMCH Guide to Creating a BIM Housing Manual was developed by the AIMCH developer partners. The key objectives were:

To provide a framework that helps housebuilders create their own specific BIM Housing Manual.

To set out the expected standards that should be applied to the creation of a Project Information Model created using 3D modelling software to ensure alignment with BS EN ISO 19650.

To address the need for a collective and consistent approach across all housing design work streams and developments.

To enable digital working, ensuring data capture for key tasks and processes to engender efficiencies.

To be a source of information for staff to adopt a consistent approach to BIM model and information production.

 

Journey

AIMCH utilised the experience of developer partners, Stewart Milne Group, Barratt Developments PLC and London & Quadrant Housing (L&Q), all of whom are at varying stages of BIM adoption, and assistance from Keppie Architects BIM consultants to develop a common framework. 

The framework is focused on four key areas:

  • Technical

    This section of the AIMCH BIM Guide focuses on the technology, 3D model management and BIM standards, as well as collaborative processes and information flows, to support digital working.

    This helped to:
    1. Set guidance on business justifications and return on investment.
    2. Develop BIM workflows, aligned to housing industry process and practises.
    3. Outline BIM standards and processes appropriate for housing.
    4. Map information requirements, coding conventions and templates.
    5. Outline 3D model creation, governance and validation needs.
    6. Suggest collaborative working requirements, within a common data environment (CDE).

    This led to guidance on the type of technical requirements housebuilders or developers need to consider when transitioning from paper based 2D CAD designs to 3D interactive design models.

    It also sets guidance on compliance standards, naming conventions and COBIE information, critical to maximising the benefit of 3D modelling and digital working.

  • People

    This section of the AIMCH BIM Guide focuses on people. Moving to 3D BIM enabled digital working requires new skills and know-how, impacting on roles and individual capability. This is one of the biggest challenges to successful BIM working.

    This helped to:
    1. Develop competency requirements for differing housing related roles.
    2. Outline training requirements, to suit differing roles and knowledge levels.
    3. Identified critical roles and how best to maximise these.
    4. Investigate organisational capability across differing house functions and management levels.

    This led to guidance and examples of the types of things housebuilders must investigate, to support the workforce and organisation transition to BIM digital collaborative working.

    A critical consideration is the investment in people, demanding financial, time and business effort to support transform and embed, individual and collective digital working.

  • Culture

    This section of the AIMCH BIM Guide focuses on organisational culture. Moving to 3D BIM enabled digital working requires collaborative working and cultural values. This is often overlooked and can be the biggest hidden barrier to successful BIM working.

    This helped to:
    1. Develop organisational competency requirements and capability levels.
    2. Outline cultural values and behaviours that support collaboration.
    3. Suggest collaborative working practises, tools and techniques.
    4. Reinforced the need for committed BIM leadership and clear/consistent communications.

    This led to guidance and examples of the types of things housebuilders must investigate, to deliver organisational competency when transitioning to BIM digital collaborative working.

    A critical consideration is the investment in cultural change, demanding financial, time and business effort to create the right cultural environment, to fuel effective organisational capability, that embeds collective digital working.

  • Leadership

    This section of the AIMCH BIM Guide focuses on business leadership. Moving to 3D BIM enabled digital working requires a clear BIM strategy and total commitment from business leaders, along with sustained effort and effective communications.

    This helped to:
    1. Develop guidance on BIM vision, core principals and success factors.
    2. Outlined business BIM strategy, aims and objectives.
    3. Defines the role of business leaders, management and BIM champions.
    4. The need for clear, sustained and consistent communications.

    This led to guidance and examples of the types of things housebuilders must investigate, to ensure business leaders, drive an effective transition to BIM digital collaborative working.

    A critical consideration is the investment in developing a BIM strategy and set of objectives, linked to effective communications. Delivering these will ensure successful collective digital working.

House sketch
CAD workstation
Team workshop

 

Principal OUTCOMES

The AIMCH partners delivered the following principal BIM Guide outcomes:

1
A framework guide that helps housebuilders create their own specific BIM Housing Manual.
2

Recommendations on the technical, people, cultural and leadership requirements needed to support BIM digital working.

3
Templates to help housebuilders create delivery plans for upskilling, competency and knowledge levels.
4
Guidance to allow housebuilders to consider cultural development, management of change and organisational capability. 

Resources

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Conclusion

This Guide to Creating a BIM Housing Manual provides a framework for house building companies to utilise in the creation of their own specific BIM Housing Manual, suitable for their businesses.

The guide provides a structure and content to help users navigate BIM adoption and implementation.

The transition to 3D BIM-enabled digital working with the housebuilding industry is already underway. Over time this way of working will become the new norm, as was the case when drawing boards were replaced by 2D CAD drawing systems.

Housebuilding will be industrialised by adopting BIM enabled digital working, transforming how homes are designed, procured, manufactured and constructed.

BIM digital working can lead to reduced costs, increased output, fewer defects and high quality homes the sector can be proud of.

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