The introduction of Building Information Modelling (BIM) is seen and widely recognised as a solution to the management of information during the design, construction and operational phases of the asset lifecycle of a building. BIM allows any aspect of a design’s performance to be simulated and assessed before it is built, making the understanding of the design easier and more complete. It is not simply the use of 3D software, but it is a process that facilitates the sharing of information among all the professionals involved throughout the whole construction project.

With 92% of the EU construction sector made up of micro enterprises, responsible for 80% of the construction industry output, it is imperative that these players are not left behind in the definition and in reaping the benefits of this digitised information management process. EBC acknowledges that the development of BIM is advancing rapidly and highlights concrete and specific needs for its favourable implementation in Europe:

• Addressing the needs and expectations of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in how to design a European standardised approach to BIM
• Promoting the adoption of BIM to facilitate higher energy efficiency and lower life-cycle costs of buildings
• Promoting BIM training programmes that are not based on the use of a specific software, but are rather targeted to guide all construction professionals towards the digital transition of the construction sector
• Ensuring the soft-landing of public procurements changes with regard to the transition from traditional methods to BIM-based one