What is BIM Level 3? | David Philp

"BIM Level 3 is the game changer" says David Philp, Head of BIM at the UK Government’s BIM Task Group and BIM Director EMEA for AECOM. Join us for a special look at the Level 3 and Digital Built Britain sections of David's BIM Level 2-3 Update, as filmed at BIMnet in June 2015.

Watch the full presentation here: http://www.theb1m.com/video/david-philp-bim-level-2-3-update

Looking beyond Level 2 – often acknowledged as the BIM ‘half-landing’ – David describes Level 3 and the UK Government’s Digital Built Britain strategy as the ‘Holy Grail’. At Level 3 social performance becomes the primary objective; enabling the assets we deliver to powerfully support end-users in achieving their business outcomes, whilst underpinning the broader actions of our society and culture.

The principal aspects of the Task Group’s business plan for BIM Level 3 include increased focus on lifecycle management and the use of real time cost and carbon data. It also seeks more service and performance based approaches, and the connection of built assets into the wider Internet of Things and smart cities.

Pointing to other industries making great use of real time data, David highlights Formula 1 teams and their clear focus on making cars go faster: “We need to leverage the data in our buildings with the same mind-set to enhance outcomes for our Clients and wider society” he says.

However, the new approach advocated in the Digital Built Britain strategy will of course present new challenges and considerations. David highlights human factors and that having the right data will not always mean we take the right decisions based upon it. He’s also frank with the timescales for delivering new tools and cultural change, suggesting that mobilisation for Level 3 could take twice as long as Level 2.

"Level 2 was deterministic in nature, Level 3 is more real time and probabilistic. There's never been a more exciting time to be part of the built environment"

Despite the inevitable considerations that go with the territory, David is up-beat about the industry’s digital future: “Level 3 is the game changer, it’s the paradigm shift. Where Level 2 was deterministic in nature, Level 3 is more real time and probabilistic. There has never been a more exciting time to be part of this whole thing called the built environment”.

BIMnet is a UK-based networking event run by Plowman Craven, AECOM, Levitt Bernstein and Bespoke Careers. Follow them on Twitter @BIMnetwork and join in with all the discussion via #BIMnet. Events are free and open to all; you can register for future sessions here: http://www.bimnet.co.uk/index.cfm/main/register

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