What is BIM Level 2?
...Glad you asked

BIM LEVEL 2 is being introduced as a requirement for all government construction projects as of April 4th 2016.
Now it’s your responsibility as a contractor to demonstrate that you are BIM Level 2-ready by detailing the processes you will use to meet the project requirements and adhere to the new standards.

BIM LEVEL 2 EXPLAINED

In a nutshell, BIM LEVEL 2 defines what, when and how information should be created, shared and managed.

The key elements

Employer's Information Requirement
Collaborative working
Individually authoured models
Common classification of data
Information exchange methods
Creation of a federated model

The Standards you'll need to meet

Pre-construction

1

Understand and follow the BIM protocol

Okay, so what is the BIM protocol, we hear you ask? Simply explained, it's a legal addendum which will be included in every government project contract outlining the BIM requirements for the project.

If you want to work on the project you'll need to understand and comply with all of the requirements.

2

Create a level 2-ready project plan

It’s always best to start at the beginning, which for BIM Level 2 is done by responding to the Employer's Information Requirements (EIR). To do this you’ll need to prepare a BIM Execution Plan (BEP), Master Information Delivery Plan (MIDP), and a Task Information Delivery Plan (TIDP).

The Digital Plan of Works in the NBS BIM Toolkit can help you do this, and collectively these will provide a scheme for the project deliverables, the schedule, and everybody’s roles and responsibilities at every stage of the project.

Design to construction

3

Collaborate and co-ordinate

Throughout a project’s life you and your other team members will need to store, manage and exchange complex information, and for this you’ll have to use a CDE or Common Data Environment.

A CDE is a digitally shared workspace where everyone involved in the project will store and exchange project data. This single data point is intended to help you manage the project development process, and will need to include a structured approval process.

4

Share data securely

You already know what PAS 1192-5 is, right?

No? PAS 1192-5 provides technical security considerations for safely sharing project data, related to the nature of the client and project. This means you’ll need controls in place that ensure information is being shared in a secure way. Your software will have to provide controlled access to information stored in the CDE, and the capability to track and manage activity.

5

Speak the same language

Everyone working on a government construction project will need to know where data lives, what it is and where to find it, and so you’ll need to make use of a unified classification system that provides a ‘common language'. This single classification system will make locating electronic project data quick and painless.

As a system that is compatible with BIM Level 2 and adopted by the NBS BIM Toolkit, Uniclass is highly recommended.

6

Use COBie in your project

Everyone loves an acronym and this is a good one; a COBie is a Construction-Operations Building Information Exchange.

This can be represented as a central spreadsheet where primarily non-graphical data can be securely stored, shared and updated throughout the construction project. This will eventually be passed on to the client to support the operations and maintenance of the building, and can also be used to verify that your data meets the requirements of the project.

Handover

7

Pass on the baton

At the end of the project you’ll need to deliver the required project data to your client. This includes an as-constructed Asset Information Model which is developed through the stages of the information delivery cycle. This model will include all of the necessary information for those managing and maintaining the building to do so more efficiently.

8

Plan for a smooth handover

As part of the Government’s Soft Landings policy you’ll need to involve the facility operational team right from the beginning of the project, and continue supporting them for a predetermined length of time post-handover. These are the folks that will manage and maintain the building once it’s finished. By including them in the project they will know the facility inside out…even before handover has happened.

Anything else I need to know?

Yes, for a full and in-depth review of BIM Level 2 requirements, download our Whitepaper.

This free document maps out the whole picture in greater detail, including the proper methods for construction document management, and is valuable to anyone attempting to understand and adhere to the new standards. BIM Level 2 may look complicated, but it doesn’t have to be.

Download the whitepaper