2 BIM: ready or not? acknowledgements This project has been delivered with support from CITB-ConstructionSkills Regional Growth Fund. The fund provides financial backing to encourage projects that support skills development in one of three key areas: Sustainability: improving the ability of employers to respond to sustainability challenges on environmental or business issues; Collaborative working: advancing partnership training opportunities among the supply chain or as part of multi-employer consortia; and Productivity: improving outputs and working practices that benefit the sector as a whole. This report has been produced in collaboration with the NFB by Room4 Consulting Ltd.
The NFB BIM-readiness survey 2012 3 foreword The construction industry is innovative and resilient by nature, successfully delivering in spite of a history of adversarial relationships in a demand-led industry. It has never had to be more resilient than in recent years. In the middle of the most severe economic downturn in working memory, our industry has found itself undergoing other tumultuous changes, not least those arising from the Government Construction Strategy. The drive towards low carbon building, more integrated working practices, lean construction and modern manufacturing methods continues apace; perhaps oblivious to the dire economic environment. Put together one might see these as representing a rapid modernisation of our industry with building information modelling (BIM) as both the heart and the means of enabling coherent delivery of all these changes. Demonstrations of BIM tools can be quite dazzling to the casual onlooker. Consider the use of 3D models to virtually construct a building, with the ability to identify and eliminate errors before they occur, and the use of 3D laser scanners to survey an existing building in a matter of hours. BIM can create simulations of building use complete with virtual people. The effects are truly impressive. The potential benefits in terms of cost savings, better customer engagement, more efficient facilities management, better information leading to better decision taking are not difficult to see. This is clearly a better future, but it is a future that, for the vast majority of the industry, is far from being a reality, particularly the small and medium-sized sector. In the emergence and adoption of any new technology there is always a time lag between the earliest users and more widespread adoption. A natural evolution takes place as the wider industry and its client base adopts and adapts to take advantage of the new efficiencies and indeed by a process of iteration and education the product itself evolves. But in the case of BIM, the Government Construction Strategy has, understandably, acted to force the pace of change. The mandating of BIM Level 2 for all government-funded projects, with the presumption that this standard will in turn be adopted across the public sector, has demanded, not a natural evolution, but a giant leap forward by the industry. The NFB BIM survey confirms that the industry does indeed have a giant leap to make to achieve this goal and smaller contractors have the biggest leap to make. This is not an unbridgeable gap by any means and the desire to embrace innovation and more efficient practice is evident. But the industry will need to make this leap at a time when resources are most stretched, and when the battle to win work and survive is the day-to-day reality for many. The gear change which is needed will require support and trusted sources of knowledge and information. The NFB exists to help its members to meet precisely these kinds of challenges. Understanding the position of members and of the wider industry is the starting point for doing this. That is precisely what this survey, the first of its kind focusing specifically on the contracting sector, sets out to do. The NFB would like to thank CITB-ConstructionSkills for the funding that has made this work possible as well as all those who responded to the survey and attended the national BIM roadshow events. The survey exists as a source for current opinion and learning. The NFB will take forward these findings and work collaboratively with other industry bodies to develop systems of information, guidance and support appropriate to the sector as a whole. In doing so, it aims to help NFB members and the wider industry to meet the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities that BIM presents. Julia Evans, Chief Excecutive www.builders.org.uk
4 BIM: ready or not? executive summary This survey sets out to assess BIM-readiness across the contracting sector, with a particular focus on the position of SME contractors. We believe this is the first survey to look specifically at BIM-readiness in the contracting sector. The survey received 173 responses in total and respondents represent the broadest cross-section of the industry, from micro enterprises to the very largest contractors. The overwhelming majority of respondents (81%) have public sector clients, and for 52% public sector work accounts for roughly half or more of their turnover. Therefore, in terms of achieving level 2 working on centrally-funded projects by 2016, and the wider aspiration of this being adopted across the public sector, the respondents to this survey represent a critical sector of the industry. In order to understand whether contractors are well-placed to meet the Government s BIM agenda, the survey assessed several elements that may affect whether they are, or will be, competitive within a BIM-driven market by 2016. These elements were: technical skills and experience knowledge and understanding commercial drivers The survey indicates a widespread awareness of BIM and a recognition of its likely importance to the respondents businesses and their clients, but a low level of understanding of BIM. It suggests that there is currently a general unwillingness to invest and develop in BIM capability, despite a strong business imperative to do so. More than half of the sample is either waiting for free training, or has no intention at all to train. This is important because the technical capacity of SMEs to adopt BIM in the immediate future will likely be more limited than that of large contractors. Key findings The survey sought to assess the degree to which the contracting sector is technically BIM-ready by asking questions about the current use of technologies, software and standard BIM tools. The findings suggest that use of BIM tools and related technologies is generally low. Just over half of large contractors had experience of working with 3D drawings, while only a quarter of SMEs had such experience: Only 30% of all contractors work with electronic 3D drawings. Among large contractors, 54% currently work with 3D drawings. Among SME contractors, this falls to 25%. When asked on how many projects they had utilised either 3D drawings, clash detection tools, schedule integration tools or other BIM features the gap between the largest contractors and the rest of the industry is more stark: A majority of all contractors, 64%, have never worked on projects utilising either 3D drawings, clash detection tools, schedule integration tools or other BIM features. Among SME contractors, this is as many as 73%. Among large contractors, this was as little as 21%. Put together, these findings throw doubt on whether aspirations to shift the public sector supply chain to BIM level 2 by 2016 are currently on track. It would appear
The NFB BIM-readiness survey 2012 5 that a significant gear shift will be required to enable the wider public sector supply chain to make this leap. However, the findings do suggest a high level of interest in BIM and a widespread acknowledgment among respondents that BIM is, or will soon be, of central importance to their businesses. The difference between large contractors and SME contractors appears to be less pronounced here: Almost half (48%) of all contractors see BIM as important to their business, in being a core competency within their business either now or in the future. 63% of large contractors regard BIM as a core competency. 45% of SME contractors regard BIM as a core competency. In order to assess general understanding of BIM and the requirements of BIM level 2 working, the survey asked respondents to indicate how familiar they were with the levels of BIM: 74% of all contractors are not at all familiar, or only vaguely familiar, with the levels of BIM. 81% of SME contractors are no more than vaguely familiar with the levels of BIM. 42% of large contractors are no more than vaguely familiar with the levels of BIM. Lack of concrete understanding clearly affects ability to engage in forward planning, and the same question revealed a very low level of forward planning around BIM. In particular, the percentage of SMEs claiming to both understand BIM levels and to have actively considered the implications of these for their projects was negligible: Equally, respondents were generally positive when asked whether BIM would bring benefits to their business, including a clear majority of SMEs: 78% of large contractors believe that BIM will bring benefits for their business. 57% of SMEs believe that BIM will bring benefits for their business. The difference between large contractors and SMEs here can be explained almost entirely by the just under a quarter of SMEs who, correctly or incorrectly, reject the idea that BIM will bring any benefits to their business: 24% of SMEs said that they did not perceive any business benefits from BIM. Only 4% of large companies said that they did not perceive any business benefits. However, while there is a general belief in the business benefits of BIM and a clear intention that BIM will become a core competency, the findings suggest that there is a clear lag in terms of concrete understanding, planning and investment around BIM. This lag is particularly pronounced among SMEs. 25% of large contactors said that they understand the levels of BIM and have actively considered the implications for their projects. Only 2.7% of SMEs could say the same. These findings are matched by a general ambivalence about investing in BIM training: Only 10% of SMEs are planning to invest in training. As many as a quarter of contractors will be relying on free training or seminars (36% of SMEs and 22% of large contractors). 32% of contractors (27% of SMEs and 22% of large contractors) are waiting for BIM practices to standardise before deciding on training. 27% of SMEs are not planning to train at all. In this context of limited understanding and a high degree of uncertainty, there is a strong case to be made for the provision of trusted sources of information, education and strategic engagement with BIM. The findings of the survey clearly identify the need for access to SME-specific training and implementation support from an independent and impartial mechanism which goes beyond the message and awareness-raising available. www.builders.org.uk
6 BIM: ready or not? introduction Background Aims In the face of these changes in the industry, the NFB has sought to assess how ready its members and the wider SME contracting sector are to respond to BIM. The government s mandating of the use of BIM to level 2 on centrally-funded projects by 2016 will have a signifcant impact upon NFB members and across the SME contracting sector. Those who will contract or sub-contract to central government will need to meet certain BIM standards and, given the aspiration that the wider public sector will over time adopt the same standard, NFB members may increasingly be expected to work within BIM environments. Similarly, the more that large contractors enjoy savings in time and cost generated by BIM, the greater will be the pressure on their supply chain to be able to integrate with them using BIM working practices. Consequently, the NFB has been concerned with understanding whether its members and the wider industry are gearing up for BIM and how it can help them to do so further. To better understand their views and needs around BIM, the NFB has undertaken this survey of its members and the wider industry to assess their knowledge of BIM and its implications for their business. Enhanced by an early adoption pilot to understand the opportunities for, and barriers to, adoption by SME contractors, the NFB will use the survey results as a knowledge pool for the industry in order to work collaboratively to develop wider packages of BIM training and support tailored to the needs of these businesses.
10 BIM: ready or not? findings among large contractors, the figure drops to 21%. This data indicates that large contractors are a step ahead of SMEs in the use of all software. However, it should be Technical skills and experience The survey attempted to gauge whether contractors are technically ready for BIM by asking: whether contractors are already working with electronic media (for drawings, programming, costing, or other purposes); whether they have already gained any experience of using standard BIM technologies (e.g. 3D drawings, clash detection tools, schedule integration tools) on projects. Our survey found that only 30% of contractors work with electronic 3D drawings. Among large contractors, this figure increases to 54%, but among SMEs it falls to 25%. The majority of contractors (64%) have never worked on projects utilising either 3D drawings, clash detection tools, schedule integration tools or other BIM features. Among SMEs, this figure is as high as 73%, though noted that this is not a huge technological divide. In the use of programming and costing software, SMEs are not enormously behind - 79% of large contractors and 68% of SMEs use costing software programmes, and 88% of large contractors and 67% of SMEs use electronic programming. It is not surprising that the use of electronic 3D drawings is more limited than the use of programming or costing software as this is a newer technology. However, the findings do suggest that in the use of 3D drawings, a technology central to BIM, there is a more significant lag in adoption between the larger contractors and the rest of the industry. The gap is more striking when it comes to experience of projects using 3D drawings, clash detection tools, schedule integration tools or other BIM features. Here, the vast majority of SMEs have no experience of BIM tools, whereas a fairly small minority of large contractors (21%) are in the same position. In this respect, the capacity of SMEs to adopt BIM in the immediate future will likely be more limited than that of large contractors. Their capability may be limited by technical skill, by financial capacity to invest, or by other factors. Figure 4: when handling information do you work with electronic media in any of the following areas? Programming Software Costing Software 3D Drawings 2D Drawings SME contractors All contractors Large contractors 0 20 40 60 80 100 Figure 5: number of projects worked on that have utilised either 3D drawings, clash detection tools, schedule integration tools or other BIM features. 10 or more 6-9 3-5 1-2 Small contractors All contractors Large contractors 0 0 20 40 60 80
The NFB BIM-readiness survey 2012 11 BIM knowledge and understanding As a proxy for gauging general understanding and requirements around BIM, the survey asked: Do you understand the levels of BIM and what this means in terms of your projects? Only a minority of contractors (26%) said that they had anything more than vague familiarity with BIM levels with 81% of SME contractors either having no familiarity (35%) or only vague familiarity (46%) with the levels of BIM. Only a tiny percentage (7%) of contractors answered that they understand the levels of BIM and have actively considered the implications for their projects. Among large contractors this figure rose to 25%; among SMEs this was as low as 3%. The survey reveals that a limited understanding of BIM is widespread. Contractors are not prepared to claim that they fully understand BIM. Three quarters of contractors say that they either do not understand BIM or are only vaguely familiar with BIM and what it means in terms of their projects. Furthermore, the data gives the impression that a lack of understanding of BIM is impeding contractors from thinking strategically about what BIM means for their business. Even among large contractors, only a quarter say that they have considered the implications of BIM for the projects they work on. Among SME contractors, it is very clear that they are not currently in a position to think strategically about BIM or to plan for what it means within their business. Figure 6: do you understand the levels of BIM and what this means in terms of your projects? Understand and have considered the implications for our projects Familiar Vaguely Familiar Not Familiar Small contractors All contractors Large contractors 0 10 20 30 40 50 www.builders.org.uk
12 BIM: ready or not? Commercial drivers In order to assess the commercial appetite for BIM the survey asked: Is BIM perceived as a core competency within your business, now or in the future? Do you believe there will be any benefits to your business from the adoption of building information modelling? Please explain your answer. Almost half (48%) of contractors see BIM as being a core competence either now or in the future. 63% of large contractors and 45% of SMEs regard BIM as a core competence in this sense, suggesting a substantial appreciation of the importance of BIM. Indeed, a significantly larger percentage of SMEs view BIM as a core competency than report use of standard BIM tools or familiarity with the levels of BIM. Despite widespread uncertainty around the technical requirements of BIM and a current lack of strategic thinking on the subject, a large number of respondents perceived BIM as having important implications for businesses.. Figure 7: is BIM perceived as a core competency within your business, now or in the future? 7a. SME contractors Yes No 7b. Large contractors Yes No
The NFB BIM-readiness survey 2012 13 The number of contractors of all sizes who believe BIM will bring benefits to their business is significantly larger still. 78% of large contractors believe that BIM will bring benefits to their business, as do 57% of SMEs. The difference between SMEs and larger contractors here is almost entirely explained by the 24% of SMEs who expressed in no uncertain terms that they did not perceive any business benefits from BIM; only 4% of large companies said the same. This would seem to present a case for a much clearer articulation of the business case for BIM on smaller projects. It suggests the need to create opportunities to engage, discuss and demonstrate the business case for SME contractors and smaller projects. Figure 8. do you believe there will be any benefits to your business from the adoption of building information modelling? 8a. SME contractors Yes No Don t know Not answered 8b. Large contractors Yes No Don t know Not answered www.builders.org.uk
16 BIM: ready or not? Training Finally, in order to gain a clear indication as to whether contractors are developing their knowledge and skills in preparation for 2016, the survey asked respondents about their intention to train their staff. Only a minority of contractors (18%) are planning to invest in training (as opposed to attending free events). A slight majority of large companies are planning training (52%), but only 10% of SMEs have, or intend to, organise training. Roughly a quarter of all contractors will be relying on free training or seminars; 27% of SMEs and 22% of large contractors. However, 36% of SMEs are waiting for BIM practices to standardise as opposed to only 22% of large companies. 27% of SMEs are not planning to train at all compared with 4% of large companies. This data does ring warning bells. It shows SME contractors clearly lagging behind large contractors. Though the percentage of SMEs not planning any training is very similar to the percentage that see no business benefit from BIM, the percentage organising or planning to organise their own training (10%) is less than a quarter of those who view BIM as a core competency within their business, whether now or in the future (48%). 63% of SMEs are currently either waiting for practices to standardise or are relying on free training and events. This suggests that among the vast majority of SME contractors the knowledge, ability or preparedness to invest in training is not currently there. Figure 9: have members of your staff had, or about to have, any BIM training? 9a. SME contractors No - not planning to train No - we re waiting for BIM practices to standardise Staff have (or will) attend some free events Yes - we have (or will shortly) organise BIM training 9b. Large contractors No - not planning to train No - we re waiting for BIM practices to standardise Staff have (or will) attend some free events Yes - we have (or will shortly) organise BIM training
18 BIM: ready or not? Conclusions The importance of the public sector to respondents workloads suggests that respondents ought to be placing a high priority on mobilising for BIM at an operational level. However, that does not always appear to be the case. The recurrent theme contained within the qualitative data that our clients aren t asking for it suggests the government s mandate for BIM is slow to move away from central government and be disseminated into the wider public sector. Comments suggest that the maturity and appetite of the local authority client base is unclear and inconsistent, and work to clarify this would be of value to the respondents and their decision making process. This information needs to be collected and interpreted by an impartial arbiter alongside SMEs own intelligence gathering and maturity asesments. Uptake of new tools, techniques, thinking and methods requires investment - at the very least of time and effort and often capital investment too. But time and money are resources that are particularly scarce among SMEs. Many businesses have had to downsize; there are fewer hands on deck. It is an impressive undertaking for any SME to be investigating BIM, particularly if their clients, as they report, are not paying for it. BIM adoption depends on a management appetite fostered by a belief that it will bring a benefit to the business, together with employees knowledge and understanding of how to implement BIM within a business and on a project, as well as the technical skill of using the software tools. The overall message of the survey findings would appear to be that there is a clear gap between the appetite for BIM in terms of the commerical rationale on the one hand, and the knowledge and skills to take action on the other. A sizeable appetite is reflected in: an articulation that BIM is, or will be, a core competence of businesses; a clear and strong articulation of some of the benefits that BIM can bring. However, whilst at a strategic level the appetite might be large, at an operational level: the technical capacity of SMEs seems to be less than their larger counterparts; very few SMEs have thought about the implications of BIM for their projects; a number of businesses state that there is not enough information to make an informed decision about BIM; many businesses do not understand the details of BIM; they perceive barriers to their adoption of BIM, such as lack of client demand, belief that the architect should lead BIM implementation, a view that their projects are too small or are in other ways not suited to BIM, and the cost of BIM being prohibitively high; there is little inclination to invest in training. The messages arising from the survey make a clear case for: stronger communication and discussion of the business benefits for SMEs; training, workshops and events for the nearly 60% of SMEs that think there are business benefits to be had, to think more practically about the implications for their projects. Information to inform BIM implementation at an operational level might include introductory material on: a clear articulation of the business case and implications for BIM implementation for an SME; how to evaluate the costs and returns relating to BIM implementation within one s own business; steps to implementing BIM within the business; how to adopt BIM at a project level; upstream supply partners expectations of the BIM-ready contractor; assessing the readiness of downstream supply partners.
The NFB BIM-readiness survey 2012 19 Appendix 1 Treatment of the data A generic response was created for each of the two large main contractors who returned multiple questionnaires so that there is only one response per company. Where respondents had failed to complete the question about the number of employees, the company was identified as being either larger or smaller than 250 employees based on publically available information. Although some analysis was undertaken that distinguishes between the responses of different sizes of SME, in the main most analysis grouped companies as being either large (greater than 250 employees) or SME (fewer than 250 employees). Where respondents had identified on the hard copy returns that they had more than one specialism (e.g. building and civil engineering), our dataset was amended to record and reflect this. New fields were added to our records (such as consultant, architect, surveyor and client ) to reflect the additional information with which we were provided by hard-copy respondents. However, responses were later grouped into two categories either constructor or consultant. The consultant group, as well as including consultants, architects and surveyors, also included responses from some local authorities and one that was identified as from a regulatory body. The analysis that was subsequently undertaken was only of constructors, referred to in the body of the report as contractors. www.builders.org.uk