Bill Holden

The construction industry BIM community are those on the leading and bleeding edge of information innovation, cutting paths through the dense jungle of standards, protocols and compliance issues to search for the ‘better way’ of data creation, and on the whole, they do an excellent job of sharing their hard-earned knowledge, albeit within that select community. This has introduced a problem in that there are many people left behind scratching their heads and often desperate to catch up. his has introduced a problem in that there are many people left behind scratching their heads and often desperate to catch up. These late adopters usually offer a wide variety of answers for the question “What is BIM?” based on hearsay and best guesses. This therefore leaves us with a small band of merry men who need to deliver the impossible, much like trying to climb Everest wearing flip flops and a Hawaiian shirt. The minority clearly can’t deliver, and so we need to turn our attentions to the crowd and educate them quickly.

Through 2014 the main BIM Buzz amongst the industry experts was around Level 2, the government mandated line in the sand – what would be on the list and can we deliver it?

Can 2015 be the year that we turn our attentions to those following in the wake of those innovators and bring them up to speed? Can 2015 be the first year of BIM Education?

The 2 big challenges we need to face are:

1. Engage in and work with the current culture to shift it toward ‘BIM thinking’ and,

2. Get involved in the education system and train so that Generation BIM is chomping at the bit when they break into the workplace and not starting cold.

Are you with me?

What can you do locally to make a difference?