Australasian BIM Advisory Board

The new technologies and processes in Building Information Modelling (BIM) can foster increased productivity and improved asset management across Australasia. As developments continue in the digital built environment, the BIM Advisory Board continues to provide a coordinated approach to development of BIM practices, standards and requirements through collaboration, education, innovation and simplification.

Purpose

Leaders from government, industry and academia are partnering to provide leadership on the adoption of BIM and Digital Enablement. The Australasian BIM Advisory Board is linking industry leaders and expertise from government and industry promoting best practice and consistent approaches to BIM practices, standards and requirements. Andrew Curthoys, Chair of ABAB notes "this is particularly important in light of governments infrastructure led recovery process, and the need for every dollar spent on infrastructure to deliver economic and social benefits to local communities". By working together, government and industry can maximise the value of BIM to deliver improved efficiencies and increased innovation in the management, design, construction and operational phases of a built asset.  

Mission

Improved productivity and asset outcomes for people and places through a coordinated approach to the adoption of digital enablement for the built environment.

Strategies

1. To take a national leadership role in the adoption of digital enablement for the built environment across Australasia.

2. To support the Australasian building and construction industry, through driving consistency in digital enablement approaches and strategies for the built environment through functional requirements and by coordinating a standard suite of data structures, standards, protocols, systems, and tool

Projects & Publications

To implement the Strategic Framework and help the construction industry navigate through new technologies and systems, ABAB is undertaking projects to support the realisation of BIM benefits in construction projects.

1. Facilities and Asset Management Digital Roadmap Generator: aims to develop an automated roadmap generator that guides the Australian construction industry in transitioning from traditional practices of facility and asset management to the data-centric approach of DFAM.

2. BIM Benefits Metrics Project: to support the use of BIM throughout construction projects, this project aims to establish a system for data collection of BIM benefits and meaningful comparison of projects.

Our library of publications is dedicated to supporting a consistent approach to BIM adoption across jurisdictional boundaries. Explore our resources below:


  1. Asset Information Requirements (AIR) Guide: Guidance for clients, agents, and lead consultants on formulating and defining asset information requirements for building and infrastructure projects. Download ABAB AIR Guide

  2. BIM Process Consistency Report: Provides a common framework and consistent language for the construction process. The report identifies and promotes consistency in BIM elements across Australasia to ensure the optimisation of BIM benefits. Download BIM Process Consistency Report

  3. Digital Twins Position Paper: Provides an overview of ABABs objectives and agenda for Digital Twins and their relationship to BIM, Digital Engineering, Smart Cities, and Intelligent Infrastructure. The paper offers frameworks for evaluating and considerations for government and industry planning, procuring or using Digital Twins. Download Digital Twins position paper

  4. Australian BIM and DE Education Position Paper: Outlines ABAB's position on the strategic approach required to establish a formal Digital Delivery Education Framework. Building on ACIF's BIM Knowledge and Skills Framework it outlines necessary approach for upskilling our workforce. Download Australian BIM and DE Education Position Paper

  5. Submission to Inquiry into Procurement Practices for Government-Funded Infrastructure
    This submission was prepared by ABAB for the inquiry by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities on 16 July 2021.
    Download the Submission on Procurement Practices

  6. ABAB Digital Roadmap Generator
    This online tool automates and streamlines the digital facility and asset management planning process and enables its users to generate a step-by-step implementation roadmap customised to their needs and resources. An ARC Linkage Grant is currently being sought to take the Roadmap Generator from proof-of-concept to the minimum viable product (MVP) stage. The benefits of contributing to this exciting initiative are outlined. Download the Roadmap Generator information sheet


  7. Harmonisation of Building Information Modelling and Digital Engineering Services Procurement - Guide Aims to streamline the procurement of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Digital Engineering (DE) services, anticipating the growth in demand from Australasian governments, and to provide confidence to industry to invest. Download the Harmonisation of Building Information Modelling and Digital Engineering Services Procurement - Guide

  8. The Australasian BIM Benefits Reporting (ABBR), Guide to Information Collection addresses the need for standardised and comparable data on the benefits of Building Information Modelling (BIM). This guide offers a structured system for data collection, enabling comprehensive analysis and understanding of BIM benefits, thereby responding effectively to government and industry's need for organised and reliable benefits data. Download the APCC ABAB Benefits Report


  9. ABAB Endorsed Standards and Guides: Explore our curated list of ABAB-endorsed documents designed to identify best practice, and drive harmonisation and consistency in the digital built environment. Download the ABAB endorsed Standards and Guides PDF



News

ABAB November 2024 Forum Communique

ABAB November Meeting: Concluding a Year of Achievements and Establishing Ambitions for 2025The final ABAB meeting for 2024 took place…

ABAB September 2024 Forum Communique

ABAB September Meeting: Collaborating to Advance the Digital Built EnvironmentThe Australasian BIM Advisory Board (ABAB) convened for its third meeting…

ABAB June 2024 Forum Communique 

ABAB explores the integration of Digital Engineering, Asset Management and Sustainability for the Future BIMThe Australasian BIM Advisory Board (ABAB)…

Resources

The National BIM Portal, maintained by NATSPEC//Construction Information, contains documents, tools and other resources useful to those interested in implementing BIM. All content is accessible for free.

About

Background

In May 2017, the Australasian BIM Advisory Board (ABAB) was established by the Australasian Procurement and Construction Council (APCC) and the Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF), together with NATSPECbuildingSMART and Standards Australia. This partnership of national policy and key standard setting bodies represents a common-sense approach that captures the synergies existing in, and between, each organisation's areas of responsibility in the built environment. It also supports a more consistent approach to the adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM) across jurisdictional boundaries.  ABAB has evolved from a previous APCC-ACIF collaboration established in 2015 at a BIM Summit. The establishment of ABAB is a first for the Australasian building sector with government, industry and academia partnering to provide leadership to improve productivity and project outcomes through BIM adoption. ABAB is committed to optimal delivery of outcomes that eliminate waste, maximise end-user benefits and increase the productivity of the Australasian economies. Members of ABAB have identified that, without central principal coordination, the fragmented development of protocols, guidelines and approaches form a significant risk that may lead to wasted effort and inefficiencies, including unnecessary costs and reduced competitiveness, across the built environment industry.

Membership

The Advisory Board membership consists of those organisations who have a pivotal role to play in influencing and leading the adoption and changes required for the optimum delivery of construction projects through BIM. The Australasian BIM Advisory Board is a team of experts from government construction policy agencies, peak construction associations, and standard setting bodies who share their valuable knowledge, skill and experience to set and deliver on the Advisory Board’s strategic direction. Individuals are sponsored by their employer and participate on a pro-bono basis. Sponsoring employers should have strong construction industry and government relationships which is essential to driving the consistent adoption of BIM. From time to time it may be necessary for subgroups, including involvement from other industry and key stakeholders, to be established to deliver on specific outcomes or outputs. Participation is voluntary and individuals are accepted based on relevant skills and expertise, and time and resource capacity to commit to driving the desired project outcome.

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Contact

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Contact Info

info@apcc.gov.au or info@acif.com.au