The Australasian BIM Advisory Board endorses its new strategic direction

The Australasian BIM Advisory Board (ABAB) held its first meeting for 2023 on 3 March commencing with an endorsement of its new strategic direction. Since its inception in 2016, this is the first time ABAB has reset its direction. With Building Information Modelling remaining its keystone, ABAB has extended its remit to include all elements of digital enablement in the built environment. “This reset reflects the growth and maturity of digital construction taking place in Australasia” said Andrew Curthoys, ABAB Chair and representative of the Australasian Procurement and Construction Council (APCC). As defined by the European Union BIM Task Group (2017), digital enablement in the built environment is a digital form of construction and asset operations. It brings together technology, process improvements and digital information to radically improve client and project outcomes and asset operations.

To deliver on the new strategic direction, ABAB members committed to several new initiatives to commence in 2023. These include:

• Clarifying steps to harmonise and standardise digital information management across Australasia and create targets for harmonisation.
• Design the base foundation of consistency for interoperability.
• Explore how to promote BIM as an enabler for environmental sustainability.
• Drive greater consistency in contract digital clauses.
• Drive consistency in digital delivery competencies, accreditation, and drive alignment to global standards.

The current suite of initiatives continues with a number due to be finalised in coming months. Current initiatives include:

• Facilities and Asset Management Digital Roadmap Generator – Technical Working Group (Multi-year project).
• Procuring BIM and digital engineering services consistently – due to be released in early 2023.
• Aggregate analysis and learnings from the BIM Benefits Metrics pilots (multi-year project).

“Digital enablement improves productivity, sustainability, and reduces costs while increases project quality, and for these reasons ABAB is committed to driving Australasian consistency in the adoption of BIM,” Andrew said. “As governments head towards fiscal repair, every dollar spent in the built environment must return value to government, communities, and the planet”.

“As Chair the Australasian BIM Advisory Board, I am honoured to lead and be part of a leadership forum that has achieved and delivered so much for government and industry in such a short time” Andrew said. “ABAB is viewed as the peak body driving BIM uptake and adoption in Australasia. It will continue to lead in this vital area of productivity for the construction industry and produce a range of supportive tools”. 

The Australasian BIM Advisory Board established by the Australasian Procurement and Construction Council (APCC) and the Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF), together with the key standard-setting bodies, NATSPEC, buildingSMART and Standards Australia, promotes best practice and consistent approaches to BIM practices, standards, and requirements.  ABAB guidance materials are available at: www.ABAB.net.au