ABAB February 2026 Communiqué: Marking a decade of ABAB and sharpening focus for what comes next

On 23 February 2026, the Australasian BIM Advisory Board (ABAB) convened its first meeting of the year, bringing together representatives from across Australia and New Zealand to progress the Board’s 2026 work program and continue building momentum for nationally consistent digital delivery. As ABAB marks its tenth year, discussions reflected a growing maturity in the digital conversation, shaped by a decade of shared learning across jurisdictions.

A central item of the meeting was the review of the draft 2026 ABAB Workplan. Members supported the proposed direction, noting the importance of sharpening focus on measurable outcomes and clearer articulation of success. Key areas of emphasis for 2026 include refreshing the ABAB Strategic Framework to better define impact; strengthening alignment with international standards, including ISO 19650 principles of information management; and deepening collaboration with industry bodies such as buildingSMART Australasia to support knowledge sharing, capability building and recognition of good practice.

Members shared jurisdictional perspectives on the current state of digital delivery, including the role of BIM, data and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. The discussion highlighted that many advanced capabilities are already embedded within existing BIM‑enabled practices, even where they are not explicitly described as AI. Attention therefore centred on the practical challenges that continue to limit scale and confidence, particularly data quality, governance, capability, assurance and integration with established frameworks. Consistency of terminology, standards and expectations across policy, procurement and delivery was also reinforced as a critical enabler.

A key highlight of the meeting was a detailed case study from Christopher Widenbar, Deputy Project Director at the Australian War Memorial Redevelopment Project, which provided a candid examination of BIM implementation on a complex, long‑term and heritage‑sensitive program.

The presentation emphasised the importance of clearly defining BIM objectives early, ideally at business‑case stage and ensuring appropriate resourcing and expertise. It also explored the challenges associated with long project timeframes, evolving software environments, legacy data quality and multiple delivery packages.

Importantly, the case study demonstrated the value of BIM as a coordination, communication and asset‑management tool, while acknowledging the practical complexities of implementation. ABAB welcomed the opportunity to collaborate further on sharing lessons learned through a future case study to support improved outcomes on government projects.

The Board received updates on a range of engagement and policy activities underway. These included preparation of an ABAB submission to the National Construction Code consultation, focusing on productivity, digitalisation and harmonisation.

Ongoing collaboration with the Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre (SBEnrc) continues to support research into BIM benefits and digitalisation. The Industry and Government Collaboration Group also reported on work relating to asset data challenges and the commencement of a review and update to the ABAB Digital Engineering Education Position Statement to ensure it remains relevant and aligned with current and emerging practice.

The February meeting confirmed a clear direction for 2026: embedding digital delivery as a practical enabler of productivity and value, supported by consistent standards, clear governance and shared learning across jurisdictions.

ABAB will continue to provide a forum for governments and industry to work together on nationally consistent, practical and future‑focused digital practices. The next ABAB meeting is proposed to be held in Canberra in May 2026, continuing this work through face‑to‑face collaboration.