ABAB Meeting: Strengthening practical pathways for digital delivery and technology adoption

On 21 May 2026, the Australasian BIM Advisory Board (ABAB) convened its second meeting of the year, bringing together government and industry representatives from across Australia and New Zealand to continue advancing nationally consistent approaches to digital delivery and asset information management. Discussions reflected a strong focus on translating policy intent into practical implementation, particularly in the context of evolving technologies, capability gaps and varying levels of maturity across the sector.

Chair, Andrew Curthoys, identified that the key theme of the meeting was the challenge of scaling adoption of digital technologies, including BIM and artificial intelligence, beyond pilot environments into routine practice with organisational leadership, capability and confidence identified as critical drivers of progress. Andrew Curthoys said, “The importance of moving from experimentation to embedded practice was paramount, alongside the need to better demonstrate value across the asset lifecycle”.

The Board received a detailed presentation from Alice Chang-Richards and Nick Sterling on research into de risking technology uptake within the built environment sector. The presentation highlighted that while the sector is increasingly “data rich”, it remains “analytics poor”, with significant challenges relating to cost, capability, governance, and resistance to change. Insights from the research emphasised that successful adoption is underpinned by clear processes, skilled people, and a strong organisational culture that supports innovation.

The discussion on emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, reinforced both the opportunities and the risks associated with rapid advancement. While AI is increasingly being used to drive efficiency and productivity, improved data quality, governance frameworks and organisational policies are required to manage issues such as security, data sovereignty and responsible use.

The Board endorsed the initiative on improving the transition of information from construction to operations. The proposed approach focuses on supporting lower-maturity asset owners and projects by providing clear, practical guidance expressed in accessible, non-technical language. “Foundational principles, case studies and real-world application are critical to bridging the gap between policy and implementation,” said ABAB Chair, Andrew Curthoys.

Continued progress across digital engineering frameworks, standards development, and capability uplift initiatives was noted. Examples are available of adoption of digital delivery approaches across large infrastructure programs, alongside efforts to simplify requirements, improve alignment with broader policy settings, and strengthen internal capability.

Looking ahead, ABAB reaffirmed its focus on developing an updated strategic framework for digital engineering and BIM across Australasia, with the ambition of securing broader government alignment and providing a clear, consistent direction for industry. Curthoys emphasised, “It is important to engage with Commonwealth and jurisdictional agencies to support this objective, including integration with broader national initiatives such as the National Construction Strategy.”

The May meeting reinforced ABAB’s role as a collaborative forum for addressing shared challenges, aligning approaches and accelerating the adoption of practical, value driven digital delivery across the built environment.