Balfour Beatty has been verified as Building Information Management (BIM) 2 certified by BSI (British Standards Institution).
The certification comes ahead of the April 2016 UK government mandate which requires all centrally procured government contracts to be compliant with BIM Level 2.
BIM Level 2 is a level of building information management that demonstrates a collaborative process of sharing information through a 3D data environment between customers and the supply chain. Balfour Beatty is currently delivering BIM Level 2 on projects across the UK that have a combined value of over £2.3billion and the use of BIM is the company’s default position for all of its UK projects.
Balfour Beatty is one of only five UK construction companies to be awarded the BSI certification for ‘Tier 1 Lead Contractor and Lead Designer’, which includes construction and design management.
To achieve the certification the Company had to demonstrate its compliance with BIM Level 2 in accordance with BIM industry standards: PAS 1192-2:2013, BS 1192-4:2014 and BS 1192:2007.
Neil Thompson, Balfour Beatty principal BIM integrator, who managed the accreditation process, said: “This accreditation gives assurance to our customers that we utilise BIM to handle and manage information with the upmost degree of care and accuracy and to the highest standard, throughout project delivery.”
Mark Bew, chairman HM Government BIM working group, said: “I am delighted the largest contractor in the UK has taken the initiative to achieve BIM level 2 certification, ahead of the April government mandate. It is only by companies embracing the use of BIM, as Balfour Beatty has, that we can truly drive the efficiency and intelligence benefits that it offers.”
Dean Banks, managing director of Balfour Beatty UK Construction Services, added: “BIM significantly enhances our ability to store and share accurate data whilst reducing project costs and risks. This is a critical tool in the construction industry and one which Balfour Beatty intends to fully utilise.
“The digital age is here and we must continue to drive innovation throughout the industry, encouraging the use of the digital toolset for maximum return.”
