BIM momentum continues – QLD Gov releases its draft policy and principles

WHO SHOULD READ THIS

• All industry participants in the construction and procurement sector.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

• The Queensland Government recently released its draft BIM policy and principles and is now seeking feedback from industry, government and interested parties by 21 April 2017.

The Queensland Government has recognised the importance of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the delivery and management of infrastructure assets and is looking to implement the use of BIM on all major state infrastructure projects by 2023. As a first step to achieving this, the Queensland Government has released its draft BIM policy and principles and is now seeking industry and government feedback.

Overview

The draft BIM policy and principles provides a high level framework for how the Queensland Government proposes to implement the use of BIM on Queensland infrastructure. It also outlines the Queensland Government’s proposed commitment to using ‘Open BIM’ so that BIM information, systems, standards and processes, enable interoperability and interconnectivity.

The BIM framework (as contemplated by the draft policy and principles) will apply to:

• all Queensland Government departments, agencies and statutory authorities
• the full lifecycle of all new state infrastructure assets, including all vertical (e.g. hospitals and schools) and linear infrastructure (e.g. roads and railways), and
• smaller new and existing projects where cost effective.

The draft policy is looking to advance the use of BIM in the regulatory areas of workplace health and safety and heritage conservation by 2020 with a more thorough application to infrastructure by 2023.

Issues

The draft raises a number of key issues that will need to be considered, including:

• how will BIM impact on procurement and contractual arrangements?
• will it apply to local government and to what extent?
• how will the transition occur by 2023 and who will fund the costs?
• the draft policy flags a central repository of the BIM data – who will manage this and under what arrangements? and
• the draft policy flags the need for building capability and capacity, including a Centre of Excellence – how will this be undertaken and at whose cost?

Feedback

Feedback on the draft policy and principles is due by 21 April 2017. If you are interested in providing feedback and require assistance in doing so, please contact us.

This publication covers legal and technical issues in a general way. It is not designed to express opinions on specific cases. It is intended for information purposes only and should not be regarded as legal advice. Further advice should be obtained before taking action on any issue dealt with in this publication.