The ADEB-VBA’s (Association of major Belgian contractors) BIM working group, in collaboration with G30 (Association of Architects), ORI (professional organisation for engineering offices and consultancy), SECO as representative for Third Party Control Offices, and the Belgian chapter of IFMA (the international facility management association), is working on the improvement of collaboration and digital document exchanges between stakeholders of the Belgian construction industry.
To do so, the work group decided to focus on the classical contract (Design-Tender-Build) and define practical guidelines related to digital exchanges within this context. The classical contract supports a segmented industry, while other types of contracts involving all the stakeholders earlier in the process allow an easier BIM implementation. However, today, the classical contract remains the most common contract in Belgium. Therefore, the BIM work group, instead of separating the classical contract and a digital-collaborative process, decided to define rules and guidelines allowing the use of BIM on a classical Design-Tender-Build process. As the classical process is the most segmented one and thus, the one with more stakeholders working with different tools at different times, specific attention must be made during the transitional phases (e.g. new stakeholders, new tools) and how the transposition of these rules could be easily developed to other contracts by shifting agreements between the different stakeholders.
This document and its annexes present a “generic protocol” as well as general rules and fact sheets allowing the stakeholders to define the collaboration rules and thus, optimise the working process. This document is intended to evolve through feedback received from its use in practice. It is focused on three main areas:
- Information about BIM, its use and the specific roles/actors that must be taken into account and incorporated.
- General requirements related to BIM collaboration, document sharing and data management will be discussed.
- A generic BIM protocol by phase, supported by a process map representing the traditional contract. This will help stakeholders to determine their project-specific BIM protocol.
An archive version of this information article has been created if the original is no longer accessible (Archive information from January 2024)
In order to promote the emergence of BIM in Belgium and to harmonize its implementation in projects, the Belgian Building Research Institute (BBRI) has developed, in collaboration with the BIM Cluster (a collection of industry organisations), the Belgian BIM protocol and execution plan (protocole et plan d’exécution BIM belges). These apply to building projects and are available in French and Dutch. They are the result of the collaboration of experienced construction professionals from various fields, as well as professional federations and organisations such as Confédération Construction, Bouwunie, NAV (Netwerk Architecten Vlaanderen) and ORI (Engineering and Consulting Offices).
The use of BIM in a construction project requires close collaboration between the different partners, which relies on good communication and clear agreements. These are defined and gathered in a BIM protocol and a BIM execution plan. In order to help the project’s partners to draft these documents in a coherent manner, the Belgian Building Research Institute (BBRI) has drawn up, in collaboration with industry, a series of reference documents. The general template and the guide that accompanies it will serve as a common basis for all BIM projects – even if adaptations are made according to the specificities of each project.
This website provides published standards, guidance, useful links and other resources, such as learning outcomes and relevant information to support the digital journey of all organizations towards the implementation of BIM. The aim is to adopt a unified approach to managing information, foster innovative technological solutions and stimulate ongoing knowledge sharing.
The UK’s built environment* sector is on a journey towards a smarter, more efficient and sustainable future – a vital stage of which is adoption of the UK BIM Framework and its guidance.
BSI, CDBB & the UK BIM Alliance have created, and continue to develop and maintain the UK BIM Framework and associated tools and standards – enabling organisations, regardless of size or existing digital maturity, to future-proof their businesses.
As a partnership we are committed to making the benefits of better information management appropriate for all UK organisations. Our goal is to bring everyone along on this journey and we encourage you to adopt the Framework and its guidance.
*built environment: a collection of man-made or induced physical objects located in a particular area or region.
View the UK BIM Alliance’s website
The UK BIM Alliance (UKBIMA) was launched in 2016 as a cross-industry alliance reaching the whole built environment to advocate the adoption of BIM in the UK and wider digital transformation.
UKBIMA’s aim is to ensure that BIM becomes business as usual whilst at the same time transforming and future proofing the way the industry works. Its objectives include the provision of trusted, independent leadership, the mobilisation of communities, support for practical implementation within businesses of all sizes and development of a common understanding and approach.
Its activities include collaborative projects to foster digital transformation, and resources and events to inform, inspire and guide all communities of practitioners.
Alongside BSI and CDBB, UKBIMA is a partner delivering the UK BIM Framework, which offers resources and guidance to implement BIM across the UK’s built environment*.
View the UK BIM Alliance’s website
*built environment: a collection of man-made or induced physical objects located in a particular area or region.
The association Odborná rada pro BIM, z. s. was founded in 2011 and is an independent private sector platform for the popularization, cooperation, standardization and development of BIM in the Czech Republic.
CCI is aiming to increase construction productivity through a collaborative digital information infrastructure (CCI classification system) to enable consistent data exchange. Based on international standards and developed for digital processes, CCI covers the whole built environment: buildings, infrastructure and other civil engineering works and throughout the lifecycle – from planning through design, execution, operation, demolition to removal and reuse.
The CZ BIM Framework aims to support BIM adoption in the Czech Republic’s public sector and construction, helping organizations of all sizes on their journey of digital transformation.
Special strategy, guidance and standards for transport infrastructure organizations (highways, railways), related to the main Czech’s national BIM strategy.
The Government’s BIM Strategy was published in September 2017 to stimulate the public sector and to support the digital transformation and growth of the construction sector. It was prepared by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, working closely with Czech BIM Council experts. Within the Strategy, a key element for reducing costs, cutting waste and avoiding errors is the adoption of the Building Information Management (BIM), which makes the most of digital technologies to provide a consistent flow of information and measurable standards at all stages of the construction life cycle, including asset and facility management.
