The Manual for Railway Engineering (MRE) is an annual publication released every April. The Manual consists of more than 6,100 pages of railway engineering reference material, the recommended practices for the industry. It contains principles, data, specifications, plans and economics pertaining to the engineering, design and construction of the fixed plant of railways (except signals and communications), and allied services and facilities. The material is developed by AREMA technical committees and is published as a guide to railways in establishing their individual policies and practices relative to the subjects, activities and facilities covered in the Manual, with the aim of assisting them to engineer and construct a railway plant which will have inherent qualities of a safe and economical operation as well as low maintenance cost.

A global review of initiatives promoting DFMA with timber, supported by BIM, highlighted ongoing efforts to raise awareness and offer solutions for industry advancement. Significant work is being done to demonstrate the benefits and move the sector forward. Various tools and technologies were explored, providing options for project teams looking to adopt these practices.

UBC Vancouver BIM Topics Lab/ Forestry Innovation Investment

Canada

Modular construction, where building components are prefabricated off-site and then assembled on-site, is gaining traction across various markets. This method integrates design, manufacturing, and construction processes, enabling higher efficiency without sacrificing aesthetics.

AIA/ National Institute of Building Sciences

USA

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) showcases examples of Building Information Modelling (BIM) for infrastructure, emphasising its role in lifecycle management, collaboration, and data integration.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) highlights the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the lifecycle management of highways, emphasising collaboration and data integration. Many State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) are moving beyond the perception of BIM as just 3D modelling, using it to break down silos and improve project delivery and asset management. The FHWA’s BIM for Infrastructure program supports this transition by sharing best practices and guiding agencies in advancing their BIM maturity.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) highlights the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the lifecycle management of bridges and structures, focusing on collaboration and data integration. The adoption of BIM in bridge projects is growing, with industry standards like Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) enhancing digital project delivery. Bridge owners recognise its benefits, including cost and time reductions across planning, construction, and maintenance, as well as improved return on investment in infrastructure.

The GIS in Transportation program facilitates the knowledge transfer of GIS skills, best practices, and technical resources among State, regional, and local transportation organisations. This website captures the respective lessons learned and makes them available to all GIS practitioners and transportation professionals.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) promotes the use of 3D engineered models for construction through its Every Day Counts program. These models enhance collaboration by centralising project data, improving efficiency for owner-agencies, designers, and contractors.

The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) initiated the U.S. National BIM Program (NBP or Program) to bring industry stakeholders together to achieve critical digital transformation throughout the entire lifecycle of designing, constructing, and operating the built environment. The Program concept has evolved through conversations and collaborations with leading organizations and communities, involving both the public and private sectors, spanning a diverse cross-section of asset/project types. This effort has recently accelerated combined with significant increases in interest from the owner community throughout the U.S., including both building and infrastructure owners. The National Institute of Building Sciences is leading the development and dissemination of the next-generation of practice standards and processes for the built environment. The U.S. National Building Information Management Program will provide a step-change in capacity, creating a platform and community to support for digital innovation. Building information modeling is now a widely used technology providing a data foundation for increasingly digitized processes, yet practices and procedures across the architecture/engineering/construction/operation (AECO) marketplace operate under no common standards for data formats. This program offers the opportunity to improve the relationships, performance and profitability of the increasingly digitized U.S. AECO industry.

Serving as the business voice of Canada’s BIM community, CanBIM represents, supports, and advocates on behalf of the entire Architectural, Engineering, Construction, Owner, Operator and Educational community to build a positive business environment for the effective deployment of BIM, for all engaged in utilizing BIM in Canada. The Canada BIM Council, or “CanBIM” as it is now known, was formed in 2008 by a small group of progressive organisations. Although these companies came from many different disciplines and were from across Canada, they all shared the common goal to steer their companies, their partners, and the wider industry to adopt new and efficient BIM/VDC processes and methodologies. They wanted to create a national beacon to attract people and firms from across the industry that understood the impact that new technology was having on the industry, and how this new way of thinking would radically change the ways they work. CanBIMÂ’s Mission is to provide their membership with leadership, advocacy, educational and engagement opportunities around best practices for digital technologies and processes. Their vision is to advance civilization and improve the built environment through developing a robust community of industry-leading practitioners from building and infrastructure industry, who are proactively engaged in the effective deployment of digital technologies and processes. The website contains a wealth of resources from 2017 to date, and various articles on a wide range of subjects. There are three main documents published on the CanBIM website in addition to their yearly spotlight on innovation reports. These additional documents include: – Ontario General Contractors Association Guide to Construction and Design Technology (Jan/2022) – Building Information Modelling for Wood Buildings, An Introductory Guide (11/2021) – Building the Canada We Want in 2050 (07/2021)