BIM Levels explained

Definitions for levels of BIM maturity from Level 0, through Level 1,

Level 2 and Level 3 and beyond.

The concept of ‘BIM Levels’ (and ‘BIM Level 2 compliance’) has

become the ‘accepted’ definition of what criteria are required to be
deemed BIM-compliant, by seeing the adoption process as the next steps
in a journey that has taken the industry from the drawing board to the
computer and, ultimately, into the digital age.

The government has recognised that the process of moving the

construction industry to ‘full’ collaborative working will be progressive,
with distinct and recognisable milestones being defined within that
process, in the form of ‘levels’. These have been defined within a range
from 0 to 3, and, whilst there is some debate about the exact meaning of
each level, the broad concept is as follows:

Level 0 BIM

In its simplest form, level 0 effectively means no collaboration. 2D CAD

drafting only is utilised, mainly for Production Information (RIBA Plan
of Work 2013 stage 4). Output and distribution is via paper or electronic
prints, or a mixture of both. The majority of the industry is already well
ahead of this now (source: NBS National BIM Report 2017).

Level 1 BIM

This typically comprises a mixture of 3D CAD for concept work, and

2D for drafting of statutory approval documentation and Production
Information. CAD standards are managed to BS 1192:2007, and
electronic sharing of data is carried out from a common data
environment (CDE), often managed by the contractor.

To achieve Level 1 BIM, the Scottish Futures Trust states you should
achieve the following:

 Roles and responsibilities should be agreed upon

 Naming conventions should be adopted
 Arrangements should be put in place to create and maintain the
project specific codes and project spatial co-ordination
 A "Common Data Environment" (CDE) for example a project
extranet or electronic document management system (EDMS)
should be adopted, to allow information to be shared between all
members of the project team
 A suitable information hierarchy should be agreed which supports
the concepts of the CDE and the document repository.
Level 2 BIM

Level 2 BIM is distinguished by collaborative working, and requires "an

information exchange process which is specific to that project and
coordinated between various systems and project participants"
(Source: Scottish Futures Trust).

Any CAD software that each party uses must be capable of exporting to
one of the common file formats such as IFC (Industry Foundation Class)
or COBie (Construction Operations Building Information Exchange).
This is the method of working that has been set as a minimum target by
the UK government for all work on public-sector work.

For more information on working to BIM Level 2, see the following

guide developed by NBS and BSI: http://bim-level2.org/en/about/

Level 3 BIM

Level 3 has not yet been fully defined, however the vision for this is
outlined in the UK Government's Level 3 Strategic Plan. Within this
plan, they set out the following 'key measures' to be secured with further
funding:
  The creation of a set of new, international ‘Open Data’ standards
which would pave the way for easy sharing of data across the
entire market
 The establishment of a new contractual framework for projects
which have been procured with BIM to ensure consistency, avoid
confusion and encourage, open, collaborative working.
 The creation of a cultural environment which is co-operative, seeks
to learn and share
 Training the public sector client in the use of BIM techniques such
as, data requirements, operational methods and contractual
processes
 Driving domestic and international growth and jobs in technology
and construction.

What this means in practice

The significance of these steps, in real terms, is that UK government has

adopted this definition in its Construction Strategy, by requiring that all
publicly-funded construction work must be undertaken by using
Building Information Modelling to Level 2, by 2016. This mandate has
been set as one measure to help in fulfilling their target of reducing
waste in construction by 20%. It is considered that abortive work,
discrepancies and mistakes, and inefficiencies in the information supply
chain are major contributors to this waste; and that collaborative
working can assist in their reduction. Looking further ahead, it is highly
probable that collaborative working practices will ultimately filter
through to the private sector, in much the same way that CAD took over
from the drawing board during the 1990s.