How bimspot Fits in
Your BIM BEP

BIM adoption has increased in many regions over the last decade, and AEC companies are beginning to earn significant revenues.

The spreading adoption of BIM and better legislation lead to many other firms adopting BIM in their construction projects and offering expertise in the field. There has also been a boom in BIM software that makes implementing modelling, providing a single source of truth, and data compliance easier.

Any great BIM project needs to begin with a comprehensive BIM execution plan (BEP). bimspot is your online BIM execution plan and can support you by offering a BIM data management platform that provides vital features for companies to define, validate and use BIM data in their projects.

What is a BIM Execution Plan?

Let’s start by giving a BIM project execution plan overview. Before and during the planning phase of a construction project, various stakeholders outline how to execute the BIM project. The BEP is then valuable over all the construction phases with some needed adjustments to the specificity of each stage.

Project owners, architects, engineers, and contractors align their BIM processes such as project workflows, cross-team communication, structure and format of BIM data (like IFC), and define the software landscape of BIM tools. 

The BEP also contains detailed information about each stakeholder’s BIM data structures. These include using the open BIM data format or reporting procedures on a BIM management platform.

Defining information and tracking fulfilment requirements is essential to keeping a project in line with the established BEP. 

A BEP is usually a PDF document. We can’t count anymore only on a PDF because data is not usable or accessible. On bimspot, users can use default or custom uploaded information requirements sets to monitor and track project progress and ensure adherence to the BEP. 

Who Produces the BIM BEP?

The process starts with the owner or client outlining their specific requirements in an Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR) document. They would give a general overview of their BIM use cases.

For example, this pre-contract BIM plan will detail things such as:

• The kind of expertise the client needs;
• The timeline of the project;
• The BIM use cases at each stage of the construction project. 

The BEP is a document produced by all stakeholders led by the BIM management. It is not a static document as not all requirements are precise at the beginning of the project. The BEP is usually updated at each stage of the project. 

All the parties must have access to the BEP as the most successful projects are the ones where even facility management is involved from the beginning.

How to Use bimspot for Your BIM BEP

The BEP determines too which platforms each stakeholder should use to update the plan during and after construction. bimspot can be part of the software landscape of your BIM project.

On bimspot, the client defines the specific BIM use cases for the project. Users can check the Information Requirements to ensure the quality of their models. At each upload, we check if the models fulfil information requirements. When stakeholders access the correct data, they can ensure that the uploaded models adhere to the BEP and are on track for completion.

Information and Fulfillment Requirements 

bimspot allows users to detail and track information and fulfilment requirements across various stakeholders in the project. These include architects, engineers, and subcontractors. 

More specifically, bimspot provides a default set of information requirements for each project. This set ensures a standard level of quality during the early stages of design. Users can download an excel sheet for reference and then customise it to their project. 

Furthermore, users can also include custom property sets to adhere to the project BEP and the default information requirements. 

Lastly, bimspot allows users to track fulfilment requirements for each uploaded building model. The system tracks the level of fulfilment regarding properties and elements. This process is vital because task fulfilment is an important metric that determines the alignment of the project to the BEP. 

Using a BEP Throughout the Project

A construction project is in constant evolution, and each phase has its specific requirements. That’s why a BEP will always get adjusted to the moment. It is not a task that we can archive once it is done.

Regular checks and updates are needed throughout the project from all stakeholders. Commonly, information requirements are getting more and more detailed at later stages.

BIM BEP Templates

An adequate BEP document has seven main elements: 

1. It needs to define roles and responsibilities for each stakeholder in the BIM process.
2. It needs to detail the scope of BIM levels and strategic workflows for implementation.
3. The BEP should give achievable project milestones for each phase of construction.
4. It needs to have clear BIM objectives, including how modelling will improve productivity accuracy and cut costs when implemented.
5. The plan needs to define model quality check procedures and how users report errors or clashes. 
6. It needs to clarify which communication channels will be the source of truth when searching for building information and contacting key project stakeholders.
7. Lastly, it needs to contain detailed work procedures for each team and track worker progress across the project.

Here is a list of free BIM Execution Plan Templates that you can use to structure your own:

• BIM BEP Template from Pennsylvania State University
• Building and Construction Authority’s BIM Essential Guide For BIM Execution Plan
• BIM UK’s CPIx protocol BEP

Final Thoughts about BIM Execution Plan

A BIM execution plan is one of the most vital documents in a post-BIM AEC industry. It allows project owners to set out their BIM use-cases.

Accordingly, architects, engineers, and contractors can contribute to a BIM-compliant project using BIM software tools like bimspot. It allows information and requirements to enable stakeholders to track and query adherence to the BEP.in line.