This page of the BIM4Infra website contains multiple guidance documents that have been published to foster BIM adoption for infrastructure projects in Germany.
The documentation is split into 10 parts and has an appendix:
- Part 1: Basics and BIM overall process – tools for the further guidelines and handouts, and explanation of the terms “Client Information Requirements” (Auftraggeber-Informationsanforderungen, AIA) and “BIM Resolution Plan” (BIM-Abwicklungsplan, BAP) and shows you an exemplary process of a project carried out with BIM.
- Part 2: Guidelines and templates for client information requirements – how to put together your “Client Information Requirements” (Auftraggeber-Informationsanforderungen, AIA) on a project-specific basis and what you need to consider. For selected project phases, it offers specific AIA templates.
- Part 3: Guidance and templates for the BIM resolution plan:
- how to put together your “BIM Resolution Plan” (BIM-Abwicklungsplan, BAP) on a project-specific basis and what you need to consider. Includes a specific BAP template.
- Part 4: Performance Description Guide: how to integrate BIM services into a service description. It offers a template for a BIM performance profile of (object) planning.
- Part 5: Model Special Contractual Conditions BIM: formulated model clauses for contracts for freelance BIM services.
- Part 6: Profiles of the most important BIM user cases: overview and explanations of BIM user cases.
- Part 7: Handout of BIM models and degree of elaboration:
- introduction to BIM models and definition of the degrees of elaboration (Ausarbeitungsgrade, LOD) in geometric (Geometrischer, LOG) and alphanumeric (Alphanumerischer, LOI) view.
- Part 8: Neutral data exchange at a glance: explaining what “Open BIM” is, what significance it has – especially for the public sector – and showing current and future possibilities for its use.
- Part 9: Data Exchange with Industry Foundation Classes: how the data exchange format “Industry Foundation Classes” (IFC) is structured and what possibilities it offers. It also explains how to configure export and import for exemplary software programmes.
- Part 10: Technologies in the BIM environment:
- what to consider when procuring BIM software programmes and which types play a role in the BIM environment.
- Appendix: Glossary: an explanation of the most important terms in connection with BIM.
Digital planning and construction are to become the standards for federal infrastructure projects in Germany by 2020. The central element is the use of BIM as the basis of digital building models. BIM will help projects to deliver all data required for the lifecycle of a building, from planning, construction to operation, which can be recorded, exchanged and further processed between all parties involved in the project.
In October 2016, the BIM4INFRA2020 working group was commissioned by the former Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure to create important prerequisites for the implementation of the BIM step-by-step plan over a period of two years. These include:
- The development of an achievable level of performance for the introduction of BIM.
- The monitoring of the pilot projects and expansion of the pilot’s phase.
- Investigation of legal issues and development of recommendations for future contract design.
- Provision of appropriate guidelines and templates for the awarding and processing of BIM services, in particular BIM user cases.
- Identification of requirements for uniform data structures for the infrastructure sector – Development of a uniform database concept and a BIM library.
- Information and public relations.
The document’s full title is Concept for the step-by-step introduction of modern, IT-supported processes and technologies in the design, construction and operation of structures – step-by-step plan for the introduction of BIM – final report (Konzept zur schrittweisen Einführung moderner, IT-gestützter Prozesse und Technologien bei Planung, Bau und Betrieb von Bauwerken – Stufenplan zur Einführung von BIM – Endbericht)
Everyone involved in the planning, construction and operation of construction projects – including public and private builders, architects, planners, software manufacturers, contractors, suppliers and operators – should have a common vision and strategy for the implementation of integrated, model-oriented working. This vision and strategy should include short- and long-term goals in the form of a step-by-step plan. This phased plan must address the weakest links in the supply chain and give the market sufficient time to prepare.
The former Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure has taken up this recommendation and, based on international examples, it published a phased plan for the introduction of BIM in the transport sector, which covers the use of BIM in new projects to be planned in Germany from the end of 2020. Prior to 2020, the skills, capacities and foundations should be created through collaboration. For this purpose, BIM pilot projects have been carried out and scientifically evaluated.
At the strategic level, the step-by-step plan proposed in this final report includes a guiding approach, principles and a vision for the German construction industry in the digital age. For the operational level, the plan describes in detail an initial performance level for the application of the Building Information Modelling (BIM) method in projects. It then defines a basic reference process for the creation and transfer of digital data in construction projects. By consistently applying this process, the advantages of the method, such as increased planning security, transparency and efficiency, can be achieved in a cost-effective manner and with little risk. This final report also proposes to give the overall market sufficient advance notice of what to expect.
Planning and building are internationally recognised core competences in Germany. Every year, the German planning and construction industry proves that it can build efficiently and with high quality. Despite these competences, a number of major projects experienced delays and cost overruns. For this reason, the former Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development convened the Reform Commission for the Construction of Large-Scale Projects to counteract undesirable developments. In addition to numerous other recommendations, the Reform Commission emphasised in its final report that digital methods such as BIM bring great advantages and should therefore be used more intensively.
This phased plan (Stufenplan Digitales Planen und Bauen), initiated by the reform commission, defines a common understanding of the BIM method and specifies the requirements that the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure will place on digital models and collaborative work with BIM. The plan thus creates clarity for all those involved as to which future requirements they should be prepared for. At the same time, it gives everyone enough time to make the necessary changes by setting out the timeline for the phased adoption of BIM and the next steps that need to be taken to reach a ‘Level 1’ performance.
The primary audience of the phased plan are the public clients of infrastructure construction, who must demand a performance of ‘Level 1’ in their project awards, and the contractors, who are required to acquire the necessary knowledge if this is not already available. However other public and private clients can also benefit from this plan as a basis for the introduction of BIM.
The document is also available in English (Road Map for Digital Design and Construction) from here.
The German construction industry successfully implements many large construction projects worldwide every year. In recent years, however, there have been more and more national public debates about major projects that are not delivered on time or to budget. Therefore, in April 2013, the former Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development launched a reform commission to transform the construction of major projects. The commission presented recommendations for action in 2015, which included cost transparency, cost accuracy, efficiency and adherence to schedules for large projects in the hope that infrastructure construction can be improved. The Federal Government welcomed the fact that everyone involved in major projects was able to support the Reform Commission and was able to agree on further recommendations.
With these recommendations for action, the Reform Commission aims to provide inspiration for BIM adoption that can also be transferred to smaller projects in all federal states.
The Federal Government expects the private partners involved in major projects to fulfil their responsibilities in their area of expertise, in particular through practical partnership-based cooperation in all project phases. This will contribute to the successful implementation of the action plan and will establish a good reputation for the German construction and planning industry across the world.
Digital technologies can make a decisive contribution to cost truth, cost transparency, efficiency and adherence to deadlines. The better availability of data for all parties involved in the construction project ensures transparency and collaboration. Schedules, costs and risks can be determined more easily, earlier and more precisely, and completely controlled. The use of digital methods is therefore also a central demand of the Reform Commission for the Construction of Major Projects.
In order to help BIM achieve a breakthrough in Germany, the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure has presented a step-by-step plan for the introduction of BIM. It applies primarily to infrastructure construction and infrastructure-related building construction, but can also be used as a framework for other areas. The step-by-step plan is intended to lay the foundations for the gradual introduction of BIM in Germany.
