Spec Finish

Feature www.thefis.org 31 A new BIM toolbox developed by FIS should accelerate the sector’s digital progress. Mark Norton, Group BIM Director at ISG and Chair of the FIS Digital Construction Working Group that rewrote the toolbox reports. HOWTHE INTERIORS SECTOR IS PLANNING A DIGITAL REVOLUTION A S arguably one of the most time-poor parts of the construction process with staggeringly short notice of new work, how can the fit-out sector keep up with the push for BIM and digital adoption? In response to ISO 19650 and because BIM and digital construction has moved on so much since the toolbox was first published, the FIS has updated its 2016 BIM toolbox. While the sector is time-poor it has made great digital strides, I would say that BIM is on the up in the fit-out sector. Prior to the pandemic-enforced lockdown, FIS members’ demand for BIM training was strong and since its launch, the toolbox has been downloaded frequently. Required reading The 62-page toolbox should be required reading for all FIS members: • section A provides an introduction to BIM and considers the business case for its adoption; and • section B looks at the development of BIM capability, implementation of a BIM deployment plan and delivering on a BIM project. The toolbox also includes a glossary of the acronyms that dominate the BIM landscape. I think people look at BIM and may start to get worried; they’re thinking about hardware and software costs – it’s like an iceberg. It’s the training and cultural change, so the deployment of BIM is where you should be investing your time and money – and sometimes that’s the last thing to be considered, but it should be your primary driver. Adopting BIM is not a ‘one size fits all’ exercise, I have this conversation with a lot of people about how to start a BIM journey and it’s really what suits your organisation, and what you deliver. For example, we work with a lot of contractors of various disciplines, we had someone tiling the floors on a job and they asked what they should do about BIM. We answered: "We know you can lay that floor tile – we just need the data on the floor tile. So, fill out a spec sheet of what it is and how to get it in the future, and we’ll pass that on to the client." So, a data sheet was sufficient for that contractor. My advice to FIS members is to be agile and review things again and again. Developing the deployment plan and driving the adoption are crucial. Even at a business the size of ISG, BIM and digital construction is in a constant state of evolution, it’s been an educational process; we’re still learning from our clients and vice versa. There is almost a competitive edge among clients now, challenging each other and their supply chains to adhere ever closer to BIM best practice and to achieve greater results. They want their next project to be the best BIM project. We’ve just finished a project in the City and we had just one variation on site. One! Everything went smoothly, which is testament to all the hard work that the team put in at the beginning. Download the FIS BIMToolbox at: www.thefis.org/knowledge-hub/bim-toolbox Mark Norton Head of BIM for fit-out at ISG (Credit: Jon Challicom) This toolbox was developed by the FIS Digital ConstructionWorking Group. This Group (originally constituted as BIM4FitOut) was formed by FIS to address the impact of BIM on the fit out and finishes sector. A Government BIMTask Group partner, the group remit has expanded to support the sector supply chain is supported in assessing and adopting digital innovation.