Embedding BIM in our procurement frameworks

At SCAPE, we are proud to launch an enhanced BIM (Building Information Management) offer through our national construction frameworks.

Our new approach to BIM has been the result of 12 months of intensive collaboration between our SCAPE construction partners, bringing some of the best digital construction minds in the sector together to deliver on one aim; to make the benefits of BIM easier to access for users of our construction frameworks.

The increasing digitisation of the design and construction process is providing all project stakeholders with improved productivity – reducing risks and improving programme and cost predictability. These are well publicised benefits of BIM, and clients who use the SCAPE frameworks already benefit from these methods.

BIM, Net Zero and Social Value are key performance benchmarks for our framework partners and are critical to successful project delivery.

For many clients, the greatest benefits of BIM are yet to be realised.

Our new BIM offer is designed to help unlock this added value by using the simple Method of Specifying document. The additional benefits include:

• Enabling compliance with the Building Safety Act – providing the “golden thread” of data required to demonstrate you are planning for the safe use of your assets; ensuring product safety data, method of construction evidence and the required maintenance obligations are all captured and made available during, and at the end of the construction process.
• Cutting carbon – getting the most from our early contractor involvement approach, using digital methods to support the process of whole building lifecycle carbon assessments, during the early stages of design and option evaluation, considering construction methods and products to be used.
• Delivering future operational efficiency- by planning how you will use information about your building in the future, your project can be the key to unlock significant future savings of time and cost during maintenance activities.

We’ve developed a simple Method of Specifying document which guides you through the process of accessing the BIM support available from our construction framework partners. There are two simple steps:

Whether you intend achieve regulatory compliance with the Building Safety Act, or just adopt BIM in pursuit of best practice, we offer a solution that meets the requirements of the ISO 19650-2 standard. This can be achieved and supported whether your project is being delivered through a design and build approach, or a more traditional client or consultant-led design.

If your project is very low complexity, or you have a specific reason not to make use of the BIM standard, then our framework also offers a cost and time effective opt out; particularly helpful for small works and fabric maintenance activities.

With the BIM project scope identified, the level of support to be provided by the framework contractor is then resolved. Generally, this process is about agreeing whether the contractor is the Lead Appointed Party (taking responsibility for delivering the project information outputs) or just a contributor (typically used if you have a consultant designer).

Uniquely, if the contractor is leading on design, and due to our direct award procurement approach, we can offer a “client-side” support service, with the contractor assisting you to develop your asset information requirements. This is vital if you are seeking to deliver the benefits we have identified and are at an early stage of your journey towards becoming a digital construction client!

Our new BIM offer is the latest in several initiatives and innovations that further increase the quality and value we provide. Our frameworks offer market-leading routes to net zero, social value delivery and the digitisation of construction to help clients deliver legislative compliance and better, more cost effective, value-driven projects.