Exploring BIM Levels & Their Value in Construction Projects 

Building information modeling (BIM) has become one of the most powerful tools for boosting collaboration and productivity in construction projects. Gone are the days of scribbling architectural ideas on napkins. Today, it is all about 3D modeling, data integration, and technology to improve how projects are designed, managed, and operated.

The benefits of BIM are many, including increased accuracy, productivity, collaboration, risk and safety management, and much more. However, with benefits and power comes challenges, especially when understanding how BIM works and how to integrate it into existing workflows.

To do so, the industry has developed a range of frameworks and standards to help companies in the building industry understand how they should carry out BIM construction management strategies to achieve maximum success. One of those is BIM levels. This standard, mainly used in the UK, defines the level of collaboration within construction projects, showing how “mature” the BIM workflow is.

Keep reading to learn everything about BIM levels and how its usage has evolved over the years!

What are BIM Maturity Levels?

BIM maturity levels represent the extent of collaboration and data integration within a construction project. The levels go from 0 to 3 and beyond, with each level being a step towards achieving complete collaboration and integration of all project elements and stakeholders.

The relevancy of BIM levels grew exponentially in 2011 when the UK’s “Government Construction Strategy” deemed it mandatory for all centrally procured public projects to comply with BIM level 2 from April 2016. This initiative aimed at driving BIM adoption and increasing construction projects’ efficiency, collaboration, and data management to make them the most time- and cost-effective.

To comply with BIM level 2, companies in the UK had to adhere to various standards and regulations, including:

• BS 1192 establishes methodologies to manage the quality and distribution of construction information through a common data environment with clear roles and responsibilities. It also set common methodologies to name, classify, and exchange data.
• PAS 1192 is a series of six publicly available specification documents containing information and best practices for achieving BIM Level 2 collaboration in the construction and operational phases and ensuring security when using BIM, among other things.

BIM Maturity Levels vs. BIM Dimensions vs. Levels of Design

Throughout the history of BIM, many concepts and systems have been developed to explain and manage it correctly, including BIM levels, BIM dimensions, and the BIM levels of development or design. While these concepts might sound similar and crossover in some ways, they all describe different aspects and capabilities of a BIM model, which we explore below:

• As mentioned above, BIM levels describe the level of collaboration between the different stakeholders and the level of data integration.
• BIM dimensions refer to the various levels of information that can be integrated into a 3D model. These are 3D BIM (geometry), 4D BIM (time), 5D BIM (costs), and 6D BIM (sustainability), with some companies using up to 9D BIM. 
• BIM levels of development (LOD) refer to the degree of accuracy, reliability, and completeness of the information contained in the model. LOD ranges from 100 to 500, with 100 being the basic design and geometry and 500 being the complete as-built model.

In short, levels describe collaboration, dimensions describe data types, and LOD describes the granularity of the data contained in the model. 

BIM Levels Explained

Now that you understand BIM levels and how they differ from other standards, let’s explore each in more detail. As mentioned earlier, with each level increase, the collaboration and integration are higher.

It is important to note that performing a BIM maturity level assessment is a challenging task. One of the biggest challenges is the potential for biases influencing the analysis result. That is why it is recommended that companies follow the BIM maturity matrix instead of carrying out a self-assessment. It helps to accurately measure the capabilities and current state of a company’s processes.

BIM Level 0

As its name suggests, BIM level 0 means zero collaboration efforts in the project. It involves using 2D CAD drafting for Production Information purposes and paper-based distribution methods. This is the most outdated level and is rarely used by companies anymore.

BIM Level 1  

BIM level 1 starts introducing a more modern approach. All conceptual work is now 3D, with statutory approval documentation and Production Information still managed using 2D CAD. A common data environment (CDE) is implemented to share information electronically and is usually handled by the contractor. Some interdisciplinary siloes are still identified as each discipline publishes and maintains its data, which is why this level is also called “lonely BIM.” 

Companies looking to reach level 1 compliance should define clear roles and responsibilities, set standard naming conventions, perform spatial coordination, and set up a data hierarchy system to support the CDE, among other things.

BIM Level 2

BIM level 2 is where collaboration starts to kick in. Each discipline still has its own 3D model; however, it must be exported in the same file format, such as IFC or COBie, so that any other team can integrate it with its own data and generate a federated BIM model. This means each discipline must use software that can export in the agreed file format to allow for collaboration. To make the process as smooth as possible and ensure everyone is on the same page, a BIM execution plan (BEP) should be developed to have a clear implementation roadmap.

BIM Level 3

In contrast to level 1, known as lonely BIM, level 3 is open or integrated BIM (iBIM), the pinnacle of collaboration and integration. At this level, BIM managers, with the help of software, generate a single shared model available to all disciplines and stakeholders. The model can include various dimensions of data related to schedules, budgets, sustainability, facility management, and much more, and allows for simulations and testing to ensure all risks are identified early and all decisions are backed with data. This level of accessibility and collaboration eliminates the risk of conflicting or outdated data, ensuring projects are managed more effectively and productively.   

BIM Level 4

Levels 1 and 2 of BIM are about designing and creating the model, while level 3 is about integrating all project data to complete the digital lifecycle. BIM level 4 aims to go one step further, focusing on health and safety for improved social outcomes. It is the most mature level of all, using technologies like automation, generative design, and advanced data analytics to optimize the entire lifecycle of a project. That said, the concept is far too new, and there is still too little information about it to consider it a reality.

BIM Maturity Levels vs. ISO Standards

As mentioned earlier, BIM maturity levels are primarily relevant in the UK. However, in 2018, to promote a unified global approach to BIM, the British Standards Institution (BSI), the Centre for Digital Built Britain (CDBB), and the UK BIM Alliance introduced the “UK BIM Framework,” based on the ISO 19650 from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

ISO 19650 builds upon the same principles and concepts of BS 1192 and PAS 1192, extending it to an international level to achieve global standardization and collaboration throughout the entire lifecycle of a BIM project. In contrast to the 1192 standards, ISO 19650 introduced new terminologies and clearer instructions to ensure it can be adopted globally.

The new ISO standards are a natural evolution as the need to use BIM internationally increases. With companies working with teams from different countries and methods, the ISO standards help standardize the process, ensuring a simplified and common approach that immediately reflects efficiency.

As of today, ISO 19650 has five parts. Part 1 discusses concepts and principles; Part 2 describes the delivery phase of the assets; Part 3 describes the operational phase; Part 4 discusses the collaborative production of information; and lastly, part 5 the asset information requirements (AIR). Together, these five parts offer a comprehensive and complete framework to manage the entire lifecycle of BIM projects.

Final Thoughts

As you’ve learned throughout this post, the potential of BIM is unmatched. If used properly, it can boost collaboration and efficiency in construction projects to skyrocket their success. That is why BIM levels and standards like ISO 19650 are so important; they help companies adopt the technology in a way that will truly benefit them.

In that sense, investing in the right BIM management software is fundamental to ensure a collaborative and successful approach. At RIB Software, we offer multiple products, including RIB CostX BIM estimating software, that support and enhance the use of BIM to improve estimating, scheduling, construction, and much more. If you want to test the power of state-of-the-art construction technology, get your free demo of RIB’s toolkit today!