CIC BIM Protocol
Building Information Modelling (BIM) Protocol is a contract document, or in better words, an amendment to contract which takes precedence over existing agreements. It is a standard protocol produced by Construction Industry Council (CIC) UK with the support from BIM Task Group for the use in projects implemented with BIM. The document can be downloaded free from CIC Publications Page.
CIC BIM Protocol should not be confused with AEC (UK) BIM Protocols. They address a different perspective of BIM implementation. A good description on AEC (UK) BIM Protocols is found here. To avoid confusion, I would use the term “CIC BIM Protocol” to identify the protocol I discuss here.
CIC is a supplementary legal agreement by means of a simple amendment to be incorporated in to regular contracts of professional service and construction. The amendment creates additional rights and obligations for the client and contracted parties. However, this does not create additional liabilities between two different contractors. Thus, it doesn’t make contract administration complex. General principles adoption in drafting of the protocol has been mentioned as below.
Building Information Modelling, or BIM, is a smart choice for recording different information about a building; and is increasingly being adopted in building projects in many parts of the world. The level of success achieved by adopting BIM is affected by many factors. The nature of the procurement arrangement used is one of the critical factors affecting the success of BIM adoption.
Following the issuance of BIM Level 2 by 2016 mandate in 2011, the United Kingdom developed standards, procedures and protocols to address almost all aspects of BIM implementations. Key developments were popularly known as 7 pillars of BIM (or BIM wisdom). With the addition of information security standards, they are now called 8 pillars. These provide comprehensive guide for proper BIM adoption also for us. It is necessary we read all these primarily to understand what role each of us have to play in a BIM implementation. Further, it is necessary to clearly understand what role others play as BIM implementation is a highly collaborative effort.
Building Information Modelling (BIM) is an important component in sustainable procurement strategies. With the rise in popularity, it is gaining the potential to be industry standard for building projects. By taking the digital design data to a new level, BIM promotes better integration and optimum use of resources for the sustainability in all aspects of construction.