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Cost management is one of the essential elements for a Building Information Modelling (BIM) project to be considered Level 2. From capital projects to procurement departments and facilities management teams, Local Authorities are preparing themselves for the new Government mandate for construction. By early April, the mandate prescribes the use of BIM at Level 2 on all centrally procured projects. Construction projects using Level 2 must exist in a 3D digital environment. This “common data environment” is a central software platform where the project team works together to develop the three dimensional model – a replica of the physical project – in advance of work carried out on site to work through issues such as coordination and simulate sequencing.

Integrating cost management from BIM will not only make a project Level 2 compliant, it brings about efficiencies and more informed decision making for clients so they have a greater grasp of the cost of the project and repercussions of any changes made.

For local authorities, with limited budgets this transparency is invaluable. Clarkson Alliance use Bidcon BIM, a product by Elecosoft UK- formerly Asta Development- to cost manage directly from BIM models to give the clarity required. Jason Ruddle, Managing Director of Elecosoft UK discusses how tighter control of costs can be achieved using BIM in January’s issue of Public Sector Build Journal.