Beyond Level 2 BIM, Web Portals and Collaboration Tools

Abstract

The UK government defines Level 2 Building Information Modelling (BIM) as collaborative use of a BIM process, not software per se, within the full design and construction team. They perceive the resulting âfederated single point of truth' as central in improving shared communication and consensus. The government will require all engaged in the design construction and management of publicly funded buildings and infrastructure to share that process by 2016. It is argued that it is not enough for all users to deploy focused BIM software, however adroitly. Broader construction information management visualisation and collaboration tools are needed, including web tools, applications, apps, and portals, benefiting from the extension of contemporary ICT through âWeb 2.0' and beyond. Projects are described that used database-driven collaborative web modelling of the built and natural environment with non-proprietary and software-independent forms of âmark-up' for collaboration and consensus building and architectural visualisation.