CPD 16 2025: Leveraging BIM for strategic advantage

BIM (Building Information Modelling) is reshaping the built environment sector, shifting from a technical add-on to an essential tool for decision-making and collaboration. For organisations that go further than surface-level adoption, BIM holds the key to strategic gains – from cutting waste and improving whole-life performance, to strengthening resilience across supply chains.

In this module, we examine how BIM can be fully embedded into business operations and aligned with strategic goals. We trace the global forces accelerating its adoption, uncover the opportunities it creates for transformation, and highlight certification pathways that help organisations prove and enhance their capability.

Learning objectives

• Understand how BIM supports strategic goals such as cost control, sustainability and efficiency.
• Explore the global trends and drivers accelerating BIM adoption.
• Identify the competitive advantages of embedding BIM across the value chain.

What is BIM?

Before we look at how BIM can be leveraged strategically, it helps to clarify what we mean by the term. BIM is often mistaken for a single piece of software, but in practice it is much more: a smarter, technology-enabled approach to designing, constructing and managing built assets. 

At its core, BIM relies on a shared digital representation of a physical asset. This malformation model, consisting of documentation, graphical and non-graphical data, becomes a live information hub that evolves over the asset’s lifecycle. Architects, designers, engineers, contractors and operators can all access and update the model through their respective software tools, creating a real-time workflow and consistent BIM processes that improves collaboration, minimises errors and reduces costly rework.

With cloud-based platforms, this collaboration extends seamlessly across disciplines and geographies. BIM ensures that the right data – accurate, timely and usable – is delivered in the right format to all parties involved in a construction project. Done well, it aligns diverse expertise without compromising health and safety or data security, laying the groundwork for better decision-making from design through to operation.

But BIM is not standing still. Innovators are continually expanding its scope, adding new dimensions that open further possibilities. Beyond the traditional 3D model, 4D BIM incorporates time, allowing teams to sequence activities and manage programmes more effectively. 5D BIM brings cost data into the model, enabling dynamic budgeting and more accurate forecasting. At the leading edge, 7D BIM supports whole-life asset management – from design and construction through operation, maintenance and eventual decommissioning.

In this way, BIM is more than today’s best practice; it is the foundation for how the built environment will be conceived, delivered and sustained in the years ahead.

BIM standards

For BIM to deliver on its promise of seamless collaboration, the flow of digital information needs to be consistent across different platforms, disciplines and geographies. That consistency is made possible through international standards – most notably, the ISO 19650 series, which sets out how information about built assets should be specified, produced, shared and managed.

The ISO 19650 framework is published in six parts:

• ISO 19650-1: establishes core concepts and principles for information management
• ISO 19650-2: focuses on the delivery phase of the assets, guiding collaboration and efficient workflow during construction
• ISO 19650-3: addresses the operational phase, ensuring assets can be managed effectively in use
• ISO 19650-4: defines the processes and criteria for reliable information exchange
• ISO 19650-5: sets out a security-minded approach to information management
• ISO 19650-6: covers health and safety, embedding it into digital workflows.

Together, these standards create a shared language for BIM. “BIM according to ISO 19650” not only defines the minimum requirements for processing and sharing data but also offers recommendations for best practice.

For organisations, compliance brings practical advantages. It removes barriers to collaboration, supports competitive tendering, and – crucially – acts as a kind of passport to international markets where BIM is increasingly written into contracts as a requirement. In short, ISO 19650 provides the common rulebook that makes global interoperability possible.

Advantages of BIM

BIM offers far more than digital convenience. By replacing multiple versions of documentation with a single, real-time model, it eliminates many of the errors and misinterpretations that used to plague projects. But the potential gains extend well beyond avoiding mistakes. BIM can significantly increase efficiency, reduce information retrieval delays, cut costs, improve sustainability performance – and ultimately give organisations a competitive edge.

How BIM can reduce costs

The faster, more efficient processes enabled by BIM can significantly boost productivity. Traditional processes often allow errors to surface only once construction is under way, leading to costly fixes, material waste and delays. By contrast, BIM detects clashes early, reducing expensive rework. It can also speed up requests for information and enables precise calculation of material requirements – removing the need to over-order “just in case”. 

These savings ripple through the project lifecycle:

• Finance teams gain more reliable cost estimates and suffer fewer forecasting errors. 
• Early alignment between stakeholders strengthens decision-making and minimises waste. 
• 4D BIM (which incorporates scheduling) helps sequence construction for smoother delivery. 
• Fewer disputes and claims means insurers increasingly view BIM projects as lower risk, which is often reflected in premiums. 

The benefits extend well beyond the build. Facilities managers can use BIM models to simulate energy use and optimise systems, while maintenance teams save time by knowing exactly where pipes, cables and materials are located. The result can be: decades of operational savings.

In short: BIM has the potential to pay for the initial investment in process changes and training many times over by boosting productivity, reducing risk and keeping projects moving forward with fewer delays. 

Research findings

While measurement of BIM’s full impact is still developing, early evidence is compelling. One recent academic review of case studies reported:

• Design errors down by 50%-60%
• Construction waste reduced by 4.3%-15.2%
• Rework costs cut by 40%-50%
• Design modifications reduced by 40%-50%
• Clashes reduced by 40%
• Time spent on cost estimation reduced by 80%
• Time spent on requests for information reduced by 80%
• Unbudgeted changes down by 37%-62%
• Work schedules shortened by 50%.

The researchers concluded: “BIM, despite requiring a slightly higher initial investment (0.2%-0.5% of the project budget), can reduce overall costs by 60% and project time by 50%.”

How BIM can help deliver sustainability

Cost is not the only driver. BIM is also a powerful enabler of sustainable construction – sometimes referred to as 6D BIM. By breaking down silos and promoting collaboration, it fosters the joined-up thinking essential for environmental performance.

Digital modelling also lets architects and engineers simulate how different design choices will impact material use, energy demand, embodied carbon and other aspects of environmental performance.

Cost savings generated by BIM can be reinvested in sustainable materials and methods, while the technology makes it easier to specify and procure environmentally friendly products and services and allows more accurate calculation of material requirements. 

At the same time, BIM streamlines the documentation required for green building certifications such as LEED, BREEAM and WELL, making compliance more straightforward and certification more attainable.

Across the value chain, BIM supports effective carbon reporting and promotes a shift in mindset from short-term costs to long-term sustainability. Its ability to track the entire lifecycle of a building also lays the foundation for innovations, such as digital twins and other IoT (internet of things)-driven solutions, which are set to revolutionise the efficient management of buildings.

In addition to all this, detailed BIM models can enable salvage, reuse, retrofit and recycling at the point of renovation or demolition. So BIM can not only reduce environmental impact during construction but also let buildings contribute to a more sustainable future long after completion.

BIM processes can even be applied retrospectively to existing structures. At Battersea Power Station, for example, digital models built from surveys and scans supported the landmark redevelopment.

Global trends driving BIM adoption

BIM’s rise has not happened in isolation. Its ability to bolster sustainable construction has emerged at exactly the moment governments are scrambling to meet climate targets. There is still much to be done on this front. The built environment is responsible for 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UN, making construction a central focus of decarbonisation strategies. Regulations and incentives are multiplying – but so are compliance costs. BIM helps offset these by enabling carbon modelling, energy simulations and accurate materials tracking, allowing organisations to stay ahead of tightening rules while containing the expense. 

Other powerful currents are accelerating BIM adoption worldwide. Rapid urbanisation means that by 2050 more than two- thirds of the global population will live in cities. To meet the demand for infrastructure and housing at scale, construction must become faster, smarter and less wasteful – an ambition BIM directly supports. At the same time, globalisation is reshaping projects: large schemes increasingly involve multinational teams. A shared data environment gives those teams a common language, reducing errors across borders.

Client expectations are also rising. Building owners and investors now demand predictability, lifecycle value and transparent reporting, particularly around risk and ESG reporting. BIM provides the data to meet these demands. Meanwhile, today’s tough financial climate – marked by volatile material prices, inflation and labour shortages – has put pressure on margins everywhere. The efficiencies BIM unlocks are no longer a bonus but a buffer against economic turbulence.

Technology itself is another driver. As AI, cloud computing, IoT and digital twins transform industry after industry, construction has been under pressure to catch up. BIM offers the sector an accessible entry point to this digital transformation and underpins the smart-city projects now proliferating internationally, from Dubai to South Korea. Alongside this, regulatory requirements are tightening: the UK and several other nations now mandate BIM for public infrastructure, with more expected to follow. And against the backdrop of climate change, biodiversity loss and the urgent need to abandon the “take-make-waste” linear model of resource use, BIM enables a more sustainable, circular approach to building.

For all these drivers, barriers remain. The upfront cost of BIM adoption can deter organisations, particularly smaller firms, and skilled professionals are in short supply. Some interoperability issues persist too, despite the progress made through international standards. Yet these hurdles increasingly look like short-term frictions rather than fundamental roadblocks.

The reality is that global technological, environmental and social trends are converging to make BIM not just a nice-to-have, but a must-have for organisational survival. In a sector under pressure to build more with less, enhanced BIM capability is becoming a potentially potent source of corporate resilience and competitive advantage.

BIM for business development

As governments worldwide tighten procurement rules, BIM capability is fast becoming a licence to compete. Public works and infrastructure projects in the UK, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Germany, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Brazil, Japan, Russia, Singapore, the UAE, Australia, France, Poland, Spain, the US, Lithuania, India and China now require or recommend BIM. For firms seeking international contracts, demonstrable BIM expertise is increasingly not just advantageous but essential. 

Yet compliance is only part of the story. By centralising accurate, real-time information on design, materials, costs and performance, BIM provides firms with a platform to demonstrate expertise and reliability in ways competitors cannot. It allows contractors and consultants to offer value-added services such as predictive maintenance, energy optimisation and lifecycle asset management – transforming one-off projects into ongoing partnerships and revenue streams. 

From a client’s perspective, BIM also changes the sales conversation. Data-driven visualisations, cost simulations and performance modelling make benefits tangible before work begins. Reduced errors and disputes further reinforce trust, strengthening relationships over time. 

Overall, BIM positions firms to innovate, build stronger client relationships and unlock new revenue streams, making it a powerful strategic tool for business growth.

Embedding BIM in the value chain

The strategic potential of BIM is only fully realised when it is woven through the entire value chain. Rather than treating data as a by-product of design, forward-looking firms see it as a valuable asset in its own right – fuel for better decisions at every stage of a building’s life. 

No longer just a tool for producing drawings or detecting clashes, at its most powerful, as we have seen, BIM can underpin value creation at every stage of an asset’s lifecycle. In concept and design, it can allow teams to simulate performance, sustainability and costs, testing different options before a single brick is laid. In procurement, it can integrate supply-chain data to deliver precise material orders, avoiding waste and reducing costs. During construction, it can drive efficiencies through scheduling, cost management and site co-ordination. Once assets are operational, facilities managers can use BIM as a “living manual” – a single, reliable source of truth for systems, upgrades and maintenance schedules. And then, at the end of the building’s life, BIM can act as a materials passport, enabling reuse, recycling and recovery, closing the loop for a circular economy.

Ultimately, BIM elevates data into a form of currency that flows across disciplines, projects and years. When information is accurate, standardised and trusted, it reduces disputes, strengthens collaboration and fosters long-term value creation. Embedded in this way, BIM is no longer just a design tool – it is the backbone of a more transparent, collaborative and resilient built environment. 

BIM training and certifications

No matter where an organisation is on its BIM journey, training and certification can accelerate adoption and prove competence to clients. Options range from introductory courses in BIM fundamentals to advanced qualifications aligned with ISO 19650. These programmes cater to different roles and responsibilities – from information managers and project leaders to facilities teams and software specialists. 

Independent verification provides a robust measure of a company’s delivery of BIM projects. It offers a credible benchmark of capability and is an excellent way to demonstrate BIM competence to potential clients and partners.

As the UK’s national standards body, BSI offers a structured suite of services and independently assessed certifications, including: 

• BIM certificate of conformity – for organisations beginning their BIM journey
• BIM gap assessment – identifying documentation and process gaps against ISO 19650
• BSI BIM kitemark – provides independent verification of a company’s BIM delivery, building on the requirements of the Code of Construction (CoC). It demonstrates BIM maturity and resilience across the value chain, giving clients and partners confidence in a company’s capability. By leveraging the kitemark – a globally recognised mark of trust – organisations can showcase their commitment to quality, consistency and best practice in BIM projects. 

Specialist BSI BIM kitemarks provide assurance in areas such as: 

• Design and construction (ISO 19650-1, -2)
• Asset management (ISO 19650-3, showing facilities managers are integrating BIM effectively)
• BIM objects (verifying digital products accurately reflect physical ones)
• Software (validating alignment with ISO 19650).

Securing such certifications within the ISO 19650 framework helps organisations embed good practice, strengthen internal processes and build the credibility needed to compete for high-value projects.

Case study: Ballast Nedam

Dutch contractor Ballast Nedam, with around 2,500 employees and a strong sustainability focus, sought the BSI BIM Kitemark for Design and Construction (ISO 19650 parts 1 and 2). Its aim was to boost transparency, efficiency and quality across its projects and processes. 

The results were tangible: BIM enabled earlier detection of design clashes, cutting down on problems during delivery and delivering significant time and cost savings. But the bigger shift was cultural. As Serkan Sen, the company’s head of BIM, explained: “Consciously looking at our processes, and how we can organise them more efficiently, is in our corporate DNA. We realised BIM is more about standardising processes than modelling. For these processes to be sustainable, it requires procedures and standards that are accepted and embedded throughout the company.”

For Ballast Nedam, certification was not just a badge – it became a catalyst for embedding BIM deeply into the organisation’s way of working.

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