BIM Benchmark Survey 2021

This is the eighth survey in a series originally planned to total five, and is the longest longitudinal BIM use survey that we’re aware of in the world. Its objective is to follow progress being made in the use of BIM in New Zealand.

This series follows an industry control group (industry) of large and influential organisations in New Zealand’s built environment, allowing BIM’s use in construction to be tracked; and for the last five years we have also
carried out a client survey (client) which focuses on asset owners and managers to better understand the progress of BIM use in facilities and asset management. For the third year a survey of BIM use by subcontractors has also been carried out.

Our sincerest thanks go once again to our partner, EBOSS, for its investment in managing and sponsoring these surveys; to BRANZ for its continuing support of this survey; and to those organisations forming the industry, client and subcontractor survey groups. These surveys are critical in forming a comprehensive view of the progress of BIM's introduction and identifying barriers to its use, thereby also informing ongoing development of the BIM Handbook and other BAC responses.

These surveys have been carried out under the auspices of the BIM Acceleration Committee as part of its efforts to promote BIM use in New Zealand. After seven years we are now changing the way we approach this – the BAC will change its form with the bulk of its activities now being carried out under the BIMinNZ banner. These will include the BIM networks, the bi-annual BIMinNZ conference, any future surveysand maintaining and updating the BIM Handbook. Contact for BIMinNZ is via the existing BIMinNZ website and its Chair, Dennis Burns ([email protected]). NZIOB are supporting this initiative.

In the meantime, efforts are being made to form the Committee for Digital Engineering in New Zealand (CoDENZ) which will take a broader approach to the use of digital construction techniques. Support is being sought from a variety of industry and Government sponsors, with a view to this being the lead organisation in formulating a digital strategy for New Zealand’s built environment.

Looking back, the BIM Acceleration Committee is proud to have been involved in the widespread industry efforts that have seen BIM’s use on projects grow from 34% in 2014, to 70% in 2021. A very pleasing statistic!

My wholehearted and sincerest thanks go to all those who’ve served on the BAC over the past seven years and without whose dedication and commitment nothing we’ve achieved would have been possible. At the risk of embarrassing these worthy individuals I have taken the liberty of including a list of them in the report.

In the meantime, keep safe and we hope you have found these surveys of use and interest over the years.

Kind regards,

Andrew Reding
Chair, BIM Acceleration Committee