Canada Building Information Modeling Council to focus on collaboration and communication

The Canada BIM Council (CanBIM) is gearing up for a busy year ahead as it strives to deliver "timely, non-proprietary, relevant and accurate" information, programs and services to its members.

CanBIM president Paul Loreto of London Ont. said that key initiatives on the council’s slate include engaging the membership through regional seminars focused on collaboration and communication in Building Information Modeling (BIM) and outreach to other organizations with a stake in BIM.

That list includes the Institute for Building Information Modeling in Canada, as well as some international organizations.

CanBIM last year forged a relationship with the buildingSMART alliance of the United States.

The council currently is providing input into development of Version 2 of the National BIM Standard-U.S., a “consensus” standard being written by a team of industry experts drawn from all sectors of the construction industry.

Loreto, president of L360 Architecture, said entering into co-operative arrangements with regional, national and international industry associations is a top priority, in order to add new dimensions to development of a strong Canadian BIM community.

He said ramping up membership is also on the agenda.

CanBIM currently has about 40 members, representing a broad cross-section of industry practitioners, among them architectural, engineering and construction firms.

It recently held its first regional seminar in Toronto.

Loreto said that hosting the event was important, both for the council and its nine-person management team. Additional seminars are being planned across the country.

Other accomplishments of the past year included the launch of an interactive website, establishment of technical, research and education and marketing and communications committees as well as a speakers’ bureau.

In the coming months, CanBIM is looking to build hosting modules on its website for case studies, white papers and educational resources.

Keeping pace with the demand for development and publication of white papers, guidelines and research papers is one of the challenges facing the council, said Loreto.