BIM
Unlocking the golden thread Paul Thompson discusses BIM software and how it is the key to the golden thread between door design, construction, and compliance
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wareness and usage of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has accelerated dramatically in recent years. Research shows that the adoption of BIM has risen from 13 percent in 2011 to 71 percent in 20211, with another quarter planning to implement it within the next five years. BIM is revolutionising the way we build, providing the tools needed for more efficient planning, design and building processes. As adoption has increased, the technology has also developed to support the evolving needs of the industry, with platforms now more sophisticated than ever before.
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The evolution of BIM technology has coincided with the tightening of building regulations, with emphasis placed on the ‘golden thread’ approach outlined by Dame Judith Hackett in her report, ‘Building a safer future’. She recommends the introduction of a ‘golden thread’ as a tool to manage buildings as holistic systems, and allow people to use information to safely and effectively design, construct and operate their buildings. Essentially, the ‘golden thread’ is both the information that allows you to understand a building, and the steps needed to keep both the building and people safe, now and in the future. The third and latest update to the ‘Building a safer future’ report evaluated the progress made
by the built environment industry towards achieving positive changes in culture. It concluded that meaningful, lasting change requires visible leadership and collaboration, with transparency and responsibility central to all decision-making. BIM has the ability to create greater transparency and produce this ‘golden thread’ of information, allowing building elements such as doorsets to be managed through a single platform - from specification to installation and ongoing inspection. BIM applications also help to lock in positive behaviours from the very start of a project and support an increase in trust and confidence that safety is paramount throughout a building’s specification, construction and maintenance.
