A recent, still to be published survey shows some very interesting BIM usage stats:

• The percentage of companies using BIM  is now 71%, which is a jump when comparing previous statistics, with 17% in 2007 and 49% in 2009.
• More contractors (74%) are using BIM than architects (70%) for the first time.
• 49% of BIM users have five or more years experience using it.
• Almost 40% of BIM users are heavily committed to using BIM, doing over 60% of their work in BIM.

This new research conducted by McGraw-Hill Construction shows that there is a rapid increase of Building Information Modeling (BIM) usage by architects, engineers, contractors and owners in, you may have guessed –  North America.

But for us here in the UK, I find this interesting:

• With increased use, will BIM prove to be more attractive, and deliver more benefits to contractors than architects?
• With our current push on BIM with the 2016 target for level 2 BIM, could we see usage in the UK at a similar 71% level?
• By time we do get to 2016, we will have a good stock of experience of BIM users, ie those adopting BIM or BIM approaches now!
• As we move more to documentation systems and working in collaborative spaces, working predominantly within BIM’s could be the way we will work within AEC sector in the very near future