Ten years have passed since the UK’s BIM Level 2 mandate came into effect, marking a turning point in BIM adoption across the construction industry
Since then, expectations for BIM in the construction industry have continued to evolve. For example, in 2024, the UK BIM Framework was rebranded and expanded as the Information Management Initiative (IMI) Framework, signalling another industry shift from BIM adoption to a broader focus on information management across the built asset lifecycle.
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors is calling for industry professionals to bridge the gap between modelling tools and project information in the ever-evolving landscape.
The shift from BIM to information management in construction
The RICS Certificate in Information Management Using BIM course has been comprehensively overhauled to reflect the industry’s shift toward Information Management.
It has evolved from the earlier ‘Certificate in Building Information Modelling’ to better align with guidance such as the IMI Framework and to incorporate real-world workflows from complex, large-scale infrastructure and real estate projects.
Michael Dougan, senior consultant at Turner and Townsend and RICS course trainer, explained: “For years, the term BIM insinuated to clients, consultants and facilities managers that we were talking about 3D design models. That has changed.
“We now see the industry shifting to information management, which concerns the way we ask for, plan for, deliver and manage project and asset information.”
Developing the overarching skills and practices that support BIM
The industry is undergoing a fundamental shift in how we manage design, construction, and operational data.
BIM adoption and the subsequent shift to IM are not developments that exist in a vacuum. The past decade has seen rapid reshaping of practices across the industry.
Those who strive to maintain relevant skills and an understanding of how information management connects to technologies reshape our understanding of construction and assets day by day.
The future of information management in 2026 and beyond
Issues of information Management will take centre stage at RICS’ UK & I QS & Construction Conference in October.
When experts gather to discuss BIM in construction, the focus will be on the departure from a BIM‑centric mindset towards a broader, more strategic approach to information management.
It’ll also highlight the wider impacts of better data, from reducing insurance risk to improving decision‑making in building surveying, and discuss the growing economic value being placed on data across the construction sector.
With quantity surveyors increasingly central to this evolution, the session will outline the cultural, technical and process changes needed to unlock the full benefits of digital transformation.
In an environment where digital advances are rapidly transforming processes across the built environment, this specialism will be critical.
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