Building sciences practitioners in the United States are looking to the United Kingdom for guidance as they develop a national building information management (BIM) program aligned with international standards. The Centre for Digital Built Britain (CDBB) has agreed to work collaboratively with U.S. National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) to adapt the UK BIM program’s models and materials for U.S. application.

As part of the memorandum of understanding for the two-year project, public and private sector stakeholders in both countries are also encouraged to exchange input and consider the economic development and trade possibilities flowing from an international digital construction sector. A U.S. standard aligned with the international standard, BIM-ISO19650, is seen as a roadmap for that process.

“The mission of the U.S. national BIM program is to convene industry stakeholders to lead the development and broad deployment of next-generation national information management standards and practices focused on significantly improving the built environment delivery and operation processes,” affirms Lakisha Woods, president and chief executive officer of NIBS.

“The creation of a U.S. national BIM program aligned to international standards marks a major step forward for the global construction sector,” concurs Fergus Harradence, deputy director, construction, in the UK’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. “We are delighted to be collaborating with the U.S. to share the learnings from our UK BIM program.”