GSA to Require BIM for Select Projects

Following up on my last post about BIM, the General Services Administration has announced that it will require new buildings designed through its Public Buildings Service to employ BIM during the design phase.

“We are making this fiscal ’07 requirement as a minimum requirement,” said Calvin Kam, GSA’s BIM project manager. “We are encouraging [people], project by project, to go over and above the minimum.”

GSA is just dipping its toe into the water, said Deke Smith, chairman of the National BIM Standard Project Committee. “Where they’re now requiring BIM is on space planning,” Smith said. “It’s only a piece of what BIM could be, even for a new building. It’s a very small first step. The long-range benefits are just huge.” GSA’s Office of the Chief Architect began working with BIM in 2003 and has completed 10 pilot projects, with 25 more under way, said Charles Matta, director of the Center for Federal Buildings and Modernizations.  

As I said in my last post, this is merely the tip of the BIM iceberg, and it will be interesting to see if 2007 brings more BIM mandates from other sectors of the industry.

• GSA Mandates Building Information Modeling (FCW.com)

Happy Thanksgiving!