KUALA LUMPUR: The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) is mulling making it mandatory for builders to submit three-dimensional (3D) models of buildings before construction works started.
The mandatory use of the Building Information Modeling (BIM) was among the long-term plans for the industry, said CIDB chief executive Datuk Seri Dr Judin Abdul Karim.
“This is something that is gaining popularity, especially in the more developed countries, and some are making it mandatory.
“If you use BIM, you basically model the building before you build it. Then there will be less mistakes at the site.
“We are thinking of how to make (BIM) used more in the industry, and in the future, possibly making it mandatory,” he said during an interview.
Judin said the Government was already making BIM a requirement for some big projects in the country.
“If you look at our industry, many start construction and then have to hack it and rebuild because, for example, the pipes do not fit through.
“If you are able to model it first and make sure everything is in order, then when you build, there is less chance of making mistakes,” he said.
There was a lot of wastage when mistakes were made during the construction process and using BIM had proven to be cost-saving, he said.
However, the cost of purchasing the software was high and skilled workers were needed to operate it, he added.
He said CIDB was in discussions with the Master Builders and the Association of Architects about the possibility of investing in a BIM centre.
BIM will be among the major issues discussed during the upcoming International Construction Week 2015 (ICW 2015).
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