BIM implementation in large infrastructure projects. Client perspective on BIM drivers and challenges.

The Scotland branch were delighted to welcome Barry Gleeson to Edinburgh on 26 October 2017 to present to the branch and share his experience of implementing BIM.  The evening started with Barry providing a background to Network Rail and sharing facts and figures on the growth of the number of passenger journeys. 

The presentation covered the drivers and benefits of introducing BIM into an organisation whose average age of the assets is over 100 years old. The consequences of having poor information were reviewing including the frustration, amount of abortive works and reduced earning potential.

The evening finished with an overview of how BIM came about, the Governments BIM mandate, strategy and targets and an explanation of the different levels of BIM, including soft landings and implementing BIM to make it real.

The concluding word of advice from the evening was that “you can’t overtake until you catch up”.

About the presenter:

Barry Gleeson started his career as a setting out engineer following a degree in architecture, building and planning in London 1992. He started his own land surveying practice in 1995 and returned to London to complete an MSc in land surveying in 2003. Working for a UK SME in China, India, Mexico and Romania for the next four years he returned to the UK in 2007 to work for Gleeds a multi discipline consultancy in London as an associate director. He joined Network Rail as a geospatial asset data assurance manager (survey & utilities) on the £6bn Thameslink programme in 2009. This year he moved into infrastructure projects southern division to lead the roll out of BIM on major programmes such as Crossrail 2, Brighton mainline upgrade, Wessex capacity and early adopter projects in their £2bn capex programme.

Barry is currently Chair of the BIM4Rail group, and vice Chair of the Survey4BIM group, both aligned with the UK BIM alliance who have taken up the BIM Level 2 challenge from the Governments BIM task group.

Erin Slater, Secretary, Scotland Branch