KUALA LUMPUR: The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) plans to compel construction firms to use three-dimensional (3D) building plans before the commencement of any construction work by 2019.

The board will present a detailed policy direction on the full implementation of the building information modelling (BIM) system — under which, such 3D plans will be created — at the upcoming launch of the Construction Industry Transformation Programme on Sept 10.

CIDB's information technology construction division senior manager Mohd Harris Mohd Ismail said the BIM system — which manages graphics and information that allow the automatic generation of drawings and reports, design analysis, schedule simulation and facilities management — can reduce errors and wastage.

“It saves money, resources, time, and increases productivity for organisations,” he told reporters yesterday, after CIDB handed out awards to construction firms that use the BIM system.

He said the BIM system, which is used widely internationally, has been proven to have zero rework and variation orders, or amendments to the original scope of work, as stipulated in the building contract.

In Malaysia, only about 5% to 10% of construction firms use the BIM model and one of the factors that causes the low rate of adoption is cost.

Mohd Harris said the licence for the BIM software costs RM24,000 each, while the cost of training personnel can be as high as RM8,000 per person.

However, he said the benefits of the BIM system outstrip the costs.

“Conventional construction planning will usually have 500 to 600 redundant works, which means that a construction project will have to be reworked, after constructions. It are these redundant works that cause all the delays and cost overruns,” he said.

For example, he said the National Cancer Institute, which was constructed using the BIM, was completed three weeks ahead of schedule.

Companies that are recognised for using the BIM system include Prestariang System Sdn Bhd, Matrix Trinity Technology & Creative Institute, Bina Initiatives Sdn Bhd, Ascension Technology Sdn Bhd, Bentley Systems (M) Sdn Bhd and Brunsfield Corp Sdn Bhd, as well as organisations and universities that are using the BIM system.

The awards were presented by Works Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Zohari Akob.

This article first appeared in digitaledge Daily, on September 8, 2015.