The development of national BIM standards holds significant importance for the construction industry:
Firstly, national BIM standards address the current gap in relevant regulations within China. BIM technology is a key driver for technological advancement in the construction sector and will have a global impact on China’s industry. Establishing national BIM standards is strategically important to guide and influence the application of BIM technology towards standardization and consistency.
Secondly, these standards improve industry productivity. At present, the absence of national BIM application standards means that three-dimensional or four-dimensional digital outputs based on information technology lack formal recognition. Only traditional two-dimensional engineering drawings and flat technical documents are officially accepted and legally enforceable. Even if a design firm completes all necessary construction information through BIM and the construction team has the capability to work directly from BIM data, current regulations require the delivery of 2D drawings. According to Leg and Leg Teaching Network, no BIM software currently generates 2D drawings from models that meet delivery requirements directly. As a result, design teams must invest significant effort converting 3D BIM models into 2D drawings or documents.
This situation forces a less efficient workflow: instead of a streamlined “3D design, 3D model delivery, and construction” process, the industry must follow a “3D design, 3D model, 2D drawing, and construction” sequence due to the lack of BIM application standards.
Clearly, this extra step of converting to 2D drawings creates additional workload for architects and engineers, who spend considerable time on drawing revisions, verification, and related tasks. This wastes resources, extends project timelines, and reduces overall efficiency. Projects involving complex geometries that are difficult to represent in 2D experience even greater challenges, further decreasing productivity and sometimes making completion difficult.
Thirdly, national BIM standards are essential to meet the evolving needs of BIM technology. BIM models contain extensive building-related information stored in database form. To serve all stakeholders effectively, these databases require frequent and seamless data exchange. According to Leg and Leg Teaching Network, BIM technology demands the delivery of 3D or 4D simulation models, whose data volume, quality, and scalability cannot be achieved through traditional flat delivery formats. Therefore, developing standards that align with BIM’s technical requirements is vital to support and advance industry development.
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