Implementing Decree 15/2021/ND-CP issued by the Government on the management of construction investment projects, encouraging the application of the building information modeling ("BIM") in construction activities and project operation management, on March 17, 2023, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 258/QD-TTg approving the schedule for applying BIM in construction activities (“Decision 258”)
1. What is BIM?
a. Definition: BIM is abbreviation for “Building Information Modeling”. BIM can be understood as “the use of advances in information technology to digitize the information of constructions, it expressed through three-dimensional (3D) models to support the process of design, construction, management, and operation of the project”[1].
b. BIM must be represented as a file. Depending on the requirement of the job, the BIM file must express a number of minimum requirements including:
- Expressing the architecture of the building, the main dimensions;
- Three-dimensional spatial shape, the main structure of building;
- Systems of air-conditioning, ventilation, water supply and drainage;
- Some drawings of detailed parts in the form of two-dimensional space are intended to supplement information.
In addition, BIM files must ensure that drawings, the main volume of construction parts must be extracted from BIM files.
c. For projects and construction works that are required to apply BIM, BIM file is a part of construction design dossiers and construction completion dossiers (along with other types of documents as prescribed).
d. From 2023, for BIM constructions, the competent authorities will use BIM in order to support the process of appraising feasibility study reports, appraising construction designs implemented after basic design, granting construction licensing, and inspecting the completed work.
2. Schedule of the compulsory application of BIM for construction investment projects
a. For the new construction investment projects using public investment, foreign state investment and investment in the mode of public-private partnership:
- Applicable to the constructions of Grade I and Special Grade from 2023;
- Applicable to the constructions of over Grade II from 2025.
b. For the new construction investment projects using other capital:
- Applicable to the constructions of Grade I and Special Grade from 2024;
- Applicable to the constructions of over Grade II from 2026.
c. The content of application and the level of detail of the BIM model shall be decided by the investor.
3. Encouraging the application of BIM earlier than the deadline of the schedule
Ministries and Provincial People's Committees shall formulate and promulgate the policies for encouraging the application of BIM in the fields and scope of management in accordance with your own competence.
Decision 258 takes effect from March 17, 2023.
[1] General guidance document on application of building information modeling (BIM) issued under Decision 348/QD-BXD dated April 02, 2021, issued by the Minister of Construction.
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