With the arrival of the information age, the world has slowly moved towards interconnectivity and globalization. For engineers, architects and designers, globalization has accelerated the development of building information modelling services and the computer aided design community.

Earlier this year, the United Kingdom took the bold step of ensuring that all centrally procured construction projects must be delivered using BIM. Other regions are also set to integrate BIM in their official construction operations. This is to ensure that everyone working on a government project can manage and also have access to all the necessary data they require from one platform or portal. Thereby creating a specialized internet of things for users of computer aided design tools.

It is important for engineers, architects, graphic designers and all CAD users, that we do not view BIM as just something extra which should be integrated into design processes but to view it as a more advanced and far better way to produce, manage, share information and collaborate on mutual projects... And this is where Employers Information Requirements (EIR) come in.

Imagine looking for information on the internet without the help of a search engine to filter irrelevant information to your query. The result would be wasted man-hours due to the unmanageable amount of information in the internet. Like search engines, EIR serves as a filter to accomplishes similar tasks for the BIM ecosystem.

Employers Information Requirements is a document that contains clear instructions about the project to be executed. The EIR provides a clear picture to bidders as well as construction teams on the models that are required and the purpose of each model to the entire project. It also includes data which clearly define the information of the model been built, the process for information development, project management and delivery deadlines during the project's design stages. In other words, EIR provides both parties—the constructing team and its client—with enough information to either answer a request for proposals/tenders or on how the constructor plans to meet project deadlines. EIR also serve in a regulatory role for it ensures that information is provided and made available to all parties involved where and when requested.

EIR also provides employers with information as well as realistic 3D simulations on the cause and effect of external forces—wind, rain, thunder etc.—on a proposed structure. And why certain structures will have to be built to mitigate risks. This information will enable the employer understand design decisions in order to plan their staffing requirements. These are the most important reasons while the UK government, as clients, demand the standardized use of BIM by its contractors and sub-contractors, in order to fully understand the costs of designing and building every construction project undertaken under its domain.

The Benefits of Integrating EIR in BIM for Employers

The ability to view information and design specifics in a realistic 3 dimensional digital environment provides employers and clients with insight into what designs are been proposed, how designs function and how construction will take-off in real-time. This allows stakeholders make better decisions and truly understand the cost incurred and the construction efforts that each stage requires.

Benefits of Integrating EIR in BIM for Employees

For BIM service providers, the benefits of integrating EIRs are geared towards mitigating risks, eliminating errors and optimizing productivity. This makes it a much more important document for employees than employers. The EIR document provides a clear picture on the scope of work needed for the execution of a project. It contains all the necessary information a construction firm will require to cover a project's entire scope of work.

Integrating the EIR in a BIM workspace creates an enabling environment for everyone - engineers, architects, project manager, etc."It is expected to help the United Kingdom as well as other part of Europe standardize and sanitize its construction industry with a view to avoiding wastage and maximizing available resources."

 About the author

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Disclaimer – This is a guest blog written by a third party. This article does not represent the views or opinions of Calco Services Ltd.