by Brianna Crandall — November 8, 2013—The U.K.-based international Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has developed the first global building information modeling (BIM) Manager Certification in response to industry need for a universal standard by which to assess the skills of construction professionals in using BIM.
As BIM continues to dominate processes across the built environment, employers and clients are increasingly struggling to find industry-accepted criteria on which to base knowledge of practitioners’ BIM skills. Likewise, BIM-competent professionals lack a single indicator that will demonstrate their abilities to the sector. This has resulted in many different assessment methods being used across the industry, with little consistency or reliability for both companies and individuals.
The new BIM Manager Certification (paste this for information: http://www.rics.org/uk/join/member-accreditations-list/bim-manager-certification/) fills this gap by providing the industry with the first recognizable BIM standard from a global professional body. This will give assurance to contractors, consultants and investors that the professionals and firms delivering construction and infrastructure projects have the relevant knowledge, experience and skills to implement BIM at an industry-tested and approved level.
RICS says it is also planning a BIM Certification for Facilities Managers and Geomatics professionals. In addition, the organization is looking at the emerging effect of BIM on its traditional qualification routes, and will use feedback from the certification to inform this process.
Developed by RICS in collaboration with leading industry figures, the new certification will be open to quantity surveyors and construction professionals already working with BIM. Entrants will be assessed by a group of experts from across the industry and will benefit from the certification’s time-efficient route to recognition of their BIM skills by a leading global body.
All applicants must have:
- Five years of experience in a relevant sector, such as architecture, engineering or construction;
- MRICS, AssocRICS, any degree or a recognized professional qualification; and
- 12 months of practical BIM experience either in cost estimating or construction.
Candidates will need to provide a 2,000-word BIM case study detailing their personal involvement, capability, knowledge and understanding, as well as a critical reflection of the project. In addition, they must demonstrate their BIM skills across three core competencies, including BIM initiation, processes, and collaboration and integration, as well as in at least one of two optional competencies covering commercial and technical abilities. A detailed five-year CV (curriculum vitae) will also be required.
