BIM CREA 2021: A Landmark Event for BIM Adoption in Brazil’s AEC Sector

The AEC professionals who participated in the BIM CREA 2021 event, held in Florianópolis - the Brazilian Magic Island - were finally able to be #TOGETHERAGAIN. Focused on the theme “BIM from North to South”; the event, sponsored by Zigurat, highlighted cases that have adopted BIM during the lifecycle of their built assets, in Brazil and worldwide.

BIM's regulatory framework in Brazil (Decree 9,377/2018) boosted the market and accelerated successful initiatives in several Brazilian states. There is still room for progress, but it was exciting to glimpse the current scenario. Those were two days of complete immersion in positive results of the BIM concept. 

The work carried out in the reconstruction project of the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro, which, in a BIM workflow, applies techniques to capture reality with a laser scanner, performs detailed modeling of information in a three-dimensional environment and employs techniques of environmental assessment, demonstrates the potential of Brazilian qualified professionals that work in H-BIM projects. 

Conexão BIM The initiatives of the Fire Department in Curitiba demonstrate how, in the public sphere, BIM strengthens the precepts of accuracy, good application and transparency of information in the application of resources.The work done by technology developers focused on spreading interoperable information-sharing standards is fantastic. Features such as viewing, compliance checking, and editing IFC files in extremely user-friendly environments, and, at affordable prices, should drive BIM into small engineering offices. 

However, considering my experience of over 20 years making infrastructure projects viable, one case stood out: The work being carried out by the Department of Development and Urbanism of the City of Salvador/BA: the Metrópolis Platform, that aims to analyze regulatory compliance for architectural projects based on BIM technology. The submission of projects through the Metrópolis Platform is still optional and focused on complex and large projects, but the result obtained by those who adopted it was a significant reduction in the deadlines for project approval, which, of course, should increase the number of interested parties to follow the same path. 

The platform provides detailed material, with manuals, coding sheets, reference models, templates, and several tutorial videos, that guide entrepreneurs, designers, and builders through all stages, from submission to process approval. 

The system enables the verification and urban parameters checking, defined by legal norms directly in the IFC model, making the process more agile, impersonal, and transparent. The platform also provides an IFC 3D viewer that is integrated into the form and results in a clearer view of the model. The digitization of the process is complete. As the system is previously coded and parameterized, it is possible to pre-check the conformity during project preparation. 

The Salvador City Hall case is a great demonstration of how building information modeling can benefit the entire market and serve as a springboard for the creation of income and wealth. A project, when managed within the BIM concepts, is made viable quicker, which results in a real gain in the entire production chain, that is, directly, and indirectly, linked to the AEC market. In addition, the case encourages the use of BIM by entrepreneurs who are tired of spending years at the desks of secretariats, foundations, and institutes to approve their projects. 

Therefore, it is urgent to change the mindset of a large part of the investment market and public administrators. BIM requires even greater collaboration from everyone involved during the project design phase so that everything runs smoothly during the construction and operation of the assets. The numbers demonstrate that the long-term gains outweigh the early stage investments, and as such, the BIM CREA 2021 event was a great success. 

Congratulations to those involved! Edney Rodrigues de Farias. Alumni of the International Master in BIM Management for Infrastructure, Civil Engineering and GIS. Civil Engineer.