The ‘Digital Guidance Suite’, or DigiGuide, which includes a Value Case for digital first strategies and the New Zealand Handbook for Building Information Management (BIM) processes, has been released and is available to download. The documents in the DigiGuide suite will help those working in the built environment to get on the same page when it comes to digital.

The documents have come out of the ‘Digital BIM Guidance Project’ led by the New Zealand Institute of Building and the BIMinNZ Steering Group with input from a broad range of construction and infrastructure industry subject matter experts. This project was funded by the Construction Sector Accord through its Innovation workstream.

The DigiGuide suite includes:

• The Value Case for ‘digital first’ – it explains why a ‘digital first’ approach is needed now, what the benefits are of embracing digital, precedents from local and offshore source, practical tips for how to move organisations towards digital maturity, and consideration of what is holding us back from fully embracing ‘digital first’.
• The New Zealand BIM Handbook 2023 - is the fourth version of the NZ BIM Handbook (last updated in 2019). The current updates ensure the Handbook is current with the relevant international standards, considers industry led process changes, and includes new terminology.
• Updates to Appendices to the BIM Handbook - which includes a new Procurement Model Considerations appendix, plus other updated appendices and templates.

NZ Institute of Building Chief Executive Pamela Bell says, “This project is all about collaborating to create change and playing to our strengths working together across the construction and infrastructure industry. We have key subject matter experts, passionate dedicated people and focused support from government. As a pan-industry membership association, the Institute is well placed to help enable this change.”

On Wednesday 29 November, a webinar hosted by the Institute was held to launch the documents. Project subject matter leads Andrew Field, Glenn Jowett and Melanie Tristram led the discussion and answered questions from the 200 plus attendees.

Deputy Chair of the BIMinNZ Steering Group Andrew Field says, “It was fantastic to see such a high level of interest and engagement from the broader construction and infrastructure industry at the launch webinar. The main goal of this DigiGuide project has been to get everyone in Aotearoa on the same page when it comes to digital first and BIM.”

Andrew adds, “We want to see the sector become a place where its people and businesses thrive, projects are delivered safely and confidently, and emerging talent is encouraged to participate in the sector by filling exciting, inclusive, digitally-enabled roles. This DigiGuide suite is a significant step towards reaching these goals.”

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