Europe is catching BIM fever, and part of the cure is Tocci.

Paul Morrell, Chief Construction Advisor of the UK’s Department for Business Innovation and Skills, wanted the leaders of the UK Construction Industry to hear from a company that is actually using BIM. So he asked our CEO, John Tocci to join the government’s presentation team for their annual Efficiency and Freeform Group Key Construction Suppliers Conference on April 4, 2011.

The Conference centered around significant cuts in the government’s construction budget with BIM as the leading remedy to reduce construction costs and waste that plague the industry. Among the leaders present at the conference were Ian Tyler, CEO of Balfour Beatty; Ray O’Rourke of Laing O’Rourke; Andrew Ridley-Barker from Vinci Construction UK; and John Jackson of Hochtief Group. In addition to Paul Morrell, the government’s keynote speaker was Mark Prisk, Minister of State for Business and Enterprise.

The UK, like the US, has a massive deficit to overcome, which leads to cutting costs. With about 10% of the UK budget devoted to construction, this line item is a major target. Morrell says about the cuts, ”they’re demanding a 20% reduction in construction costs. They know the inefficiency and waste is there to obtain it.” So the question of the day was: how do we build nearly the same amount with less money? Hint: the answer wasn’t elbow grease or perseverance or magic. It was BIM. Tocci talked about the difference that BIM has been making throughout the US and in Tocci Building Companies’ own practice through reducing construction time, waste, change orders, and other beasts of burden. He also ran through the benefits that include, but are certainly not limited to: improved safety, reducing cost while maintaining profit, and constructing buildings that actually work. Morrell said of the conference, “as far as the UK is concerned it will have been one of the most important [for the] development and adoption of BIM.”

The question of the day was: how do we build the same amount with less money? Hint: the answer wasn’t elbow grease or perseverance or magic. It was BIM.