Building Information Modelling delivers major savings on Pan Borneo Highway

KUCHING: Building Information Modelling (BIM) saved about RM150 million and prevented over 3,000 design clashes on Sarawak’s Pan Borneo Highway.

Deputy Works Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan, said BIM involved a virtual or three-dimensional model that could be used in planning the construction of buildings, roads, highways and bridges.

“Despite its name referring to buildings, BIM could also be used for road and highway projects.”

He said this when met by the media during his visit to the myBIM Satellite Centre Kuching at CIDB Malaysia Sarawak here on Thursday (Sept. 17).

According to him, BIM offered five main benefits, beginning with its ability to identify clashes or errors in construction drawings.

He said the system also provided greater detail during the planning stage, allowing a project to be examined more closely.

“BIM could also speed up construction and help reduce extensions of time.

“When there are fewer clashes and construction can be carried out faster, it can directly reduce costs.”

Ahmad said another benefit was the detailed information BIM could provide for maintenance after a building or infrastructure project had been completed.

“However, the amount of money and time that could be saved through BIM would differ according to the project involved.”

He said conventional methods involving paper plans and drawings could also produce accurate results, although they would not necessarily be consistently accurate.

“The actual savings and number of design clashes avoided would depend on the individual project, as had been possible with the Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway.”