BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING TRAINING OF QUANTITY SURVEYORS IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore the current BIM training landscape for Quantity Surveyors (QS) in Singapore, the possible deterrents that prevented QS from participating in Building Information Modelling (BIM) training and recommendations to encourage greater participation of QS in BIM training. The tight manpower constraints, fragmented nature of the construction industry that led to construction errors which in turn translate to efficiency loss and the low productivity rate in Singapore’s construction industry had brought about calls for the construction industry to revamp itself using technological tools such as BIM. However, there seemed to be a trend of hesitation and deliberation amongst private construction firms in terms of acknowledging the benefits of BIM training schemes which had affected the overall take-up rate of BIM skills development programs. Hence, surveys and interviews were carried out to look into the issue of BIM training for QS. It was gathered that none of the respondents’ firms had implemented BIM for cost estimating purposes and only a small percentage of the respondents had participated in BIM training previously. The lack of support from senior management was also the most cited reason for the lack of BIM training amongst the respondents. The wide selection of software available on the market, as discussed with the interviewees, implied that the firm had to spend precious time and resources to select the software that could best aligned to the firm’s needs before BIM training could commenced. Moreover, as model users, QS were not able to create BIM models and could conduct efficient take-off using software only after the BIM model was built accurately and access to the model was provided to the QS. Thus, the recommendations made to improve the training landscape in Singapore were to engage in a multi-pronged approach that included longer term funding from Building and Construction Authority (BCA), sharing of best practices, encouraging developers to mandate the use of BIM in projects and improving the current education system in order to catalyst the BIM training landscape. This would encourage industry players to take full advantage of this technological advancement and improve the productivity in Singapore’s construction industry.