Brazil has a reputation as an academic BIM centre – its universities are third behind the US and Sweden on publishing BIM-focused academic papers. In terms of practical applications, Brazil’s National Department of Transport Infrastructure is embracing BIM in the hope of making 30% cost savings. Schemes that could benefit include the 937km BR 040 highway linking Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro.
“Brazil is starting to get a grip on BIM,” says Teesside University professor Nashwan Dawood. “One of my colleagues [Mohamad Kassem] did a report on different BIM standards and protocols and the government is taking it forward to enable the adoption from a policy and strategic level. Brazil doesn’t have the same massive growth as in Qatar, but BIM is moving very fast.”
Mohamad Kassem, Teesside University
Kassem has worked with Brazilian professor Sergio Leusin, a consultant in BIM implementation in Brazil, to make recommendations for a strategy.
At the time of his appointment Kassem said: “Brazil is a massive economy and the country is undergoing a huge amount of construction work. Changes that result in efficiency savings, even small ones, have the potential to save the Brazilian economy billions of pounds... BIM can bring real benefits to the construction industry and there is a real momentum towards innovation in the industry and I hope my work can help improve BIM diffusion in Brazil.”
Elsewhere in Latin America, Panama’s ongoing project to add a new set of locks at either end of the Panama Canal has adopted BIM from start, and a new airport for Mexico City will also use it.