Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
The BIM London conference showed how quickly building information modelling was expanding beyond 3D design into standards, operational asset data, infrastructure, housing and automation. Digital World: BIM, held in central London in September 2019 and organised by BSI Group, brought more than 100 attendees and speakers together for a one-day discussion. John Tobin’s 2020 account presents a practitioner’s view of that event—not a measured survey of national BIM adoption.
The most useful conclusion is that the UK conversation, as Tobin experienced it, was being shaped by a central government mandate, ISO 19650, lifecycle information and digital-twin thinking. The event also exposed an unresolved international problem: teams need shared information-management principles, but still work with regional classifications, procurement rules and standards-access arrangements.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesWhat was the BIM London event, and what did it actually show?
Digital World: BIM was a broad professional forum rather than a software launch or single-product showcase. BSI Group organised the event in central London in late September 2019, and Building Design + Construction published John Tobin’s recap on February 5, 2020. Tobin describes more than 100 attendees and speakers, with sessions linking structured data, standards, blockchain, generative design, infrastructure, housing, shipbuilding, training and operations.
That breadth matters. The agenda treated BIM as an information-management question across a built asset’s life, not simply as a way to coordinate design models. Presentations moved from data structures and international standards in the morning to transport, precision-manufactured housing and construction platforms in the afternoon. Tobin’s comparisons between Britain and the United States are his impressions from the conference and his professional experience; they are not independently measured market statistics.
Popular on Amazon
- Ergonomically Designed: Work in tight areas with a compact design that gets into tough spots
- Both tools are designed to fit into difficult to reach spaces
- Complete a wide range of applications with a high-performance motor that delivers up to 300 UWO, and an impact driver delivering up to 1,400 in-lbs of torque
- Both the DEWALT impact driver and drill driver feature integrated LED work lights with a convenient 20-second delay, ensuring enhanced visibility in dimly lit or challenging work areas
- One-Handed Loading - Keep one hand free with a 1/4 in. hex chuck that accepts 1 in. bit tips
The event is therefore best read as a historical snapshot of the issues UK practitioners were debating in 2019. It can help explain why governance, interoperability and operational information remain central BIM concerns, but it cannot establish a current UK adoption rate or prove that one country’s market is objectively more mature than another’s.
Which subjects dominated the morning sessions?
Could BIM data be useful without a model?
Tobin’s own presentation, “BI(m), BIM data without Models,” challenged the assumption that BIM value depends on a conventional 3D model. His argument was for structured asset data that can connect design information with geographic information systems and operational sources. In practical terms, that means treating identifiers, properties, relationships and status information as reusable records rather than leaving knowledge trapped inside a project model.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →This approach is especially relevant when an owner is managing an existing portfolio. A facilities team may need equipment identity, location, warranty, inspection and maintenance information even when the original design model is incomplete, obsolete or unavailable. A structured data layer can also support mapping and operational systems that do not consume authoring-model formats directly. The presentation did not amount to a universal prescription to abandon models; it broadened the definition of useful BIM information.
What role did blockchain have in the discussion?
Martin Poljansek of the European Commission discussed permissioned blockchain as a possible shared ledger for project communications. A permissioned ledger differs from an open, anonymous cryptocurrency network: identified participants receive controlled rights to write or read records. In a construction setting, the proposed use is a tamper-evident history of agreed communications, approvals or transactions across organisations that do not share one employer or database.
The conference treated blockchain as a possibility, not as a demonstrated replacement for a common data environment or contract administration system. A ledger cannot resolve ambiguous information requirements, poor naming conventions or incompatible authoring tools by itself. Any deployment would still need governance covering who can create records, what constitutes an approved event, how corrections are recorded and how confidential project information is protected.
Why was ISO 19650 a major topic?
Anne Kemp and Paul Shillcock discussed the creation of ISO 19650, the international information-management framework that grew from UK BIM practice. The aim presented at the event was to establish shared concepts and processes while leaving room for national and regional requirements. That ambition addresses a familiar cross-border problem: a project team may agree on the need for information exchange but use different classification systems, appointment terminology and delivery conventions.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Also popular on Amazon
- Valued Carpenter Pencil Set: You will get 2 pcs solid carpenter pencils with 26 piece 2.8 mm refills, 1 replaceable sharpener, 1 plastic storage box.The complete carpenter pencils combination allows you to finish your work faster and more easily
- Deep Hole Marker Pencil: The deep-hole construction pencils adopts 45mm elongated tip design, which is more convenient to mark in the small hole or in other tight areas that other carpenter markers cannot reach
- Carpenter Pencils with Sharpener: The sharpener is screwed into the top of the work pencil, which won't get lost either. Built-in pencil sharpener that keep the lead with pointed and smooth to Improves line of sight in fine work
- Stronger Solid Lead: This work pencil is matched with a 2.8 mm thick lead , which is much thicker and stronger during the drawing process of construction work, it will not break or damage easily
- Marks on Various Surfaces: 3 colors solid construction pencil can marks on various surfaces,such as metal, plastic, wood, paper etc. Ideals for woodworkers, contractors, craftsmen, builders, merchants and masons
ISO’s official description of ISO 19650-1:2018 says the standard sets concepts and principles for managing information with BIM across a built asset’s lifecycle. It is not a software file format and does not prescribe one vendor’s platform. It gives organisations a framework for defining information requirements, responsibilities, exchanges and security-minded practices.
How was generative design presented?
Foster + Partners presented generative design using scripting and BIM tools. The underlying idea is to encode design rules and constraints so a computer can generate and evaluate arrangements rather than relying only on manual iteration. Such workflows can explore many options for geometry, circulation, structure or component placement, while professional judgement remains necessary to define objectives, constraints and acceptable results.
The presentation illustrates the event’s focus on the connection between information and automation. Generative workflows are only as reliable as the data, rules and constraints supplied to them. A rapidly produced option is not automatically buildable, compliant, economical or maintainable, and the conference account does not provide an independent performance assessment of the tools shown.
What did the afternoon sessions add?
The afternoon broadened the conversation to BIM in Asia, standards and training, ship design, Crossrail and a platform approach to construction. Those subjects showed that information-management problems recur across very different asset types. A ship, railway, housing programme and commercial building may use different design systems, yet each needs controlled information exchange, clear responsibility and a reliable record for operation.
How did Bryden Wood connect scripting and standardisation?
Bryden Wood described scripting with Dynamo and artificial intelligence to optimise arrangements of standardised components. The reported use case was not simply automated drawing; it was the search for better configurations when a project uses a kit of repeatable parts. Standardisation can make manufacturing and assembly more predictable, while computation can examine combinations that would be tedious to compare manually.
That approach also exposes a trade-off. The more a system depends on standard components, the more important it becomes to define interfaces, tolerances, procurement constraints and exceptions. Automation can help identify arrangements, but a project still needs engineering checks, approvals, fabrication information and a plan for components that fall outside the standard catalogue.
Also popular on Amazon
- 【Great Compatibility】This Katerk 1/4 inch hex shank bit holder is specifically designed for 1/4 inch hex shank drill bits. It's compatible with most 1/4 fast hex handles, hex sockets, various electric screwdrivers, and handheld screwdrivers. The bit holder makes it a valuable addition for any handyman.
- 【Secure and Safe】Built with a secure backup nut design, each drill bit holder securely locks onto your bits, ensuring they stay firmly in place. Additionally, our bit holder incorporates a high-quality steel ball rolling design that holds up to several kilograms of weight, ensuring your various drill bits don't fall off.
- 【Easy One-Handed Operation】The bit holder for impact driver allows you to change bits single-handedly, simplifying your workflow. Its multi-color design further allows for quick identification of the drill bit you need.
- 【Compact and Convenient】Thanks to its compact size, this 1/4 inch bit holder is easy to carry around. The bit holder allows for easy attachment to various tools, making this a convenient addition to your construction accessories. The Katerk bit holder is cast from high-quality alloy material, promising a long product lifespan. Despite its rugged strength, the bit holder remains lightweight, making it portable.
- 【Cool Christmas Gift For Men Stocking Stuffers】 This screwdriver bit holder, driver bit holder, impact bit holder, can be given as a gift to your loved one, especially for anyone involved in construction or electrical work. It's a must-have for stocking stuffers for men and women, tools gifts for dad, tech gadgets for men, gifts for dad, gifts for him, gifts for husband, gifts for boyfriend, cool gadgets for men, and cool gifts for dad.
What was Prism?
The article describes Prism as an open-source Mayor of London app intended to speed the design of precision-manufactured housing. It appeared in the conference’s discussion of platform construction and housing delivery. The source reports what was presented at the event; it does not independently validate Prism’s speed, quality, cost or adoption, so those outcomes should not be inferred from the presentation alone.
Why was Crossrail relevant to a BIM discussion?
Crossrail provided a major infrastructure example. Tobin’s account describes the line as 73 miles long and notes work coming within 800 millimetres of existing tunnel elements. Those figures are reported by Building Design + Construction in its event recap. The example makes the coordination challenge tangible: when new infrastructure passes through a dense, existing network, accurate geometry, asset records, construction sequencing and controlled information exchange become operational necessities rather than abstract standards terminology.
How did Tobin compare UK and US BIM discussions?
Tobin associated the UK’s progress with a centralised government mandate and coordinated standards work, while describing the United States as more project-by-project. That is his retrospective impression, not a verified national comparison. He also wrote that he could not vouch for UK BIM practice before 2011, so the article should not be used to construct a long-term adoption series.
The UK government goal quoted in the article was to have “all [building] project and asset information, documentation and data to be electronic, to support efficient delivery at the design and construction phases of the project.” The quotation is presented as the government’s 2011 goal, as quoted by Tobin, rather than as a statement by a named conference speaker.
A useful way to understand the comparison is to separate the axes rather than ask which country is simply “ahead”:
| Comparison lens | What Tobin’s account suggests about the UK discussion | What can safely be said about the US comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Governance | A central government mandate was described as an important adoption driver after 2011. | The article contrasts this with more project-by-project uptake in the US; it supplies no national adoption measurement. |
| Standards | ISO 19650 and UK-developed information-management practice were prominent conference themes. | US practice may use different contractual and standards conventions; the source does not establish a single US approach. |
| Classification | UK Uniclass was discussed as a classification convention. | US OmniClass was used as the comparison point. Neither system is presented as universally interchangeable. |
| Operational information | Asset information models, asset management and digital twins received strong emphasis. | The article does not provide equivalent measured evidence about the relative operational focus of US projects. |
| Accessibility | Tobin raised concerns about the cost and access arrangements for standards documents at the time. | Those comments describe the 2020 publication context, not current purchasing or licensing conditions. |
This framing avoids turning a conference impression into a league table. A project’s actual information practice depends on its client requirements, contracts, supply chain, software, classification choices and regulator or funder expectations.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Also popular on Amazon
- Toolwiz 17-inch magnetic sweeper maintaining a load capacity of up to 8.8 pounds provides a perfect solution to the problem of clearing small ferrous metal objects, such as nails, tacks, bolts, and metal shavings from workshops or garage floors.
- Convenient and portable：17” is good for home, small workshop, or small yard as it is space-saving and more reachable for narrow areas. Perfect for collecting nails or small parts in the car, under the table, and in other nooks or crannies.
- Upgraded Handle Design: The handle features a sturdy, non-telescopic design to completely prevent slipping during use. By simply adding or removing the extension poles, the height can be adjusted to 3 different lengths: 18.9" (48 cm), 32.5" (82.5 cm), and 42.5" (108 cm) from ground to top. This customizable height helps prevent back bending and muscle strain, making your cleaning tasks effortless
- Flexible wheels: Upgrade wheel screws to avoid being too tight to spin or too loose. More comfortable 3-inch rubber wheels roll smoothly on carpet, grass, concrete, and hardwood floors. Just push and pull this rolling magnet-sweeper to pick up metal nails easily.
- Lightweight materials: The magnetic nail sweeper's compact and lightweight design makes the sweeping can be done anywhere you want, Push or pull it under the furniture, passing through the workshop floor, driveway, mud, grass, and gravel.
What did ISO 19650 mean in 2019, and what has changed since?
At the 2019 event, the discussion treated ISO 19650 as an emerging common language. Tobin wrote about anticipated publication of further parts, including Parts 3, 4 and 5, on the schedule understood at the time. Those expectations are now historical and should not be repeated as current status.
ISO’s BIM series overview now lists Parts 1 through 6. It describes Part 3 as covering the operational phase, Part 4 as information exchange, Part 5 as a security-minded approach and Part 6 as health and safety information; the page identifies Part 6 as published in 2025. The overview is available from the ISO BIM sector page.
ISO’s official page for ISO 19650-1:2018 reports that the edition was reviewed and confirmed in 2024 while revision work is underway. Because standards status, editions and availability can change, organisations should check the ISO page before specifying a document or buying a copy. The 2019 conference account remains useful for understanding the debate’s origins, but the official ISO pages are the appropriate source for the current publication status.
What can a project team take from the London discussion?
The conference does not provide a ready-made implementation manual, but its themes translate into practical questions for owners, designers, contractors and operators.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →- Define the information outcome before choosing software. Specify what the client and operator must know, when it is needed, who is responsible and how acceptance will be checked. A model may be one delivery method, not the outcome itself.
- Plan for the whole asset lifecycle. Capture the identifiers, locations, properties and relationships that operations will need, including information that must connect to GIS, maintenance or other enterprise systems.
- Choose and map classification conventions. If a project involves UK and US organisations, document how Uniclass, OmniClass or another classification will be used and mapped. Do not assume that similarly named codes mean the same thing.
- Make exchanges explicit. Set naming, status, revision, approval and exchange rules in appointments and information requirements. Interoperability is a management decision as much as a technical one.
- Separate automation from approval. Scripting, generative design and AI can explore options or arrange standard components, but qualified people still need to verify constraints, safety, compliance, constructability and maintainability.
- Secure sensitive information deliberately. If a shared ledger, common data environment or digital twin contains operational or security-sensitive information, define access, audit, retention and incident procedures before deployment.
- Include the supply chain and training. Standards work only when fabricators, specialist contractors, surveyors and operators can meet the information requirements. Training and realistic exchange tests should be part of procurement and mobilisation.
What does the event not prove?
It does not prove that the UK had a higher BIM adoption rate than the US, because the source contains no independently verified national statistic. It does not demonstrate that blockchain, generative design, AI optimisation or Prism delivered a particular saving or quality improvement. Nor does it establish that every UK project followed the practices discussed in London.
The source also does not preserve audience questions or direct quotations from named presenters. Its value is interpretive: it records which issues a professional forum connected in 2019 and how one practitioner understood the difference between UK and US environments.
Also popular on Amazon
- APPLY TO MOST DRILLS : 6 pieces screw extractors work with any drill and all the screw size or bolt (3-12mm), These extractor tools are used to reverse the damaged screw counterclockwise until it is released
- The DIY Tools for Men-Men won't know they need screw extractor set until they have one! This screw extractor set is GIFTS WRAP AVAILABLE, can be gifted to your loved ones as it reflects a fresh trend with fun and practical. Amazing and Unique tool gifts for men women. The must have stocking stuffers for men, gifts for dad, husband, father, him, guy teens, adult, Boyfriend, son on Birthdays, Christmas, Fathers Day or anniversary. Perfect Holiday Gifts Guide
- HIGH QUALITY - This damaged screw remover tool kit is made from High-Speed Steel H.S.S 4341# , which have high hardness of 63hrc, it's durable and easily to remove any damaged screws.
- EASY TO USE: Just two simple steps to get the job done - drill a hole with a cutting size using the right size screw extractor and easily remove the screw or bolt using the removal tool Hardness 63-65HRC: Titanium hardened steel material, more durable than most screw extractors on the market, better hardness and durability than others, buy with confidence and complete peace of mind
- Cool Gadgets for Men Dad Christmas Birthday Gifts for Men and Women - Men won't know they need screw extractor sets until they have one! Every screw has the potential to rust and break, which can create a situation where it cannot be removed. Owning it, there will be no anxiety about rusty screws. This screw extractor set is GIFTS WRAP AVAILABLE, can be gifted to your loved ones as it reflects a fresh trend with fun and practical. Amazing and unique tool gifts for men women. A must have stocking stuffer for men on birthdays, Christmas, Father's Day or anniversaries, a gifts for dads, husbands, fathers, him, adults, boyfriends, sons. The best and most practical and surprising Christmas gifts
Why does this 2019 conference still matter?
The event’s lasting lesson is that BIM maturity is not just a question of who owns the newest modelling software. It involves whether project information is structured, exchangeable, secure and useful after construction; whether standards provide a common framework without erasing regional needs; and whether clients, suppliers and operators can actually follow the process.
That is why the London agenda moved naturally from “BIM data without Models” to ISO 19650, digital twins, Crossrail and precision-manufactured housing. The subjects are different, but each depends on trusted information moving between organisations and across the asset lifecycle. Read as a 2019 snapshot, the conference offers a clear explanation of the governance and interoperability questions that still shape serious BIM programmes.
Recommended Free Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ISO 19650 legally mandatory for every construction project?
No. ISO 19650 is an international standard, and its force depends on legislation, client requirements, procurement rules or a contract that incorporates it. A project should identify the exact obligations in its appointments rather than assume that publication of the standard creates a universal legal duty.
Does ISO 19650 replace Uniclass or OmniClass?
No. ISO 19650 provides information-management concepts and processes; classification systems supply ways to organise and identify objects, systems or work results. A project can use a regional classification while applying ISO 19650 principles, provided the mapping and exchange rules are documented.
Can a digital twin work if there is no complete BIM model?
Potentially, yes. The London discussion explicitly considered structured asset data without relying on a conventional model, with connections to GIS and operational sources. The deciding factors are data quality, identifiers, update responsibilities and the operator’s required use cases—not whether every historical geometry element exists.
What should an international project do when its teams use different standards?
Start with an information-requirements and exchange matrix that names the required fields, classifications, approval states and responsible party for each delivery. Then define mappings between regional conventions and test the workflow with the actual consultants, contractors and operators before production exchanges begin.
