Why build a French BIM together?

Behind the desire to build a French BIM with other players in the sector, there is no chauvinism but the intention to take responsibility for employment in France. And beyond, to enlighten all those who, national and local elected representatives, must guarantee the general interest as well as the security of their fellow citizens.

Rushed decisions, for lack of sufficient information, could indeed have unpredictable, even calamitous consequences: imagine only, if inadvertently, the realization of plans and digital BIM models of French public buildings, starting with schools, colleges and high schools, were to be outsourced at low prices in countries with little regard for the protection of this data. Anyone could access it, duplicate it, and use it for sinister purposes. It is perplexing isn't it? However, this has already happened since public contracts were awarded, without paying attention, to companies that outsource the production of digital models abroad: low cost, which appears to be a good one-time deal for public expenses. But at the end costs that could become invaluable in the long run.

To turn a blind eye to this phenomenon of outsourcing the manufacture of 3D models of existing buildings abroad is to take a triple risk:

• destroy jobs in France
• miss the digitalization of the construction industry which is nevertheless well underway and thus penalize a sector of French excellence
• play with the safety of all those who frequent the many public and school buildings in our territories every day

The stakes are high as BIM appears to be the new paradigm for the management-maintenance of an obsolete public real estate heritage, often degraded, whose operating costs are soaring, because these buildings are energy-consuming and / or sometimes tax depollution and asbestos removal works before any rehabilitation. Those who have to manage the school heritage or administrative buildings know what I am talking about ...

French BIM, what is it?

French BIM is the desire to develop 100% French know-how and to co-build with the State and local communities a BIM sector of excellence integrating initial training and professional training, in order to have experts National BIM.

Our conviction is indeed that BIM services (digitization, modeling and hosting of data on buildings) must be fully provided in France, without subcontracting abroad ...

Make French professionals work in this way (real estate diagnostic technicians, BIM technicians, designers and BIM managers, data integrators, data analysts, hosting providers, etc.), then store this data in France in highly protected data centers, of course, that costs significantly more than the low cost off shore. But isn't this the price to pay and a responsible decision in a period of great international instability?

Author of the article:
Raphael EULRY
Business Development and Marketing Director
AC Environment
Former local elected official

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