Building Information Modelling (BIM) educational framework for quantity surveying students: the Malaysian perspective

Abstract

For the past few years, the wave of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has been hitting the shores of Malaysian construction industry. The unprecedented change it brings to the design responsibilities of construction professionals in Malaysia has led to a pre-emptive strategic focus for Quantity Surveying (QS) profession. The QS profession adheres to the 5th dimension of BIM, which invariably translates to the context of costing, offering the capability to generate quantity take-off, counts and measurement directly from a model. BIM digitalized data lead to accurate automated estimation which reduces variability in cost estimation. From the academic point of view, requirements to meet this paradigm shift to BIM requires an enhancement to the existing set of skills and knowledge available in Malaysian institutions of higher learning. The promotion of BIM educational framework for the QS graduates have been professional body led. This is carried out by the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) which has been actively involved in establishing the educational framework which in turn has been referred to by the higher institutions that offers quantity surveying program. This paper describes the educational framework for the QS in the context of BIM implementation that charts a route on how knowledge on BIM principles and its application can be imparted to the whole-life interdisciplinary design and construction with prime focus on the QS scope of work. The primary aim of the framework lies in equipping QS graduates with the necessary skills in project delivery through the use of BIM by focusing on four spheres of attainment level and two different level of knowledge acquisition.