The BIM Handbook in 2025 with Marzia Bolpagni

In a fascinating episode of the Digital Construction Podcast, we had the privilege of speaking with Marzia Bolpagni, Head of BIM International at Mace and a co-author of the acclaimed BIM Handbook. Marzia, who led the development of ISO 7817 Part 1, delved deep into the critical evolution of BIM standards, emphasizing the shift from traditional LOD concepts to the strategic Level of Information Need. She shared her unique journey in shaping international standards, highlighted the vital role of organizations like NIMA, unveiled updates in the latest BIM Handbook, and offered profound insights into bridging the gap between academia and industry. Marzia also inspired us with her advice for young women entering the field and provided a glimpse into the exciting future trends poised to redefine digital construction.

Unpacking the Level of Information Need: Beyond LOD

Marzia explained that her journey into standardizing information requirements began with her PhD research around 2015-2016, where she noticed the varied interpretations of "LOD" (Level of Detail/Development). While LOD traditionally describes the graphical detail and geometrical complexity of 3D models and associated attributes, Marzia highlighted a crucial distinction. The Level of Information Need, unlike LOD, is a broader framework that considers not just geometrical and alphanumerical aspects, but also documentation. It fundamentally asks for the prerequisites: purpose, timing, and recipient of information. Marzia stressed that many projects suffer from delivery teams not receiving a clear brief, leading to models that are not "fit for purpose" and resulting in significant waste of time and money. The core idea of Level of Information Need, as outlined in ISO 19650, is to ensure you have the "right information at the right time" for agreed purposes, promoting lean practices and better outcomes for all project goals.

The Genesis of ISO 7817: Marzia's Leadership

Marzia led the development of ISO 7817 Part 1, an international standard published in 2024, building upon a European standard from 2020. This standard formalizes the concept of Level of Information Need, introduced previously in ISO 19650. She recounted how her research caught the attention of "the father of IFC," who invited her to join the European Standardisation Committee. Her work involved extensive literature review, learning from advanced requirements in countries like Luxembourg, and analyzing best practices from various domains. A key realization was that previous LOD concepts often lacked clarity on why information was needed. The ISO 7817 standard addresses this by focusing on defining prerequisites like purpose, when, and who needs the information, recognizing that different stakeholders (e.g., fire engineer vs. landscape architect) have different needs. It also introduces flexibility in assigning requirements at various levels of a breakdown structure, from entire assets to systems or assemblies, rather than just individual objects. Marzia emphasized that developing standards is a collaborative effort, involving experts from diverse backgrounds and requiring compromise to ensure progress.

Looking ahead, ISO 7817 Part 2 and 3

Looking ahead, ISO 7817 Part 2 will provide guidance for application across different project types and sizes, expected next year. Even more exciting is Part 3, which will be a data schema for software developers. This aims to enable machine-interpretable Level of Information Need, addressing the current gap where requirements are often specified in traditional formats like Word or PDF, while deliverables are highly digital. Part 3 will facilitate quality assurance, allowing for automated checks to ensure that what was required has indeed been delivered.

NIMA and the Evolving BIM Landscape

As a NIMA ambassador, Marzia shed light on the role of this organization. NIMA is a not-for-profit, volunteer-led organization dedicated to promoting information management best practices and supporting digital transformation across the built environment, both in the UK and internationally. Starting in 2016 as the UK BIM Alliance after the UK BIM mandate, it merged with other organizations and created the UK BIM Framework in 2019 which included practical guidance for implementing ISO 19650. The rebranding to NIMA in 2022 reflects its expanded focus beyond just BIM, embracing the broader spectrum of digital transformation, digital twins, AI, and comprehensive information management. NIMA offers a wealth of free resources, including videos, guidance, and a newly developed hybrid database with AI search capabilities, making it an invaluable tool for industry professionals.

The BIM Handbook (4th Edition)

Marzia is a proud co-author of the 4th edition of the BIM Handbook, a publication she herself used as a reference when she began exploring BIM over 15 years ago. Recognizing the rapid pace of technological innovation, the latest edition updates content, introduces new global case studies, and covers diverse project types and scales. It also introduces concepts like digital twins, exploring how sensors can be linked to digital representations for facility management and construction.

Academia Meets Industry

Marzia highlighted a significant gap between academia and industry. She observed that many industry professionals are unaware of ongoing research, lack time to delve into academic papers, and may rely on less authoritative sources. Conversely, some in academia might not collaborate enough with industry, leading to research that is not always aligned with current industry challenges. To bridge this, Marzia advises researchers, especially younger ones, to summarize their findings visually and make them more digestible for busy industry professionals, focusing on problems and solutions. She also encourages companies to proactively collaborate with universities, as many students and researchers are actively seeking real-world problems to solve, bringing their knowledge and methodology to the table.

Empowering the Next Generation: Advice for Women in Construction

Addressing the topic of female representation in the industry, Marzia offered empowering advice for young women. She urged them to "pick a topic that is interesting for you, something that maybe you are curious about, and go very deep". Success, she believes, comes from developing strong skills and confidence. She emphasized the importance of finding the "right organization" or "right environment" that allows you to flourish, and not to be discouraged by initial negative experiences, but rather to seek out supportive communities and networks. Finally, Marzia strongly advocated for mentorship, sharing that she has benefited from both female and male mentors throughout her career, who provide different opinions and support during challenging times.

Anticipating Tomorrow: Key Trends in Digital Construction

Marzia concluded by sharing her excitement about several global trends shaping the future of digital construction:

• AI and Ethics: Beyond simply implementing AI, the ethical considerations of data usage, training applications, and avoiding "black box" approaches will become increasingly important. Transparency and cybersecurity will be key.
• Automation and Robotics: Expect to see more automation for repetitive tasks like filling forms, moving files, and generating reports.
• Hybrid Communication: The post-COVID era necessitates flexible and effective communication that seamlessly integrates both in-person and remote working environments.
• Digital Minimalism: Marzia noted the growing distraction from technology and social media, suggesting a trend towards "digital minimalism" to foster "deep work" and allow individuals time to innovate and think critically without constant digital immersion.
• Human Leadership: As AI handles more tasks, the distinctly human skill of leadership will become even more valuable and critical in the coming years.

Key Takeaways:

• The Level of Information Need, formalized by ISO 7817 Part 1, is a critical framework for defining information requirements based on purpose, timing, and recipient, moving beyond traditional LOD to prevent waste and improve project delivery.
• The upcoming ISO 7817 Parts 2 and 3 will provide practical guidance and a machine-interpretable data schema to bridge the gap between specifying and delivering digital information, enabling better quality assurance.
• NIMA (formerly UK BIM Alliance) is a crucial organization promoting digital transformation, including digital twins and AI, offering free resources and guidance for information management in the built environment.
• The 4th edition of the BIM Handbook, co-authored by Marzia, is an updated global reference, incorporating diverse case studies and new concepts like digital twins across the project lifecycle.
• Bridging the gap between academia and industry requires better communication (digestible research outputs) from academics and more collaboration from industry to provide real-world problems for research.
• For young women entering construction, Marzia advises focusing on skills, confidence, finding supportive organizations, and actively seeking mentorship to thrive.
• Future trends include the ethical implications of AI, increased automation, effective hybrid communication, adopting digital minimalism, and the growing importance of human leadership in an increasingly digital world.