Opus International Consultants : awarded first New Zealand BRE Global certification for Building Information Modelling (BIM) Level 2

13 September 2017

Opus International Consultants has been named as the first company in New Zealand to be awarded BRE's highly sought-after Building Information Modelling (BIM) Level 2 certification for three of its New Zealand offices.

Awarded by BRE Global, the BIM Level 2 Business Systems certification is increasingly being used by engineering and infrastructure companies as it provides world-leading collaborative working processes for improving the quality of information provided at the design, construction and operational phases of an asset's lifecycle - from earliest conception right through to its demolition.

Opus' Group Director of Buildings Lee Arasu said that while the NZ-listed company was the first in the country to receive BRE Global's certification, he anticipated the industry would soon follow because of client expectations to reduce long-term asset ownership costs.

'Internationally, the building industry is increasingly using BIM to plan and mitigate issues, and many clients even demand it. By making building design and planning processes more efficient, BIM provides a multitude of opportunities for cost savings while improving competitiveness. Through our own BIM Level 2 certification, we will be able to offer our New Zealand clients a world-leading service that will help them better capture and manage their data, and enhance the value of their asset,' Mr Arasu said.

Opus CEO, David Prentice, said that BIM was underpinning new innovations in the sector that would have a tangible impact on how buildings and other assets are designed and project managed.

'It's clear that the innovations emerging in response to the use of BIM will shape the future of the industry. It is part of the movement towards smart use of big data and a more connected society. New Zealand should be one of the frontrunners in maximising the use of this technology, just like we are in many other industries. As innovators ourselves, it was the inherent innovative methodologies behind BIM that catalysed Opus to integrate it into the way we think, design and plan our projects. Of course, the added bonus is that BIM helps us to also deliver innovation, value and service excellence to our clients,' Dr Prentice said.

BIM was developed in response to demands from the UK Government to better manage information about the projects it was funding, but its success has led to it being adopted by the wider industry.

The BRE Global certification for BIM Level 2 was awarded to Opus' Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch offices. Three of Opus' UK offices (Cardiff, Doncaster and Wrexham) are also certificated with BIM Level 2, allowing it to prequalify for the shortlists of central government projects.

ENDS

For further information please contact:
Angela Hayes, Opus External Communications Manager
[e-mail], 021 575 631

Notes to Editor
Headquartered in Wellington, Opus International Consultants is a global infrastructure development and services company with more than 35 offices across New Zealand, the UK, Australia and North America. www.opus.co.nz

BRE Global is an independent, third-party approvals organisation, offering certification of products, services and systems to an international market. It is part of the BRE Trust, the largest UK charity dedicated specifically to research and education in the built environment. www.bre.co.uk