Ten years ago, an architecture firm working with BIM had a clear competitive advantage: more precise presentations, smoother coordination with engineering, and fewer errors on-site. Today, that logic is obsolete. BIM has ceased to be an advantage and has become the minimum requirement for entering the market. And firms that haven’t adopted it aren’t just competing at a disadvantage; they’re being left behind altogether. We explain the open format tenders ask for in OpenBIM: what the IFC format is and why it matters for interoperability.
This is not an exaggeration. It is what is happening in public and private works bidding processes worldwide, and the trend is steadily advancing toward this region.
A market that grew and doesn’t wait
The global BIM market was valued at nearly $98 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $286 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate of 14.5%. Key drivers include the digitalization of the construction sector, government mandates, and the increasing demand for cost efficiency. DataMIntelligence
This growth is not abstract: it translates into concrete requirements in tender specifications. The United Kingdom requires BIM Level 2 for all public sector projects. Singapore, China, and South Korea lead the adoption in Asia-Pacific, driven by government mandates. In Europe, the mandatory implementation process is progressing country by country. Between 2017 and 2023 alone, nearly a thousand tenders with BIM requirements were issued in Spain, representing a cumulative investment of almost €4.3 billion. DataMIntelligence Butic
The pattern is the same in all markets: first public infrastructure projects, then institutional buildings, and finally large-scale private projects. Firms that are not prepared when that requirement appears in the tender specifications simply cannot submit bids.
What BIM changes in practice
The most common mistake when evaluating BIM is thinking of it as software. BIM is a work methodology: a way to generate, manage, and share information throughout the entire lifecycle of a project. The model is not just a 3D representation; it is a living database that connects geometry, materials, costs, schedules, and technical documentation in one place.
The practical consequences of this are concrete and measurable. Multiple case studies show that adopting BIM reduces project timelines by an average of 20% and costs by 15%, while design errors decrease by 30% and requests for information (RFIs) fall by 25%. ResearchGate
Rework—one of the most hidden and frequent costs in construction—represents between 5% and 12% of a project’s total cost. BIM drastically reduces this by allowing conflicts to be detected and resolved in the digital model before anything is built. When an architect, a structural engineer, and a building services specialist work on the same model, conflicts between systems appear on screen, not on the construction site. And resolving a problem on screen costs a fraction of what it costs to resolve it once the slab has been poured. Plannerly
BIM also reduces the time needed to generate updated cost estimates by 50% to 80%, improving accuracy by 5% to 10%. For a firm that frequently submits bids, this translates into more competitive proposals and fewer team hours spent on administrative tasks. Plannerly
Why adoption is slower than it should be
If the benefits are so clear, why are there still studios that haven’t migrated? The reasons are well-known: operational inertia, a perceived steep learning curve, current projects that don’t require it, and the feeling that “for now, what we have is enough.”
The problem with that reasoning is that adopting BIM isn’t something you can do overnight when a client or a tender demands it. It requires time to train the team, redesign workflows, create custom templates, and accumulate experience on real projects. Firms that have this capability built it up over years. Those just starting out are competing against that advantage built from their very first project.
Design flaws, interdisciplinary conflicts, and communication problems account for approximately 30% of a project’s cost. This percentage doesn’t disappear on its own; it requires a methodology that makes it visible and manageable before it becomes a construction problem. NorthPennNow
The time to adopt BIM is not when it’s requested. It’s before.
Firms that wait for a client or a tender to require BIM before starting implementation are choosing the worst possible time to learn. The pressure of a real project, with deadlines and commitments, is not the ideal context for reorganizing a team’s entire workflow.
The window for adopting BIM calmly, at your own pace, and with lower-risk projects is now. And the difference between a studio that can answer “yes, we work with BIM” and one that can’t is becoming increasingly crucial in conversations with corporate clients, developers, and public agencies.
Archicad: BIM designed for architects
Within the BIM tools ecosystem, Archicad is the platform that was born and evolved with the architect’s workflow in mind. Unlike other solutions built from structural engineering or building services, Archicad takes the architectural model as the central axis of the project.
Its workflow is natively BIM from the very first element: every wall, slab, opening, and component has integrated information. Plans, sections, and views are automatically generated from the 3D model and updated in real time as the design changes. Coordination with other disciplines is managed from the same environment, without the need for manual export and import between platforms.
For studios aiming for medium and large-scale projects, or those wanting to be prepared for tenders with BIM requirements, Archicad is the tool that shortens the adoption curve and maximizes return from the first projects.
Studies show that advanced use of BIM can generate a return on investment of over 25% and reduce project costs by up to 20% by minimizing errors and rework. For a firm that handles multiple projects per year, that number quickly adds up. UniquesCadd
At Aufiero Informática, we are authorized distributors of Archicad. We support architecture and engineering firms throughout the entire process: licensing, implementation, training, and ongoing support.
Frequently asked questions about BIM adoption in architecture practices
What exactly do tenders require when they ask for BIM?
Generally three things: delivery of a three-dimensional model in an open format (usually IFC), clash coordination between disciplines with a record of the interferences found, and quantity takeoff drawn from the model itself. In some cases a BIM execution plan is also required, describing levels of detail, responsibilities and the model delivery schedule.
Is 3D modelling the same thing as doing BIM?
No. A 3D model can be geometry alone; a BIM model carries information attached to every element — material, manufacturer, performance, construction phase, cost. That information is what makes reliable takeoff, construction sequencing and post-handover asset management possible. Without the data there is volume, but there is no BIM.
How long does a small practice take to migrate?
The curve usually has three stages: two to three months for the team to work fluently in the new environment, one complete project to settle internal standards (library, naming, templates), and about a year before productivity exceeds the previous workflow. The most common mistake is attempting the migration in the middle of a project with a tight deadline.
Do old projects need to be rebuilt in BIM?
No. The 2D archive remains valid for what has already been delivered. Migration applies to new projects, and the pragmatic approach is to start with a medium-sized one, where there is room to adjust standards without risking the deadline. Older models can be rebuilt selectively, when the same building is renovated or extended.
What is the IFC format and why does it appear in tenders?
IFC is the open exchange format for BIM models, independent of any software vendor. It appears in tenders because it guarantees that the public body can open, audit and archive the model without depending on a specific program’s licence. In practice it is what lets practices using different tools collaborate on the same development.
How can Archicad and BIM adoption support be obtained in Latin America?
Aufiero Informática distributes Archicad across Latin America, with regional invoicing, support in Portuguese and Spanish, and help structuring a practice’s BIM workflow. The sales team can advise on licence counts, the tier that suits the size of the practice, and regional commercial terms.
