BIM based procurement enables better project performance in Portugal

Even before the onset of COVID-19, construction, a key driver of the Portuguese economy, was not amongst its most efficient industries. According to Bruno de Carvalho Matos MRICS, the industry was already battling performance challenges derived from old habits, low-skilled labour, and lack of technology, and was inflicted further damage by the global pandemic, despite its resilience. There was a compelling need for innovation in the Portuguese construction market as data-driven solutions like Building Information Modelling (BIM), were little explored in the country.

Under such adverse circumstances, Bruno, a Civil Engineer and certified Construction Project Management Professional, initiated new procurement, contracts, and monitoring procedures for the Portuguese realty market to ensure adequate BIM application across the industry supply chain.

“Data-driven digital transformation plays a major role in overcoming major problems in construction, especially now with the pandemic, where the challenges of collaboration and to perform as planned are considerably higher,” says Bruno. He has been implementing new processes in Project Management based on data-driven methodologies, especially BIM. Bruno has supported clients and other stakeholders from the supply chain on how to set and implement the necessary BIM requirements right from the consulting stage until the project final delivery and operations phase, including management advice and business support.

According to Bruno, “Project managers can – and should – play a major role in leading the way for a sustainable and resilient built environment by unlocking the full potential of digital transformation in construction. BIM is certainly the disruptive change and the way to go in the future, provided that adequate procurement and monitoring across the supply chain, with the right work protocols, are ensured.”