Samsung C&T, First in Korea to Obtain 'Building Information Modeling International Standard'

Malaysia KL118 Tower, the tallest in Southeast Asia, and BIM image (Photo by Samsung C&T)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] Samsung C&T Corporation's Construction Division announced on the 24th that it has become the first in the domestic construction industry to acquire the building information modeling (BIM) international standard 'ISO 19650.'

The BIM international standard (ISO 19650) was established by the British Standards Institution (BSI), a founding member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and was officially published as an international standard in August 2018.

ISO 19650 requires passing rigorous evaluations across a total of 26 areas, including BIM information requirements and project cases. So far, only about 150 organizations and companies worldwide have obtained certification. Most certification cases are from Europe and the Middle East, making its value even higher in the Asia-Pacific region.

Since launching a dedicated BIM team in 2010, Samsung C&T has expanded investments to strengthen BIM capabilities, standardizing BIM work guidelines that were scattered across each product and construction type and unifying processes, centered on the BIM group under the ENG Center.

Through this certification acquisition, Samsung C&T has been internationally and officially recognized for its global-level BIM information management capabilities, standardized technology and quality, and professional technical workforce competencies throughout the entire project process from bidding to design and construction.

Expansion into new markets requiring BIM capability assurance is also expected. In fact, countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia have revised their national BIM guidelines based on ISO 19650. Additionally, many countries increasingly check for BIM certification possession or require compliance with BIM international standards, especially in public project procurement.

Samsung C&T is focusing its BIM capabilities on projects such as the recently awarded Taiwan International Airport, Dhaka International Airport in Bangladesh, Malaysia's KL118, and Singapore's CR112 subway construction.

A Samsung C&T official stated, "The acquisition of ISO 19650 certification is significant as the first in the domestic construction industry," adding, "We will expand the application fields beyond simply using BIM for design and constructability review to a comprehensive maintenance platform including scheduling and cost, fulfilling our role as a BIM technology leader on the global construction stage."