The Qatar Society of Engineers launched the “Qatar Building Information Modeling Award – Qatar BIM Award”, to be a platform to celebrate the best experiences, projects and distinguished practices in the field of building information modeling in the State of Qatar.
The award includes four main categories: individuals, government agencies, contracting companies, offices and consulting companies, allowing the participation of various actors in the BIM system, highlighting leading models and experiences in this field, and promoting a culture of excellence and innovation.
The award was announced at the conclusion of the Qatar Building Information Modeling Conference “QATAR BIM 2026”, which was organized by the association today, as part of an integrated professional program that discussed the reality of applying “BIM” technologies in projects, and the most prominent developments, challenges and future trends associated with them.
The association noted that the full details of the award will be clarified later, including its subcategories, evaluation criteria, nomination conditions and mechanism, timetable, and arbitration and honoring procedures.
The conference recommended developing a unified national framework for Building Information Modeling (BIM) that defines the basic technical and organizational requirements and practices, and contributes to unifying application mechanisms and raising the quality and efficiency of project management during the various stages of their life cycle.
He also recommended strengthening the integration between BIM, artificial intelligence and modern digital technologies in the fields of design, project management, data analysis, risks and costs, and expanding digital twin applications to support asset and facility management and the development of smart cities.
The recommendations also included the importance of raising the efficiency of engineering and technical personnel and qualifying them to implement “BIM” through training and continuous professional development programs, supporting research and development, encouraging the documentation and publication of successful experiences and projects, exchanging experiences and knowledge, and creating a national platform for the BIM application community in the State of Qatar, bringing together government agencies, the private sector, and academic and professional institutions, and working to enhance the exchange of information, expertise, and practices, and supporting integration and cooperation among its users at the state level.
In its recommendations, the conference called for developing a unified national guide for applying “BIM” and enhancing the benefit of “ISO 19650” standards, which contributes to unifying concepts and procedures related to digital information and data management, and defining roles, responsibilities and best practices in the various stages of projects.
Among the recommendations is the need to unify methodologies for classifying, coding, and characteristics of “BIM” elements between different entities, in a way that supports data exchange and integration between systems and projects, and contributes to building a more harmonious digital environment at the national level, and including the application protocol within engineering and construction contracts to clarify its requirements, the roles and responsibilities of the parties, and mechanisms for managing and exchanging information, as well as delivery requirements, in a way that enhances the clarity of the contractual relationship, raises the efficiency of project implementation, and reduces conflicts.
The conference also recommended developing a national index to measure the level of adoption, readiness, application quality, and digital integration, monitoring development and identifying areas for improvement on an ongoing basis, in addition to supporting small and medium-sized companies and emerging companies in transitioning to “BIM” through training, qualification, and technical and technical support, as well as recommending including the level of this application within the standards for classification and licensing of contracting companies, offices, and consulting companies, according to clear levels that measure the degree of readiness and digital maturity, in a way that enhances the quality of practices and raises the competitiveness of the engineering and construction sector.
Engineer Amna Mohammed Al-Naama, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Society of Engineers, confirmed that organizing the conference comes within the Society’s efforts to keep pace with the accelerating digital transformations in the engineering sector, and to open the way for engineers, experts and various entities to exchange knowledge and experiences, and anticipate the future of engineering practices based on technology and data.
At the opening of the conference, she praised the professional level of the participants and the diverse attendance from within the State of Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, stressing the importance of transforming the ideas and experiences presented in specialized conferences into practical initiatives that contribute to developing the engineering work environment and enhancing integration between various entities.
Engineer Al-Nama also confirmed in a related context that the State of Qatar is a pioneer in the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) techniques, noting that this technology has become an important tool in implementing complex projects, because of the advanced capabilities it provides in studying, designing and analyzing the various components of the project before moving to the actual implementation stage.
She said, in a press statement on the sidelines of the conference, which is the first of its kind in Qatar, that its aim is to shed light on the field of building modeling, and to introduce the most prominent developments, experiments and projects that have been implemented using this technology, in addition to discussing the challenges facing its application and the prospects for its development during the next stage.
She pointed out that the country has begun using this technology in a number of important projects, and noted that one of the most prominent projects in which building modeling has been used is the Qatar National Museum, in addition to projects by the Public Works Authority “Ashghal” in various road projects.
Regarding the extent of the spread of building modeling technology at the Gulf and international levels, Engineer Al-Naama explained that the technology began relatively recently, but its use has witnessed widespread spread in the Gulf countries and at the global level, indicating Qatar’s keenness to keep pace with developments in the fields of construction, including building information modeling techniques.
She explained that the impact of the use of building information modeling on construction operations is mainly to facilitate construction operations, reduce the duration of project implementation, and reduce the risks that can occur on the ground.
She explained that the technology allows testing the various stages and components of the project within the model before transferring it to reality, which helps discover potential problems and errors at an early stage, and avoid them before reaching the actual implementation stage.
Regarding whether the priority in using this technology is focused on government projects or private sector projects, she stressed that the matter is not limited to a specific type of project, explaining that the broader goal is to raise awareness of this technology in society and inform various parties of how to benefit from it and employ it in their projects.
For her part, engineer Amna Al-Baker, leader of the Building Information Modeling (BIM) team at the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), said that the application of BIM in the authority has witnessed a remarkable development over the past period, pointing out that the use of the model is no longer limited to coordinating or developing modeling work, but has turned into an integrated system for managing engineering information and supporting decision-making throughout the project life cycle.
Al Baker indicated in the opening session that the conference is a platform that brings together engineers, specialists, experts and specialists from various entities and Gulf countries, to discuss one of the most important developments in the construction sector and project and asset management.
She explained that the practical experiences undertaken by Ashghal in applying building information modeling showed that the basic value of applying this methodology begins from the early stages of the project, stressing the importance of having clear policies and approved standards that are compatible with international standards, which contributes to developing modeling applications and enhancing their benefit.
She stated that the development of building and construction technologies, and the progress the sector is witnessing in the fields of digital twins, artificial intelligence and other modern technologies, provides a greater opportunity to move from simply applying “BIM” in projects to using it as a basic pillar for future projects and developing them by taking advantage of modern technology.
The conference formed a specialized professional platform for exchanging expertise, reviewing modern experiences and practices in the field of building information modeling (BIM), and discussing the future of digital transformation in the engineering sector, in light of the rapid development in artificial intelligence technologies, digital twinning, and engineering information and data management.
The conference discussed a group of important topics, including frameworks and standards regulating the application of “BIM”, project management and integration between disciplines, and its uses in the civil and industrial sectors, integration between BIM and geographic information systems “GIS”, in addition to employing artificial intelligence in design and project management, data analysis, risks and costs, and digital twin applications in asset and facility management and the development of smart cities.
The scientific program of the conference included five discussion sessions and five specialized working papers, which addressed a group of main topics, the most prominent of which are the frameworks, standards and legislation regulating the application of “BIM” and its future, the importance of building information modeling in the civil and industrial sectors, the management of geographical information systems using the aforementioned application, modern technologies and artificial intelligence, and project, risk and cost management.
The conference’s working papers also addressed a number of important topics regarding project management and integration using “BIM,” the latest techniques for applying the methodology and its benefits to government projects, and the role of building information modeling as a foundation for modern technologies and artificial intelligence, which provides a space for exchanging experiences and reviewing practical applications and future trends in this field.
The Qatar Society of Engineers invited project managers, consultants, contractors, and engineering specialists in building information modeling, digital transformation, and modern technologies to attend the conference, participate in its sessions and working papers, and benefit from the experiences and expertise presented, in a way that contributes to expanding the circle of knowledge exchange and enhancing dialogue about the future of “BIM” and its applications in the engineering sector in the State of Qatar.
/Qena/