buildingSMART International Chapter Leader Profile

First name: Rodrigo Broering

Last name: Koerich

Chapter: Brazilian

Role in the Chapter: Chair

Where are you based?

Florianópolis – Santa Catarina - Brazil

When was your first interaction or involvement with buildingSMART?

Our first interaction with bSI was in February 2023, in a meeting with Clive and Aidan, when we were evaluating the practicability of being a Chapter. In that moment, we were worried about the costs and investments that would be necessary to start working, before the Chapter being able to have enough income to be sustainable. bSI offered to be a Chapter-in-formation, that was the way that we needed to apply for membership. In June 2023, our application to be a Chapter-in-formation as approved in the IC in Brdo, Slovenia.

Tell us a little about your work history/professional journey, and how it led you to buildingSMART.

I am a civil engineer, working in a BIM software development company since 2001, where I’m now the Chief Portfolio Officer. I’m responsible for directing the company strategy to use the openBIM approach, setting the collaboration tools in IFC and BCF standards. In 2022 I became the President of BIM Fórum Brasil and worked to make it possible to have a bS Chapter in Brazil. When we were accepted as a Chapter, I became the Chair of buildingSMART Brasil (2023).

What do you like the most about the work you do within your Chapter?

I believe that any professional, company or country must decide what technology, platform software and tools are most convenient and suitable for their needs. It means that the technology should not restrain the users but be interoperable to allow each user to choose their software. To make it possible, the software must work under the openBIM concept. My work in the Chapter is to create conditions at the strategic level (government, companies, etc..) so that everyone understands the advantages and benefits of being an openBIM market.

What would you say are the biggest successes or milestones to date within your Chapter?

The first milestone was becoming a Chapter, the first one in Latin America. After that, the second was step by step, becoming known in the international community and participating in discussions and summits. Then we had the presence of Aidan, Leon and Celine in our national Conference, in São Paulo. It brought to all people in the event the confidence that the Chapter was important and strategic to the country.

What does openBIM mean to you personally?

The openBIM means to me the freedom to choose the best and suitable technology to design and build using BIM, with confidence that the information is kept in each collaboration exchange.

What overriding challenge(s) do you see the community facing today?

Everybody understood the advantages of using openBIM tools and are applying it to workflows in buildings. But the tools and standards are still not ready for all kinds of construction, especially for infrastructure. There are a lot of people working in the community to improve standards for new Domains and develop the IFC, BCF, IDS and other standards for these new Domains, but it’s not fast and simple. So, it’s still a challenge to apply openBIM to special infrastructure constructions.

What challenge(s) do you encounter within your Chapter?

We are absolutely convinced that the Chapter can really make a difference for Brazil and help to improve the implementation of BIM in the right way, but it takes time and effort. Now we are still raising the needed funds for the investment and the human resources to put forward the projects and activities. We are dependent on the availability of time and work of some people, but we should have more staff to manage and do the work better.

What do you see as the main opportunities for your market?

The national procurement public law for construction recommends the usage of BIM and the National BIM Strategy establishes openBIM as the main approach to the country. The private sector is more and more aware about the benefits of BIM in their business. Thus, the government and the private sector are directed to an efficient and open environment to BIM adoption. It represents opportunities to develop technologies and solutions with the best fit to the market needs.

With digitalization becoming more prevalent, how is your Chapter addressing the challenges and opportunities it brings?

The usage of BIM is increasing fast in Brazil, supported by the procurement law and by the business value of BIM that the private sector is now realizing. The Chapter is being recognized as the most relevant in terms of openBIM. Professionals and companies are more interested in becoming involved with the Chapter activities, generating qualified working-force to deliver strategic projects and services, with added value to the Chapter.

What are your visions and/or aspirations for the future, both for your Chapter and for buildingSMART internationally?

I hope to be involved in the activities and projects of buildingSMART Brasil while being the Chair and, after my time finished, in any other roles and activities, helping the Chapter to achieve the goals we established. I believe that, in the future, I could also be directly involved, in some way, in projects with bSI. The relationship that I am building with bSI and the community is really important to me and is absolutely aligned with my personal values.

 

Updated in November 2024