Engineering Contracting Company (ECC), one of the UAE’s market leaders in providing unique design and build solutions, said it has become the first locally-grown company to receive certification in BIM (building information modelling) technology from BSI Assurance UK.

ECC said the milestone BIM Kitemark certification comes following the company's successful demonstration of its exceptional international standards in utilising practices and systems.

BIM is an intelligent 3D model-based platform that provides users with insights or tools for architecture, engineering and construction. It generates greater collaborative potential between the architects, designers and contractors by collating all aspects of the development into one consolidated workstream.

While the processes of BIM are not mandatory for current tenders, ECC developed an organic BIM department internally in anticipation of new industry trends and reinforcing their status as a truly unique organisation within the market, said the company in its statement.

The technology behind BIM is becoming an attractive solution in the market due to its success across major governmental entities such as Emaar, Damac, Dubai Properties and the Roads and Transport Authority. Due to the utilisation of BIM by these entities the market has observed a shift towards more widespread implementation of its systems, it added.

On the key achievement, CEO Kareem Farah said: "Our growth model at ECC is to lead with innovation and ensure that we are ready to implement cutting-edge technology and stay abreast of international industry standards. Sustainable growth in a competitive market, such as the UAE, requires the earliest possible adoption of new technologies to remain cost-effective through all stages of our projects."

"Despite not being a mandated technology, we took it upon ourselves to develop our own BIM department as we have observed that many clients are now preferring to work with entities in the market which utilise it," stated Farah.

"The certification stands as a testament to the evolution of ECC throughout its 43-year journey and our drive to remain an industry leading organisation," he added.

Lauding the group, Theuns Kotzé of BSI (Middle East and Africa) said: "This is a testament to ECC’s dedication to innovate and embrace new technologies within a rapidly evolving industry."

"Achieving the Kitemark demonstrates a commitment to best practice and that BIM standards are fully embedded within the organisation. It was a pleasure working with the ECC team who’s adherence to the standards and knowledgeable approach made for a smooth process," he added.-TradeArabia News Service