This week, we have the pleasure and honor of welcoming two of the world’s most renowned BIM and digital experts. Marzia Bolpagni, an engineer and architect by training from the University of Brescia (Italy), also Head of BIM and Digital at MACE Group.
Finally, Luciana Burdi, engineer and Chief Infrastructure Officer at the Massachusetts Port Authority in Massachusetts, USA, has also been a recognized figure in BIM and digital for many years.
Marzia, Luciana, Could you please introduce yourself for our readers?
MB: I am Dr. Marzia Bolpagni and I currently work for Mace as Head of BIM International. I am also Visiting Professor at Northumbria University in the UK and Associate Professor at UCL (UK).
LB: My name is Luciana Burdi and I am the Chief Infrastructure Officer for the Massachusetts Port Authority in Massachusetts USA.
In a nutshell, what is your background and experience?
MB: I am an Architectural Engineer with a PhD in Digital Construction. I have experience in both academia and industry as digital consultant supporting clients in setting and implementing the digital strategies.
LB: My background is in Architecture. I have been working in the Industry for almost 30 years, 20 of which in the Public Sector. Working on implementing BIM in large organizations since 2004.
After all these decades where you’ve seen an increase in BIM adoption, what would you say about the current situation? Is the market and AEC professionals mature and fully ready for BIM?
MB: I see a mix of situations. Some clients and organizations are very mature and they are implementing advanced digital and automated processes thanks to the use of BIM. Others instead are still at the very beginning or even ignoring it. But I definitely saw an acceleration in the last 10+ years.
Why is BIM so important for the AEC Industry?
LB: BIM is transforming the AEC industry by enabling a more integrated, data-driven, and collaborative approach to designing, building, and operating assets. BIM isn’t just a tool—it’s a shift in mindset that’s reshaping how the industry plans, designs, delivers, and maintains infrastructures.
Have BIM Mandates played an important role in the growing adoption of BIM and its related standards?
MB: It is an interesting question. I believe the mandates definitely had an impact in growing BIM adoption. But the real transformation just happened in those organisations that integrated BIM in the way they require and deliver projects, not just as a separate function.
You’ve also been working and praising intensively for a standardization of data and exchange. Why is it also so crucial for our Industry? Is openBIM still an important topic or has data exchanges from a global perspective overpassed it?
MB: Yes, as lead author of the international standard ISO 7817-1 on the level of information need, I truly believe in the need of standards to guide our industry.
openBIM is an important topic as it is linked to interoperability, especially for public projects. It is good to see new developments to achieve such interoperability and data exchange.
You are launching a book that you’ve co-written with other important Experts of the AEC Industry. Could you tell us more about the other authors and above all about the subject of your book?
MB: The new edition of the BIM Handbook is authored by Rafael Sacks, Ghang Lee, Luciana Burdi and Myself. We are all from different parts of the world, Europe, Asia, Middle East and America. Previous authors include Chuck Eastman, considered the “father of BIM” and Paul Teicholz. If you work already on BIM, I am sure you have already heard about the BIM Handbook as it has been since 2008 one of the most comprehensive books on this topic.
Why was it so important to write and publish this book for you? What is it going to change in our Industry? And what is it aimed for?
LB: For me, writing this book was both a professional responsibility and a personal mission. As someone who has worked to integrate BIM in the public sector, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful these tools and processes can be—not only to improve the way we build, but also to serve the public with smarter, safer, and more sustainable infrastructure. This edition has a truly global perspective. It brings together lessons learned from around the world and provides owners, policy-makers, and practitioners with actionable guidance. Our aim is to help institutions lead with clarity in a rapidly evolving landscape—bridging the gap between strategy and execution, from early planning through long-term operations. I hope this book will be a catalyst: sparking innovation, improving collaboration, and encouraging organizations—especially public owners—to harness BIM as a tool for delivering greater value to society.
With your long term experience, what is the owner’s perspective in BIM and BIM integration in 2025?
LB: From the owner’s perspective in 2025, BIM has evolved from a design and construction aid to a strategic asset management tool. Owners are increasingly recognizing BIM as essential not just for delivering projects faster and more cost-effectively, but for optimizing the full lifecycle of their assets. In this current phase, forward-looking owners see BIM as a foundation for data-driven decision-making. Integration with facility management systems, digital twins, and sustainability targets means that the information created during design and construction must now be structured, reliable, and enduring. Owners are also driving change. Many public and private sector clients are no longer passive recipients of BIM—they’re setting expectations through EIRs (Exchange Information Requirements), actively participating in BIM Execution Planning, and requiring deliverables that support long-term operational goals. Ultimately, the owner’s role is shifting from funder to integrator: using BIM to connect planning, delivery, and operations into one intelligent, continuous process.
Are you bringing some additional insights about the new industry-specific frameworks such as ISO 19650?
MB: the book presents the ISO 19650 series in the current published version. The series of standards is now under review (Part 1-3) and it would be interesting to see what will change!
In the BIM Handbook you can find the reference to all main BIM standards and how to apply them in your projects. We added several new case studies from projects of different scales and budgets to support AEC Professionals.
Are you also talking about the growing importance of the relationship between BIM and digital twins for construction, operations, and maintenance?
LB: Yes, the convergence of BIM and digital twins is one of the most exciting developments in the industry today. BIM provides the structured data and geometry needed during design and construction, while digital twins extend that value into operations by enabling real-time insights, simulation, and predictive maintenance. For owners and operators, this relationship is transformational. It allows for better asset performance monitoring, smarter decision-making, and a truly lifecycle-driven approach to facility management. We are starting to see, in more advanced owners, a shift from delivering buildings to delivering intelligent, data-rich assets that evolve over time.
Can readers expect something related to the importance, the use and the implementation of AI in our Industry?
MB: Definitely yes. We included different sections on how AI can support different professionals and the integration with BIM. For example we spoke about how rendering is changing thanks to AI. Thanks to the right prompts, we can have accurate videos and images of our projects in seconds!
What would you like to say specifically about your book?
LB: This edition of the BIM Handbook reflects not only how far the industry has come, but where it’s going next. It’s the result of years of work and and collaboration across time zones, disciplines, and perspectives—with a clear goal: to provide practitioners, educators, and owners with practical, global, and forward-looking guidance. We’ve expanded the content to reflect the maturity of BIM adoption worldwide, new technologies like digital twins and AI, and the evolving role of owners in driving innovation. More than anything, the book is an invitation—to learn, to lead, and to shape the future of the built environment.
Anything special you would like to tell our readers about the AEC Industry and the importance of Digital, BIM and AI?
MB: Now there is the trend to avoid speaking about “BIM” and move the discussion to just digital twins (DT) and AI. I invite all readers not to underestimate the importance of trusted information that BIM is generating and enable us to use DT and AI at their best!
Thanks a lot for your time and we wish you a huge success for your book.
It can be purchased either on Amazon or on Wiley estore.