Opinion

The dirty truth about BIM handovers: why compliance doesn’t equal usability

Strategic Lead Asset Management at Glider

Lucas Cusack

Strategic lead asset management, Glider Technology

27 November 2025

What really happens to building information once a project reaches handover? That was the question that Glider Technology’s Lucas Cusack addressed at Digital Construction North on 19 November. If you missed his presentation at the show, here’s his answer.

For the past 15 years, I’ve been at what I call “the messy end” of construction projects – the point where everything needs to be handed over to the client. It’s the stage where good intentions often unravel into chaos with overruns, variations, disputes and companies vowing never to work together again.

I suspect that many in our industry already share this truth: a 100% compliant BIM handover does not guarantee usable operational information. The gap between what’s delivered and what’s actually useful for operations is wider than most realise.

What O&Ms are meant to do

Operations and maintenance (O&M) documentation is supposed to be the backbone of safe, efficient building operations. It includes design specifications, as-built drawings, 3D models, commissioning reports, asset registers and COBie data, manufacturer’s literature and compliance information.

For a large project, O&M documentation can amount to hundreds of thousands, and sometimes even millions, of pages. The purpose is to give the facilities management team everything they need to maintain assets, ensure compliance and support decision-making from day one. In theory, this information should integrate seamlessly into systems like CAFM, BMS and smart building technologies.

The ideal vs reality

In an ideal world, validated data flows from the construction CDE into an operational platform. COBie data populates the CAFM system, models and metadata align perfectly, and the client receives a live, accessible database, a digital instruction manual for the building.

But here’s the truth: that rarely happens. Instead, deliverables are unclear, information is incomplete and files often arrive on USB drives with inconsistent naming conventions. COBie data is missing, unreliable or incompatible. The so-called CDE might be little more than a file share. FM teams can’t access BIM models and data incompatibility forces operators to resurvey buildings just to get basic asset information.

The operational void

Fast forward a few years, and much of that painstakingly compiled information has vanished or become unusable. Access to the contractor’s CDEs is often removed by now, USBs gather dust and shared drives turn into black holes of unstructured data.

Entire work packages, like structural steel drawings, can disappear completely (I’ve seen it). The result? Wasted investment, higher maintenance costs, smart tech failures and even lost rental income due to delays in due diligence. Worse, safety can be compromised. Not knowing where live, critical services are or having an up-to-date fire strategy can have serious consequences. I’ve seen real cases where downtime costs hit hundreds of thousands of pounds, and tenancy delays cost millions per month.

Why does this keep happening?

It’s tempting to blame technology, but the root causes are behavioural and procedural:

Unclear information requirements – clients often specify extensive;

handover requirements without considering operational use;

Construction-focused systems – CDEs are built for design and construction, not long-term operation;

Lack of accountability – no single role owns the quality of asset information;

Siloed working – delivery teams, FM providers and client IT teams rarely align.

Pressure at practical completion – time and cost pressures compromise quality.

How do we fix it?

Here are three practical steps every project team can take:

1. Question everything early
Challenge information requirements at the start. Are they operationally relevant? Does the client understand what they’re asking for? If you see gaps, speak up. Educating your client now saves headaches later.

2. Set a better standard for exchange
COBie is a transport mechanism, not a finished product. The construction CDE is not an operational repository. Think about where the data will live, who will update it and how it will be accessed. Digital O&M platforms like Glider exist for this very reason.

3. Engage Proactively
Work closely with FM teams and asset owners throughout the project. This builds alignment, reduces rework and opens new opportunities. When clients use intelligent asset management platforms, you start projects with reliable data and automated verification, making life easier for everyone.

There is a lot of good data available across the industry, but it needs to be packaged in a reliable and structured way, in order to survive the transition from construction to operation. This doesn’t require new standards or tools, just the right tools and clear collaboration.

At Glider, we help make this happen. Our platform ensures asset information remains accurate, accessible, and valuable throughout the building lifecycle. Because if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.

Topics:

Glider handover

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