The president signed a law introducing the information model of construction, BIM

Prague – Information building models, known as BIM, can save public contracting authorities money and shorten construction preparation time. The law introducing it has been signed by President Petr Pavel. The Castle informed about it. The information building model will apply not only to buildings but also to the modifications of their surroundings, that is, the built environment. It can help municipalities and cities, for example. The signed law also changes the rules for permitting advertising billboards along roads.

The obligation to create an information building model will only apply to buildings or parts of buildings whose acquisition cost exceeds the limit for above-limit public contracts for construction works according to the Public Procurement Act. The monetary boundary is approximately 135 million crowns. It will concern buildings that are recorded in the land register or in the technical map of the region. This model will primarily need to be created by the state and its authorities, state enterprises, regions, and state-funded organizations. The method known as BIM has already been used, for example, by the Supreme Audit Office for the construction of its new headquarters.

Exceptions will apply to buildings abroad or to buildings permitted by the ministries of defense, the interior, or justice. The term built environment is based on the definition in the Building Act and represents an environment created or modified by humans, which includes both public and non-public buildings and open spaces. The information model of the built environment aims to gather information about the territory, buildings on it, as well as about restrictions or processes occurring within it.

The Chamber of Deputies supplemented the draft law with a technical change concerning the Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre, and with an amendment regarding the permitting of billboards along roads. The lower chamber added energy storage devices to the list of buildings that are established and operated in the public interest. Lawmakers also approved an amendment that preserves support for electricity production from mining gas even after the end of this year.

The Chamber inserted an amendment into the proposal stating that the permitting of billboards near roads should only apply to those visible from the road. Permits will not be issued by the authorities for more than five years, but they will be time-unlimited. However, the road administrative office will be able to revoke it if the billboard no longer meets the conditions for its issuance.

The permitting is now also to apply to advertising devices along highways in built-up areas. This proposal responds to a change set to take effect on July 1 of next year, when the Roads Act will no longer contain its own definition of built-up areas of municipalities. When determining the road protection zone, the definition in the new Building Act will be used, which defines the extent of built-up areas differently. According to the justification of this amendment, this will expand the extent of segments of land communications that will not have road protection zones, thereby decreasing their protection.