In the tenth episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Michael Burij, a BIM and digital planning lead based in Berlin, about why IFC is becoming a practical necessity on German projects.

Michael shares how public procurement rules, mixed software environments, and real coordination needs are pushing teams toward openBIM workflows. We talk about IFC exchange, agile coordination, model quality, client expectations, and why BIM works best when it is treated as a communication method, not just a software topic.

The core idea is simple. openBIM becomes much more useful when teams stop treating it like a final export and start using it as part of the planning process itself.

What we discuss:

Why Germany Uses IFC. Why public procurement rules and mixed software environments make IFC the practical way for different disciplines to work together.

BIM as Communication. Why Michael sees BIM less as a software issue and more as a set of communication methods for complex projects.

Start Simple, Then Improve. Why teams should not get stuck debating attributes and data requirements before they even establish a working process.

Agile Coordination in Practice. How regular model exchanges, sprint based planning, and coordination plans help move projects forward step by step.

Cleaning Up the Data Later. How messy model data can be mapped, structured, and improved instead of expecting perfect delivery from every design team from day one.

What Comes Next for BIM Roles. Why Michael believes BIM experts may increasingly shift toward coaching, simplification, and tool development.

Find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petruconduraru/