Building Resilience: The BESIX Blueprint with GIS and BIM

When you hear "BESIX," your mind could go to iconic construction feats like the Burj Khalifa. But today, BESIX is not just building structures—they’re reshaping how construction data is understood and shared, across infrastructure and marine projects as well. At the intersection? The integration of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and BIM (Building Information Modeling), led by Kurt Desimpelaere, GIS Manager at BESIX Engineering.

“There’s no real difference between GIS and BIM,” says Kurt. “It’s the same information, just viewed through different glasses.”

When Kurt joined BESIX as an Information Manager, he asked: "Where is our GIS environment to complement BIM?" For him, spatial awareness isn't optional. In large-scale infrastructure projects, understanding the bigger picture is quite literally critical. “Without spatial analysis, how can you understand what’s going on in your project?” he asks.

Historically, GIS at BESIX was fragmented on a project level or outsourced. Now, the company has brought it in-house across all projects and countries with ArcGIS and FME servers, drone and Lidar scanning, and web-based mapping platforms. The goal? To make complex data not just accessible but visual and interactive. Hereby turning static plans into actionable intelligence and adding valuable insights to projects.

In BESIX’s approach, BIM and GIS aren’t rivals, they’re partners. BIM focuses on the detailed design and construction of a structure, while GIS adds the geographical and contextual layer. For instance, in the R4WO project in Ghent, GIS is used to analyze the spatial environment, while BIM handles design elements like clash detection and phasing.

Whether it's tracking protected trees, managing utility data, or planning diversions, BESIX ensures that data is reused across both platforms. It’s not about creating replicas, it’s about creating smarter systems.

One standout example is ROCO, a GIS-driven collaboration on the Oosterweel connection project in Antwerp. It allows BESIX and its partners to deliver not just digital drawings, but living, shareable data ecosystems. This approach enhances transparency and collaboration with clients and stakeholders.

The value of ROCO’s approach was highlighted at IMGIS 2025 in Frankfurt, where multiple Oosterweel-related sessions showcased real-world applications of GIS and BIM integration.  

BESIX’s integrated workflow is on full display in its use of technologies like drone-scanning and Lidar. During roadworks and infrastructure upgrades, drone imagery is captured and classified in GIS, while BIM ensures that the resulting models fit within the precise construction tolerances. Similarly, proefsleuven (trial trenches) are documented spatially in GIS to validate the accuracy of BIM models and reduce risks during execution.

And there’s more. GIS helps analyze the presence of hazardous substances like PFOS/PFAS, map dangerous zones like invasive plant species, and monitor groundwater levels. These insights are integrated into construction workflows for smarter, safer decision-making.

What sets BESIX apart is how it bridges the macro (GIS) and micro (BIM) scales. BIM handles asset-level detail: pipes, bolts, and concrete pours. GIS manages broader assets: zones, logistics, third-party infrastructure, and environmental data. Together, they enable a 360° view of every project.

This duality also shines in 4D planning. While BIM is used to simulate the sequence of a bridge build, GIS adds a temporal-spatial layer, accounting for disruptions, dependencies, and regulations in the area. This is especially useful in high-impact environments like cities or near railways.

One of their core missions is to eliminate data silos. Too often, information lives in isolated systems. BESIX is working to centralize project data in a single environment.

Using tools like ArcGIS Enterprise and Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), the team enables collaboration not just internally, but with external partners. For example, GIS layers can be shared via web portals, so that stakeholders only see what matters to them. Whether it’s excavation risks, planning boundaries, or local utilities.

Kurt is quick to credit the collaboration with Esri BeLux as a key to their success. “They’re approachable, lean, and involved,” he says. “When there’s a challenge, they help us think it through and together we find the best solution.”

And the future? BESIX is still growing its GIS team and looking for professionals who can bring both technical skills and strategic vision. “We need people who see GIS not just as maps,” Kurt emphasizes, “but as part of how we build, and in the context of construction.”  

Mingyue Jiang, GIS Professional (left) and Kurt Desimpelaere, BIM/GIS Manager for BESIX.

BESIX’s integration of GIS and BIM is more than a technical innovation, it’s a cultural shift. By uniting design precision with spatial intelligence, they are making construction more transparent, more collaborative, and more resilient.

As Kurt puts it: “GIS helps us understand what matters, when it matters, and for whom it matters. That’s where the real value is.”