Catalonia invests €3 million in 3D digital modelling to cut building permit times by up to 50%
The Catalan government is rolling out Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology to replace paper plans with 3D digital models, aiming to cut processing times for construction and environmental permits by 20 to 50 percent.
The technology
The Generalitat de Catalunya is adopting BIM (Building Information Modeling) to replace traditional plan sets and PDFs with a single three-dimensional digital model. Each model integrates geometric data, materials, surfaces, and environmental parameters, allowing the administration to run automated rule checks for regulatory compliance. The shift is designed to reduce manual review and let technical staff focus on cases that require professional judgement.
We are moving from a PDF-based model to a structured data model with automated validation.
Pilot results and rollout
A pilot project with Barcelona City Council, developed within the Pla 50.000 social housing programme, cut processing times by 30 to 50 percent. A separate trial for a biogas plant showed similar gains. The system will now expand to eight public housing buildings in Sant Adrià de Besòs, Lloret de Mar, and La Seu d’Urgell. The government plans a three-stage rollout: the urban licensing pilot with Barcelona, extension to public housing, and finally deployment across the whole territory.
The pilot results have been very good, allowing a 50 percent reduction in processing time, and the idea now is to extend it to more areas of the administration.
Administrative reform context
The initiative is part of a wider reform of the Catalan administration under President Salvador Illa. Officials say the current system requires managing dozens of separate documents and exchanges between different authorities, which slows down economic activity. The new platform, BIMRocket, is open-source software originally developed by the town council of Sant Feliu de Llobregat. It lets developers upload their projects and self-check compliance before applying for a permit.
Investment and platform
The Generalitat is investing nearly €3 million across several initiatives. BIMRocket will serve as a shared public digital infrastructure for validation, collaboration, and project tracking by Catalan public bodies. The government already uses BIM for infrastructure and equipment tenders under its BIM 2030 Strategy and now wants to apply it to day-to-day permit processing.
