BIM as a catalyst for innovation: Nova Participações at the helm of South America’s largest hydroelectric project  

Speaking with Bruno Brunetto, BIM Manager at Nova Participações, it immediately becomes clear how much of a game-changer BIM has been in Brazil’s engineering sector. Since 2022, BIM has played a central role in one of the world’s most ambitious infrastructure projects: the renovation of the Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant. Straddling the border between Brazil and Paraguay, this monumental structure was completed in 1982 and remains one of the largest hydroelectric complexes in the world.  

From early adoption to standard practice  

Founded in 1965, Nova Engevix Engenharia (the company that was the foundation of the holding Nova Participações) has become a key player in Brazil’s engineering landscape, specialising in infrastructure and energy projects. The company, which has been working with 3D models since the 90s, began exploring and adopting BIM methodology in 2015. With BIM adoption in the Itaipu project, implementation began to take on greater proportions. “That was when I was hired to lead BIM adoption in the Itaipu project”, Bruno recalls. “Things took off from there, and later that year I was appointed BIM Manager at Nova Participações.”  

Laying the groundwork for seamless collaboration  

Bruno sums up the value of BIM in simple terms: improved collaboration and full integration. “BIM brings all stakeholders into a collaborative environment,” he explains. “From maintenance to engineering, everyone starts with the same information. That not only raises the quality of the final outcome but also helps catch errors early on.”  

On a personal level, BIM has completely reshaped Bruno’s role. “It used to be all about documentation. Now, we build the entire project digitally before anything happens on site. You need to understand every aspect—technical and operational. It makes the job much more engaging.”  

Learn more: What is BIM Coordination?

An energy-driven engineering challenge  

Renovating the Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant is no short-term venture. It’s an undertaking set to span a full 40 years, broken into three major phases. Itaipu supplies around 10% of Brazil’s electricity needs and an astonishing 88% of Paraguay’s. With 20 generators and a total output of 14 GW, the plant produces nearly 100 billion kWh annually, making it a true giant in the world of sustainable energy.  

“Upgrading infrastructure on this scale while keeping power generation uninterrupted demands an incredible level of precision, planning, and digital coordination,” Bruno notes. “We can’t afford even a momentary disruption.”  

The complexity runs deep: ageing systems built in the 1970s, knowledge transfer from veteran employees, and coordination with a vast international network of partners. “More than 400 people are directly involved in the BIM side of the project,” Bruno explains. “This includes all teams involved with CMI consortium led by GE hydro Solutions and composed of CIE and Tecnoedil, as well as several suppliers spread around the world such as India, France, the United States and Italy.” 

How do you prevent coordination errors in such large teams? Learn more about reducing coordination errors.

From CAD to coordination and operational phases  

Before BIM, teams relied heavily on CAD drawings and manual documentation—a process that often led to communication gaps and risks of misinterpretation. “Now, we begin by validating models—from generators to panels—for consistency and quality using BIMcollab Zoom,” says Bruno. “The entire coordination workflow happens there. Clashes are resolved before construction even begins. IFC models are reviewed in Zoom and checked against client specifications before being handed off to the engineering teams.”  

BIMcollab’s Model Quality Assurance solution is also being used to align workflows and manage BIM requirements through IDS. “It’s been a huge help in safeguarding quality and avoiding costly rework.”  

This workflow guarantees that the BIM specification is a usable basis for subsequent phases of maintenance and operation, ensuring coverage across the asset’s entire lifecycle. 

Shifting the mindset  

The biggest challenge? Changing the mindset. “There are still people at Itaipu who were part of the original construction in the ’70s. Yet they’ve been surprisingly open to BIM,” says Bruno. The integration of legacy systems and collaboration with partners still working in CAD also demands a lot from the team. “But we’re making steady progress.”  

Looking ahead, one of the next hurdles is ensuring that external project components become fully BIM-oriented. “We’re not there yet—but the foundation is solid.”  

On familiar ground  

Bruno had already gained extensive experience with BIMcollab at his previous company. So when he joined Nova Participações, there was no doubt: this was the tool they needed. “BIMcollab’s Model Quality Assurance solution is user-friendly and provides exactly the features that make a difference for us. It streamlines collaboration between teams and stakeholders.”  

Bruno is especially positive about the support they’ve received from BIMcollab. “Working with people like Gabriela [Gabriela Sitja Rocha, Customer Success Manager at BIMcollab] has been a real pleasure. We feel like genuine partners in the process. We also use BIMcollab on other projects to validate supplier models. It’s a solution that simply works.”  

The digital future  

The success of BIM at Itaipu has opened doors internally. If it’s up to Bruno, BIMcollab’s Common Data Environment (CDE) solution will soon be implemented for operations and maintenance. He hasn’t tested it yet, but he’s optimistic. “Being able to integrate operational data into the BIM model would be amazing. Then you really have a single source of truth—even after handover.”  

“Thanks to BIM, I feel deeply involved in the entire project. I have visibility, clarity, and can visually verify every detail. That makes the work not just more efficient, but much more fulfilling,” Bruno concludes. For someone who started with pen and paper, it’s a major leap forward. And for Nova ENGEVIX, it means one thing: the future is digital—and BIM is at its core.