Application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the Malaysian Construction Industry: A Story of the First Government Project

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is currently being used by the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry in Malaysia. It has been introduced by the Director of Public Works Department (PWD) in 2007 to reduce construction costs and avoid design problems. BIM utilization in construction can detect any clash analysis during the design stage, improves efficiency of project scheduling, reduce costs and ensure high quality of the project as well as facilitate communication among construction players. Since it has been introduced by the PWD, several projects have been constructed and being constructed using BIM and one of the project is The National Cancer Institute (NCI). The project is owned by the Malaysian government. This paper discusses the application of BIM in the project, the first project launched by the Malaysian government. A literature review was conducted to explore previous BIM studies on the history of BIM, benefits and importance, barriers and challenges as well as existing BIM projects in the Malaysian construction industry. Furthermore, semi-structured interviews were carried out with the client, consultant and contractor involved in the project. The interviews results reveal necessities and benefits of implementing BIM in completing the project. BIM is necessary for construction because its implementation can increase project quality. It is useful in assisting construction players to complete projects successfully. The results provide clear evidence of the effectiveness of implementing BIM in government projects. This paper can serve as a reference for critical studies of developing a strategy approach model for BIM implementation in the Malaysian construction industry.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a revolutionary stride of technology in the orthodox construction and procedures in conventional Architecture Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry which is stressed upon for its delay on embracing new technologies. The strength of BIM has been disvalued in the eyes of many professionals, to think of BIM as just another ‘software’ which is in reality, a ‘process’ of attaining an outstanding collaboration among each and every stakeholder throughout a project’s life cycle. Hence, the philosophy of Supply Chain Management (SCM) in a construction project can be achieved effectively with the BIM’s promise of flexible and transparent interaction among Construction Supply Chain (CSC) contributors. However, the complexities in CSC of a conservative setup has been more composite with the intervention of BIM. Consequently, the BIM project stakeholders have encountered complications on the effective application of BIM on CSC while reaching the envisioned goals of BIM. Thus, the intention of this study is to develop a foreseeable information flow model related to construction supply chain in a BIM aided project. In order to attain the aim, an extensive literature synthesis was piloted to develop a conceptual informational flow model among CSC stakeholders of a BIM project. This contemporary research outlines that the CSC of a BIM project is much interactive and flexible with its collaborative effort of stakeholders when compared to the clashes among professionals in traditional setups. In a practical context, the roles and duties of BIM project stakeholders identified in BIM standards, have slightly differed due to real-world complications in construction industry. Besides that, BIM standards have laid down charismatic arrangements on information flows among BIM project stakeholders, which is in reality, a complex and random setup. Hence, the research outcome has successfully answered the complications by laying down guidelines for any outsider to the BIM field to recognise what would be the contribution of each stakeholder throughout the BIM project’s life cycle.

PurposeDespite the wave of enthusiasm for building information modelling (BIM) as a platform for information sharing, issues from the context of information-sharing behaviours still exist. The purpose of this paper is to explore the behavioural factors for successful information sharing in BIM projects in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachBased on a literature review, a questionnaire was designed containing seven identified behavioural factors and their sub-elements. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey with 42 experienced BIM practitioners. In addition to that qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine construction practitioners in the Malaysian construction industry. Initially, a descriptive statistical analysis was adopted, followed by multivariate analysis that was employed to examine the possible effect of demographic attributes (i.e. nature of organisation and work experience in BIM) on the behavioural factors.FindingsThe analytical results indicated that communication, accountability and trust were the top three behavioural factors influencing successful information sharing. Additionally, the majority of the behavioural factors on information sharing were found to be not significantly dependent on both, the nature of organisations and the level of BIM experiences. Overall, the success of information sharing in the digital environment (i.e. BIM) depends on organisational behaviour supported by the collaborative constructs.Research limitations/implicationsDue to the fact that BIM implementation in Malaysia is still in its infancy, this study was limited to local context with small-scale BIM practitioners. Therefore, their views may not represent all BIM-related stakeholders in the industry.Practical implicationsThe success of information sharing in BIM projects is a result of a combination of various factors, and this study provides construction practitioners with information on the behavioural factors, which could assist them in creating collective and collaborative information sharing in a digital environment.Originality/valueDespite the fact that this study is country specific, the paper presents a new perspective on the behavioural context of information sharing in BIM projects. The findings further extend the current BIM literature by providing an insight into what it takes for project teams to reinforce their information sharing in the Malaysian digital environment through improvements in behaviours.

Industrialised Building System (IBS) has been considered a construction method to accelerate the development of the construction industry in attempt to boost the economic growth of Malaysia. With the slow uptake of IBS method in Malaysian construction industry, Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology was introduced as an IBS catalyst to improve IBSprocess in term of its productivity and efficacy. However, the advantages of BIM implementation are not fully acquired in IBS industry. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the issues encountered when BIM is implemented in IBS design and production process in Malaysia. The preliminary study adopted the concurrent triangulation mixed method approach where both semi-structured interview and qualitative survey are used as research technique. Four semi-structured interviews were conducted as qualitative survey with the industry experts who have more than 5 years of experience in both IBS and BIM fields to gain insight into the issues of BIM implementation in both IBS design and production process. The quantitative survey Likert scale of agreed level was indicated by the respondents simultaneously while investigating the issues of BIM implementation in IBS design and production process during the interview. The interview data was collected and analysed by measuring mean agreed level to issues of BIM implementation in IBS design and production process and identifying the most significant issues of BIM implementation in IBS process across responses from interview using excel tool and content analysis. The results showed that the most significant issues are encountered when BIM is implemented in IBS design process rather than in IBS production process. The most significant issue is the lack of early collaboration among IBS players in the beginning of IBS design stage in a BIM project. In addition, the lack of knowledge and understanding on IBS design and installation among the project stakeholder, especially consultants in the BIM integrated projects leads to the increase of IBS design time and causes the late confirmation of informed decision of the IBS component design. It can further affect the productivity of IBS production process. Therefore, the issues of BIM implementation in IBS design process should be tackled early to improve the BIM implementation in IBS industry in Malaysia.

PurposeImplementing building information modeling (BIM) in construction projects offers many benefits. However, the use of BIM in project cost management is still limited. This study aims to review the current trends in the application of BIM in project cost management.Design/methodology/approachThis study systematically reviews the literature on the application of BIM in project cost management. A total of 46 related articles were identified and analyzed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses method.FindingsEighteen approaches to applying BIM in project cost management were identified. The approaches can be grouped into cost control and cost estimation. Also, BIM can be applied independently or integrated with other techniques. The integrated approaches for cost control include integration with genetic algorithms, Monte Carlo simulation, lean construction, integrated project delivery, neural network and value engineering. On the contrary, integrated approaches for cost estimation include integration with cost-plus pricing, discrepancy analysis, construction progress curves, estimation standards, algorithms, declarative mappings, life cycle sustainability assessment, ontology, Web-based frameworks and structured query language.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to systematically review prior literature on the application of BIM in project cost management. As a result, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of the current state of the art and fills the literature gap. Researchers and industry professionals can use the study findings to increase the benefits of implementing BIM in construction projects.

An investigation into Building Information Modeling (BIM) application in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry in Gaza strip

Building Information Modeling (BIM) represents a new paradigm in the Malaysian architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. BIM technology provides virtual models (including 3-D models) to generate a building’s entire lifecycle. The model can also be used for analyzing design clashes, project scheduling, cost estimation, and facility management. The use of BIM in construction projects can reduce time to develop a project, reduce construction cost, and increase project quality. This paper aims to explore roles of BIM in the Malaysian construction industry. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with project consultants and BIM consultants involved in two government projects. The projects were the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Malaysia and Sultan Ibrahim Hall (formerly known as the Multipurpose Hall of Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, or UTHM). The interviews revealed effects of BIM in both projects and potential improvement in implementing BIM in construction projects in Malaysia. A literature review and the interviews revealed that BIM is increasingly used and accepted by construction players in Malaysia, and is expected to grow in future.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore building information modeling (BIM) implementation and practices in developed economies by developing a benchmarking model that will enhance BIM adoption and implementation in developing countries.Design/methodology/approachThe research design adopted a qualitative approach which includes the desktop review of the extant literature as well as case study reviews of ten BIM projects using an explanatory case study technique to form the foundation upon which the study proposed the model. The moving basis heuristics technique was adopted to develop the scoring system.FindingsThe BIM benchmarking model and assessment template were developed which consisted of three-level concepts modeled to aid project organizations and project team in developing countries to assess and score the level of improvement and implementation of BIM in a project. A desktop review of BIM projects in developed countries demonstrated the significant improvements and benefits possible through the implementation of the established BIM benchmarking model.Practical implicationsThe assessment template in conjunction with the benchmarking model is useful for a comparative evaluation of similar BIM projects and benchmarking purposes. The study also discussed how current findings extends and contradicts previous findings.Originality/valueThe findings have provided policymakers, construction stakeholders and professional bodies in the construction industry in developing countries with valuable insights and counter-intuitive perspective that could facilitate the uptake of BIM in construction projects.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is the development of digital models used during planning, design, construction, and operation stages of a project. Some construction players doubt the practicality in implementing this new technology. Full adoption of Industrialised Building System (IBS) project is not an easy journey. In addition, the implementation of BIM technology into IBS system will put the client's expectation at risk as it is difficult to understand the complex software. Therefore, the aim of this research is to explore the adoption of BIM into IBS application in Malaysian construction industry. Among the objectives of this research are to investigate the implementation of BIM into IBS application, examine challenges in implementing BIM into IBS application and propose ways to improve the incorporation of BIM into IBS application by Malaysian construction industry players. Research data were collected through questionnaire survey and the results were analysed using SPSS software. The results showed vast majority of public and private sectors have some experience in handling IBS and BIM projects and these sectors are aware that BIM can facilitate IBS projects. However, the implementation of BIM into IBS application is still at the low level especially in private sectors. One of the challenges faced is its high cost, thus only large organisations can afford its implementation. To successfully improve the incorporation of BIM into IBS project, government should take some measures by organising awareness programs, restructuring IBS and BIM training programs, providing incentive, as well as promoting sustainability development and green construction. By doing that, the proposed measures are expected to increase the confidence of industry players to actively adopt BIM into more IBS projects in Malaysian construction industry.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a revolutionary stride of technology towards the orthodox construction and procedures in conventional Architecture Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. The strength of BIM has been undervalued on the eyes of many professionals as to think of BIM as just another ‘software’ which is in reality, a ‘process’ of attaining an outstanding collaboration among every stakeholder throughout a project's life cycle. Thus, the purpose of this study is to develop a foreseeable information flow model related to the Construction Supply Chain (CSC) of a BIM aided project. This study administered a qualitative approach. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 experts, due to the lack of expertize with actual implementation experiences in the subject matter. The data were analysed using manual content analysis. The outcomes revealed that BIM standards have laid down charismatic arrangements on information flows among BIM project stakeholders, which is, in reality, a complex and random setup. The research outcome has successfully answered the complications in complex information setup of a BIM project by laying down guidance for any outsider to the BIM field as to recognize on what would be the contribution of each stakeholder throughout its BIM project's life cycle.

Building Information Modeling is an innovative technology coupled with process and human interactions. BIM has been used by the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry in developed and developing countries including Malaysia. This paper aims to explore the BIM implementation in Malaysian Construction Industry. This paper begins with a literature review and then reports on the findings of case studies of selected Malaysian construction organizations, carried out with the aim to explore on existing BIM implementation establishing on the BIM applications, BIM benefits, and BIM future challenges. The review highlights on several BIM benefits regarding financial, better information, communication and coordination, respond to complexity, improved visual, improved sustainability, improved safety and also create service’s or business’s opportunities. Case study findings indicate that the BIM implementation in projects are still limited and requires more efforts to be made if the construction industry wants to gain BIM benefits. The results also indicate that although BIM implementation is considered low in the Malaysian construction industry, the participants are in a consensus of the benefits from BIM implementation, similar to those found in the literature. These benefits agreed by the participants that BIM implementation is a positive way to enhance the task efficiency in project delivery and also contribute to the higher visibility of the project, together with time and cost optimization. Furthermore, in the meantime, the organization that has the knowledge and skills in implementing BIM could benefit the opportunity in getting the new job or projects as well as being hired as the service provider in the construction industry. Nevertheless, implementing BIM is not without challenges. The data analysis had identified several challenges in regards to the implementation of BIM, which are non-technical (human and organizational culture) challenges and technical (technology) challenges. Thus, based on many future challenges for BIM, the Malaysian government and construction industry players need to collaborate and play their roles in supporting BIM development in Malaysia.

Construction delay is one of the cost-related issues in the construction industry. Introducing Building Information Modelling (BIM) aided in the cost management of the construction project through early clash detection. Thus, BIM reduces the chances of construction delay and becomes a significant solution for cost issues in the construction industry. Therefore, this paper focuses on the cost management between the BIM and the non-BIM construction projects in Malaysia. The objectives of this paper are: (i) to study the issues of cost management and (ii) to analyse and compare the cost management between the BIM and non-BIM projects in the Malaysian construction industry. A qualitative method was adopted in this study. A semi-structured interview was conducted among the Grade 6 and 7 contractors involved in both BIM and non-BIM projects in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru. The result revealed that the main cost-related issue the construction industry faces is the project's delay. With the implementation of the BIM, it contributes to the reduction of the actual cost by 10% - 30%. However, the implementation of BIM in Malaysia's construction industry is still in the infant stage, and it requires collaboration from the government sector to boost BIM implementation.

BIM is a modeling technology consisting of digital tools that can be used in project planning, design, monitoring, and control among construction professionals to deliver the construction project efficiently, ensuring the whole project's success. The Malaysian government is aware of the potential benefits of implementing BIM. Therefore, the Malaysian government has launched several programs to encourage BIM in the hopes that the country's building industry will use it extensively. However, there are a few obstacles and difficulties that are delaying the adoption of BIM in Malaysia. The challenges of implementing BIM are usually encountered by smaller companies. Even with all of BIM's advantages, SMEs are still hesitant to use it when performing their task. The importance of this review is to understand the BIM Adoption amongst SMEs in the Malaysian construction industry. For methodology, a critical review was conducted to find out the present level of BIM adoption, the difficulties in implementing BIM technology, and the most effective strategies for promoting improved BIM adoption among SME contractors in the Malaysian construction industry. The review's major findings indicate that the adoption of BIM by SME contractors is still lagging because of several obstacles that need to be overcome before it can be put into practice. One of the biggest obstacles to SME contractors adopting BIM is cost. The government agencies' role in effectively promoting and encouraging BIM adoption in the Malaysian construction industry is the best way to improve BIM adoption among SME contractors. The importance of this study is in gathering feedback on the degree of BIM adoption among the construction industry participants, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized contractors. This information could serve as a benchmark and point of reference for the development of BIM in the Malaysian construction sector. Further research proposed including to identify the challenges of adopting BIM in future projects, investigating the way to enhance the construction professionals' knowledge of BIM technology, conducting similar research towards the reason and perception of different level managements on BIM, and developing a more appropriate approach for a good integration on BIM implementation in the context of the local construction industry.

PurposeThere is a dearth of studies conducted by local academics on actual building information modelling (BIM) projects to analyse the actual hurdles of BIM adoption. The majority of BIM research focuses on the technology’s general advantages, disadvantages, issues and limitations. In addition, research on actual BIM projects that have integrated BIM throughout the project is necessary to increase the current low number of BIM users in Malaysia. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to examine the challenges BIM adopters experience while implementing BIM in their projects and how they overcome them.Design/methodology/approachAn in-depth interview session was used to collect data based on a case-study methodology. In Malaysia, three BIM projects were chosen, given the available resources. To evaluate the data in this qualitative study, NVivo was used.FindingsAccording to the findings, the most important elements influencing the adoption of new technology and innovation were people and capital. The most significant impediments to BIM adoption are the appraisal of time and finances, as well as the tolerance of changes in approach.Originality/valueCollaborative training and BIM education have been the most explored solutions for reducing BIM difficulties. As a result, these concerns and solutions should be investigated and implemented to ensure project success and fully use technological innovation.

Building Information Modeling is an innovative technology coupled with process and human interactions.BIM has been used by the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry in developed and developing countries including Malaysia.The reason for having BIM in practice triggered by the Director of Public Works Department (PWD) in 2009; who urged construction companies to adopt ICT to enhance productivity and efficiency. This paper aims to explore the BIM implementation in Malaysian Construction Industry. A literature review was carried out to explore on existing BIM implementation that includes definitions, BIM applications, BIM benefits and BIM future challenges.The data collected from various sources such as books, journal articles, conference papers and material available on the Internet, which related to BIM. The review highlights on several BIM benefits regarding financial, better information, communication and coordination, respond to complexity, improved visual, improved sustainability, improved safety and also create service’s or business’s opportunities.Nevertheless, implementing BIM is not without challenges although it gains attention from many countries. Some issues regarding culture, technology, process and policy for the construction stakeholders, organizations and policymaker have been raised to take up the challenges for effective BIM implementation.