Building Information Modelling, Integrated Project Delivery, and Lean Construction Maturity Attributes: A Delphi Study

Abstract

The benefits of adopting collaborative approaches in the construction industry, such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), and Lean Construction (LC), in an integrated manner are widely acknowledged in academia and industry. Once organizations have embraced BIM, IPD, and LC integration (BIL), a measurement method for evaluating their progress and planning for continuous improvement is required. However, there is no widely accepted capability assessment model, such as Maturity Models (MMs), to effectively assess productivity improvements in organizations adopting all three approaches based on the interdependencies between them. The first step in the process of BIL MM development is identifying the critical attributes of BIM, IPD, and LC integration. This research investigates the interrelationships of BIM, IPD, and LC for use in the maturity models, determining how BIM and IPD can support the application of LC principles. The mixed methods approach was adopted, and a literature review and a two-round Delphi survey were conducted for the data collection. The findings revealed a number of complementarities between BIM, IPD, and LC. The panel of experts agreed upon the five major attributes and 24 sub-attributes of BIM, IPD, and LC, which formed the structure of the presented integrated BIL framework. The significance of this study is to provide the basis for organizations that intend to implement BIM, IPD, and LC in an integrated manner. Interrelating these attributes in a maturity framework also supports the planning and evaluation of organizations’ progress towards realistic goals for continuous improvement.