Abstract
Globally, the construction sector suffers from low productivity levels due to a large proportion of the workforce consisting of low-skilled laborers. There is a significant need to move from traditional approaches to advanced methods, such as Building Information Modeling, in order to integrate design and construction workflows with the aim of improving productivity. To encourage more organizations, especially small to medium enterprises (SME), to transition to building information modeling (BIM), clear and convincing benefits are key to ensuring the viability of the BIM implementation process. This study presents the findings obtained through a quantitative structured close-ended survey questionnaire distributed among BIM-pioneering construction companies in terms of the three factors of the project, organization, and individual. The results suggest that BIM factors related to the individual supervision category have the highest positive impact, while the Individual (Labor) factor has the most negative impact on labor productivity. The study concludes by recommending the incorporation of BIM in the Individual (Supervision) category to improve the low construction productivity. A practical recommendation for building regulatory bodies is to develop comprehensive credential training programs with the greater utilization of BIM-related design and construction management to diminish the negative impact of Individual (Labor) factors and thus improve labor productivity in the construction sector.
Highlights
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a relatively new innovation that has been introduced to the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry
This study focuses on the quantitative survey method for evaluating labor productivity, instead of measuring labor productivity directly on a job site, due to the possible uncertainty in tracking labor productivity due to complexity in knowledge and communication aspects when dealing directly with foreign laborers working on construction projects
By looking at the Individual (Labor) category, the findings suggested that factors such as a lack of BIM-knowledgeable fabricators on the project, limited or no previous experience working with other companies on BIM projects, and a lack of BIM-knowledgeable professionals on the project are potential areas of improvement for overcoming the negative impact of BIM adoption on labor productivity in a construction project
Summary
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a relatively new innovation that has been introduced to the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Its implementation has been lackluster for the past decades, primarily due to the considerable financial risk, especially for local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) [1]. For these SMEs to transition from the traditional construction approach to the BIM-based method, strong and evident benefits need to be identified to justify the high initial transition cost. In view of that, promising labor productivity is one appealing benefit that is encouraging the implementation and adoption of BIM in the construction industry. Despite strategies having been developed to explore the benefits of BIM in terms of labor productivity, the empirical quantification of labor productivity is still difficult and complex due to the newness
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