State of Practice of Building Information Modeling in Mechanical and Electrical Construction Industries

Abstract

The North American construction industry has seen a decline in productivity for decades due to various reasons, including a lack of collaboration and the increase in the complexity of systems. These problems are most visible in labor-intensive trades, such as mechanical and electrical construction. Within the last decade, building information modeling (BIM) has emerged as a potential solution to these problems. This paper attempts to highlight the state of practice of BIM in the mechanical and electrical industries. By analyzing responses from an extensive survey and interview process, this paper reaches three key conclusions, namely, (1) 59% of mechanical and electrical contractors that use BIM have 3 years or less of BIM experience; (2) contractors should use one to three BIM staff members and add 1–2% of total project-cost estimates to account for BIM implementation; and (3) more than 70% of mechanical and electrical contractors that have used BIM agree that BIM reduces field conflicts and improves coordination. These findings can help mechanical and electrical construction firms understand the evolving use of BIM and allocate resources appropriately.