To BIM or not to BIM? Lessons learned from a Greek vernacular museum building

Abstract

The environmental impact of buildings has stimulated efforts to promote sustainable development in the construction sector. Technological development aims to provide an effective framework for the design, construction, and management of buildings through the use of tools such as Building Information Modeling (BIM). This paper critically assesses the use of BIM technology in vernacular design and analysis through the case study of a Greek vernacular museum building. Based on software application as well as in-situ observation and interviews, accurate energy analysis and safety were proved to be important advantages achieved through BIM technology. On the contrary, the inability to capture tacit knowledge and the lack of adaptability to local specificities appear to be the main weaknesses of BIM technology. Certain measures to enhance the use of BIM technology for the design and analysis of vernacular buildings are proposed.