Utilization of building information modeling (BIM) in planning an adaptive reuse project of a Traditional Malay House (TMH)

Abstract

The Traditional Malay Houses (TMH) in Malaysia are considered as vernacular architecture, built and designed by the locals with thoughtful considerations and appreciation for nature. There are various beneficial features in technical and environmental contexts of a TMH that should be investigated further and applied in the present-day built environment. Due to its modularity and ingenious construction method, it is possible for a TMH to be dismantled, relocated and reconstructed in a new environment, also known as adaptive reuse practice. In Malaysia, a new trend has already emerged among built heritage lovers, business owners, individuals and universities to take the challenge of adaptive reusing abandoned traditional Malay houses for heritage conservation and tourism purposes. This paper aims to explore Building Information Modeling (BIM) usage to analyze the building and environment performance of a typical TMH in an adaptive reuse experiment. The analysis is important in order to maximize the building performance of the TMH once it has been constructed at the new location. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the process of creating and organizing building data during its life cycle. Characteristically it uses three-dimensional building modeling software with smart parametric object features to increase efficiency in building design and construction. With the development of simulation technology in BIM, it is possible to evaluate the environmental performance of a building before the real construction begins. An on-going research project to dismantle, relocate and reconstruct a TMH has been used as a case study to explore the aim of this study. The Malaysia's Green Building Index (GBI) and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines were used to evaluate the design and performance of the TMH. A framework was acquired from literatures to establish the correlation between BIM for sustainable design analysis and the GBI and LEED assessment. The focus of this study is the building orientation and daylight performance. The framework was then justified by the case study. Through the usage of BIM software, in this case Autodesk Revit Architecture, the selected TMH was parametrically remodeled in order to coordinate any changes and maintain the consistency of the building components. The BIM model was then simulated for its building performance through secondary software, Autodesk Green Building Studio and the results were analyzed. The study eventually recommended improvements on the performance of the TMH through modification of some of the architectural components without losing the originality and heritage values of the building. Besides that, this study may also be served as a platform to promote the practice of adaptive reuse for heritage and conservation purposes through effective planning using BIM and its simulation tools.