Building Information Modelling Maturity Research Articles

Digital transformation of the wood construction supply chain through building information modelling: current state of practice

PurposeThis study aims to present a state-of-the-art review of building information modelling (BIM) in the Swedish construction practice with a focus on wood construction. It focuses on examining the extent, maturity and actual practices of BIM in the Swedish wood construction industry, by analysing practitioners’ perspectives on the current state of BIM and its perceived benefits.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach was selected, given the study’s exploratory character. Initially, an extensive review was undertaken to examine the current state of BIM utilisation and its associated advantages within the construction industry. Subsequently, empirical data were acquired through semi-structured interviews featuring open-ended questions, aimed at comprehensively assessing the prevailing extent of BIM integration within the Swedish wood construction sector.FindingsThe research concluded that the wood construction industry in Sweden is shifting towards BIM on different levels, where in some cases, the level of implementation is still modest. It should be emphasised that the wood construction industry in Sweden is not realising the full potential of BIM. The industry is still using a combination of BIM and traditional methods, thus, limiting the benefits that full BIM implementation could offer the industry.Originality/valueThis study provided empirical evidence on the current perceptions and state of practice of the Swedish wood construction industry regarding BIM maturity.

Assessing Building Information Modelling (BIM) Maturity Levelin Design and Build Public Projects: Case Studies of Public Projects in Malaysia

Design and Build (D&B) is one of the most common project delivery methods to incorporate with Building Information Modelling (BIM) and has brought to light many innovativebenefits, including collaboration and integration of work processes. However, there is still confusion and a lack of empirical evidence in the construction industry regarding the interpretation of success in a BIM implementation, especially in D&B projects. Hence, this paper is aimed to assess the current maturitylevel of BIM in D&B BIM projects. A quantitative method by means of a survey via questionnaire has been used by adopting the "Migration Path Model of BIM for Construction Professionals" to 31 respondents in three (3) public D&B projects. The findings revealed that the implementation of BIM in those three (3) selected projects does not meet the requirement of BIM maturity in projects. Nevertheless, the BIM competencies of the projects gradually increase throughout the shift of project years. The low level of BIM maturity implies a need to have a standardised policy and guideline in determining the maturity and competencies of BIM implementation in projects at the national and market levels. Thus, it is expected that the results of this research will assist in ensuring the benefit of disruptive technology like BIM could be reaped by the construction industry.

Optimization-based probabilistic decision support for assessing building information modelling (BIM) maturity considering multiple objectives

The phase of operation and maintenance (O&M) is the most time-consuming and cost-intensive stage in the project life cycle. However, the potential benefits of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in this phase have not been fully explored, unlike in the design and construction phases. This is particularly evident in the absence of a comprehensive assessment of its application capabilities. In light of this setting, we develop a BIM maturity assessment model (BIM MAM) for the project’s O&M phase. The proposed model comprises of an assessment indicator system that facilitates experts in providing individual assessment results, and a collective opinion aggregation method in a probabilistic context based on a multi-objective optimization model that is employed to generate the ultimate collective assessment results. The established multi-objective optimization model for BIM MAM incorporates the influence of human behavior factors on the final results by introducing the fairness concern utility level as an objective. Finally, we take Wuhan Jiangxia Sewage Treatment Plant as a practical case to illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed BIM MAM.

An operational framework for implementing digital systems in public administrations’ processes in the design phase

ABSTRACT Governments have been promoting policies for fostering innovation and economic growth through processes of digital transformation in different sectors over the last decade. Referring to the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operation (AECO) industry, public administrations (PAs) have been trying to comply with legal requirements by exploiting cutting-edge digital tools and innovative methods such as Building Information Modelling (BIM). Compared to traditional methods and technologies, this process can boost project management by increasing collaboration among stakeholders, providing enhanced facility visualisation and reducing errors. Although its strategic benefits are widely recognised, the lack of technical skills and the strong attachment to old standards of operation have hindered its adoption, especially in the Italian context. Thus, there is a great need to push PAs towards a change of mentality and processes and check their adoption. After collecting data through literature review and interviews, this research aims to define an operational framework that supports PAs to implement and check the digitalisation of their workflows for the design phase. The framework consists of three consecutive milestones, including acquisition, modelling and verification. The framework is based on an iterative process, which is in common among the three identified milestones. For each of these milestones, a set of key performance indicators was defined to assess the implementation. Indicators were developed by exploiting five-point-based levels and addressing focal points for implementing digital systems. Taking limits and the BIM maturity level of PAs into account, this step-by-step adoption will help PAs to support BIM implementation and leverage their processes.

BIM-CAREM: Assessing the BIM capabilities of design, construction and facilities management processes in the construction industry

BIM adoption has accelerated worldwide since it is an important enabling technology for digitalisation in the construction industry. Adopting BIM requires transforming the traditional building life cycle stages (planning, design, construction and facilities management) into BIM-integrated project deliveries. Assessing the BIM capabilities of these stages helps organisations to identify gaps in their BIM uses and improve them. There is a lack of a comprehensive model in the literature for assessing the BIM capabilities of individual building life cycle stages and their processes. Existing assessment models focus on assessing the BIM maturity of construction projects and organisations which do not inform the required BIM improvements for individual stages and their processes. Hence, we iteratively developed the Building Information Modelling (BIM) Capability Assessment REference Model (BIM-CAREM) and demonstrated its usability through multiple explanatory case studies performed with two international design and engineering companies and two general contractors in Turkey. We assessed the BIM capabilities of design, construction and facility management processes of various buildings i.e. residential, stadiums, hospitals and airports. The results showed that the BIM capability levels of design, construction and facility management processes vary within and across the companies.

Investigation Toward the Adoption of Building Information Modelling in Algeria from Architects’ Perspective

This study attempts to identify and assess the individual perceptions of building information modelling (BIM) benefits and implementation barriers in the construction industry in Algeria from architects’ perspective. An investigation was carried out through survey questionnaires distributed to Algerian architects with different profiles. A total of 100 questionnaires were used for the study. A subgroup analysis was conducted to investigate the differences in the individual perception of the different groups of architects segmented according to the respondent’s work type, organisation size, experience length and computer-aided design (CAD) and BIM knowledge. The findings of the study revealed that the most important barriers to BIM implementation were people and policy factors. The subgroup analysis revealed that the architects working for design firms were more aware and had more readiness for adopting BIM compared to those working for project owners and contractors. Moreover, there were differences in the BIM maturity level between the large and small organisations in Algeria. It was concluded that at the actual BIM maturity level, BIM implementation would not occur without the implication of local authorities and policymakers, as they have a significant impact on promoting and accelerating BIM adoption in the country.

Organisational BIM maturity models and their applications: a systematic literature review

ABSTRACT In the recent decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of maturity models offered in Building Information Modelling (BIM). However, several problems exist, such as no proper criteria for model choice for organisations and no adequate understanding of BIM maturity model (BIMMM) application areas. Thus, a systematic literature review (SLR) was undertaken using 32 papers published between 2010 and 2021, directed with a descriptive and content analysis, following the PRISMA standards. The results of this paper extend the knowledge on BIMMM development, application and validation. BIMMM development has always been initiated with a literature review on existing maturity models. National BIM Standard’s Interactive Capability Maturity Model is the most dominant base for developing and applying BIMMMs. However, the literature lacks applications and validation of mainstream models. The application of BIMMMs is mainly focused on assessing BIM performance, while a few studies tried to explore new avenues such as applying BIMMMs to other contexts, finding the relationship between maturity level and other factors, and understanding the impact of BIM maturity level on factors like project performance. Despite interviews and case studies being popular methods of model validation, doubts on the validity of the models have been raised due to the dearth of information on how most of the models were validated. The results of the study lead future research in the BIMMMs and inform the development and application of valid BIMMMs in practice.

An Actor–Network Approach to Developing a Life Cycle BIM Maturity Model (LCBMM)

Building information modelling (BIM) has considerable potential for addressing sustainability issues in construction, but its benefits can be constrained by the failure to adopt BIM across the full project life cycle. Systematic whole-of-life BIM adoption can be supported by maturity models, but most models are limited by a lack of theoretical grounding, socio-technical dichotomies and the failure to adequately consider the full asset life cycle, often by overlooking the operations phase. This study aims to (1) develop a BIM maturity model that addresses these limitations by (2) using an in-depth analysis of an early adopter case study, thus addressing the lack of empirical research in BIM adoption experiences. A single interpretive research study was conducted to qualitatively analyse a US-based university. The data were gathered through interviews, field visits and document analysis. Actor–network theory (ANT) concepts scaffolded the analytical approach. The findings show that a complex BIM socio-technical network emerged, developed and converged during the project management stage but struggled to achieve durability as an ongoing solution to facilities management. By analysing the elements of success and failure across each stage, the researchers distilled five key lessons to achieve whole-of-life BIM maturity and proposed a life cycle BIM maturity model (LCBMM) supported by a practice guide.

Factors influencing the adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the South African Construction and Built Environment (CBE) from a quantity surveying perspective

Abstract The construction industry has often been described as stagnant and out-of-date due to the lack of innovation and innovative work methods to improve the industry (WEF, 2016; Ostravik, 2015). The adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM) within the construction industry has been relatively slow (Cao et al., 2017), particularly in the South African Construction and Built Environment (CBE) (Allen, Smallwood & Emuze, 2012). The purpose of this study was to determine the critical factors influencing the adoption of BIM in the South African CBE, specifically from a quantity surveyor’s perspective, including the practical implications. The study used a qualitative research approach grounded in a theoretical framework. A survey questionnaire was applied to correlate the interpretation of the theory with the data collected (Naoum, 2007). The study was limited to professionals within the South African CBE. The study highlighted that the slow adoption of BIM within the South African CBE was mainly due to a lack of incentives and subsequent lack of investment towards the BIM adoption. The study concluded that the South African CBE operated mainly in silos without centralised coordination. The BIM adoption was only organic. Project teams were mostly project orientated, seeking immediate solutions, and adopted the most appropriate technologies for the team’s composition. The study implies that the South African CBE, particularly the Quantity Surveying profession, still depends heavily on other role-players in producing information-rich 3D models. Without a centralised effort, the South African Quantity Surveying professionals will continue to adopt BIM technology linearly to the demand-risk ratio as BIM maturity is realised in the South African CBE.

Client-Driven Level 2 BIM Implementation: A Case Study from the UAE

Background: Implementation of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has proven to deliver major performance improvements in Program efficiency, design quality, constructability, waste reduction, environmental performance, and capital & operational cost management of built environment projects. Yet BIM implementation in low BIM maturity markets, such as the UAE, is limited to technology applications which fail to deliver the full potential of BIM benefits to client originations. Objective: The purpose of this paper is to investigate BIM implementation from a client’s perspective and to present a case study that exhibits a level 2 BIM implementation process in a traditional procurement environment. Methods: The study has used a case study approach combined with a literature review. A critical appraisal of relevant literature is presented to highlight key issues hindering BIM implementation for client organizations, especially in developing BIM markets, such as the UAE. The research is collected using an action research approach within a case study, including project document audit, participation in project collaboration meetings and extensive communication with the project stakeholders. The case study is presented in a practice-oriented research format describing the project details, procurement approach, BIM development & management process and benefits achieved for the project client. Results: The paper presents a structured approach to strategically introduce BIM within a low BIM maturity market, creating partnering relationships, empower the supply chain partners and achieving significant BIM benefits with minimum disruption to existing work practices. The paper highlights that although BIM requires a step-change in the work practices of the construction industry, yet it is possible to successfully implement BIM with traditional procurement settings, which may be a critical feature in a certain market or a client requirement. Conclusion: There is a need for case study based, practice-oriented research work within the domain of BIM implementation. Construction clients in low maturity BIM markets are concerned about the perceived benefits of BIM and its practical implementation within existing business practices, which is addressed in this paper. Overall, the findings of this study are useful for construction industry clients and academia in redefining the existing work practices to incorporate BIM-enabled processes and applications.

Assessing the performance of the BIM implementation process: a case study

The article proposes a system of indicators to measure the performance of BIM (Building Information Modelling) projects. Proposed indicators divided into two groups: quantitative (cost and time related numerical values) and qualitative (verbally expressed measures recalculated to scores according to proposed four-point rating scale). The metrics include the calculation of time and cost variations, the assessment of the organizational scale of BIM deployment, BIM competency granularity level, BIM capability level, BIM maturity level. In the case study, the proposed indicators applied for the evaluation of the results of the real construction project. The limitations and difficulties faced up during the project implementation discussed, and the benefits of the application of the BIM methodology revealed. The application of the proposed methodology is useful in assessing, at which level the BIM applied in construction projects and measuring the progress towards achieving project goals. The proposed methodology may also be useful for constant monitoring of the BIM implementation in construction projects.

A Preliminary Implementation Framework of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the Algerian AEC Industry

The construction industry is one of the most growing sectors worldwide, it plays a great role in boosting the economy. The construction sector in Algeria has recently witnessed an upward growth, due to the Algerian government’s vision to develop economic activity and boost the residential construction market. On the other hand, the Algerian construction market is suffering from the lack of efficiency; projects delay and less quality of projects delivery. It becomes very necessary to find a way to improve these inefficiencies by adopting new approaches and technologies. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is becoming a widespread and common approach in the design, construction and maintenance of building facilities as BIM reduces waste, improves construction quality and enhance collaboration among the construction stakeholders. Hence, it becomes necessary to start gradually introducing BIM to the Algerian construction industry in order to improve its productivity. This paper addresses BIM implementation in the Algerian AEC industry and proposes a preliminary framework towards its implementation. Through a questionnaire survey, we explored the BIM capabilities, BIM awareness and BIM maturity of the Algerian AEC players. Based on the questionnaire findings and literature review, this paper proposes an effective BIM implementation based on both levels of macro-adoption and micro-adoption. The framework developed is based on three main aspects comprise of technology, process and policy. This study is considered as the first implementation framework of Building information modelling in the Algerian AEC industry. The framework proposed will be used as a reference for the Algerian researchers and professionals.

BOT: The building topology ontology of the W3C linked building data group

Actors in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Owner and Operation (AECOO) industry traditionally exchange building models as files. The Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodology advocates the seamless exchange of all information between related stakeholders using digital technologies. The ultimate evolution of the methodology, BIM Maturity Level 3, envisions interoperable, distributed, web-based, interdisciplinary information exchange among stakeholders across the life-cycle of buildings. The World Wide Web Consortium Linked Building Data Community Group (W3C LBD-CG) hypothesises that the Linked Data models and best practices can be leveraged to achieve this vision in modern web-based applications. In this paper, we introduce the Building Topology Ontology (BOT) as a core vocabulary to this approach. It provides a high-level description of the topology of buildings including storeys and spaces, the building elements they contain, and their web-friendly 3D models. We describe how existing applications produce and consume datasets combining BOT with other ontologies that describe product catalogues, sensor observations, or Internet of Things (IoT) devices effectively implementing BIM Maturity Level 3. We evaluate our approach by exporting and querying three real-life large building models.

An overview of benefits and challenges of building information modelling (BIM) adoption in UK residential projects

PurposeThis paper aims to present a state-of-the-art review of building information modelling (BIM) in the UK construction practice. In particular, the aim is to examine the scope, value and practical implications of BIM implementation in residential projects by evaluating practitioners’ perspectives working in the Greater London Area (GLA).Design/methodology/approachThe paper outlines the general status quo of BIM adoption and maturity in the UK. It then discusses the feasibility of BIM use in residential projects drawing on an online survey and complementary semi-structured interviews with building professionals. The cross-comparison between the evidence base and literature review uncovers the specific benefits, challenges and risks to BIM implementation in the house building sector.FindingsBIM is an evaluation methodology that helps the management of digital information throughout the project lifecycle. At a conceptual level, a BIM-enabled project offers quality assurance and on-time delivery, collaboration and communication improvement, visual representation and clash detection and whole lifecycle value. The findings, however, suggest that the most frequently reported benefits are related to collaboration and the blend of product (software) and process innovation, whilst lifecycle thinking and waste reduction are often overlooked. At present, there is widespread awareness on BIM but with a financial barrier to invest in developing digital capabilities, particularly for small- and medium-sized enterprises.Practical implicationsThe paper concludes with a critical commentary on the lack of strategic leadership in both the supply and demand side. The role of policy to streamline commercial drivers for whole lifecycle costing in procurement is endorsed to drive the change management required to address the short-term mind-set of senior management and wider fragmentation of the construction industry, also serving as a research question for further research and development in the field.Originality/valueThere are relatively few studies evaluating BIM perspectives in UK residential projects. This paper explores the feasibility and “real-life” value of BIM in housing practice, drawing on views and experiences of building professionals in GLA. In particular, the research findings provide an evidence base evaluating the extent to which the house building industry has the expertise and capability to operate in a BIM environment and to comply with the Level 2 mandate and explore which of the generic barriers and drivers of BIM-readiness are more relevant to the design and construction of housing projects.

Contractual Aspects in the Utilisation of Level Two Building Information Modelling (BIM) within Malaysian Public Construction Projects

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a technology and process that are transforming way of designing, constructing, operating and using the building or facility. In essence, BIM models is a platform for collaboration as it encourages intensive communication and interdependence among multidisciplinary project members. In Malaysia’s BIM Guide, this collaborative process can be seen in Level 2 BIM Maturity which all designers engaged in projects work together to create a single computer-generated 3D Model. From this process, many benefits that BIM promises such as clash free construction, quality of design and greater certainty could be achieved. Therefore, the Malaysian Government announced the implementation of at least 40% of Level 2 BIM for public projects costing RM100 million and above in 2019. However, despite mutual understanding between construction players, the full integration of BIM in the project lifecycle seems to be a daunting task. In the context of the Malaysian Public Sector, many uncertainties could arise pertaining to legal and contractual matters i.e. whether or not the existing contractual instruments are able to support the collaborative environment and digital information sharing that Level 2 BIM engenders. This paper presents a narrative review of published literature on the concept of Level 2 BIM and contractual consideration based on the utilisation of BIM within Malaysian Public construction projects, which includes books, government publications, conference presentation slides, newspaper articles and paper-based journal articles. This paper concludes that in order to legitimise multidisciplinary collaboration and integration of information in BIM within existing standard forms of contract, the development of a contract protocol and suitable procurement model are necessary.

Bridging the digital divide gap in BIM technology adoption

PurposeIn the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, a “digital divide” exists in technology adoption because SMEs (who often form the bulk of AEC organisations in most countries) are thought to be “Late Majority” and “Laggards” in the adoption of Building information modelling (BIM) technology. Larger organisations not saddled with financial and socio-technical constraints might be considered as being among the “Early Majority” or “Innovators”. It is crucial to understand how these organisations differ in their speed of BIM technology adoption and the rationale for this difference. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential causes of the digital divide and suggest solutions for bridging the gap.Design/methodology/approachUsing mixed research method, data were collected through online questionnaire survey of over 240 global respondents as well as a semi-structured interview with nine experts for which statistical and thematic analyses were used, respectively.FindingsOrganisations can be zoned into “layers” and “levels” of BIM technology adoption and their size is not always significant in terms of the speed at which they adopt BIM. The digital divide is unequal across layers/levels and large organisations utilise technologies across the BIM maturity levels depending on project circumstances. A conceptual model for BIM technology was developed to aid identification of the “Laggards” and “Late Majority” from the “Innovators” through which change agents can customise adoption strategies for each group.Originality/valueThe developed model could serve as a tool for engagement and policy making and it contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of BIM technology adoption.

A review on the execution method for building information modelling projects in Hong Kong

Building information modelling (BIM) has over a decade of development history in Hong Kong’s architect, engineering and construction industry. Its benefits have been well proven and widely recognised in a lot of previous studies. This paper looks into the amount of BIM value realisation and level of BIM participation by project members from the angle of implementation approach and procurement strategy. The past experience from different pioneers is collected and reviewed through in-depth interviews and open literature. It is found that most projects in the local market are at level 1 BIM maturity using a ‘one-sided management process’. Although some sort of project collaboration can be realised, it is still far from the full potential that BIM could offer. It is suggested that more consideration should be put on resource utilisation during the planning of BIM execution to enable better productivity through the use of technology.

Developing and Testing a Tool to Evaluate BIM Maturity: Sectoral Analysis in the Dutch Construction Industry

AbstractThis study’s objective was to evaluate the status of building information modelling (BIM) implementation within the Dutch construction industry by means of a developed BIM maturity tool tha...

The impact of building information modelling (BIM) maturity and experience on contractor absorptive capacity

ABSTRACTBuilding information modelling (BIM) has been adopted with increasing frequency by the construction industry in the last few years due to its potential to enhance construction business performance. While there is a general belief that higher BIM proficiency will lead to higher business performance, few empirical studies have tested this relationship. This research explores the extent to which a positive relationship exists between BIM adoption and organisational learning. The impact of BIM maturity and years of experience on the absorptive capacity (AC) of contractors to adopt new information for organisational learning is investigated through a survey of Australian building contractors. While BIM experience was found to be a significant predictor for contractor AC, the analysis of variance showed no significant relationship between BIM maturity and AC. The literature indicates a pervasive belief in a potent relationship between BIM maturity and organisational learning, yet it seems that factors traditionally viewed as more peripheral play a bigger role than expected in determining the impact of BIM on learning and business performance. Subsequent interviews found that (1) poor business ties, (2) willingness to share information and (3) organisational cultural values weaken the expected relationship between BIM maturity and AC. The results suggest that the extent of an organisation's experience with BIM is a greater predictor of learning performance than the complexity of BIM usage within the organisation. The main contribution of this paper is to reveal the complexity surrounding the relationship between BIM and business performance.

An Exploratory Study of Building Information Modelling Maturity in the Construction Industry

Despite the benefits of Building Information Modelling (BIM), the adoption level of BIM remains much lower than expected. Construction companies should appraise the existing condition in the BIM implementation to ascertain the applicable progress avenues that fit the user’s traits. To achieve this aim, the objectives of this paper are i) to identify the trends of BIM maturity studies ii) to conceptualise what is BIM maturity; iii) to identify the existing models of BIM maturity iv) to identify the indicators for measuring BIM maturity in the company, the project and the industry. A systematic review was conducted on BIM maturity articles, published in the Scopus database from 2008 to April 2018. The results reveal that most BIM maturity studies are dominated by authors from the United Kingdom and the United States, but the top three authors highly-cited were from Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. The results highlight four aspects in the conceptualisation of BIM maturity: quality of use, the extent of use, the context of use and stages of the processes. The four most frequently quoted BIM maturity models are the National BIM Standard Capability Maturity Model, BIM maturity, BIM proficiency matrix and BIM implementation models. The results revealed seven major indicators for assessing BIM maturity namely information, people, policy, process, technology, organisation and BIM output. The findings advance the practitioners’ understanding of important indicators that must be considered to initiate or increase the BIM maturity levels in their respective companies or projects.