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Building information modelling (BIM) adoption is vital to the productivity and competitive nature of the construction sector. However, BIM adoptions have not been generally embraced by many architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms, particularly in developing countries. Moreover, studies that investigate the important drivers to BIM adoptions among construction professionals through quantitative approach are limited. The purpose of this study is to address the aforementioned gap.

This study involves a literature review, a pilot study and a questionnaire survey. The primary data were carried out using structured questionnaires distributed to four different BIM adopter AEC firms. These comprised architectural firms, facility management firms, quantity surveying firms and structural engineering firms in Lagos, Nigeria. Data obtained were analysed using mean score, standard deviation, Kruskal–Wallis test and factor analysis.

The study identified 23 drivers to BIM adoption, and the relative importance of the identified drivers was gauged from each selected BIM adopter AEC firm category. The result of the Kruskal–Wallis test showed that there is no statistically significant difference in the perceptions of the four selected AEC firms in the mean ranking of the identified 23 drivers to BIM adoption. The findings from factor analysis categorized the identified drivers into two major factors to include cost and time savings, improved communication, and BIM awareness and government supports.

The study empirically identifies important drivers to BIM adoption that will be useful for construction stakeholders to formulate strategies to adopt the full implementation of BIM in the AEC firms of Nigeria and other developing countries. Also, this study is important as it identifies, analyses and compares the drivers to BIM adoptions from four different AEC firms, thereby providing robust and more reliable findings.

The study findings will provide information to policymakers and construction stakeholders to make policy recommendations that are capable of positively influencing the widespread adoption of BIM in AEC firms in particular and the construction industry at large. This study is important because the studies that comparatively and empirically analyzed BIM drivers in AEC firms are rare, particularly in developing countries. Hence, this study could be used to benchmark future studies in developing countries.

BIM has much potential to improve the effectiveness of construction works with respect to design, construction and maintenance. However, many Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) firms are still lagging in the adoption and implementation of BIM in both developing and developed countries. The purpose of this study is to assess the barriers to BIM implementation, and examine the ways forward to improve BIM adoption within the Nigerian AEC firms.

A comprehensive literature review and questionnaire survey were used in the study. The survey targeted four different AEC firms. These include architectural firms, facility management firms, quantity surveying firms and structural engineering firms in Lagos, Nigeria. The data obtained were analyzed using mean score, standard deviation, Kruskal–Wallis test, and factor analysis.

The study identified 20 barriers to BIM implementation and identified ten ways forward to improve BIM adoption in AEC firms, particularly in Nigeria. The relative importance of both the identified barriers and the ways forward were gauged. The Kruskal–Wallis tests revealed that except for one (out of 20) identified barriers, and one (out of 10) identified ways forward; there is no statistical significant difference in the perceptions of four different AEC firms. The factor analysis result grouped the 20 identified barriers into three major factors to include: weak top management support and BIM environment related issues; cost of BIM software and training issues; and incompatibility, legal, contractual, and culture related issues.

The significance of the study cannot be over-emphasized due to BIM relevance to construction stakeholders and researchers at large.

The study findings would inform the decisions of the construction stakeholders to make some policy recommendations capable of positively influencing the full BIM implementation in AEC firms.

In several developing contexts, the delivery of Architecture, Engineering Construction and Operation (AECO) projects continually grapples with issues such as fragmented communication, a lack of transparency, safety and risk management concerns. These problems result from the use of traditional construction practices and insufficient technology integration. Therefore, there is a pressing need to enhance communication, transparency and collaboration within construction projects in these countries through the improved utilization of innovative tools. Consequently, this study empirically assesses both the application areas and the benefits associated with the adoption of social media within the Nigerian construction industry.

This study employed a quantitative research approach that utilized a structured questionnaire to collect responses from construction professionals. The respondents were selected using a combination of purposive and snowball sampling techniques, resulting in a 75% response rate. Data analysis included mean score value (MSV), standard deviations and normality testing (Shapiro-Wilk) to assess data characteristics. The Kruskal-Wallis H-test was used for further analysis due to the ordinal nature of the data.

The findings of this study indicate that social media can be effectively used in project management, communication, safety management, as well as marketing and branding of AECO projects. The most significant benefits of using social media in construction activities include building trust and credibility, enhancing crisis communication and improving project collaboration.

This study introduces a fresh perspective by showcasing the transformative potential of social media, traditionally viewed as a communication tool, in addressing complex issues in construction project delivery. Consequently, the findings of this study can offer a paradigm shift in the way construction professionals, policymakers and industry stakeholders perceive and harness the capabilities of social media.

Despite the growing use of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies in construction, the reasons behind adopting social media in this context and its real benefits for sustainable construction and productivity remain unclear. This study aims to examine how construction professionals perceive the impact of social media on sustainable construction and productivity in the industry.

This research used a mixed-methods research approach (qualitative and quantitative), resulting in the formulation of a well-structured questionnaire which was distributed to construction professionals. Ordinal regression and multinomial logistic regression were carried out to assess the impact of social media use on sustainable construction and productivity enhancement, as well as the extent of social media utilization in construction projects.

Through exploratory factor analysis, five distinct clusters of social media consequences were identified, namely: information and knowledge sharing, community engagement and morale, environmental and resource management, disruptive and stressful effects and communication and collaboration. Furthermore, the extent of social media usage is closely related to three key factors: community engagement and morale, environmental and resource management and communication and collaboration.

This study represents one of the pioneering research efforts in Nigeria to investigate the implications of social media usage in the construction industry. Thus, future studies can build upon this research to further contribute to the multifaceted dimensions of social media’s impact on the construction industry.

Although social media has gained prominence as a communication and marketing tool in various sectors, its adoption and utilization within the construction industry remain relatively underexplored. Therefore, this study fills this gap by evaluating the level of awareness and the extent of adoption of social media within the Nigerian construction industry, shedding light on its current status and potential impact.

This objective was attained via a quantitative research approach that utilized a structured questionnaire to obtain responses from construction professionals such as architects, builders, engineers, quantity surveyors and estate managers. Frequencies and percentages and the mean item score (MIS) were used to analyze the questionnaire responses and assess the overall awareness and adoption of social media among construction professionals. Additionally, the Kruskal–Wallis H-test provided valuable insights into the variations in social media adoption levels among different professional categories within the construction industry.

The results indicate that construction professionals possess a generally high level of awareness regarding various social media platforms. However, despite this awareness, the extent of adoption does not align with the level of awareness, suggesting that adoption rates are not as widespread as anticipated.

The findings of this study underscore the importance of not just awareness but also effective adoption and utilization of social media platforms. While awareness is a crucial first step, construction firms should focus on implementing strategies to encourage greater adoption and integration of these platforms into their daily operations. This can go a long way in bridging the awareness – adoption gap which was revealed in this study.

While the limited existing research on social media in the construction industry has predominantly concentrated on areas such as marketing, addressing the root causes of fatalities, data environment tools and business branding, none have undertaken a thorough evaluation of social media awareness and adoption within the sector. This study fills a critical gap by narrowing its focus to the adoption dynamics and the technology’s potential impact on communication, collaboration and knowledge sharing among construction professionals.