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1 – 10 of over 2000
Article
Publication date: 14 May 2020

Ali Mahmood and Sepehr Abrishami

The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the implementation of building information modelling (BIM) concepts of the various processes involved in building surveying…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the implementation of building information modelling (BIM) concepts of the various processes involved in building surveying practice can lead to a reduction in waste. In turn leading to a synergy between BIM functionalities and lean production concepts.

Design/methodology/approach

To verify and validate the existence of this synergy between the two methods in building surveying, evidences were gathered from previous literature that supports these interactions. Next, a questionnaire was conducted for the purpose of identifying new interactions and providing further evidence to support existing interactions. Finally, based on the findings from previous literature and the results of the questionnaire, an interaction matrix was constructed linking the two concepts with the relevant evidence found.

Findings

The results of the questionnaire show that the BIM functionality with the highest interactions, maintenance of information integrity, had a high correlation with the reduction of variability, cycle time, batch size and promoting standardization of value flow. 4 D model-based scheduling, the second highest functionality, showed a high correlation with the reduction of variability, cycle time, batch size and an increase in the use of visual management. Finally, the results of the interaction matrix between the two concepts showed that the BIM functionalities with the most interactions were maintenance of information integrity, visualization of form and the automated generation of models and documents. The lean principles with the most interactions were reducing variability, cycle time, batch size as well as enables visual management. While most of these interactions were positive, negative interactions were also observed. These negative interactions were due to the fact that the level of competency and knowledge in BIM for building surveyors is at reduced levels which can lead to increased human errors.

Originality/value

The significance of this study is to provide the basis for building surveying organizations who wish to implement BIM and how this would lead to a synergy between BIM functionalities and lean principles. Both positive and negative interactions were considered to provide these organizations with different options for waste elimination.

Details

Construction Innovation , vol. 20 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-4175

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 January 2017

Kathryn Davies, Dermott J. McMeel and Suzanne Wilkinson

Although the potential of Building Information Modelling (BIM) to generate process and performance improvement in the construction industry has been widely documented, very few…

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Abstract

Purpose

Although the potential of Building Information Modelling (BIM) to generate process and performance improvement in the construction industry has been widely documented, very few projects operate in a wholly BIM environment. The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that lead to hybrid practice in BIM across disciplines or project stages, and accommodations that must be reached within BIM project frameworks to allow for it.

Design/methodology/approach

In-depth semi-structured interviews were carried out with 38 BIM specialists from Australia and New Zealand, representing a variety of construction industry disciplines and roles. Data on current practice and experiences in BIM were analysed using a thematic approach within a qualitative framework.

Findings

Hybrid BIM practice is shown to be a common experience for practitioners in New Zealand and Australia. It is presented as a valid model of BIM adoption; both as a development stage in the process towards more complete BIM implementation, and also as an adoption model in its own right.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is based on data from New Zealand and Australia, which are currently developing BIM markets. Although surveys have demonstrated many similarities in BIM adoption processes internationally, results may be less applicable to more mature markets.

Practical implications

The paper suggests that instead of regarding hybrid BIM negatively as an unsuccessful implementation, companies should seek to identify and manage the causes and effects of hybridisation in order to improve project outcomes.

Originality/value

This paper addresses the management of transitional stages of BIM implementation, which is often overlooked in research.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 24 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 May 2019

Maria Christina Georgiadou

This 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…

10231

Abstract

Purpose

This 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/approach

The 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.

Findings

BIM 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 implications

The 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/value

There 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.

Article
Publication date: 19 June 2009

Guillermo Aranda‐Mena, John Crawford, Agustin Chevez and Thomas Froese

The purpose of this paper is to inform project management practice on the business benefits of building information modelling (BIM) adoption.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to inform project management practice on the business benefits of building information modelling (BIM) adoption.

Design/methodology/approach

BIM needs to compete against well‐ingrained methods to deliver projects in a fragmented and rather traditional industry. This paper investigates 47 value propositions for the adoption of BIM under a multiple case study investigation carried out in Australia and Hong Kong. The selected case study projects included a range of public (1) and private (4) sector building developments of small and large‐scale. Findings are coded, interpreted and synthesised in order to identify the challenges and business drivers, and the paper focuses mainly on challenges and benefits for architectural and engineering consultants, contractors and steel fabricators. As a condition for the selection criteria all case studies had to be collaborating by sharing BIM data between two or more consultants/stakeholders. As practices cannot afford to ignore BIM, this paper aims to identify those immediate business drivers as to provoke debate amongst the professional and academic community.

Findings

Shared understanding on business drivers to adopt BIM for managing the design and construction process of building projects raging from small commercial to high‐rise.

Originality/value

The originality of the research reported in this paper is that it breaks from a proliferating series of articles on BIM as industry “aspiration” and as a “marketing” statement. The elicited drivers for BIM underwent industry, academic and peer validation.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 2 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 August 2018

Ying Hong, Ahmed W.A. Hammad, Samad Sepasgozar and Ali Akbarnezhad

The purpose of this paper is to present a model for building information modelling (BIM) implementation at small and medium-sized construction contractor organisations (SMOs). The…

4305

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a model for building information modelling (BIM) implementation at small and medium-sized construction contractor organisations (SMOs). The proposed BIM adoption model assesses BIM implementation benefits, costs and challenges faced by SMOs. Correlation between BIM adoption in SMOs and the associated impacting factors, including knowledge support and BIM adoption motivation, is captured through the model.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review of BIM adoption in construction was first presented. Research data, collected from 80 SMOs in Australia through a conducted survey, are then analysed. Descriptive analysis and structural equation modelling were used to investigate SMOs’ understanding of BIM, and to qualify the correlations among the proposed latent variables impacting BIM implementation at SMOs, respectively. Additionally, this study used χ2 test to compare differences between BIM users and non-BIM users regarding BIM understanding, interested applications and attitudes towards implementation benefits and challenges.

Findings

Potential benefits associated with BIM implementation are a major motivation factor when it comes to BIM adoption at SMOs. In addition, existing staff’s capability in using BIM tools positively affects the establishment of an organisational knowledge-support system, which determines the decision of adopting BIM eventually. Ultimately, there is a need for further emphasis on staff engagement in the implementation process.

Research limitations/implications

The results presented in this paper are applicable to SMOs in the building sector of construction. BIM implementation at organisations involved in non-building activities, including civil works and infrastructure, needs to be assessed in the future.

Practical implications

The results indicate that rather than placing the focus mainly on benefits of BIM implementation, successful implementation of BIM in practice requires adequate effort to assess implementation problems, establish knowledge support and engage staff in using BIM.

Originality/value

Results of this study provide an insight into the adoption challenges of BIM in SMOs, given that the focus of previous studies has been mostly placed on BIM adoption in architectural firms and large contractors.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 26 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 October 2021

Abdullahi Babatunde Saka and Daniel W.M. Chan

Building information modelling (BIM) research studies are highly contextual as the contexts provide lenses for interpreting the results. However, there has been a growing…

Abstract

Purpose

Building information modelling (BIM) research studies are highly contextual as the contexts provide lenses for interpreting the results. However, there has been a growing decontextualization in extant studies especially between the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large firms; and between developed and developing countries. Albeit these contexts are all in the same construction industry, they often react differently to the same conditions. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the perceptions of firms in varying contexts of size and location on the perceived barriers to the implementation of BIM in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The perceptions of 228 firms gleaned from 26 countries across the 6 continents were collated via an international empirical questionnaire survey. The data was analysed using the mean score, rank agreement analysis, Mann-Whitney U test and factor analysis.

Findings

The findings revealed the major factors impending BIM implementation in each of the contexts and a comparative analysis emphasized the difference in their perceptions. The findings underscore that there is a general digital divide as regard BIM implementation between the SMEs and large firms, and a deepening divide between the developed and developing countries.

Originality/value

The study has provided empirical evidence for the BIM divide in the AEC industry, which would influence the promulgation of BIM policy and transferability of best practices across varying contexts of both firm size and country level.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. 21 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 April 2022

Esther Ire Okwe, Oludolapo Ibrahim Olanrewaju, Matt Heckman and Nicholas Chileshe

This paper aims to explore and review the critical perspectives of stakeholders in the facility management (FM) industry as regards the barriers to building information modelling …

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore and review the critical perspectives of stakeholders in the facility management (FM) industry as regards the barriers to building information modelling (BIM) integration, with the view to providing significant insights to mitigate the barriers to BIM implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

An extensive literature review was conducted to identify critical barriers to BIM–FM integration. Ten categories of barriers were identified from the literature review and used to design a Likert scale-based questionnaire, which was administered to registered members of International Facility Management Association based in Lagos, Nigeria. The data collected were analysed using both descriptive (mean score, standard deviation, frequency tables and charts) and inferential statistics (Shapiro–Wilk and Kruskal–Wallis tests).

Findings

The descriptive and inferential analysis demonstrated a disparity in the ranking of the ten barriers among the groups. Six (out of ten) barriers to BIM implementation for FM practices are identified as critical (mean score greater than 4.0): insufficient awareness levels of BIM–FM integration benefits, non-existence of contractual and legal framework for BIM implementation, limited studies on BIM–FM inter-relationship, poor acceptance levels and resistance to change among stakeholders, perception of BIM and inadequacy of mode data. And the results of the one-sample t-tests show that there were statistically significant differences in the six.

Practical implications

This study offers significant insights to industry stakeholders in understanding BIM implementation barriers in FM, as well as the framework for mitigating them. These findings could also be applied to other developing countries, with special consideration given to locational differences.

Originality/value

The valuable information provided in this study could be used as a roadmap to improve BIM–FM practice implementation in Nigeria. It also measured differences in the opinions of professionals.

Details

Journal of Facilities Management , vol. 21 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1472-5967

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 April 2020

Timothy O. Olawumi and Daniel W.M. Chan

The construction industry has been evolving in recent years through the adoption of smart tools such as building information modeling to reduce the complexity in the construction…

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Abstract

Purpose

The construction industry has been evolving in recent years through the adoption of smart tools such as building information modeling to reduce the complexity in the construction process and optimize the project's goals. This paper aims to identify and assess the key drivers for the implementation of smart sustainable practices in the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Inferential and descriptive statistical techniques were employed in analyzing the data collected via an international empirical questionnaire survey deployed in soliciting the perceptions of 220 construction professionals across 21 countries. Factor analysis was used to categorize the identified key drivers into their underlying clusters for further discussion. Also, the data were analyzed based on the various groups and regions of the study's respondents.

Findings

The key drivers (KDs) are related to the technical competence of staff as well as knowledge and awareness level within the industry, issues related to organizational and project's strategy and policies, availability of financial resources and development of relevant standards and policies to aid its execution among others. A comparative analysis of the perceptions of the different respondents' groups was undertaken and discussed.

Practical implications

The analysis of the key drivers for the implementation of smart and sustainable practices in the construction industry is expected to aid the decision-making of the relevant stakeholders as well as serve as a consultation instrument for government agencies in their design of localized policies and guidelines to aid smart and sustainable urbanization. The findings revealed the gaps in the implementation of smart and sustainable practices in various climes and organization setups and provided useful and practical strategies for addressing the current hindrances during implementation.

Originality/value

The study has generated valuable insights into the significant drivers that can enhance the implementation of smart and sustainable practices across regions. It is evident that synergy among the relevant stakeholders in the built environment will help accelerate the implementation of smart sustainable practices in the construction industry. The study findings have provided profound contributions to theory and research as well as to industry practice.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 27 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 September 2023

Xiaoying Li, Xiujuan Jin, Heng Li, Lulu Gong and Deyang Zhou

Considering the substantial benefits derived from the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in construction projects, governments and its related sectors have introduced…

Abstract

Purpose

Considering the substantial benefits derived from the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in construction projects, governments and its related sectors have introduced mandatory policies requiring the use of BIM. However, little is known about the impact of mandatory policies on BIM-based project performance. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide a systematical understanding on the impact of policy interventions on the implementation practice of innovative technologies.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper utilizes the propensity score matching and difference in differences (PSM-DID) method to investigate the impact of policy interventions on BIM-based project performance. Using the panel data collected from 2015 to 2021 in the Hong Kong construction industry, this paper explores the impact of the first mandatory BIM policy on the BIM-based project performance of three key stakeholders.

Findings

The subjective BIM performance and BIM return on investment (ROI) have significantly improved after implementing the mandatory BIM policy. The promotion effect of mandatory BIM policy on BIM-based project performance gradually increases over time. Moreover, the promotion effect of mandatory BIM policy on BIM performance shows significant heterogeneity for different stakeholders and organizations of different sizes.

Originality/value

This study examined the impact of policy interventions on BIM-based project performance. The research findings can provide a holistic understanding of the potential implications of innovative mandatory policy in performance improvement and offer some constructive suggestions to policymakers and industry practitioners to promote the penetration of BIM in the construction industry.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 June 2019

Nan Liu, Lin Ruan, Ruoyu Jin, Yunfeng Chen, Xiaokang Deng and Tong Yang

The purpose of this paper is to target on individual perceptions of BIM practice in terms of BIM benefits, critical success factors (CSFs) and challenges in Chongqing which…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to target on individual perceptions of BIM practice in terms of BIM benefits, critical success factors (CSFs) and challenges in Chongqing which represented the less BIM-developed metropolitan cities in China.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting a questionnaire-survey approach followed by statistical analysis, the study further divided the survey population from Chongqing into subgroups according to their employer types and organization sizes. A further subgroup analysis adopting statistical approach was conducted to investigate the effects of employer type and organization size on individual perceptions.

Findings

Subgroup analysis revealed that governmental employees held more conservative and neutral perceptions toward several items in BIM benefit, CSFs and challenges. It was inferred that smaller organizations with fewer than 100 full-time employees perceived more benefits of BIM in recruiting and retaining employees, and considered more critical of involving companies with BIM knowledge in their projects.

Originality/value

This study contributed to the body of knowledge in managerial BIM in terms that: it extended the research of individual perceptions toward BIM implementation by focusing on less BIM-mature regions; it contributed to previous studies of influencing factors to BIM practice-based perceptions by introducing factors related to organization type and sizes; and it would lead to future research in establishing BIM climate and culture which address perceptions and behaviors in BIM adoption at both individual and organizational levels.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 26 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

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