Building information modeling (BIM) and design and build procurement in building construction projects

Abstract

The Building Information Modeling (BIM) implementation is to create a centralised knowledge sharing resource that contains all the necessary design and operational information about the project. BIM is a collaborative approach to design and delivery embraced by various construction teams in the construction projects such employers, engineers, architects, quantity surveyors and contractors. Discussing in the context of the most suitable procurement to be used, with regards to the use of BIM, the Design and Build (D&B) approach is highlighted as the best building procurement of the design-to-construction business process. D&B process was developed to consolidate responsibility for design and construction into a single contracting entity. Typically in the traditional pre-construction D&B scenario, the contractor receives a set of client’s requirements. However, the contractor often faced problems in the form such that the requirements are unclear, the scope of work are not adequately stated and there are missing elements which normally led to changes in the design that involves a great financial and time related. BIM is going to be particularly beneficial for D&B procurement, because the involvement of the contractor at earlier stage should be necessary for the client receiving the design proposal as BIM model; so the design model can be visualised and modified and corrected in order to fit all the requirements. Therefore this study is carried out to investigate what are the factors which facilitate the D&B procurement as the suitable approach for BIM adoption in construction projects. This is basically a descriptive study and the methodology used is essentially based on case law analysis and review. The analysis revealed that, propensity of adopting D&B procurement and the adoption of BIM based on these factors: improve the communication; closer collaboration; liability and legal relationships are specifically determined; cost effective and cost certainty; and lastly, a saving in overall time from conception to completion with reductions in design and construction period.