Barriers to Building Information Modeling (BIM) Deployment in Small Construction Projects: Malaysian Construction Industry

Ahsan Waqar, Abdul Hannan Qureshi and Wesam Salah Alaloul ()
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Ahsan Waqar: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia
Abdul Hannan Qureshi: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia
Wesam Salah Alaloul: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-30

Abstract: Building information modeling (BIM) application in construction projects is considered beneficial for effective decision making throughout the project lifecycle, as it maximizes benefits without compromising practicality. The Malaysian construction industry is also keen on the adoption of BIM culture. However, various identified and unidentified barriers are hindering its practical implementation. In light of this, this study identified and analyzed critical obstacles to using BIM in Malaysian small construction projects. Through the use of semi-structured interviews and a pilot study using the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) method, the critical BIM barriers (CBBs) have been identified. Based on the findings of the EFA, CBBs were classified into five categories, i.e., technical adoption barrier, behavioral barrier, implementation barrier, management barrier, and digital education barrier. Following the questionnaire survey, feedback of 235 professionals was collected with vested interests in the Malaysian construction business, and the CBBs model was created using analysis of moment structures (AMOS). The findings revealed that although Malaysian experts with little experience in practice were fairly educated about BIM, technical adoption barriers, behavioral barriers, management barriers, and implementation hurdles were critical for adopting BIM. The study’s findings will help policymakers eliminate CBBs and use BIM in Malaysia’s modest construction projects to save costs, save time, boost productivity, and improve quality and sustainability.

Keywords: construction sector; barriers; BIM; small contractors; SEM; Malaysia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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