Conflicting Side of Building Information Modeling Implementation in the Construction Industry

Abstract

Building information modeling (BIM) has changed the face of the construction industry as it has affected not only the nature of interactions between the multiple stakeholders involved in projects, but also the framework of the working environment and its boundaries. BIM has been widely recognized to have benefits ranging from enhancing cost and schedule performance to reducing safety risk. Despite the industry enthusiasm about BIM and its benefits, its implementation has been relatively challenging. Considering the characteristics of this technology combined with the very diverse nature of the construction industry working environment and contracting strategies, BIM implementation presents a set of challenges ranging from technical to contractual and personal challenges that extend beyond the design and construction phases to the postdelivery phase. This paper aims to present through literature review and expert interviews evidence of those challenges with a focus on BIM-related contractual challenges and sources of disagreements. The authors also compile a set of recommendations collected from the expert interviews aiming to foster the preventive action for better implementation experiences.