Determinants of Adopting BIM as a Design

Building Information Modelling, which is also generally acknowledged as “BIM”, is a globally used technology and it has become one of the promising innovations in the Construction Industry. BIM has gained popularity in the construction industry over the past decade due to its project, process and business benefits it could bring in to the firms. Construction industry in Sri Lanka shows a rapid growth after mid 2000’s and has become a blooming industry as fourth major sector. However, the construction firms in Sri Lanka are extremely slow in adopting BIM technology and still heavily dependent on the conventional paper based documentation practice throughout the whole project lifecycle. For this study, an extensive study of literature carried along with case studies and a conceptual model was developed to analyze the determinants of adopting BIM by the major contractors in Sri Lanka. Major Contractors which has the proficiency on handling medium to large scale projects were chosen as the targeted population, and a structures questionnaire survey was carried out with a selected sample. As per the research findings, it suggests that BIM Knowledge and Government’s Support have moderately positive relationship with BIM adoption rate by major contractors. Organization’s acceptance capacity has exposed a strongly positive relationship with BIM adoption rate by major contractors, whereas BIM training and Implementation cost shows a strongly negative relationship. Further, the findings expose that the current BIM adoption rate amongst Sri-Lankan major contractor firms is discovered as 11.9%. Finally, It’s suggested for Sri-Lankan local government to take initiative actions as a leader, to make BIM technology as a mandatory standard for public mega construction projects and facilitate tax exemptions for the contractors to pursue BIM hardware and software. Further, Coordinating BIM forums and seminars, incorporating BIM as a compulsory module for construction related professional courses, developing strategically planned business cases / pilot projects prior to BIM implementation, adding proper change management efforts and providing basic training to the staff regarding BIM tools were suggested as best set of recommendations for the major contractors to pursue BIM in an effective way