Principles and recommendations for client information requirements for BIM enabled construction projects in Qatar

Employer's information requirements (EIR) is one of the key early documents in projects using building information modelling (BIM). EIR, introduced by the UK BIM Task Group, sets out information deliverables and the standards and processes to be adopted by the supply chain. It includes a set of requirements and guidelines in three areas namely technical, management and commercial. EIR, which are applicable to the construction industry in Qatar, are not clearly defined despite BIM is increasingly required on projects. This paper aims to develop a set of principles and recommendations for the three areas of the EIR which are applicable to Qatar's construction sector. Following an investigation of current BIM practices in Qatar, a set of general principles and recommendations were proposed and validated for the areas of the client information requirements (CIR) - an adaption of the term EIR as evidenced in the paper. Copyright 2016 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.Scopu

An investigation into Macro BIM Maturity and Its impacts: A comparison of Qatar and the United Kingdom

Emerging frameworks of BIM implementation have proposed several attributes as measures of macro-scale BIM maturity within countries. Such macro-scale BIM maturity indicators determine the policy and institutional imperatives for BIM diffusion at the national and market levels. Although macro-scale initiatives are enacted to ultimately drive micro-scale (organisational) BIM adoption, it remains unclear whether they have been effective in practice. To ascertain this, the macro-scale BIM maturity of two countries (Qatar and the United Kingdom) are examined in order to identify the influence of the key macro-scale maturity factors on implementation at the micro-scale. Based on expert BIM maturity evaluation and interviews (n=16), the maturity of both countries was ascertained and compared. Subsequently, a survey (n=73) of construction businesses was used to solicit opinions about the relevance of macro-BIM maturity factors to implement at the micro-level. The study further identifies peculiarities with respect to the maturity levels of both countries. The findings indicate that both Qatar and UK have generally comparable levels of macro-BIM maturity, although, in some areas, both countries failed to meet the expectations of organisations in terms of facilitating their BIM adoption at the micro-level. Qatari organisations were of the opinion that further maturity is required in relation to champions and drivers, as well as regulatory frameworks. Similarly, in the UK, organisations were of the view that there was a need for more in terms of champions and drivers as well as noteworthy publications in order to facilitate micro-scale adoption

Drivers and Barriers to the Use of Building Information Modelling in India

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a remarkable development that has recently engulfed the construction sector globally. It has provided a catalytic means for “rethinking” the design, construction, and operation of our built environment. Fundamentally a technology driven concept, BIM when entwined with issues pertaining to people, processes and organizations has the potential to significantly impact the industry. Considering global adoption of BIM, a clear divide between developed economies and emerging economies can be seen. Significantly low adoption of BIM in the developing world has been reported. Paradoxically the need for BIM in the developing world is far more than the developed world. With this backdrop, this paper reports on the adoption of BIM in India. Finding the adoption rate in India low, this research aimed at finding out the drivers and barriers to the use of BIM. The research has been divided into two phases. The first phase involved interaction with industry professionals by conducting semi structured interviews so as to gather deeper and actual understanding of the subject under study. In the second phase, on the basis of this interaction and the literature review, a questionnaire was prepared and an online survey was conducted. As per the analysis of the collected data, it surfaced that the use of BIM is still in its nascent stage in India, although its adoption has seen an upward trend in the past three to four years. BIM adoption has still not reached a stage where the users can comment on the savings in cost due to BIM implementation as the majority of the respondents have not seen full cycle of successful implementation. Stakeholders remain sceptical about BIM adoption and its perceived benefits. However a majority of the users are intuitively convinced that there is savings in time and significant improvement in final quality. Moving forward a meaningful impact can be made on the state of education, research and practice pertaining to BIM in India via a meaningful collaboration between industry, government, and academia. Findings of this study can be compared and collated across other emerging economies to develop implementation strategies

Adopting BIM standards for managing vision 2030 infrastructure development in Qatar

This research was designed to assess the significance of using Building Information Modeling (BIM) standards to enhance efficiency in the Qatari construction industry. The need for more efficient processes arose in part from the Qatari government’s increased level of investment in infrastructure and the accompanying desire to secure the country’s 2030 vision. A questionnaire was used to collect primary data from the Qatari construction industry. Three questions guided this research: (i) What are the current challenges facing the Qatari construction industry in the smooth deliverance of projects?” (ii) “What strategies does the industry use in the promotion of an integrated business model that is technological centric?” (iii) “What are the possible challenges that the industry would face if it were to adopt BIM as a standard for all projects in the Qatari construction industry?” The outcome of the research shows that using BIM as a standard could not reduce the inefficiencies faced by the industry. While the respondents to the survey had realised that the industry had challenges, the implementation of BIM seemed not to be in line with the difficulties experienced in the industry. This finding was supported by a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.001 for many survey questions. While the industry could be using BIM in general, it still does not form part of the strategy to promote collaborative working. The research did not emphasise the process of implementing BIM standards because most contracts did not require the use of BIM; neither do regulators. The research highlights the challenges of implementing BIM as a standard in a modern construction industry that is facing inefficiency. Even though clients have the capacity to apply innovative strategies, they are stifled by complex business structures and processes. Inefficient delivery of facilities raises questions about the management structures used by the industry. With a large expatriate workforce, Qatar needs systematic tools and approaches such as BIM for managing construction processes regardless of the level of experience and exposure of its managers. Adopting BIM could significantly improve working relations on projects. The research shows that the construction industry would require a standardised BIM process if companies were to deliver on their targets. There is value in adopting tools and techniques that would enhance collaborative tendencies by professionals working in the industry. However, the overall strategy to implement a standardised BIM approach would initially exacerbate current problems before it could bring forth improvements to the construction process

Development of a BIM and LEAN construction process protocol for the construction industry in Kuwait: from a client perspective

In Kuwait, there are substantial development plans for the construction industry; however,this is not without obstacles, as it suffers from problems and faces many challenges that haveled to poor performance in the industry. This research focuses on the public sector as a sectorthat could bring innovation to the government and support the aim Kuwait’s vision for 2035for the construction industry. Moreover, it could help to introduce advanced methods thatenable the digitisation of the industry. This study investigates the most common problemsfacing the Kuwaiti construction industry, identifies an appropriate solution to resolve theseissues, and thus, improve the industry.Lean Construction (LC) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) have demonstrated theireffectiveness in improving the construction industry in many countries around the world. LeanConstruction is a management philosophy to minimise waste and add value for the customer,whereas BIM is a process that manages information through the project lifecycle, fromplanning and designing through to project completion. Since there is a lack of awareness ofLean Construction and Building Information Modelling in Kuwait, it is essential to considerthese two resources when exploring ways to improve the efficiency of the constructionindustry.Mixed methods research is applied in this study, starting with a survey that explores thechallenges and examines the possible solutions applied in construction projects in Kuwait.Subsequently, two case studies are selected to obtain in-depth information on the challenges,project management practices, and adoption of advanced technologies, such as BIM and LeanConstruction, in construction projects in Kuwait.Delays, a lack of communication and coordination between stakeholders, poor planning andcontrol, and change in orders by the client have been noted as the main risks in the industry.Yet, public construction organisations can also adopt project management approaches thatare ineffective and need improvement. In addition, there is a lack of awareness of LeanConstruction, while BIM has been improperly implemented in the industry. In short, theconstruction industry in Kuwait needs to be developed and modernised to keep pace withother developing countries in terms of its performance and productivity.Therefore, this research will propose the development of a framework based on LeanConstruction principles and utilising Building Information Modelling to address the challengesidentified in the Kuwaiti construction industry and improve the industry’s performance andeffectiveness in terms of time, cost, and quality. The outcome of the study will help to buildknowledge for the implementation of BIM using the new International BIM Standard (ISO19650) with principles of Lean Construction in the construction industry