Addressing challenges to building information modelling implementation in UK: Designers' perspectives

Building information modelling (BIM) has been proposed as a technology-enabled process for more efficient and effective management of information in digital and virtual environments. Many challenges, however, exist and undermine its effective implementation within the construction industry. The identification of these challenges is critical to the successful implementation and adoption of BIM, especially in view of many implementation risks. Despite the critical role of the design phase to project delivery and BIM usage, few studies have sought to interrogate the challenges faced by designers and the solutions that are being applied to address them. To address this gap, this study aimed to identify and classify challenges faced by designers with particular focus on proposed solutions for alleviating the identified challenges. Through a qualitative research strategy, semi-structured interviews were used to solicit perspectives of UK design professionals on design profession-specific BIM implementation challenges and solutions. Findings reveal that challenges are mostly organisational and external environmental issues with rather cursory allusion to technological challenges which are widely reported in the literature. The solutions identified for alleviating designers’ BIM implementation challenges include earlier input and integration from whole supply chain as well as more support institutional support and facilitation. The promotion of open-BIM standards, tailored insurance as well as principal supplier leadership were also proposed as viable solutions to BIM implementation challenges. Variations in the challenges and proposed solutions appear to differ across different categories of firms investigated in this study, particularly in relation to the cost of implementation

Framework of performance measurement practices in construction companies in Egypt

© 2018 Sciendo. All rights reserved. Construction industry is considered as one of the most important sectors in Egypt. One of the major challenges faced by the industry, however, is the unavailability of suitable performance measurement systems for assessing companies' performance. Modern performance assessment systems adopt a more universal approach to the measurement of construction company performance as opposed to the traditional project triangle. This paper aims to examine the practice of performance measurement in the Egyptian construction industry. Results show dominant role of in-house developed performance management systems as well as the use of KPIs as a method of performance assessment. The study further reveals that the highest importance is given to measures related to the time of project delivery, quality of works, clients' satisfaction and profitability. Hence, the traditional project triangle of project's success is the most prevalent approach to performance evaluation in the construction industry in Egypt. However, a shift towards a more holistic approach to performance assessment in larger companies was observed

Stepping into safety: a systematic review of extended reality technology applications in enhancing vulnerable road user safety

Purpose: In alignment with the European Union’s Vision Zero initiative to eliminate road fatalities by 2050, leveraging technological advancements becomes crucial for addressing the challenges of vulnerable road users (VRUs), and for mitigating the impact of human error. Despite increasing scholarly interest in applications of extended reality (XR), a research gap persists, particularly in the role of XR in transportation safety. Therefore, the aim of the study was to fill this gap through a systematic literature review to evaluate comprehensively the potential scope and practical applicability of XR technologies in enhancing the safety of VRUs. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic review was undertaken, following PRISMA guidelines meticulously, in which 80 relevant articles from databases, such as Scopus and Science Direct, were identified and analysed. Findings: The results of the analysis revealed the potential of XR beyond pedestrians and cyclists, and highlighted a lack of research about the impact of XR with regard to the personal traits or abilities of VRUs. The results of a thorough analysis confirmed the potential of XR as a promising solution for an approach to collaborative co-creation in addressing the safety challenges of VRUs. In addition, the integration of eye-tracking with virtual reality emerged as a promising innovation for enhancing the safety of vulnerable road users. Research limitations/implications: Theoretical implications include enhancing the understanding of applications of XR in VRUs’ safety and providing insights into future research possibilities and methodological approaches. Valuable insights into search strategies and inclusion-exclusion criteria can guide future research methodologies. Practical implications: Practically, the findings from the study offer insights to assist urban planners and transportation authorities in incorporating XR technologies effectively for VRUs safety. Identifying areas for further development of XR technology could inspire innovation and investment in solutions designed to meet the safety needs of VRUs, such as enhanced visualisation tools and immersive training simulations. Originality/value: The findings of previous research underscore the vast potential of XR technologies within the built environment, yet their utilisation remains limited in the urban transport sector. The intricacies of urban traffic scenarios pose significant challenges for VRUs, making participation in mobility studies hazardous. Hence, it is crucial to explore the scope of emerging technologies in addressing VRUs issues as a pre-requisite for establishing comprehensive safety measures

Opinions of small and medium UK construction companies on environmental management systems

Pressure to reduce the environmental impact of construction activities has increased, such that a paradigm shift is required. This paper presents stakeholder opinions of environmental management systems as a means for the construction industry to respond to these issues. Using a previous approach (Shen and Tam, 2002) the views of small and medium construction companies were sought, using questionnaires to ask respondents to reveal their perceived benefits and barriers of implementing the ISO 14000 suite of environmental management standards in the UK. Detailed statistical analysis showed environmental management systems can sometimes produce quantifiable benefits to organisations in terms of cost reduction. However, from a contractors’ view, the greatest benefit was a reduction in environmental impact outweighing financial benefits. Findings also demonstrated numerous barriers, both internal and external, to an organisation exist regarding adoption and use of environment management systems. The most critical barrier was that cost savings do not always balance with the expense of implementation. Furthermore, waste minimisation at design stage is viewed as most important. In general, the opinions gauged in this study indicated short-term profits are normally considered more imperative than long-term gains. Therefore, despite a need to focus on developing strategies for removing or reducing the challenges of environmental management systems, the reality is that they may not be the panacea to sustainable development, as is often touted

Building information modelling (BIM) capability and delivery success on construction projects

Purpose: In spite of emerging research on building information modelling (BIM) capability assessment, there is a general dearth of knowledge about the links between often pre-emptive capability measurement attributes and actual delivery success. More so, current studies have not considered success from the wider construction supply chain (CSC) perspective. So far, the perceived importance of capability metrics is not based on post-project evaluations of their contribution to BIM delivery success. This paper aims to identify relevant BIM capability attributes used for qualifying CSC organisations for projects and further aims to investigate their relative importance and influence on some key aspects of BIM delivery success. Design/methodology/approach: Based on heretofore validated set of BIM capability attributes from semi-structured interviews and a Delphi study, a survey of CSC firms on BIM-enabled projects was used to model the influence of BIM capability attributes on BIM delivery success. Multiple regression modelling was performed to ascertain the nature of the relationship between BIM capability attributes and the key aspects of BIM delivery success as identified from the literature. Findings: BIM staff experience and the suitability of proposed methodology prior to project commencement were identified as the most influential on BIM delivery quality, as well as delivery within schedule and on budget. Conversely, the administrative and strategic-level capacities were found as the most influential in leveraging collaboration, coordination or integration of the CSC on projects through BIM. Originality/value: This study provides a step change in prioritising BIM capability criteria based on evidence of their contribution to delivery success in key performance areas, rather than their perceived importance as capability metrics as widely practised

A fuzzy synthetic evaluation of the challenges of smart city development in developing countries

Purpose: This study presents a fuzzy synthetic evaluation of the challenges of smart city realisation in developing countries, using Nigeria as a case study. By defined and delineating the problems facing the country, more viable directions to attaining smart city development can be achieved. Design/Methodology/ Approach: The study adopted a post-positivist philosophical stance with a deductive approach. A structured questionnaire was used to gather data from built environment professionals involved in the delivery of Nigerian public infrastructures. Six dimensions of the challenges of smart cities were identified from literature and explored. These are governance, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal issues. Data gathered were analysed using Cronbach alpha test for reliability, Shapiro-Wilks test for normality, Kruskal-Wallis H-Test for consistency, and Fuzzy synthetic evaluation test for the synthetic evaluation of the challenges of smart city attainment. Findings: The findings revealed that all six assessed dimensions have a significant impact on the attainment of smart cities in Nigeria. More specifically, issues relating to environmental, technological, social and legal challenges are more prominent. Originality/Value: The fuzzy synthetic approach adopted provides a clear, practical insight on the issues that need to be addressed before the smart city development can be attained within developing countries

Contribution of Procurement Capacity of Public Agencies to Attainment of Procurement Objectives in Infrastructure Procurement

Purpose: Effective procurement of infrastructure is linked to the attainment of the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations. While the capacity of organisations is generally thought to be related to organisational performance, there is a lack of empirical insights concerning the contribution of procurement capacity of public organisations towards the attainment of procurement objectives in infrastructure procurement. Thus, it is unclear which aspects of the capacity of public procurement organisations contribute the most to the attainment of procurement objectives in the procurement of infrastructure. This research sought to address this gap. Design/methodology/approach: The research used a survey of public procurement professionals which yielded 590 responses. Findings: Exploratory factor analysis of 23 organisational capacity items revealed three components of organisational procurement capacity: ‘management of the procurement process’; ‘human and physical resources’; and ‘financial resources and management’. Multiple regression modelling of the relationship between the components and the attainment of 12 procurement objectives further reveals that there is a significant positive relationship between the three components and all the objectives. However, ‘management of the procurement process’ emerged as the greatest contributor to the attainment of seven objectives, whereas ‘human and physical resources’, and ‘financial resources and management’ were the greatest contributor to the attainment of one objective and four objectives, respectively. Originality/value: The study provides strong empirical justification for investment in the development of procurement capacity of public agencies involved in procurement of infrastructure. Furthermore, procurement capacity development of specific capacity components can be prioritised based on the relative contribution of capacity components to the attainment of desired procurement objectives. This should be useful to government policy makers as well as multilateral organisations that fund infrastructure and procurement reforms in various countries

Insights into public perceptions of Earthship buildings as alternative homes

Sustainable futures necessitate a concomitant requirement for both sustainable buildings and sustainable behaviours under one roof. The defining principles behind Earthship buildings are to promote the use of local, recycled, waste, natural and renewable materials in their construction, for the adoption of a passive solar design for internal heating/cooling, collection of rainwater as a potable water supply, and encourage the onsite recycling of used water for plants to aid food production. However, despite growth in Earthship buildings constructed across many countries of the world, their appeal has not yet made a noticeable contribution to mainstream housing. Therefore, this study is the first to attempt to explore public perceptions towards the benefits and barriers of Earthship buildings as a means of understanding their demand by potential home builders/owners. Opinions were sought through questionnaire surveys completed by visitors to the Brighton Earthship building. Results reveal that the public believe that the reclamation of rainwater and greywater, renewable energy consumption and use of recycled materials included in the design/build are the major benefits of Earthship buildings, whilst the opportunity for a modern living style in a conservative lifestyle/setting, having a building that is cheaper than an ordinary home and the possibility of living totally off grid are considered the least beneficial reasons for building Earthship homes. Results also reveal that the public believe acquiring necessary permits/permissions to build may be more complicated, securing financial support (mortgage/loan) may be more challenging, and identifying/attaining suitable building plots are major barriers of Earthship buildings, whilst the futuristic/alternative building design, being built from waste materials and being entirely dependent on renewable resources (rainfall/wind/sunshine) are considered the least important barriers to building Earthship homes. Notwithstanding the participants included in this study already having an interest in Earthship buildings/lifestyles, it is concluded that the general public deem the general principles of Earthships as an acceptable choice of building/living but it is the formal means of building or buying an Earthship home that is the greatest hurdle against the uptake of Earthship buildings. Therefore, if sustainable futures are to be realized, it is proposed that a shift away from traditional house building towards Earthship building will require the involvement of all stakeholders immersed in the building process (architects, planners, builders, investors, lawyers) to path an easier journey for Earthship buildings and sustainable living

Briefing: Towards exploring profession-specific BIM challenges in the UK

Building information modelling (BIM) has been proposed as an enabler for greater efficiency and effectiveness within the UK construction industry, providing digital management of construction data throughout the project life cycle. The potential benefits of BIM have been widely discussed in published literature but relatively less attention has been paid to the discipline/profession-specific challenges of wider industry adoption. Further studies, such as the authors' ongoing research, could help to remedy this

Latent provisions for building information modeling (BIM) contracts: a social network analysis approach

The effective adoption and use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) require appropriate contract design to fairly allocate the contracting parties’ rights and responsibilities. Several standards for BIM protocols and contracts have been developed for the industry. However, the awareness and the use of these are rather limited, leading to unclear provisions in BIM contracts. Therefore, the research aims to identify the influential legal aspects that serve as the latent contract provisions in BIM contracts. A questionnaire survey was conducted to survey experts and active BIM users in construction projects. The data were analyzed using social network analysis (SNA) by assuming interdependent relationships among various the legal aspects in BIM contacts. The key legal aspects associated with BIM contracts pertain to the roles and responsibilities of the project participants. The results also reveal that data security is the center of all latent legal aspects in the contracts. The study provides significant new insights into clarifying the required contract provisions in BIM contracts