Barriers to implementing Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the Malaysian construction industry

Abstract

Building Information Modelling (BIM), as the parametric modelling of building designs, can offer many benefits to the construction industry, but it is not commonly used in Malaysia. This paper aims to investigate the reasons on why BIM has not been widely adopted within the Malaysian construction industry and identify the barriers involved. A literature review identifies and frames the relationship between three main likely contributing factors of lack of education and training, legislative barriers and limitation of interoperability and fragmentation. The results of a questionnaire to collect primary data among Malaysian construction industry professions showed that the barriers are lack of education and training and lack of standards for the modelling projects largely due to funding shortages in education and industry, low incentives, issues of copyright and an unwillingness to accept changes in using new software within the Malaysian construction industry. The findings of the research will be vital for professions within the Malaysian construction industry who are considering adopting BIM and enable them to have a basic idea and develop strategies to overcome these barriers. This will help to increase the efficiency and productivity of the construction industry.