BIM IMPLEMENTATION FOR HERITAGE RENOVATION THROUGHOUT PROJECT LIFECYCLE: CURRENT USE, BENEFITS, AND BARRIERS

Introduction: Building Information Modeling (BIM) has garnered significant attention due to advancements in sophisticated technologies and methods. However, a comprehensive review of the existing literature indicates a lack of research exploring the application of BIM in managing the entire intervention design and renovation processes from a broader system perspective. The purpose of the study was to fill this gap by identifying and evaluating the current utilization, benefits, and barriers associated with implementing BIM in the lifecycle of renovation projects. The study methodology is based on conducting 31 structured interviews with experienced professionals who have employed BIM in their project deliveries. The results reveal that the primary benefits of BIM adoption, in descending order of importance, pertain to improved collective understanding of design intent, lower risk and better predictability of outcomes, better-designed and performing buildings, more accurate project documentation, and increased accuracy of the cost estimate. However, there are several prominent barriers: project budget, complexity of modeling historic structures, cost to hire BIM professionals, and the lack of BIM knowledge. The findings will advance BIM adoption for heritage renovation and enable project stakeholders to focus on realizing the benefits and potential uses of lifecycle BIM, while also addressing the critical challenges discussed in this study.