Temporal-Spatial Evolution of BIM-Based Collaborative Innovation Network: Evidence from Patents in China’s Construction Industry

Nowadays, the efficiency and effectiveness of construction innovation is deemed urgent. Given the innovative potential of building information modeling (BIM), BIM-based collaborative innovation (BIM-CI) has been perceived as a promising approach to meet this requirement. However, the underlying mechanism that drives BIM-CI remains largely unexplored, which seriously hinders progress in designing and planning effective interventions to promote BIM-CI so as to accelerate the release of innovation capacity in the construction system. BIM-CI exhibits distinct network characteristics. Therefore, this study employed social network analysis to examine the temporal and spatial evolution process of the BIM-based collaborative innovation network (BIM-CIN) in China based on 1,677 BIM-CI-related patent data from 2011 to 2023. The results indicate that BIM-CIN has expanded across three phases, with its network structure becoming more decentralized and diversified. This shift provides innovators with enhanced collaboration opportunities, fostering a more dynamic and inclusive innovation process. Key innovators, such as the State Grid Corporation of China and China Construction First (Group) Company Limited, play a pivotal role in facilitating communication and strengthening collaboration within the BIM-CIN. Additionally, the spatial evolution analysis highlights that the increasing number of provinces participating signifies a positive trend toward more extensive collaboration and innovation within the BIM-CIN. The findings provide valuable references for relevant practitioners to better organize their managerial activities to promote the development of BIM-CI, thereby improving the efficiency and effectiveness of construction innovation.