From costs to strategic gains: modeling the economic impact of BIM through sensitivity-enhanced system dynamics

Purpose The study aims to examine and quantify how the implementation of Building Information Modeling (BIM) impacts the economic value of construction projects in the long run. Design/methodology/approach An in-depth literature review of design research science, and a case study were employed to develop a quantification model that offers an improved understanding of the costs and benefits of embracing BIM. The System Dynamics (SD) perspective was used to create the simulation model, whereby the socio-technical aspect of BIM technology, the various types of benefits, and the different impacts on the organizational level were taken into consideration. Findings The results revealed that the manifold interactions between BIM benefits and costs and the elements of the organizational system ensure an enduring growth of the corporate business value. Also, the simulation model of the studied organization showed that BIM adoption affects the firm’s rate of return, generates higher profits in the long term, and enhances the business value of the studied company. Originality/value This study developed a novel integration of SD and sensitivity analysis using Monte Carlo simulation to model the long-term financial implications of BIM adoption. It shifts the focus from costs that occur in the short term to the strategic value that BIM brings across the project lifecycle.