Harnessing BIM–lean integration to elevate quality and drive sustainability in construction projects

Purpose This study aims to examine how building information modeling (BIM) and lean construction practices influences sustainability and quality performance of construction projects in the UK. The study further investigates the mediating role of project management principles and productivity on sustainability and performance, and also how technical and project related limitations impacts BIM-lean outcomes. Design/methodology/approach A cross-section questionnaire survey was conducted, and 410 valid responses were collected. Respondents were professionals with expertise in BIM, lean construction or project delivery experience within the UK construction industry. Data analyses were conducted using descriptive statistics, reliability and validity assessment strategies. Analysis techniques including hierarchical regression, structural equation modeling (SEM) were adopted, with machine learning techniques including random forest and decision tree as complementary predictive evidence. Given the cross-sectional design and high correlation among constructs, the findings were interpreted as statistical relationships rather than definitive causal associations. Findings Lean construction practices were positively associated with sustainability and quality performance, whereas the direct relationship between BIM and quality was not statistically significant. Productivity was significant to both outcomes and project management principles demonstrated limited direct effects after the other constructs were considered. The Random Forest results showed that sustainability performance is considerably predicted by frequent design changes and limited technical skills. The predictive findings support the SEM results but do not independently validate the structural model. Originality/value This study distinguishes the direct, indirect and context-specific ways in which BIM and lean construction are associated with sustainability and quality performance, rather than focusing solely on their advantages. The central contribution of the study is highlighting that effective BIM-Lean implementation depends on operational productivity, workforce capability and design stability. Furthermore, the study identifies measurement overlap, multicollinearity and cross-sectional inference as critical constraints that impact BIM-Lean implementations.