How to measure the benefits of BIM — A case study approach

Kristen Barlish, Kenneth Sullivan
2012 Automation in Construction  
i ABSTRACT As a term and method that is rapidly gaining popularity, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is under the scrutiny of many building professionals questioning its potential benefits on their projects. A relevant and accepted calculation methodology and baseline to properly evaluate BIM's benefits have not been established, thus there are mixed perspectives and opinions of the benefits of BIM, creating a general misunderstanding of the expected outcomes. The purpose of this thesis was
more » ... o develop a more complete methodology to analyze the benefits of BIM, apply recent projects to this methodology to quantify outcomes, resulting in a more a holistic framework of BIM and its impacts on project efficiency. From the literature, a framework calculation model to determine the value of BIM is developed and presented. The developed model is applied via case studies within a large industrial setting where similar projects are evaluated, some implementing BIM and some with traditional non-BIM approaches. Cost or investment metrics were considered along with benefit or return metrics. The return metrics were: requests for information, change orders, and duration improvements. The investment metrics were: design and construction costs. The methodology was tested against three separate cases and results on the returns and investments are presented. The findings indicate that in the tool installation department of semiconductor manufacturing, there is a high potential for BIM benefits to be realized. The evidence also suggests that actual returns and investments will vary with each project. ii DEDICATION To my amazing family and friends and my wonderful mentors, you may not know who you are, but I do. "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." -Maya Angelou iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Sullivan, my committee chair, for assisting me from the conceptual beginnings of my thesis to its final revisions. Without Dr. Sullivan's amazing guidance and industry knowledge, my thesis would be incomplete. Dr. Kashiwagi and Dr. Badger were also generous in devoting their time and consideration to be on my committee and available for assistance.
doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2012.02.008 fatcat:krjmjktd55dpjdoqrrrealwbty