Module code: KB7034

Module Name: Building information Modelling Management, Theory and Practice.

Student Number: 18028545

Title: A literature review on the adoption of BIM in India.

Word Count: 2011 words

Abstract

Countries around the world have demonstrated that using BIM can be beneficial to the AEC
industry. The current literature review aims at identifying the state of BIM in India. The benefits
of using BIM are identified. The reasons inhibiting the implementation of BIM are identified
through literature review. A global comparison is made on the adoption rates of BIM. The role
played by governments around the world is studied. Then, the measures that are needed for the
successful implementation of BIM are identified before concluding the paper..

Introduction

BIM stands for Building Information Modelling. As the name itself suggests, BIM models the
information related to a building. Information related to a building such as materials used,
structural information etc are processed using BIM. Software that helps in implementing BIM is
known as a BIM tool. There are several advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of
BIM. Developed economies have started to embrace the use of BIM. However there are issues
related to the successful implementation of BIM in less developed economies like India (Ahuja
et al., 2018). India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. There has been an
increase in the number of infrastructure projects taken up by the government. Apart from this, a
large number of private players also dominate the construction industry in India. The current
paper is a literature review of the adoption levels of BIM alongside the factors inhibiting its use
(An, Garvin and Hall, 2017).

BIM is used to visualize the designs of a construction. Through visualization, any errors in the
design can be identified easily. BIM is used for the purpose of construction planning. BIM is
predominantly a collaboration tool. The stakeholders in a construction project can easily
collaborate through BIM. Various phases of a project can be integrated using BIM. It is
supportive of all the phases of a construction right from planning to facilities management.
Stakeholders benefit from the model centric planning of BIM. Rather than being a software tool,
BIM actually is a combination of technology and the processes in the AEC industry (Johansson,
Roupé and Bosch-Sijtsema, 2015).
Significance of BIM to the Indian Construction sector

The construction industry is the second largest employer in the country. This sector is set to grow
along with the economy. In terms of construction output, India is set to become one of the fastest
growing. However, the Indian construction industry is characterized by several issues. Presented
below is a list of problems identified by the planning commission of India.

 There is a lack of standards in the construction industry

 The supply chain of the construction industry makes use of very little technology.
 Time and cost overruns are common in the industry.
 Distrust among Stakeholders is negatively affecting construction projects
 Lack of skills and lack of efforts to upgrade the skills of workforce resulting in
inefficiencies.

BIM is identified as a tool that helps in addressing the issues faced by the Indian construction
industry. By using BIM, the standards of the Indian construction sector can be improved
(Loganathan et al., 2017).

Global BIM adoption levels

The global construction industry is set to grow to 15 trillion dollars by the year 2025. The main
driving force behind the growth of emerging markets such as China, India, and Brazil. AEC
industries belonging to the developed nations have already started to make use of BIM. BIM is
being considered as a driving force for improving the profits of construction companies in the
developed world. Though emerging nations like India and china started embracing BIM, the rate
of adoption has been slow (Smith, 2014).

The United States is a global pioneer in the field of BIM. The adoption rate of BIM in the United
States stands at 70 percent. This adoption rate is set to increase further. In Europe, the average
adoption rate of BIM stands at nearly 35 percent. There is a 100 percent difference between
Europe and the United States. In the Middle East, though awareness levels are as high as 80
percent, only 25 percent of the projects make use of BIM (Herr and Fischer, 2018).
Governments play a significant role in promoting BIM. In the United states, standards are
developed by the General Services Administration. The GSA also formulates guidelines on the
use of BIM. The GSA has promoted BIM extensively and increased the adoption rates to 70
percent. In the UK, the focus has been on increasing the adoption of BIM and thereby promoting
reduction in carbon footprint and costs. South East Asian countries like South Korea and
Singapore have already adopted a 100 percent BIM approach (McAuley, Hore and West, 2018).

Benefits of using BIM

Better information exchange

Using BIM, information can be effectively communicated with stakeholders. Real time data can
be input to BIM. This information can be viewed by all the stakeholders simultaneously. Any
changes to the information can also be easily viewed. When shared with suppliers, BIM can be
used to order inventory just in time. Just in time inventory management has potential cost
savings. As BIM stores information in terms of objects, the information stored is complete. Each
and every object’s properties such as dimensions, materials, etc are stored. The relationship
between objects is also stored in BIM (Li et al., 2017).

Potential savings

Implementing BIM can result in potential cost savings. A lot of time wasted during various
construction phases can be minimized using BIM. As mentioned earlier, Construction projects in
India are characterized by budget and cost overruns. By making use of BIM, project schedules
can be easily controlled and monitored resulting in savings. BIM highlights any errors in the
designs during the initial stages of a project. Such identification is essential to mitigate risks.
BIM facilitates better materials management and hence increases the profitability of a
construction project (Doloi et al., 2012).
Quality of construction

In India, the construction industry is unorganized. This unorganized nature of the construction
industry impacts the quality of construction. By implementing BIM, the quality of construction
can be monitored and managed easily. Such quality control can help increasing value for the
stakeholders. A lot of consumer complaints in the construction industry are related to the quality
of construction. In order to address such issues, making BIM mandatory can be particularly
useful (Lehne, Shapiro and Vanden Eynde, 2018).

Aids Decision making

Decision making is an important aspect of construction projects. Right from selecting a project
and conducting feasibility analysis, BIM assists in the process of decision making. BIM
promotes accountability and helps make better decisions. The decisions taken with the support of
BIM are transparent. Taking informed decisions is important in case of large and complex
projects. Public funded projects in India suffer from corruption issues. With BIM, the scope for
corruption can be reduced (Choi, 2014).

Barriers to the successful implementation of BIM in India

Though there are numerous benefits offered by BIM, its implementation is limited by several
barriers. Presented below is a list of challenges that hamper the successful implementation of
BIM in India.

Lack of skills

One of the biggest hurdles to the successful implementation of BIM is the lack of skilled and
knowledgeable workforce. Existing workforce in the construction sector is reluctant to apply the
approaches like BIM. In certain cases, incorrect usage of BIM has also resulted in project
failures. The perception that CAD is more useful than BIM is also hurting the successful
adoption of BIM in India. Instances of BIM failure due to mismanagement have earned a
negative reputation for BIM in India. As a result, it has become hard for organizations to
communicate the benefits of BIM effectively (Malik and Gupta, 2017).

Cost of hardware and software used

Implementing BIM is characterized by high costs of hardware and software. Initial set up costs
are high and therefore, it is being used only in case of large and complex projects. Implementing
BIM also requires training of personnel and maintenance costs. Existing hardware/software may
not be compatible with BIM and may need to be upgraded. In view of this challenge, only large
players in the construction sector can afford BIM.

Lack of Guidelines

There is a lack of information on the appropriate guidelines for the implementation process of
BIM. This coupled with the lack of standards has resulted in ambiguity over BIM
implementation. Moreover, there is a mismatch between the work flow of existing processes and
BIM processes resulting in further uncertainty (Song and Ju, 2013).

Lack of efforts by the government

There is no mandate from the government of India on implementing BIM. Such inaction from
the government is one of the reasons for low adoption rates. In countries, where the rate of
adoption of BIM is high, the role played by governments is crucial. For example, countries like
South Korea have set targets to achieve 100 percent adoption rates of BIM. Without such
initiatives, it is hard to increase the adoption rates in India.

Inclination towards CAD

In India, architects and designers are inclined towards using CAD instead of BIM. CAD is
perceived to be easier to understand compared to BIM. Most architects and designers view CAD
as an essential tool and BIM as an additional tool. There also has been less effort into learning
and experimenting with BIM. The high costs involved in BIM have discouraged academics from
using BIM for academic and experimental purposes. University curriculums are yet to add BIM
to the courses they offer. This resulted in a lack of awareness on BIM.

Measures for the successful implementation of BIM

As public projects form the majority of projects undertaken in India, any initiatives to promote
the use of BIM must start with government policies. Government agencies must partner with
major players in the industry to promote the use of BIM. Senior management must clearly
communicate the benefits of using BIM to their designers and architects and facilitate necessary
training for them (Philp, 2011).

There is a need to improve the trust among stakeholders. This can be improved through better
policies and legal frameworks. Academic intervention is required to increase the levels of BIM
adoption. There is a need for imparting BIM training from a practical perspective. As of now
there are limited institutions imparting BIM training. BIM certification programs can help assess
the knowledge and standardize it.

Publishing guidelines and standards at the national level can reduce uncertainty in the
implementation of BIM. While developing any guidelines and procedures, the context of the
Indian construction industry must be taken into account. BIM software must be developed taking
into account the Indian context. It would be advantageous to have a localized BIM software build
in view of the Indian context (Kang et al., 2013).

Lack of trust in BIM arises from the lack of data securing mechanisms and lack of a legal
framework to handle issues related to data security. When these issues are addressed, the
adoption rates of BIM increase gradually. AS BIM is characterized by objects and 3D models,
BIM users must have these models at hand. As construction involves multiple inventory items, 3
D models for all these items are needed. It would be advantageous if product manufacturers
provide these models. These models must be made available openly. Having such a library
requires government intervention (Alreshidi, Mourshed and Rezgui, 2017).
Conclusion

BIM is an excellent tool and has numerous benefits to offer. In a developing nation like India,
BIM is particularly useful to improve transparency and improve efficiency. BIM has the
potential to improve the standards of construction industry. However the adoption rates are low
and the government needs to take measures to improve the levels of adoption. Universities and
academic institutions in the country also need to work on including BIM into their curriculum.
Moreover, the AEC industry around the globe must ensure that the high costs of implementing
BIM are reduced. Without reducing the costs, it would be hard for emerging nations to increase
the adoption rates. The construction sector in India is set to grow rapidly. Without BIM, such a
rapid growth is unsustainable.

References

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Alreshidi, E., Mourshed, M. and Rezgui, Y. (2017). Factors for effective BIM
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An, Y., Garvin, M. and Hall, R. (2017). Pathways to Better Project Delivery: The Link Between
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