The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector is facing the digital transformation by promoting the building information modelling (BIM) as a standard methodology for the digital managing of information along the whole lifecycle of a construction work. Although small-medium enterprises (SMEs) and public administrations (PAs) are aware of the BIM benefit, they ask for pilot actions and tools for testing BIM applications in their daily activities in order to measure benefits and difficulties in detail. This chapter discusses the BIM Simulation Lab initiative which aims at establishing a laboratory for an effective and efficient BIM implementation, by promoting a physical space and specific services for supporting the territory in the DT. The authors describe the concept of the lab and they introduce an assessment method that adopts an indirect approach of the BIM benefit assessment leveraging principles from construction cost estimation and probabilistic risk management.
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The McKinsey Global Institute (MGI, 2016) highlights that only big enterprises have a higher level of digital maturity and, even among the same enterprises’ size, some industrial sectors are affected by a low level of digitalization (such as basic good manufacturing or construction). According to this picture, the weakest realities such as small-medium enterprises (SMEs) and Architecture, Engineering, & Construction (AEC) sector are not benefiting from the Digital Transformation (DT).
The AEC sector may be defined an Engineer-to-Order (EtO) industry, according to Wortmann classification (Wortmann, 1983) This implies that every final product (building) is almost unique, a kind of prototype. Every new product has to be designed and engineered time by time, according to specific customers’ needs. This strong customization is one of the main reasons for a lack in productivity. Besides that, the AEC identifies different task leaders (architects, engineers, general contractors, facility managers, etc) for each process usually structured in a serial workflow. Serial workflow reduces the efficiency of the information management system by enhancing the propagation of errors (small details neglected at the beginning could become huge problems in latest processes, such as installation and maintenance) because of a fragmented information flow among the task leaders (BSI, 2003 – PMI, 2013). The AEC is looking at the DT as a new opportunity to overcome the lack in productivity by pushing the collaboration in an interdisciplinary environment.
The Building Information Modelling (BIM), also known as Building Information Management, is a methodology for the digital managing of information along the whole lifecycle of a construction work. Handling 3D-geometry (such as technical models, blueprints, etc.) and alphanumeric data (costs, assembly, maintenance, etc.), it aims at implementing an integrated platform that spans project planning, design, execution, operations, and maintenance (Sacks et al., 2018). Thus, the BIM is pursuing the objective of driving the information management system towards an efficient DT. It is globally recognized as a standard methodology trough the ISO 19650 standard - Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM)-Information management using building information modelling - and the EU countries are adopting the BIM for public building commitments.
Although the benefits identified by the scientific community and the compulsory need of the BIM, referring to a local statistic sample (D.T. Matt et al., 2018), entrepreneurs know the BIM methodology and they are interested in BIM implementations. Less of the half of them are applying the BIM methodology in their daily activities, but most of them do not have a clear idea about the BIM methodology and its benefits. They ask for pilot actions and tools for testing BIM applications in their daily activities in order to measure benefits and difficulties.
Enlarging the statistic sample to the national territory, ASSOBIM measures that the 50% of entrepreneurs already uses the BIM methodology in daily activities, the 11% is planning to introduce it within a year and the 20% is planning to introduce it within 2 years (ASSOBIM, 2019). Among the sample that already uses the BIM methodology in daily activities, entrepreneurs define further aspects:
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The 66% ca. of them is highlighting a low awareness by clients about the added value of the BIM methodology. In other words, the BIM methodology cannot be considered a competitive advantage yet.
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The 50% of them is highlighting that the demand of the BIM methodology is going to raise within the next years and they are conscious of impacts on their enterprises and their processes.
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Most of them declares that introducing the BIM methodology will force deep changes in their procedures, practices and workflows.
Tezel, discussing applications of the BIM and Lean Construction methods, highlights the need of research activities aiming at exploring dissemination strategies of the BIM methodology among the Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) focusing on implementation methods (Tezel et al. 2017). These research activities should measure impacts of BIM implementations on processes, technologies and dissemination strategies aiming at informing operators and Public Administrations (PAs) within the AEC sector.