Building information modelling adoption in construction project management in Kenya : a case study of Nairobi county

Abstract

Construction projects today are far more complicated than ever before and there is an urgent need to coordinate the efforts of all the participants in a project. Globally the Construction Industry is shifting from CAD to BIM. It is therefore important that we understand what this transition constitutes. Substantial research has been carried out on BIM use in allied construction professions of Architecture, Engineering and Quantity Surveying. This research seeks to address the gap in knowledge of BIM use for Construction Project Management, and in particular, in the Kenyan context, as well as how the adoption of BIM can enhance the delivery of projects. The research was guided by four objectives within the study area of Nairobi County: to establish the extent of BIM use for Construction Project Management; to identify the challenges in adopting BIM for Construction Project Management; to identify the advantages in adopting BIM for Construction Project Management and to develop strategies to increase the adoption of BIM in Construction Project Management. The research design employed was survey research which was exploratory in nature. Individual respondents from firms were asked about their perception and personal experiences as pertains BIM adoption. The major findings revealed that the organisation, processes and technology in use within a firm significantly affect the choice to adopt BIM. Based on these findings, it is recommended that: construction industry regulators actively take up BIM implementation; that educators should train on the use and benefits of BIM; professionals should be encouraged to adopt BIM in their practices and finally, that professional bodies should be encouraged to include training on BIM in their Continuous Professional Development programmes. The following areas of further research are recommended: the re-modelling of contractual relationships to suit BIM adoption and research into the changing responsibilities of stakeholders in the adoption of BIM.