Project Time and Cost Control Using Building Information Modeling

Although it has been evolving for centuries and researchers have dedicated themselves to seeking innovative solutions for decades, the construction industry still faces diverse challenges in making effective decisions to promote faster, safer, cheaper and more accurate construction processes. However, nowadays it is widely believed that the emergence of Building Information Modeling (BIM) can lead to greater efficiency through incremental collaboration. The data in BIM models is very useful and can be analyzed to optimize the design, planning and construction processes. However, since BIM increases the project design cost and requires a steep learning curve, owners, designers, and contractors are concerned about the cost of projects. The increased cost may limit the use of BIM in construction projects. This study used a case study to depict how the use of BIM techniques can help reduce project costs and optimize project schedules, benefiting all the stakeholders of a construction project. The analysis of project cost and time control is on a full project life cycle cost instead of just construction cost. The research concludes with recommendations for the future use of BIM as a project control tool.