Use of Building Information Modeling for the Design and Construction of Educational Facilities

Building information modeling (BIM) is one of the most recent technologies introduced to the design and construction industry. Currently, some educational institutions are requiring a BIM component for new construction. The aim of this research was to investigate the current extent of BIM use on educational facility projects. A survey inquiring about the current use of BIM, BIM benefits, perceived obstacles to using BIM, and the importance of particular BIM procedures was distributed to architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) professionals who have experience with educational facilities projects. The survey responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The survey results showed that the majority of the companies were using BIM. Many of the professionals who do not use BIM claimed to have no interest in using BIM. The largest proportion of the respondents perceived clients to be the driving force behind the use of BIM on educational facilities projects. Most respondents agreed that BIM was useful for increasing client engagement by providing clearer understanding of the projects through 3D visualization. While most of the respondents believed that design-build was the best method to deliver educational facilities projects using BIM, the majority of the respondents still used the design-bid-build method. This research helped gain insight into the general opinions of BIM users across the different disciplines involved in designing and constructing educational facilities. These research findings can be used to assist AEC companies that are interested in implementing BIM on the educational facilities projects.