Building Information Modelling (BIM) as an effective communication channel among Malaysian construction professionals in design and build (D&B) projects

Abstract

Effective communication is crucial in every construction project to overcome problems in traditional construction such as a misunderstanding, frequent verification and clarification, disappointment, lack of trust, and conflicts among construction players, resulting in cost overruns, time overruns, disputes, and project failure. However, the current practice in the traditional Design and Build (D&B) construction results in the ineffectiveness of communication due to miscommunication arises. Hence, this paper aims to highlight the benefit of Building Information Modelling (BIM) as an integrated communication platform for Malaysian (D&B) projects. A systematic literature review has been adopted on the effectiveness of BIM for communication in construction. The discussions reveal that BIM adoption able to enhance effective communication platforms, especially for the D&B project that involves many collaborations throughout a project's lifecycle. From the current practices of BIM in Malaysian D&B projects, it can be concluded that it is vital for Government to strengthen the enforcement of BIM adoption in the Malaysian construction industry, as it facilitated the delivery of information throughout the project's lifecycle, collaborative and coordinative work, and reduce the redundancies of information which consequently produced many benefits to every construction stakeholders significantly enhancing productivity to ensure the deliverable of project success.