Cost–benefit analysis of building information modeling implementation in construction projects: evidence from Iran

Abstract

Construction projects account for a large percentage of national resources, but they are typically nished at a cost and time beyond the initial estimates. Building Information Modeling (BIM) help coordinate and integrate design and construction efforts to achieve the ultimate bene t needed to satisfy all the stakeholders. Despite the reported bene ts of BIM, the implementation of such a new technology initially entails costs and barriers that sometimes delay the bene ts achieved from their use. BIM also cast suspicion on whether they are useful, thereby reducing its adoption rate. This study aims to evaluate the bene ts of implementing BIM functions compared to the cost of its implementation. The results include a Cost-Bene t Analysis (CBA) for three construction projects in Iran by conducting semi-structured interviews. Finally, despite all the limitations and shortcomings, the achieved bene ts outweigh the incurred costs, and BIM implementation in these three construction projects was bene cial.One of the innovations of this study is the use of cost-bene t analysis in evaluating the bene ts of BIM, which is tangible and quantitative.