Sustainability in the Context of BIM-Enabled Digital Building Permits

Abstract

The construction industry is one of the most resource-intensive industries and one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and waste production. Building information modelling (BIM) can help architects and engineers design more energy-efficient buildings with less waste, contractors build more efficiently with fewer errors, and facility managers operate buildings more sustainably while reducing maintenance costs. In addition to the well-established benefits of using BIM in construction projects, adopting an openBIM workflow can further streamline the permitting process, making it more efficient and transparent. Digital building permits (DBPs) are intended to further improve process efficiency by digitalizing and automating conformity and code compliance checking processes of obtaining building permits. Further, by integrating sustainability concepts, DBPs have the potential to revolutionize city planning and urban development by enabling more sustainable construction practices and reducing the environmental impact. This study explores the relationship between BIM and DBP in the context of sustainability presenting the current ongoing activities and implementation challenges and proposes a series of solutions.