Utilisation of building information modelling in facilities management: a South African case study

Abstract

Facilities management is longest phase in the life cycle of a facility. To effectively manage a facilities’ electronic information is needed. An integrated information management system such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) can be utilised to support data at any given phase of a building life cycle. Literature review shows that there are benefits to using BIM in Facilities Management. However, there is insufficient research regarding the use of BIM in facilities management in South Africa.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the extent to which BIM is utilised in the South African Facilities Management sector and identifies the challenges faced by Facilities Management personnel while using BIM. Data was obtained through interviews and an online survey. The interviews were used to gather information from a small sample, while the survey was used to understand a larger sample. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques were used to analyse the data. The research was limited to international BIM standards, as BIM is a new concept in South Africa and there is scarcity of relevant literature in the context of South Africa. The findings reveal that majority of Facilities Management practitioners are not utilising BIM, due to factors relating to cost and week support organisations. Those who use BIM believe that the model does not have enough information to carry out all Facilities Management activities.