Government rolesin implementing building

information modelling systemsComparison between Hong Kong

and the United States

Andy K.D. Wong, Francis K.W. Wong and Abid NadeemDepartment of Building and Real Estate,

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Abstract

Purpose – Building information modelling (BIM) is a paradigm shift in the architectural, engineeringand construction industries which transforms processes to achieve greater efficiency andeffectiveness. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the implementation of BIM in Hong Kongand the USA and recommend strategies for BIM implementation in Hong Kong.

Design/methodology/approach – A literature review of BIM initiatives taken in Hong Kong andthe USA was conducted including the government policy, guidelines, standards and implementationstatus. Findings from the literature review were complemented with insights obtained throughfocused interviews of experts in the field for arriving at recommendations based on the research.The principal investigator of this research also participated in the establishment of a BIM professionalinstitute as one of the founding board members.

Findings – As a result of studies performed for this paper, guidelines are proposed for BIMimplementation in Hong Kong. The role of government in implementing BIM in different phases of aproject lifecycle is also highlighted.

Research limitations/implications – The research is limited mainly to the initiatives of BIMtaken by the public sector (government). The roles of other stakeholders are not specifically studied.Results from this study should be considered in the context of a qualitative research methodologyadopted and the limited number of responses obtained for arriving at the findings of this paper.

Practical implications – Results from this study can be used as guidelines for the implementationof BIM elsewhere and this implementation can be compared with other countries.

Originality/value – This paper highlights the best practices of BIM implementation, which is usefulfor the effective and efficient implementation of BIM in Hong Kong.

Keywords Information modelling, Virtual work, Government policy, Hong Kong,United States of America

Paper type Literature review

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at

www.emeraldinsight.com/1471-4175.htm

The authors gratefully acknowledge the funding support provided by the Research GrantsCouncil of the HKSAR Government (RGC Reference No.: PolyU 5301/06E) and the Faculty ofConstruction and Land Use of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The authors acknowledgethe support from Professor Miroslaw Skibniewski of the University of Maryland in providinguseful comments on this paper. Also, the support from Mr Rex Lau (Student Helper) in thecollection of data is appreciated.

Buildinginformation

modelling

61

Received 10 July 2009Accepted 15 February 2010

Construction InnovationVol. 11 No. 1, 2011

pp. 61-76q Emerald Group Publishing Limited

1471-4175DOI 10.1108/14714171111104637

IntroductionSince its inception in the 1970s and its development in the 1980s and 1990s, buildinginformation modelling (BIM) is being increasingly implemented in the constructionindustry to produce data-rich models of buildings and structures. BIM-based processesare, therefore, gradually replacing the processes which create two dimensionalpaper-based design and construction documents. In order to assimilate this change inthe construction industry, stakeholders including both the public sector and the privatesector in different countries have initiated various BIM programmes. This paper reviewsthe initiatives of these stakeholders in the implementation of BIM in two selected regionsof the world, the USA and Hong Kong by mainly focusing on the public sector of botheconomies. It is hypothesised that such a review would provide clues to key attributes foreffective BIM implementations in a country. Apart from the USA, countries in theEuropean Union, the UK, Australia and Singapore have also embarked on significant BIMimplementations. A number of other publications (Kiviniemi et al., 2008; Wong et al., 2009;Succar, 2009; Khemlani, 2005; Arayici, 2008) have demonstrated BIM implementations inthese regions. These implementations have not been reported in this paper as per the scopeof this study and in turn to remain concise in description of the title of this paper.

In view of the evolution of BIM, the USA is one of the pioneering countries for thetechnology of BIM and is currently the biggest producer and consumer of BIM productsand solutions. The flow of BIM knowledge dissemination has generally been from theUSA to other countries. Although Hong Kong is a small place in area compared with theUSA, it boasts an overwhelmingly modern infrastructure consisting of high risebuildings and civil engineering infrastructure. Hong Kong has a sizeable volume ofannual construction output which is greater than many countries in the world.The demands for productivity are generally high on Hong Kong projects due to tightschedules, space restrictions, high land costs, etc. To meet with such high demands andfor other benefits, BIM is currently being implemented on an increasing number ofprojects in Hong Kong mostly in the private sector. Salient features of a few of theseprojects are given in Table I from the data collected from respective clients.

In the USA, several government and non-government agencies operate in parallel orin collaboration for promoting and developing BIM applications. These agencies andtheir BIM initiatives are given in Appendix. A more focused study for the US GeneralServices Administration (GSA), the prime government agency which is activelypromoting BIM in the USA, is presented in this paper. In Hong Kong, the implementationof BIM in public sector projects is being sought as a result of the global recognition thatBIM will be a key feature of the next generation of standard architectural practices andits significance to construction implications. In Hong Kong, the Development Bureau(DevB) oversees construction-related regulations and formulates the policies forgovernment-funded public projects. The Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) isthe largest client/developer in the government sector providing services for buildingsowned and constructed by the government, whereas the Buildings Department regulatesand controls the buildings in the private sector. Also, the Hong Kong Housing Authorityoversees the construction and operation of subsidised housing for eligible applicants.

Research methodologyA qualitative research strategy was adopted in this paper, based on the purpose of thestudy, the subjective type, and availability of the required information. The information

CI11,1

62

Pro

ject

nam

eL

ead

BIM

imp

lem

ente

rS

ched

ule

dfo

rco

mp

leti

onB

uil

din

gfu

nct

ion

Dis

tin

gu

ish

edfe

atu

reB

IMsc

ope

Bu

ild

ing

20,

Hon

gK

ong

Sci

ence

Par

k,

New

Ter

rito

ries

,H

ong

Kon

g

Hon

gK

ong

Sci

ence

and

Tec

hn

olog

yP

ark

sC

orp

orat

ion

2010

R&

DO

ffice

Bu

ild

ing

Com

mer

cial

bu

ild

ing

wit

hg

reen

and

sust

ain

able

tech

nol

ogie

s

Inte

gra

ted

arch

itec

tura

l,st

ruct

ura

lan

dM

EP

des

ign

Cat

hay

Pac

ific

Car

go

Ter

min

al,

Hon

gK

ong

Inte

rnat

ion

alA

irp

ort,

Hon

gK

ong

Inte

liB

uil

dB

IMþ

3DC

onsu

ltan

ts20

11A

irC

arg

oT

erm

inal

Bu

ild

ing

Hu

ge

pro

ject

,firs

tof

its

typ

eto

use

BIM

Mu

lti-

dis

cip

lin

ary

coor

din

atio

nd

uri

ng

des

ign

and

con

stru

ctio

n

MT

RS

ub

way

sS

tati

ons,

Hon

gK

ong

MT

RC

orp

orat

ion

,H

ong

Kon

g20

09on

war

ds

Su

bw

ayS

tati

ons

Vis

ual

isat

ion

ofst

atio

ns

bef

ore

bei

ng

bu

ilt

Des

ign

vis

ual

isat

ion

On

eIs

lan

dE

ast

Geh

ryT

ech

nol

ogie

s20

08O

ffice

Tow

erT

alle

stb

uil

din

gto

uti

lise

BIM

Des

ign

and

con

stru

ctio

n

Table I.Projects utilising BIM

in Hong Kong

Buildinginformation

modelling

63

gathered mainly emphasised the meanings of terminologies, experiences of stakeholdersand description of processes. This gave rise to an exploratory research approach as therewas a limited amount of information disseminated about the roles of stakeholders inimplementing BIM in the USA and Hong Kong. Moreover, the participation in theestablishment of the Hong Kong Institute of Building Information Modelling (HKIBIM)was taken by the principal investigator (PI) of this research team.

A review of the BIM initiatives taken by GSA and other related organisations areprovided in this paper to highlight BIM implementations in the public sector in the USA.For Hong Kong, a review of the organisational policies and key functions of BIM-relatedorganisations is provided to highlight the BIM implementation and its potential forapplications by the public sector departments in Hong Kong. Questionnaire surveys andfocused interviews of selective participants were conducted to further assess theimplementation potential of BIM in Hong Kong. Questionnaire surveys were conductedin two phases based on the type of participants. In the first phase, 36 participants fromboth the public and private sectors including members of district councils andgovernment officers of Hong Kong working on architectural and infrastructure projectsresponded to the questionnaire. In the other phase, 16 professional quantity surveyorsfrom a Government Department of Hong Kong responded to the questionnaire. In thequestionnaire, respondents were asked to rate their agreement to various benefits fromBIM and barriers to BIM implementation. They were also asked to comment on the roleof the pubic sector of Hong Kong for promoting and implementing BIM as an open-endedquestion to which several responses were obtained. The findings related torecommendations for implementation of BIM which are presented later in this paperare based on these responses. A few of the respondents were contacted to further explorea few of the responses in the form of semi-structured interviews.

BIM in the USA: the GSAThe GSA through its public buildings service (PBS) provides and maintains workplacesfor about 100 federal agencies consisting of over a million workers in approximately8,500 owned or leased buildings across the USA. Currently, GSA is focusing on theplanning, design and construction of newly modernised courthouses, office buildings,border stations and other facilities. PBS has managed over 170 new construction, repairand modification projects with a capital investment programme in 2007 that totalledover US $8 billion and constituted over 340 million rentable square feet. The office of thechief architect of PBS is responsible for the implementation of BIM in these projects.The GSA’s (2007) national 3D-4D BIM program was launched in 2003 with the followingobjectives:

. Establishing policy to incrementally adopt 3D, 4D and BIM for all major projects.

. Leading 3D-4D-BIM pilot applications and incentives for current and futurecapital projects.

. Providing expert support and assessment for ongoing capital projects toincorporate 3D, 4D and BIM technologies.

. Assessing industry readiness and technology maturity.

. Partnering with BIM vendors, professional associations, open standardorganisations and academic/research institutions.

CI11,1

64

GSA has achieved a number of recognitions for its initiative in promoting its BIMprogramme. In 2005, GSA received an “Honourable Mention” award in the AmericanInstitute of Architects – Technology in Architectural Practice (AIA TAP) conferencefor its pilot programme on BIM. The GSA’s BIM programme was commented upon bythe award jury as:

The first of its kind in the world, this programme earns special mention as a significant eventin the development of BIM, challenging design, construction and software providers toimprove. It exhibits the advantages of BIM on a variety of projects (AIA, 2005).

In 2006, GSA’s project received the BIM Award for the Analysis or Simulation Categoryat the AIA TAP conference. The application related to the comprehensive modernisationand renovation of the Herbert C. Hoover Building in Washington, DC (AIA, 2006).In 2007, GSA’s two projects received awards under the jury’s choice category at the AIATAP conference. These entries consisted of:

. a showcase of over 20 pilot projects using an array of BIM technologies acrossthe country; and

. the highlights of its National BIM Programme from 2006.

The jury’s Choice Award is for BIM submissions that demonstrate, in the opinion ofthe jury, significant contributions to the advancement of technology, process change,or integrated practice, as well as architectural design enabled by BIM. In 2008, the GSAachieved three awards at the AIA TAP 2008 conference for its projects undercategories for:

(1) the design/delivery process innovation using BIM;

(2) outstanding sustainable design using BIM; and

(3) support for human use and innovative programme requirements by using BIM.

In order to fulfil the objective of its BIM programme, the GSA has taken the followinginitiatives.

GSA’s BIM initiativesPilot projects. In July 2003, GSA launched nine pilot projects to study the implementationof BIM (Fallon, 2005). The projects are:

(1) A total of 26 Federal Plaza, New York.

(2) Office Building, Houston, Texas.

(3) US Courthouse, El Paso, Texas.

(4) A total of 300 NLA Federal Building, Los Angeles, California.

(5) Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Washington, DC.

(6) GSA Regional Office Building, Washington, DC.

(7) GSA Central Office Building, Washington, DC.

(8) Border Station Prototype, US-Canadian Border.

(9) US Courthouse, Portland, Oregon.

Key functions of these projects and various aspects studied or implemented through BIMin these projects were the laser scanned 3D modelling, early detection of design errors,

Buildinginformation

modelling

65

building space efficiency, 4D schedule modelling, building rehabilitation, 4D cost-timetrade-off, building energy analysis, building massing and design-constructionintegration (Dakan, 2006).

Laser scanning of buildings. In 2006, GSA issued three solicitations for laser scanningservices. The as-built scan information is used for creating building information modelsof US government buildings. The projects were related to three pilot cities, New York,Atlanta, and Miami. The services contracts were awarded to three different serviceproviders with laser scanning capabilities. In total, this GSA initiative has funded sevenlaser scanning service projects to date. The pilot projects have ranged from a single smallbuilding to a 60-building campus (Jenkins, 2006; Jacob, 2007).

Mandating IFC-based BIM for various building analysis and design. The GSA hasmandated the use of Industry Foundation class (IFC)-based BIM and emphasised thatBIM adoption should not be driven by cost savings alone, but for its other benefits suchas the ability to explore different engineering systems, perform energy analysis forleadership for energy and environmental design certification of US Green BuildingCouncil, derive specifications automatically, and eventually eliminate the use of paperand paper-based processes. BIM is currently being used by the GSA for spacereporting, spatial management and tenant management and evaluating how well aproposed design meets the programme requirements (Khemlani, 2006b). It has alsobeen mandated that new buildings designed through the PBS use BIM in the designstage (Hardy, 2006).

Avatar technology for people simulation. For disaster response situations the GSA isexploring the “avatar” technology from the gaming industry that creates a simulationof human behaviour in virtual people. This would allow, for instance, a BIM model tobe populated with electronic people programmed with behaviours such as walking,running, turning, detecting the nearest exit and so on, which would allow the egresspattern and time in a proposed building to be studied in the event of an emergency.This technology is indicative of the powerful analysis capabilities that can becomeavailable when sophisticated technologies such as BIM (intelligent virtual buildings)and avatars (intelligent virtual people) are combined (Khemlani, 2006b).

Demonstration of energy-efficient design. The San Francisco federal building projecthad the objective of halving the amount of energy needed by the typical office building.To this end, the building was designed with the optimum width for natural lightingand ventilation. The use of BIM on this project provided the platform for earlyintegration of architectural, structural and MEP designs, and tools such as EnergyPlusand COMIS were used for combined thermal and airflow analysis. The second projectis the Salt Lake City Federal Courthouse which is in the schematic design stage.It provided the GSA with a good testing ground for the application of BIM in energyefficient design (Khemlani, 2006a).

Communication of BIM’s adoption. GSA’s requirements were announced in advanceof the release of the US National BIM Standard, 2006 which were later incorporated inthe standard (Wilson, 2006).

Collaboration with software developers. GSA collaborated with BIM softwaredevelopers to produce a new GSA BIM guide. The guide helps designers in developingfinal concept designs for GSA’s PBS and to meet GSA’s Spatial Program. Therequirements include the submission of a BIM IFC model defined by the buildingSMARTorganisation of the National Institute of Building Sciences (Bentley, 2007).

CI11,1

66

International collaboration with real estate partners. An agreement with threeinternational real estate organisations was signed to support open standards for BIMsoftware and systems. GSA collaborates with Finland’s Senate Properties, the DanishEnterprise and Construction Authority, and Norway’s Directorate of PublicConstruction and Property to promote interoperability and the seamless and accurateexchange of digital data from different developers (GSA, 2008).

BIM implementation by Hong Kong Government departments and theestablishment of the BIM professional institutionPolicy towards information standardsPolicy guidelines regarding infrastructure development and information standards onworks projects have been promulgated in the recent policy addresses by the chiefexecutive of the Hong Kong Government. In the 2009 policy address, “Developing theInfrastructure for Economic Growth” was the title of the first chapter. The works projectinformation standard (WPIS) was established according to the recommendations givenin the new initiatives under the policy agenda for the 2005 policy address. WPIS coversthe computer-aided design (CAD) standards in Hong Kong which are now underconsideration for modification to cater for the requirements of object-oriented CAD(OOCAD) technologies needed in BIM models. In the current government policy address,the high-level engagement of public opinion is also desired as the subject of how toresolve the cross-departmental coordination and legislative consultations for thedevelopment of major infrastructure projects.

Development BureauIn Hong Kong, the works branch of the DevB aims to plan, manage and implementpublic sector infrastructure development and works programmes in a safe, timely andcost-effective manner, whilst maintaining high-quality standards. It maintains theworks programme information system for public projects so as to provide timelyproject and contract information to relevant parties (DevB, 2008).

Under the system, the Hong Kong Government formulates guidelines and standardsto implement and maintain the CAD and OOCAD technologies. At present, the BIMtechnologies have been classified as OOCAD technologies mentioned along with CADstandards in the WPIS data domains category. The existing CAD standard for worksprojects is called CSWP which recommends using either one of the two softwaresystems, i.e. AutoCAD or MicroStation on projects.

For the adoption of BIM under CSWP, it is realised that the existing CSWP cannotbe directly applied to BIM models since the annotations handled by BIM software aredifferent from those of CAD software. Further evaluation of BIM technology, on-goingdiscussion and direction from the CSWP working group is recommended before a newstandard to support BIM can be finalised.

During the consultation exercise in 2007, with the user community and vendors ofthe industry, DevB recognised that CAD software packages are at a crossroads, asthere is a growing trend for construction firms to utilise BIM solutions in private-sectorprojects. The following recommendations have been given for the adoption of BIM inCSWD in Hong Kong (DevB, 2007, p. 22):

. CSWP working group to monitor the development of BIM solution, and evaluatea time table for BIM to be incorporated into the current CSWP standard.

Buildinginformation

modelling

67

. A continuous evaluation and monitoring effort within the CSWP working groupto analyse the impact on the CSWP standard based on the future trends ofAutoCAD, Microstation and BIM software to determine a strategic plan to alignwith the emerging trend within the industry for the convergence of CAD, 3D CADand OOCAD technologies.

Housing AuthorityThe Housing Authority of the Government of the HKSAR has included BIM into itsprogramme of activities for development, construction and building control in the fiscalyear of 2008/2009 and in 2009/2010. Using BIM, the design for green and healthy livingtowards environmental sustainability in development and construction will be enhanced.Effective use of IT and research findings in improving design, operational efficiency andeffectiveness will be made. For this purpose, the application of new software systemsincluding BIM and geographical planning information systems on a few pilot project havebeen under investigation since 2008 (Hong Kong Housing Authority, 2008). In 2009, theHong Kong Housing Authority (2009) decided to deploy BIM in the development ofstandard modular flats, design libraries and in selected projects.

The HKIBIMHKIBIM was established in April 2009 by a group of Hong Kong corporations,stakeholders and experts in BIM applicants. The PI of this research project took theinitiative and played an active role in the establishment of the HKIBIM as one of thesignificant outcomes of the research project. The PI was one of the founding boardmembers. The objectives of the institute are:

. to promote and advance the general education, understanding, appreciation andinterest of and in BIM management for the benefit of the member and the generalpublic;

. to foster general awareness, understanding and concerted efforts in theHong Kong community towards the advancement of these objectives;

. to establish an identity for the institute within Hong Kong and overseas;

. to establish and maintain standards of building information managementpractice in Hong Kong;

. to establish links with relevant institutes of tertiary education, governmentbureaus/departments, statutory bodies and other organisations;

. to research, facilitate and promote the means of better management of buildinginformation for improving communication, coordination, management,productivity, delivery time, cost and quality throughout the whole buildinglife cycle;

. to improve understanding of the range of professional competence of fullyqualified members;

. to provide guidance on careers in the building information management profession;

. to establish and maintain a code of conduct for practitioners of BIM in Hong Kong.

HKIBIM is the first professional institute in the world for promoting and facilitatingthe applications of BIM in the building environment. HKIBIM has established various

CI11,1

68

grades of membership including student, associate, professional, corporation andcertified expert list for different BIM software. The PI acts as the head of the BIMStandard Committee and Authority Liaison Committee. HKIBIM has the followingorganisation structure as shown in Figure 1.

HKIBIM has established various committees for promoting the implementation ofBIM and providing a platform for communications among the various stakeholdersincluding the government departments and the construction-related professionalinstitutions. It also aims to facilitate the recognition of BIM consultants in the industryto become a professional body in the future.

BIM implementation potential in Hong Kong at the government levelThis research team conducted a seminar on “Virtual reality in town planning andinfrastructure development in Hong Kong” at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University inJuly 2008. The seminar focused on the perceived benefits of and barriers to BIMimplementation and the expectation from the government and community circles forBIM development in Hong Kong, and concluded that the government as the biggestclient in the public sector should take a more proactive role in BIM applications. As aresult, the structure and related functions of the Government Property Agency (GPA)and the ArchSD were studied for assessing the BIM implementation potential in thesetwo key government organisations in Hong Kong.

Government Property AgencyThe three major roles of the GPA consist of:

(1) acquisition and allocation;

(2) property management; and

(3) estate utilisation (GPA, 2008).

Figure 1.The organisation structure

of HKIBIM

BOARD

Conductcommittee

Institute board

Web site committee

Liaison with approvalauthority committee

HKIBIM magazinecommittee

Modeling guidelinescommittee

Source: http://hkibim.org

Promotion to theyouth committee

Membershipcommittee

Buildinginformation

modelling

69

To implement these roles, the GPA can utilise BIM technologies to perform various relatedfunctions. Based on the programme aims of GPA, the application of BIM can be as follows:

. assessing and coordinating government’s needs for general use accommodation;

. meeting the government’s need for general use accommodation through theplanning and construction of new government office buildings;

. allocating office accommodation to government bureaux/departments andmaking available quarters accommodation to government bureaux/departmentsfor allocation to government officers;

. providing input to major refurbishment programmes in respect of governmentbuildings;

. setting, assessing and reviewing space and furniture standards for office andspecialist buildings;

. property management in respect of government offices, quarters and othernon-domestic accommodation;

. reviewing maintenance, security and amenity standards;

. advising government departments on ways to optimise site utilisation at the sitereservation stage;

. identifying underutilised sites, and if conditions are appropriate, liaising with userdepartments for their release for alternative government use or disposal; and

. monitoring the utilisation of sites to be developed by government departmentswith a view to optimising the utilisation of the site potential.

Architectural Services DepartmentThe Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) of Hong Kong provides monitoring,advisory, upkeep and development services for building facilities (ArchSD, 2008).There is great potential for BIM in this department to fulfil its major functions such as:

. professional advice on building, engineering and landscaping services as well asplanning and development-related issues;

. advice to the government on matters related to building construction costs,practices and standards;

. maintenance and repair of government buildings and facilities;

. refurbishment, fitting-out, alteration, addition and improvements and emergencyrepairs to all properties maintained by the department;

. designing the facilities to meet users’ requirements and the government’s needs; and

. inspections of works to ensure the facilities are up to standard.

The functional combination of GPA and ArchSD in Hong Kong is similar to theestablishment of GSA in the USA. That means the experience of GSA’s BIM applicationscan be a significant reference for potential applications in Hong Kong.

Discussion on the role of government for BIM implementationBased on the review of implementation initiatives for BIM by governments and otherstakeholders in the USA and Hong Kong, the research team conducted the study by

CI11,1

70

having interviewed major BIM stakeholders in Hong Kong and synthesised the findings.The respondents were the senior management personnel involved in the planning ofpublic and private sector construction projects in Hong Kong. Based on the literaturereview, the interviewees were asked mainly open-ended questions regarding theimplementation potential of BIM in Hong Kong. The questions were related to the steps tobe taken to implement BIM and the uses of BIM at various phases of the constructionprojects in Hong Kong. The five different phases of project development were identifiedwhich were the concept, the design, the construction, the facility management and thedemolition/deconstruction phase. The first four of these phases are according to the RoyalInstitute of British Architects (RIBA)’s outline plan of work stages. The demolition/deconstruction phase was added since BIM has applications for this phase as well.The current Hong Kong Government project development practices in certain extent stillfollow the RIBA outline plan of work because Hong Kong was the British Colony over100 years before its reversion of sovereignty to Chinese Government in 1997 and becomesa special administration region of China. The following recommendations are maderegarding the guidelines for implementation of BIM by the government and the role of thegovernment at various stages of the project lifecycle.

Proposed steps for implementation of BIM by the governmentThe role of government is critical in the implementation of BIM in any country. In fact, insome countries the government is one of the major drivers for the implementation ofBIM. Hong Kong is an open economy where the major contributor to the economy is theprivate sector and this includes the construction industry. It can be expected that anynew trend or the introduction of new technology would most likely arise from the privatesector. The same is the case with BIM which up to now is being largely developed by theprivate sector in Hong Kong. There is a high probability that its utilisation will greatlyincrease in the years to come. In this case, the Government of the HKSAR is needed toplay a proactive role in regulating the implementation of BIM in the architectural,engineering and construction industry of Hong Kong. In order to formulate a strategy forregulating the utilisation of BIM solutions, certain steps, as below, must be taken by thegovernment for promoting the implementation of BIM:

. Policy and programme. The government needs to establish the specific policy ofadopting BIM on all new projects. The initiative for the implementation of BIMcould be established under the title “The Hong Kong BIM Programme”.

. Open standard development. The BIM policy should encourage open standardsoftware development in relation to BIM. Currently, there are many competing BIMdevelopers/vendors. Their efforts need to be streamlined and the government is in abetter position to instil synergy into various competing BIM software systems in themarket. HKIBIM can take a proactive role by providing an exchange platform forgathering the contributions from BIM professionals and stakeholders.

. Design information evaluation. The BIM policy should recommend that thedesign information be explicit and made available to partners so that the designintent can be easily understood and evaluated.

. BIM implementation department. In order to implement the government’s BIMpolicy, there should be one or two designated government departments ororganisations to take up the major responsibilities for BIM implementation initially

Buildinginformation

modelling

71

through some pilot projects. It could be an existing government department ororganisation which can be entrusted with the task of overseeing BIM initiatives inthe territory. The potential roles of two such departments from Hong Kong, namelythe Architectural Services Department and the GPA have already been describedabove.

. Adoption by other departments. All departments which can benefit from BIMshould be encouraged to adopt BIM in consultation with the main departmentresponsible for coordinating BIM implementations in the territory.

. Presentation, promotion and liaison. The government’s BIM programme, onceestablished, should be regularly presented opportunistically at various industrialforums whose themes can include BIM. Liaison with global professional bodies forinformation exchange and continuous improvements would be highly desirable.

Involvement of the government departments in BIM projectsThis section highlights the uses of BIM by project phase, resulting from the involvementof government departments in the project. These examples are also shown in Figure 2:

. Concept phase. The use of BIM could enhance and simplify the introduction andadoption of new building materials and methods to the government department inthe concept phase. In a situation, where there is a need to explain the project to theauthorities, the use of 3D/BIM models would help clarify and convey the messagein a manner that most people can understand even without an expert level of

Figure 2.Proposed BIMimplementation stepsand BIM uses at variousproject phases

BIM uses in various project phases

Concept phase− New process/material evaluations− Regulatory approvals and compliances

Design phase− Electronic submission of design

Construction phase− Improved off-site and on-site inspection

Operation phase− Government as the keeper of BIM-based project

information

Demolition/deconstruction phase− Recycling opportunities in demolition− Adaptive reuse of buildings

Proposed BIM implementation steps by the government

1. BIM policy and programme, 2. BIM open standards, 3. Design information evaluation,4. BIM organisation, 5. BIM adoption, 6. BIM promotion

CI11,1

72

understanding. BIM and virtual reality can be implemented in town planning andinfrastructure development to aid the process of public consultation with thegovernment. Another situation can be for building code adoption or changes.The addition of 3D visualisation to the written and verbal arguments wouldincrease knowledge transfer resulting in a higher level of understanding amongthe members of the government body. The design timeline for a project could alsobe shortened as a result of better feedback and input from government agencies oncode deviations earlier in the process. Throughout the concept phase, the projectteam would benefit from using BIM to convey information to government agenciesin an effort to shorten the compliance processes prior to final design.

. Design phase. Up-to-date information can be readily made during the permitissuing process. The initial need to physically take documents to the governmentauthority can be eliminated by sending the documents electronically forimmediate inclusion in the design. For example, Ibrahim and Krawczyk (2003)have demonstrated the benefit of embedding building code requirements into theBIM software making the review process much smoother. The anticipatedoutcome is a shorter time line for both government agencies and the client.

. Construction phase. In the absence of any major changes to the structure,the government department’s role during construction is mostly that of inspection.The use of 3D BIM both in the office and in the field increases the inspectors’knowledge and ability to compare the plans with on-the-ground practice. In caseswhere a question arises, an inspector could communicate with other stakeholdersand building officials over the phone while each participant refers to the 3D models.

. Facility management phase. This phase is important due to possible changes inbuilding ownership and the potential loss of building data over the life cycle of thebuilding. Even if the project team disbands after the initial construction iscompleted, the benefits of BIM still exist. The information obtained by thegovernment department can be made available to other regulating agencies.The ability of an emergency response team to access this information in the eventof a fire, accident or attack could substantially reduce risk to the responders,building occupants and the general public. The owner may be able to requestinsurance rate reductions and the building occupants would feel more secure.

. Demolition/deconstruction phase. Once a building reaches the end of its expectedlife there are two paths that can be chosen: demolition/deconstruction or adaptivereuse. The availability of building information including component materialswould greatly increase the accuracy of identifying recyclable materials to meetpossible code requirements or extended producer responsibility requirements.BIM will aid in identifying which elements can be recycled, reused and land-filled.It will also provide quantities and sequencing to facilitate safe deconstruction.Additionally, it may help in any documentation process required by thegovernment department. If adaptive reuse is the chosen option, it is likely thatpermits will also be required. Here, BIM will help with the redesign, componentreuse, and time and cost reduction. If a rating system for green building is used,there may be additional benefits from the BIM models in point attainment. In eithercase, the advantages to the newly formed project team are substantial especially ifthe building has changed ownership, undergone renovations, or been left idle for

Buildinginformation

modelling

73

an extended period of time. The government department becomes the corestakeholder in shortening the learning curve for this phase.

ConclusionThis paper mainly highlights the roles of the government departments in a country, suchas the GSA in the USA, in the implementation of BIM. Trends and the potential use anddevelopment of BIM in Hong Kong are studied and opportunities for the public sector toimplement BIM at different phases of construction project are identified. The research islimited mainly to the initiatives of BIM taken by the public sector (government). The rolesof other stakeholders are not specifically covered in this study. The study providesuseful knowledge and information for stakeholders in the public sector, and shouldencourage the government through its operational departments to formulate strategicplans and policies for the timely implementation of BIM for the general benefit of theconstruction industry. Steps to implement a BIM programme in Hong Kong include theformation of BIM policy, guidelines, organisation, standardisation and promotionbesides the already established professional body of BIM in Hong Kong. The initiationand experience of HKIBIM as the first BIM professional institute in the world is able toprovide a useful methodology of BIM promotion through a form of civil society.The examples of the involvement of the government or its concerned department atvarious phases of the construction project illustrate scenarios for effectiveimplementation of BIM in practice. Finally, the research findings can be adapted foruse in other countries and regions by keeping in context the qualitative researchmethodology and the number of responses obtained for arriving at the conclusions ofthis paper.

References

AIA (2005), “TAP BIM 2005 Award winners”, American Institute of Architects, available at:www.aia.org/practicing/groups/kc/AIAS074562 (accessed 29 June 2009).

AIA (2006), “TAP BIM 2006 Award winners”, American Institute of Architects, available at:www.aia.org/practicing/groups/kc/AIAS074563 (accessed 29 June 2009).

Arayici, Y. (2008), “Towards building information modelling for existing structures”, StructuralSurvey, Vol. 26 No. 3, pp. 210-22.

ArchSD (2008), “Head 025: the 2008-2009 budget, the Government of the Hong Kong SpecialAdministrative Region”, Architectural Services Department, available at: www.budget.gov.hk/2008/eng/pdf/head025.pdf (accessed 29 June 2009).

Bentley (2007), “GSA and Bentley collaborate on NE GSA BIM guide”, available at: www.bentley.com/en-US/Corporate/News/NewsþArchive/2007/Quarterþ3/GSA.htm (accessed29 June 2009).

Dakan, M. (2006), “GSA’s BIM pilot program shows success”, Cadalysts, available at: http://aec.cadalyst.com/aec/GSAs-BIM-Pilot-Program-Shows-Success/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/359335 (accessed 29 June 2009).

DevB (2007), “Prototype standard of batch no. 2 of works project information standard”,Working Paper No. 1.2, Development Bureau, Government of the Hong Kong SpecialAdministrative Region, November, pp. 22-3.

DevB (2008), “Head 159”, The 2008-09 Budget, The Government of the Hong Kong SpecialAdministrative Region, Government Secretariat Development Bureau Works Branch,available at: www.budget.gov.hk/2008/eng/pdf/head159.pdf (accessed 29 June 2009).

CI11,1

74

Fallon, K.K. (2005), “GSA’s BIM pilot program makes strides”, Edges, Newsletter of the Technologyin Practice Knowledge Community, December, available at: www.aia.org/nwsltr_tap.cfm?pagename¼tap_a_20051230_gsabim (accessed 29 June 2009).

GPA (2008), “Head 051”, The 2008-09 Budget, The Government of the Hong Kong SpecialAdministrative Region, Government Property Agency, available at: www.budget.gov.hk/2008/eng/pdf/head051.pdf (accessed 29 June 2009).

GSA (2007), “GSA’s national 3D-4D BIM program”, US General Services, available at: www.gsa.gov/bim (accessed 29 June 2009).

GSA (2008), “GSA signs international agreement supporting building information modeling”,US General Services, available at: http://tinyurl.com/ltrulm (accessed 29 June 2009).

Hardy, M. (2006), “GSA mandates building information modeling”, FCW Story, 20 November,available at: www.fcw.com/print/12_42/news/96852-1.html (accessed 29 June 2009).

Hong Kong Housing Authority (2008), “Memorandum for the finance committee programmes ofactivities in 2008/09 for the housing authority’s businesses”, Paper No. FC 59/2007,Appendix A, p. 8.

Hong Kong Housing Authority (2009), “Memorandum for the finance committee: 2009/10programmes of activities for the housing authority’s businesses”, Paper No. FC 60/2008,Appendix A, p. 7.

Ibrahim, M. and Krawczyk, R. (2003), “The level of knowledge of CAD objects within thebuilding information model”, Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of theAssociation for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, Indianapolis, IN, pp. 173-7.

Jacob, G. (2007), “3D scanning: demand increasing for laser scanning, part 1”, ProfessionalSurveyor’s Magazine, June, available at: www.profsurv.com/magazine/article.aspx?i¼1872 (accessed 29 June 2009).

Jenkins, B. (2006), “3D laser scanning in GSA’s national 3D-4D-BIM program (part 1 of 2)”,SparView, Vol. 4 No. 15, available at: www.sparllc.com/archiveviewer.php?vol¼04&num¼15&file¼vol04no15-01 (accessed 29 June 2009).

Khemlani, L. (2005), “CORENET e-plan check: Singapore’s automated code checking system”,AECbytes, available at: www.aecbytes.com/buildingthefuture/2005/CORENETePlanCheck.html (accessed 9 February 2010).

Khemlani, L. (2006a), “AIA CBSP symposium on BIM for building envelope design andperformance”, AECbytes Building the Future, 15 November, available at: www.aecbytes.com/buildingthefuture/2006/AIA-CBSP_BIM.html (accessed 29 June 2009).

Khemlani, L. (2006b), “Use of BIM by facility owners: an ‘expositions’ meeting”, AECbytesBuilding the Future, 16 May, available at: www.aecbytes.com/buildingthefuture/2006/Expotitions_meeting.html (accessed 29 June 2009).

Kiviniemi, A., Tarandi, V., Karlshoj, J., Bell, H. and Karud, O.J. (2008), “Review of thedevelopment and implementation of IFC compatible BIM”, available at: www.eracobuild.eu/fileadmin/documents/Erabuild_BIM_Final_Report_January_2008.pdf (accessed9 February 2010).

Succar, B. (2009), “Building information modelling framework: a research and deliveryfoundation for industry stakeholders”, Automation in Construction, Vol. 18, pp. 357-75.

Wilson, T. (2006), “Federal agencies look for speedy BIM implementation”, ENR: EngineeringNews-Record, Vol. 257 No. 19, p. 19.

Wong, A.K.D., Wong, F.K.W. and Nadeem, A. (2009), “Comparative roles of major stakeholdersfor the implementation of BIM in various countries”, Proceedings of the InternationalConference on Changing Roles: New Roles, New Challenges, Noordwijk Aan Zee, The

Buildinginformation

modelling

75

Netherlands, 5-9 October, available at: www.changingroles09.nl/uploads/File/Final.KD.Wong-KW.Wong-Nadeem.pdf (accessed 9 February 2010).

Further reading

National Institute of Building Sciences (2007), “New national BIM standard released”, NIBS,available at: www.facilityinformationcouncil.org/bim/publications.php (accessed 29 June2009).

Whole Building Design Guide (2008), “BIM initiatives”, available at: www.wbdg.org/bim/initiatives_bim.php (accessed 29 June 2009).

Appendix

Name BIM role/initiatives

GSA The GSA was the first government organisation to lead the USGovernment into BIM and had a primary role in promoting BIM inthe entire industry. They remain today a leader in the initiative, andare continually breaking new ground

National Institute for Standardsand Technology (NIST)

Computer-integrated building processes group at NIST conductsresearch on BIM and interoperability; building controls andemergency management; construction productivity; product datastandards and project data standards, e.g. IFCs and CIS/2; intelligentand automated construction job site; integrated and automatedproject delivery; real-time project control; semantic modelling,systems integration, validation testing and conformance testing

CAD BIM Technology Centre It is a research centre of the US Army Corps of Engineers forproviding technical and professional services for geospatialtechnologies including CAD, BIM, geographic information systems,and computer-aided facility management systems. The centre worksto deploy BIM across the services in a consistent manner that ensureacceptable return on investments and promote interoperabilitybetween BIM and other geospatial technologies

US Army – ConstructionEngineering ResearchLaboratory

The Corps of Engineers with the support of their laboratories aretransforming to the use of BIM and are primary players in theindustry transformation with products such as ConstructionOperations Building Information Exchange

US Coast Guard (USCG) The USCG has also been a leader among government agencies andhas pioneered the linking of mission to facilities and use of facilityinformation during the operations and sustainment phases of thelifecycle

Table AI.Government agencies inthe USA involved in BIMapplications

CI11,1

76

To purchase reprints of this article please e-mail: reprints@emeraldinsight.comOr visit our web site for further details: www.emeraldinsight.com/reprints