BIM for CREM: exploring the benefit of building information modelling for facility management in corporate real estate management

Abstract

The implementation of BIM in FM has been of steadily growing interest for academic research. Yet the benefits of BIM for the FM in CREM have, to the present day, been explored to a limited extent. As research on BIM for FM in CREM remains narrowly investigated, this study follows an exploratory approach to formulate implications for further research directions. Therefore, a four-stage procedure was adopted: (1) identification and definition of BIM uses for FM in CREM; (2) validation of the BIM uses for FM in CREM and the expert survey questionnaire; (3) assessment of each BIM use’s benefit by experts; and (4) analysis of the correlations between BIM uses’ benefit assessments and the respondents’ industries, the resulting associations, and the prioritisation for the development of BIM uses for FM in CREM. Based on that methodology, it was shown that the BIM use for FM in CREM with the highest priority for development is 46 Facilities and Equipment: Repair and Renewal. The BIM use with the lowest priority is 21 Visualisation. As a result, four implications on the development of BIM uses for FM in CREM were formulated regarding case studies, information requirements, and technical requirements, as well as process and personnel requirements.