BIM's application in sustainable design and construction in Hong Kong

Abstract

This study examines the role of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in advancing sustainable design and construction in Hong Kong. Structured across six key sections: Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Findings & Analysis, Implications of Research Findings, and Conclusion, the research explores BIM’s applications, benefits, barriers, and advocates in Hong Kong. The study is driven by the need to address Hong Kong’s demands for sustainable buildings within the framework of recent government policies like the 2029 BIM mandate. A mixed-methods approach is adopted to acquire qualitative data for the study. It combines literature review of academic and industry sources, case studies like One Taikoo Place, and semi-structured interviews from diverse backgrounds and certain types of groups (clients, BIM consultants, sustainability consultants). This ensures a comprehensive analysis of BIM’s role, with thematic and content analysis applied to interview data to identify patterns and rank key factors, aligning with four objectives: assessing BIM applications, benefits, barriers, and advocates in Hong Kong’s sustainable construction context. The literature review and findings reveal that BIM is predominantly used in design and construction phases, with 3D coordination as the leading use (CIC, 2020). Higher dimensions like 6D (sustainability) lag due to complexity and skill gaps. Significant benefits are identified, including energy optimization, carbon management, reducing environmental impact, operational management and the potential to streamline processes for green building certifications. Key barriers include cultural resistance, lack of standardized sustainability workflows, and high initial costs. Technical issues, skill shortages in both BIM and sustainability areas, and financial barriers further hinder progress. In terms of advocates for BIM adoption in sustainable practices, government mandates, clear standards, and subsidies emerge as significant factors, as suggested by interviewees and from literature review. Literature review highlights the government’s roadmap, CIC’s training efforts, and private sector initiatives as critical drivers shifting BIM from optional to essential. Given the previous findings and analysis, strategies to overcome barriers and enhance BIM adoption are detailed across five subsections. Firstly, educational campaigns are aimed to shift perceptions of the industry to reduce resistance. Secondly, standardizing sustainability workflows ensures consistency for stakeholders to follow. Thirdly, more grants and performance bonuses reduce economic hurdles, especially for SMEs. Fourthly, to address skills gaps, training programs and emphasis on multi-roles of professionals are raised. Lastly, technical standards such as protocols and free BIM tools for sustainability evaluation aim to tackle interoperability. To conclude, the implications of this study aim to offer a roadmap for stakeholders to leverage BIM for a sustainable built environment in Hong Kong.