Will the Application of Building Information Modeling Increase Acceptance of Integrated Delivery Systems in China?

In recent years, Building Information Modelling (BIM) has been increasingly employed within the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry worldwide, driven primarily by government digital initiatives. The current research demonstrates that this “top-down” drive for BIM implementation not only expedites its proliferation, but also improves the perception of the need for Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) systems. This proposition is tested through structural equation modelling using survey returns from 145 Chinese BIM-enabled projects. The results indicate a significant degree of agreement among respondents with BIM’s degree of implementation positively affecting IPD acceptability via influencing incentivization perception and communication levels. Additionally, the model is moderated by project difficulty and fit well with low-difficulty projects. These statically significant findings enable the research to predict that the deepening use of BIM in China would lower barriers to introducing IPD in the region