Assessing cost and benefit attributes of Building Information Modelling (BIM) implementation in Malaysian public agency: PLS-SEM approach

Abstract

One of the main constraints posed during the implementation of Building Information Modelling (BIM) is the high cost of adoption. This leads to studies related to value management in project and organizational contexts, especially for the public sector. However, the empirical measurement of BIM value must be done systematically to produce more accurate and valid results for applications. Therefore, this study attempts to pave the way for development of Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) of BIM implementation in Malaysian Public Works Department (PWD) by determining the BIM benefit attributes that have been realized and cost attributes that are needed for that. A total of 150 survey questionnaires were distributed to four design departments in Malaysian PWD Headquarter (HQ) to be rated using 5-points Likert’s interval scale. Based on the data collected, the results were analyzed using Confirmatory Composite Analysis (CCA) as a method of confirming measurement quality (MCMQ) in Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The study model was conceptualized as a reflective-formative type II Hierarchical Component Model (HCM). The results indicate key benefit attributes and cost attributes related to two main BIM uses in Malaysian PWD current practices which are the ‘design review’ and ‘automated clash detection’. Based on the final form of the model, there was a total of eight key benefits of BIM implementation which are ‘lower cost’, ‘better scenario and alternative analysis’, ‘improved communication’, ‘improved coordination’, ‘improved output quality’, ‘better change management’, ‘less rework’, and ‘fewer error’. On the other hand, three cost attributes that were confirmed are ‘software related investment’, ‘hardware related investment’ and ‘infrastructure cost’. This paper provides researchers on the approach of confirming key items needed to measure BIM value and is hoped to assist the value analyst to perform the Value Management (VM) analyses for their projects.