How to Adopt BIM in the Building Construction Sector across Greece?

Abstract

The construction sector is of strategic importance for the European Commission. This is the reason why there is a special interest in the development of this sector which is attempting to transform into a more sustainable one in order to face various challenges. In this context, European Directive 2014/24/EU brings to the foreground of the European institutional framework the term building information modelling (BIM), that it is widely used in many countries across Europe. In Greece, the situation seems to be different, not only because it has not been applied in practice but also because of some special features of the way the construction sector functions. This paper presents the BIM use-level in Greece and the way with which it could be better integrated in the construction sector. Through this review we make a brief assessment of the strategy developed in order for the BIM to be integrated in Greek building procedures. Furthermore, we focus on specific issues, like the extended informal housing phenomenon, and on factors that cannot easily be standardized that create problems in BIM use. Finally, through an initial market analysis we underline the role of academic institutions for integrating BIM across Greece.Such a direction seems to be the continuation of the Horizon 2020 Strategy directions that aimed at the creation of healthy, safe, viable and intelligent infrastructure [1].In this context, European Directive 2014/24/EU [7] brings to the foreground of the European institutional framework the term building information modelling (BIM). The term is mentioned in article No. 22 of the Directive where it is noted that in the framework of signing public works contracts and the invitation to tenders for relative studies, the member states must include the use of specialized electronic modelling tools for building construction information or similar means. Even if BIM is widely used in countries like France, United Kingdom and Germany [8], things in Greece are very different. This paper presents the BIM use level in Greece and the way with which it could be better integrated in the construction sector. The aim of the work is to present an overview of the situation and to make a brief assessment on the proposals developed for the better adoption of the tool in Greece, taking into consideration the European experience (Section 3). Previously (Section 2), a literature review is undertaken where the tool is described along with the advantages of its use. The results that arise (Section 4) permit a review regarding the actions taking place and programmed in the immediate future. Building Information Modelling (BIM) in Promoting Sustainable Development: A Brief Literature ReviewBIM became a popular acronym in the last decade [9], although it emerged as a concept in the late 1970s [10], after years of research in order for the components and repercussions of building product models to be investigated [11]. It is a process that uses computer technology [12,13] to stimulate the performance of a building, during the whole...

Energy Efficient Design for a Conventional Building using BIM Tools

“…In most of the cases traditional buildings consume a lot of energy to operate lights, electrical appliances, equipment, air conditioners and geysers. The International Energy Agency(IEA) claims that 33% of energy has been used for air conditioners in the last eight years since 2010 [4] [5]. As the construction industry's carbon footprint continues to grow, cutting the energy usage in buildings has become a global concern.…”