Exploring the Consequences of 4D BIM Innovation Adoption

UK Government has ambitions for improvements in construction project time predictability. Better management of construction innovations into use could help with this aspiration, but despite a recent drive advocating Building Information Modelling (BIM) innovation adoption, the construction industry is still perceived to have low innovation levels in comparison with other sectors. The purpose of the work was to explore the use and consequence of 4D BIM innovation in relation to construction time predictability. Insights were gained using semi-structured telephone interviews conducted with a range of construction practitioners. Several dimensions of consequences of 4D BIM innovation adoption were considered including desirable/ undesirable consequences, direct/indirect consequences and anticipated/unanticipated consequences. In addition to consideration of the benefits and demand for 4D BIM, the results also reveal criticisms over current planning mediums and process inefficiencies. Results also reveal concerns over the additional work required to create 4D plans, and the quality of the plans produced.