As BIM theory continues to evolve and favorable conditions improve, the adoption and implementation of BIM are accelerating. However, practical challenges and limitations in BIM technology still pose significant obstacles to its widespread use during the construction phase.
(1) BIM technology is still relatively new, and its adoption among design and construction firms remains limited. It demands high-end hardware, specialized software, skilled personnel, and significant investment. For small or simple projects, the cost-saving benefits are minimal. Without a focus on the full lifecycle informatization of buildings, owners, designers, and construction teams often lack the motivation to utilize BIM.
(2) Implementing full lifecycle BIM concepts is challenging, and there are few comprehensive, successful industry cases. Many projects apply BIM effectively only in one phase—design, construction, or operation and maintenance—with construction showing the lowest level of adoption. A key issue is the lack of standardization in modeling. Seamless information transfer and integrated application across stages, as highlighted by Ma Zhiliang, have yet to be realized. Standards for model creation and transfer are inconsistent or inadequate. Although the national BIM standard “Unified Standard for Application of Building Engineering Information Models” exists, it is relatively basic and serves as a recommended guideline rather than a mandatory requirement, making standardized data exchange across the building lifecycle difficult to enforce.
(3) During construction, BIM adoption suffers from a lack of initiative and enthusiasm among construction teams. This is often due to insufficient financial backing, contractual constraints, and challenges in quantifying BIM’s benefits. As a result, most BIM applications in this phase are limited to simple technical uses, more in form than in substantive impact, falling short of BIM’s theoretical advantages.
(4) Project stakeholders often have conflicting goals and varying levels of understanding and expectations regarding BIM. This results in low awareness and poor collaboration among participants. Establishing unified management under a general contracting framework and effectively leveraging BIM for collaborative workflows is crucial for successful BIM application during construction. Industry-wide improvements and successful pilot projects can help pave the way for broader BIM adoption.
(5) Inconsistent objectives across project teams and departments hinder the creation of an effective BIM environment. The absence of specialized BIM departments and personnel, combined with a lack of resource integration and operational mechanisms, makes it difficult to realize BIM’s potential for interdisciplinary coordination.
(6) The wide variety of BIM software presents additional challenges. BIM applications span numerous software tools, including post-processing and auxiliary programs. With dozens of BIM software options available globally, each suited to specific disciplines and project phases, mastering and efficiently using these tools remains a complex task.
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