An Analysis of the Value Propositions for Integrated 4D BIM-GIS Adoption for Construction supply Chain Management : Assessing Digital Transformation in the Swedish AEC Industry

Abstract: Logistics and supply chain in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry can be seen as coordinated collaboration that is subject to managerial risks. The managerial risks are mitigated by Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Geo-Information Science (GIS), which are two distinctive digital transformative tools which are revolutionizing and accelerating the AEC industry in recent years. Many gains have been achieved concerning the capacity of BIM and GIS to enable collaborative workflows that minimize data loss and reduce inefficiencies in construction. In the past decade, most scholarly literature on BIM and GIS integration for supply chain management have focused on coordination and visualization to improve supply chain operational efficiency. While BIM optimizes visualization and manages the data related to specific projects, GIS coordinates and manages the data related to the outside environment of the project. An integrated BIM-GIS adoption for Construction Supply Chain Management (CSCM) offers value propositions for client and contracting organizations as information/data is seamlessly shared among them to guide decision making at every phase of the construction project.  However, no detailed study has been conducted so far on assessments of the value creation 4D BIM-GIS brings to the AEC industry when espoused for CSCM. To fill this gap, this paper aims to identify and prioritize the value propositions to 4D BIM-GIS adoption for CSCM in the Swedish AEC industry. Based on the reflective perceptions and evaluations of the AEC industry, the paper demonstrated the varied opinions from current active users and those who are yet to adopt 4D BIM-GIS for CSCM. ‘Time savings, ‘Increased efficiency and productivity and ‘Improved communication and information sharing’ were ranked as topmost drivers for 4D BIM-GIS adoption. The paper recommends corporate level training as pivotal in familiarizing workers with the new techniques that combine BIM and GIS in AEC practice.