BIM in the Malaysian construction industry: A scientometric review and case study

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore existing literature on Building Information Modelling (BIM) in Malaysia and examine the perception of practitioners about the potential of BIM applications in reducing construction waste and enhancing productivity. Design/methodology/approach: First, using 244 bibliographic data extracted from the Scopus database, the paper used scientometric analysis and VOSviewer mapping technique to assess the most impactful publication literature on BIM in Malaysia to identify the existing research gaps. Second, using a structured questionnaire, a total of 100 questionnaires were distributed to practising practitioners who incorporate BIM in the delivery of their projects. Descriptive analysis using cross-tabulation in SPSS software, radar chart, relative importance index and Pearson’s correlation were used to analyze the data. Findings: The research gaps are in the fields of construction projects, buildings, energy efficiency, lifecycle and housing. The findings of the survey indicate that quantity take-off, clash detection, site utilization planning, digital fabrication as well as 4D stimulation were the main BIM applications used among the practitioners in Johor and Selangor. Practical implications: By assessing the state-of-the-art of BIM and BIM applications in this region, the practical implications of this study provide useful insights to construction stakeholders, funding organizations, policymakers, research institutions, professionals, journal editors, reviewers and researchers to understand the overall trend of BIM in Malaysia and its usage. Originality/value: This paper is the first to use science mapping using scientometrics to reveal the current BIM research in “Malaysia only”. Relying on the identified gaps, the study further examined the usage of BIM applications in Malaysian construction projects.