Integrating building information modeling with value engineering to facilitate the selection of building design alternatives considering sustainability

The recent accelerated development of the information management process has assisted to provide further technical development in the construction industry. In order to achieve the best sustainable design, it is critical to examine the design of construction projects and consider all potential alternatives. This problem may become very difficult when the choice of alternative depends on the assessment of a number of design related criteria. Hence, there is a need for better tools and increased use of technology to improve the selection of suitable alternative. The use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and value engineering can improve sustainable design even further. In addition, the use of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a fundamental approach to decision making. This paper presents a framework integrating BIM with VE to improve sustainable design by creating a model designed to select the best alternative with several criteria. This model is based on the development of a 5D BIM model, studying the energy efficiency of building design. Also, assess the relative environmental impacts of building materials. Finally, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is considered through the LEED rating system according to ISO 14040 standards. The results show that the proposed model has the potential to improve the study of VE job plan, and the importance of the model in evaluating and selecting the most appropriate alternative design.