| dc.description.abstract | Building Information Modeling (BIM) has set up a mark in the construction
industry over a decade. In order to gain benefit of BIM in estimating the project cost at
the early stage of construction with the limited data available, a new concept of
MacroBIM has been introduced in the industry. However, limited amount of research
has been implemented to determine how MacroBIM has been accepted in the
construction industry. Most research was focused on the accuracy of the conceptual
estimation.
This research attempted to determine the effectiveness of MacroBIM process
applied at early stages of construction for conceptual cost estimation. Experts from the
discipline of architecture, contractor and owners were interviewed and their professional
opinions on MacroBIM were analyzed using grounded theory.
The results show that, compared to the traditional conceptual estimating process,
MacroBIM is an effective method for 1) saving labor hours, 2) conveying assumptions
with the help of its visualization capabilities, 3) enhancing the collaboration among the
project participants, and 4) evaluating multiple design scenarios. However, fear of using MacroBIM and trust in its outcome existed among some contractors, architects, and
owners because this technology has not matured yet. Moreover, the need of
interoperability between the MacroBIM tools and MicroBIM tools, such as Revit, has
also surfaced in the study. | en |
