A Systematic Review of BIM Adoption and Implementation Challenges in Design & Build Contracts: Insights and Implications for Nepal

Abstract

The design & build (D&B) projects can be made efficient, cost-effective, and quality-assured through
Building Information Modeling (BIM). Its adoption is limited in developing countries. The paper is a
PRISMA-based systematic review of 21 empirical and conceptual studies on the topic published between
2000 and 2025. The review investigates obstacles to BIM adoption as far as Nepal is concerned. Each
study was treated as a qualitative case and therefore, a thematic analysis was carried out. Codes were
determined and sorted into major themes. There were five significant obstacles, namely technical,
organizational, financial, contractual, and policy or cultural. All situations had common technical and
organizational barriers. There were greater financial, contractual, and policy-related impediments in the
developing countries. Low industry maturity, high cost, fragmented practices, unclear contracts, and less
support for regulations are some of the reasons that limit BIM adoption in Nepal. The results demonstrate
the necessity of national BIM standards, capacity building, financial incentives, contractual reforms, and
increased awareness of the stakeholders. The presented research offers evidence-based information to help
enhance the implementation of BIM and achieve better cost, time, and quality results in resource-limited
situations.