Enabling BIM Adoption in Nepal’s Construction Industry: Barriers and Strategic Interventions

Abstract

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has emerged as a transformative digital approach in the global construction industry, enabling improved collaboration, information management, and project performance throughout the project lifecycle. Nevertheless, its use in Nepal is still in its infancy, and it is predominantly used in basic applications like the visualization of designs and the calculation of quantities. This study aims to investigate the level of adoption of BIM in the construction sector of Nepal. This study also identifies the barriers to the implementation of BIM in the construction industry in Nepal. The survey was systematic and applied to a sample of 45 professionals in the areas of architecture, engineering and construction. The major factors that prevent adoption of BIM were found to be lack of clear government regulations and national standards, inaccessibility of professional training, high costs of software and implementation and organizational resistance to change. Meanwhile, stakeholders in the industry were at a clear consensus on the necessity to establish national BIM guidelines, to incorporate BIM education in university courses, and offer strategic incentives to use it. Overall, the study concludes that the need to adopt a coordinated and collaborative strategy by the government, in conjunction with industry and academic institutions, to enable BIM to be implemented and the long-term modernization and digital transformation in the construction industry in Nepal.