A case study of BIM projects in hospital construction – Comparing Germany to the international status

Abstract

The effective communication and coordination between all participants are a prerequisite for efficient project management. Especially in complex constructions, a high degree of coordination and communication is required due to an increased potential for errors in the project execution. Hospitals, as buildings of critical infrastructure, represent very complex constructions with increased regulations. Furthermore, there is an additional trade of medical technology, and an increased number of stakeholders need to be coordinated. The method Building Information Modeling (BIM) offers an efficient opportunity for transparent communication and provides a database of the building over its entire life cycle. In addition, there are many other use cases using BIM to benefit the management of the hospital, such as model-based quantity and cost determination or the use of a digital twin for facility management. BIM is becoming more established worldwide and also in the field of hospital construction BIM is already used. However, the scope of BIM application varies significantly among different projects, highlighting the need for a more detailed examination of existing or completed hospital projects. This report compares various international hospital projects regarding the application of BIM whereas 10 out of 20 projects are in Germany. The information required for this case study is obtained by literature research. This provides an overview of the present state of BIM implementation in a global comparison, which provides the basis for the development of specific standards for the use of BIM in hospital projects. This enables the advancement of the implementation of BIM in hospital construction and the exploitation of the highest possible benefits over the entire life cycle to operate hospitals in a future-proof, sustainable and economical manner.