The Role of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in Sustainable Development and Optimizing Life Cycle Management of Commercial Buildings

Authors

  • Nima Amani * Department of Civil Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Chalous Branch, Chalous, Iran. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8551-9519
  • Soheil Bahmani Department of Civil Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Chalous Branch, Chalous, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.48314/ijrceai.v3i3.70

Abstract

Nowadays, the increasing complexity of construction projects and the need to reduce resource consumption and environmental impacts have heightened interest in the use of advanced technologies in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. Among these technologies, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is an integrated approach for creating, managing, and exchanging project information and has considerable potential to improve the design, construction, operation, and maintenance processes of buildings. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of BIM in achieving sustainable development objectives and improving building performance throughout its life cycle. A review of previous studies indicates that BIM, by integrating information across different disciplines, enhancing coordination among project stakeholders, reducing rework, lowering costs and project duration, and enabling integration with energy, cost, and structural performance analysis tools, can improve decision-making processes in construction projects. Furthermore, the use of BIM during the early design stages enables the evaluation and comparison of different alternatives from both economic and environmental perspectives and can contribute to optimizing energy consumption, resource use, and life-cycle costs. Nevertheless, limitations such as insufficient user training and expertise, information exchange problems among different software platforms, legal and contractual issues, and the concentration of BIM applications on the early stages of projects are considered barriers to fully realizing its potential. Overall, the reviewed studies indicate that integrating BIM with sustainability assessment criteria can serve as an effective approach to supporting decision-making, reducing life-cycle costs, increasing productivity, and improving the environmental performance of buildings. Therefore, extending BIM applications from the design stage to all stages of the building life cycle is one of the key requirements for fully exploiting the potential of this technology in advancing sustainable development in the construction industry.

Keywords:

Building information modeling, Sustainable development, Building life cycle, AEC industry, Sustainable design, Energy assessment

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Published

2026-09-27

How to Cite

Amani, N., & Bahmani, S. (2026). The Role of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in Sustainable Development and Optimizing Life Cycle Management of Commercial Buildings. International Journal of Researches on Civil Engineering With Artificial Intelligence , 3(3), 241-263. https://doi.org/10.48314/ijrceai.v3i3.70

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