The Role of Building Information Modeling in the Management and Operation of Existing Buildings

Heba Eid^1,*, Alaa Kadi², Hadi Kherbeic³

¹Building Information Modeling and Management Master student ,Syrian Virtual University, Syria

²Lecturer, Syrian Virtual University, Syria

³Supervisor, Syrian Virtual University, Syria

Emails: heba_223179@svuonline.org; dr.ajkadi@ru.edu.com; Kherbeic@gmail.com

Abstract

This research aims to highlight the importance of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in improving the management and operation of existing buildings. The study illustrates that achieving integrated functional performance for buildings requires the adoption of modern technologies, especially in the operational phase of their lifecycle. Despite BIM being primarily used in the design and construction phases, its application in operation and maintenance remains limited due to certain challenges, such as information management. The research presents a case study of Homs Museum as a model of a facility that relies on traditional methods for its operation, where BIM was applied to enhance three operational aspects: the container (building modeling and space occupancy), the content (indexing and classifying artifacts), and the user (staff management and BIM adoption within the institution). The results showed that BIM significantly enhances operational information management with high flexibility, underscoring the necessity of its adoption in existing buildings. The research recommends increasing the reliance on BIM in the operational phase, supporting its use in existing buildings through training and providing data collection tools, and developing user-friendly software interfaces for project managers.

Keywords: Building Information Modeling (BIM); Facilities Management; Operation and Maintenance; Existing Buildings; Building Lifecycle