BIM-enabled built-asset information management conceptual framework: A case of public university buildings in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The integration of BIM with other digital advancements has demonstrably led to an increase of performance in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operation (AECO) industry. This integration not only is showing promising results in boosting the industry's performance, but also the productivity and promotes data-driven decision-making. Despite these benefits, there are limited studies that address the integration of BIM and digital data for managing built-assets in general and in developing countries in particular. To fill this gap, a closer assessment of current built-asset information management practice is necessary. The assessment of the practice examines how digital processes and/or technology can be seamlessly integrated into existing practices. In this regard, this study aims to provide valuable insights into increasing the maturity of built-asset information management by integrating digital data with BIM. The study uses a case-based research design using built-assets (universities in Addis Ababa) as public building representative to capture the prevailing information management practices in Ethiopian public buildings. The findings reveal that traditional paper-based practices still dominate the management of built-assets. This leads to difficulties in terms of data loss, unavailability, inaccuracy, and unreliability, all of which are detrimental to the overall performance. Based on these findings, a conceptual framework is designed to improve the performance of built-assets and help owners, end-users, and managers in defining data and information requirements for BIM-enabled asset information management. The framework delineates processes for structured information requirements definition and validation of various asset data from varying sources. The framework utilizes a BIM-enabled platform as a single source of truth and offers a comprehensive solution to the identified challenges. The findings of this study holds significant promise for improving the existing practice of built-asset information management within the study context.