BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING (BIM)-BASED BUILDING SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK: CASE OF KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

The building industry has a myriad of adverse effects on the environment that raises the demand for sustainable buildings. Several Building Sustainability Assessment Systems (BSAS) have been developed globally to identify and evaluate the building sustainability level concerning these effects. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is one of the leading directions within the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. Despite the various research approaches to facilitate and simplify building sustainability assessment with BIM support, limited research is available on BIM implications of building sustainability assessment methods in developing countries. By considering the regional variations and country-specific differences in terms of assessment factors, this research investigated the integration of BIM and building sustainability in assessing new buildings' sustainability levels. This thesis proposes a conceptual framework that illustrates how BIM can assist in building sustainability assessment. The research concentrated on Kazakhstan's Building Sustainability Assessment Framework (KBSAF) to demonstrate how BIM tools can help assess BSAS compliance projects. This study used the following four-stage methodology to develop the conceptual framework. Firstly, the study reviewed the relevant literature, existing building sustainability assessment methods, and building codes in Kazakhstan to identify the assessment items. Secondly, the research developed a framework for BSAS for commercial buildings in Kazakhstan. In this stage, the study identified nine assessment categories and forty-six indicators applicable in Kazakhstan's built environment. These nine categories are: Construction site selection and infrastructure, Building architectural and planning solutions quality, Indoor environmental quality, Water efficiency, Energy efficiency, Green building materials, Waste, Economy and Management. The identified assessment items were validated using the Delphi technique. In the third stage, weights were allocated to the identified assessment items using the Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) technique. The assigned weights were validated through sensitivity analysis for the categories of the assessment framework. Moreover, certification levels were identified and proposed in this stage. In the fourth stage, the research developed a conceptual framework demonstrating how BIM can assist the BSAS. The research methodology to develop the conceptual framework included linking BIM with identified assessment factors and mapping them to previous work. Moreover, it evaluated the BIM potential in assessing the sustainability criteria. The developed framework was validated using a three-round Delphi study with experts from Kazakhstan's AEC industry. The Delphi Experts verified the components of the proposed framework and validated its structure and feasibility. The proposed conceptual framework consists of the following phases: BIM Modeling Phase, Building Sustainability Analysis Phase, and Building Sustainability Assessment Phase. Delphi panelists' overall evaluation feedback indicates that the proposed framework clearly illustrates the phases and BIM functions used to build the sustainability assessment. They also agreed that the implementation sequence is easy to follow and understandable, logical, and practical. Thus, the proposed framework could serve as a systematic guide to BIM application for building sustainability, thus facilitating the assessment process and saving considerable time and effort.