Blockchain in Construction ?

Potentials of Blockchain application in BIM: An effective solution to
complex data management and reliability of information

on big AEC projects
by
Andres Pedroza – SN: 18145779
MSc Project and Enterprise Management

Module: BCPM0015 School of Construction and Project Management
Dissertation
Dissertation Supervisor: Mr. Graham Bailey
Word Count: 9986
This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the

degree of Master of Science from UCL
Bartlett School of Construction and Project Management

University College London
August 2019
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Andres Pedroza - Potentials of Blockchain application in BIM: An effective solution to complex data management
and reliability of information on big AEC projects
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor Mr. Graham Bailey for all his guidance and
support throughout the process of my research, for his practical insights and its significant
contribution which leads me to establish a solid proposal, development and consequent execution
of my dissertation.
I would like to thank Dr. Eleni Papadonikolki lecturer of Building Information Module which
contributes the knowledge that triggers my interest on this specific topic and becomes gradually
and invaluable framework for the completion of my dissertation.
I would like to thank Ph.D. student Prompt Udomdech for being part of the committee in my
proposal presentation and taking the time to explain me some key concepts that contribute to
build a solid conceptual basis and develop a satisfactory initial approach.
Furthermore, I would like to express my gratefulness with all those participants who contribute
with their time and interest on this research contributing with the personal interviews conducted
which were undoubtedly an effective source of data to get on my analysis and my conclusions.
Special thanks to my friends and family for all the encouragement and truly believe in my skills.
The support, and the accompaniment through all this process were fundamental in the
development of my research, without all of the individuals mentioned previously this work couldn’t
have been effected.
Finally, I am pleased to have the opportunity to belong such a recognized institution worldwide
such as University College London, I am very proud and satisfied with all of the knowledge
acquired along this process and all the experiences lived in this year of Master degree.
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Declaration of originality
I confirm that I have read and understood the guidelines on plagiarism, that I understand the meaning of
plagiarism and that I may be penalised for submitting work that has been plagiarized.
I confirm that all work will also be submitted electronically and that this can be checked using the JISC
detection service, Turnitin®.
If I have been asked to submit hard copy, I understand that the work cannot be assessed unless both hard
copy and electronic versions of the work are handed in.
I declare that all material presented in the accompanying work is entirely my own work except where
explicitly and individually indicated and that all sources used in its preparation and all quotations are
clearly cited.
Date: 30/08/19 Signature:
Word count: 9986
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Abstract
AEC industry is currently facing a remarkable transformative stage given by the use of disruptive
technologies alongside a gradually increasing interest form project participants to enhance
collaborative dynamics in projects, throughout the implementation of technologies such as
Building Information Modelling, migrating from a fragmented conduct workflow in the built
environment projects, to a share and open- access iterative process.
The rising popularity and the wide adoption of these technology had unleash a high level of digital
information and sharing transactions, overcoming the capacity of current digital infrastructures,
entailing some collateral effects for the AEC organisations, such as handling with vast amount of
information during multiple projects, increasing the complexity of data and resulting in a mistrust
on the reliability on the information.
Blockchain is the unbounded innovation technology behind cryptocurrencies, the characteristics
of this platform presents multiple similarities with the database in the BIM files and the network
workflows of information set a feasible scenario for the application of this technology as a
backbone of BIM, this study sought to unveil and explore possible technological fusion between
these two ground-breaking technologies, to achieve these goals, this study sets a qualitative
methodology conducted with two approaches, a systematic literature review regarding previous
research about this technologies alongside personal interviews with professionals in the AEC
industry related to this. The findings on these two approaches are later discussed and analysed
unveiling the best path that future researchers might follow to continue with the development of
these technologies, benefiting the AEC industry in the long term.
Keywords: BIM Building information modelling, Construction Industry, Blockchain, Reliability of

Information, Complex data management, AEC Architecture Engineering and Construction, Data
exchanges, CDE Common data Environment.
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Table of Contents
Declaration of Originality ......................................................................................................... 2

Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................... 3
Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................... 5
List of Tables ............................................................................................................................. 8
List of Figures ........................................................................................................................... 9
List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................................. 10
Chapter I
1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 11
1.1. Problem Statement ........................................................................................................ 11
1.2. Research Questions………………………………………………………………………..…..12
1.3. Aims and Objectives....................................................................................................... 13
1.4. Research Rationale……………………………………………………………………….…... 13
1.5. Data collection methods ……………………………………………………………………...14
Chapter II
2. Literature Review ............................................................................................................... 15

2.1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 15
2.2. Digital transformation in the AEC industry ....................................................................... 15
2.3. AEC industry Fragmented nature and complexity of information systems ..................... 16
2.4. BIM and the digitization of construction .......................................................................... 16
2.4.1. Barriers for effective BIM adoption………….…………….……………………...…….18
2.5. Blockchain and the emerging revolution of digital transaction technologies ................... 18
2.6. Summary....................................................................................................................... 19
Chapter III
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3. Methodology........................................................................................................................ 20
3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 20
3.2. Research Methodology ................................................................................................. 21
3.3. Data gathering methods ................................................................................................ 21

3.4. Selection Sampling ....................................................................................................... 22
3.5. Questionnaire design and rationale .............................................................................. 22
3.6. Data Analysis ............................................................................................................... 23
3.7. Ethical Issues ............................................................................................................... 23

Chapter IV
4. Findings and Discussion ................................................................................................... 24
4.1. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 24
4.2. Presentation of Findings .............................................................................................. 24
4.2.1. Roles and operational processes. .......................................................................... 24
4.2.2. Challenges in the implementation of Blockchain in BIM data management ............. 26
4.2.3. Reliability on information handled in BIM - AEC projects ......................................... 27
4.2.4. Readiness and awareness upon technological changes.......................................... 28
4.3. Discussion ................................................................................................................... 30
4.3.1. Theme 1 ................................................................................................................. 30
4.3.2. Theme 2 ................................................................................................................. 31
4.3.3. Theme 3 ................................................................................................................. 32
4.4. Potential applications of Blockchain in BIM ................................................................. 31
4.5. Mapping challenges and opportunities on the adoption................................................ 32
Chapter V
5. Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................... 33
5.1. Contributions to Knowledge ............................................................................................. 33
5.2. Limitations of the Study .. ................................................................................................. 34
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5.3. Recommendations and Possible applications.. ................................................................ 34
5.4. Suggestions for future research ...................................................................................... 35
6. References ......................................................................................................................... 36
7. Appendices ......................................................................................................................... 39
7.1 Appendix 1: Background and Historical Summary ............................................................ 39
7. 2 Appendix 2: Current Research on Blockchain ................................................................. 41

7. 3. Appendix 3: Ethics Form ................................................................................................ 42
7. 4. Appendix 4: Interview Questions .................................................................................... 48
7. 5. Appendix 4: Research Interview Invitation ...................................................................... 49
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List of Tables
1. Professional profile of Interviewees ...................................................................................... 22
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List of Figures
1. Current state of Blockchain maturity in the built environment. .............................................. 19

2. Qualitative research methodology path ................................................................................. 21
3. Distribution of interviewees roles at different stages of the project ........................................ 24
4. Maturity levels of adoption on interviewees organizations ..................................................... 26
5. Interviewees Knowledge about Blockchain Technology ....................................................... 28
6. Theme 1 and derivative Sub-themes from interviews coding. ............................................... 30
7. Theme 2 and derivatives Sub-themes from interviews coding. ............................................. 31
8. Theme 3 and derivatives Sub-themes from interviews coding. ............................................. 32
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List of Acronyms / Abbreviations
2D………………………..…………………………... Two-Dimensional
3D………………………..…………………………… Three-Dimensional
BIM ………………………………………………… Building Information Modelling
AEC…………………………………………………. Architecture, Engineering and Construction.
DLT………………………………………………….. Distributed Ledger Technology
CAD………………………………………………….. Computer Aided Design
PBF………………………………………………….. Project Based Firms
SME …………………………………………………. Small and Medium Enterprises
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Potentials of Blockchain application in BIM: An effective solution

to complex data management and reliability of information on big
AEC projects
Andres Pedroza
The Barlett, School of Construction and Project Management, University College London, UK.
Chapter I
1. Introduction
The convergence of new disruptive technologies in the AEC industry is transforming significantly
the traditional construction processes based on traditional strict hierarchical structures and linear
conduct workflows. The technologic development and the evolution experienced in many
industries with the digital revolution have encouraged the AEC industry to undertake new
workflows and network dynamics where the project participants are not dependant on linear
communication constraints and therefore the collaboration and participation is for any stakeholder
involved in the lifecycle of the project.
Construction projects have been characterized by collaborative dynamics between the different
project participants, every participant involved into this dynamic contributes to the project with
tasks in specific time frames, these contributors get assembled at initial stages and later they split
up at the end of the project according to the fulfilment of labours (Edwards, D. et al., 2019).
Collaboration and integration of these processes rely upon effective communication and shared
trustworthiness. Trust in information exchanges such as drawings, technical specifications,
procurement, and legal documentation is essential, however, assure reliable information on large
AEC projects is not easy to achieve, the interested parties required intermediaries that can verify
and certificate the information is trustworthy for the efficient delivery of labours in the construction
project.
Building Information Modelling BIM is emerging as a solution to enable information exchanges

and is proposed as a technology pull innovation (Murphy, M. E., 2014). Nevertheless,
implementation of BIM within organizations is a significant technological change, therefore might
come with performative challenges in the adoption process.
Literature provides many approaches about the challenges faced by the firms keen to implement
BIM (Hjelseth, E. 2010, , Waterhouse, R. 2018), such as the lack in the understanding of it and
the lack in the adaptability and universality of information (Wildin, K. et al. 2014) inherent to the
digital construction interoperability workflows.
The massive adoption of BIM on AEC projects has allowed large project-based firms to improve
the interoperability of their projects and work in a much more collaborative way, using standards
like COBie (BSI 1192 Standards Publication, 2014). However, the popularity of BIM and the
application of this in large projects might represent a challenge in terms of complex management
of data and reliability of information inherent to BIM projects. These firms deal with the use of BIM
in many projects at the same time in different locations, this might become a massive amount of
information transforming the project environment in a complex system where the reliability of the
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information is lost and the trust from the stakeholders related to the BIM process is directly
affected.
A promising alternative to face this issue is gaining a rising popularity with similar structures of
network and a public and transparent record of transactions, this alternative is well known as
Blockchain, recognized previously as the revolutionary technology behind cryptocurrencies
(Crosby, M. et al., 2016), and its groundbreaking characteristics as a distributed database solution
can manage effectively vast amounts of information within BIM construction projects, hence can
improve the data exchange dynamics with the use of its infrastructure in a single BIM file.
Every participant of this system becomes into a single node and every update into the model
should be written in a public record, therefore the integrity of data issue can be managed (Coyne,
R. and Onabolu, T., 2018). The integration of Blockchain infrastructure over the BIM database
and interoperability processes could benefit exponentially the AEC industry, all parties involved
in the data sharing processes can share effectively a single decentralized BIM database
throughout a collaborative infrastructure where the data integrity and security are updated and
record on a public ledger basis (Dakhli, Z., et al, 2019).
1.1. Problem Statement
Many issues were identified prior to begin with the research in order to attend a needed solution
in the AEC industry embedded to supply chain inefficiencies in the management of information
in multiple running projects, based on this context, this research will focus its aims on resolve
the following problems:
- Inefficient management of complexity of data and information with the use of BIM on AEC
projects.
- Misinformation and miscommunication between project participants involved in the BIM

interoperability process on AEC projects.
- Poor reliability on BIM information outcomes and lack of transparent data recordings in BIM
usage projects on AEC projects.
1.2. Research Questions
The main question set for this research are:
1.1 To what extent blockchain can assist in complex data management during BIM
implementation in the development of AEC projects?
This question represents to a large degree the starting point to undertake this research, but some
other aspects of this problem should be considered hence this question is broken down into some
other sub questions:
1) How to mitigate the complexity on the information within the interoperability processes
carried on AEC projects and improve the reliability of it?
2) Are the public ledgers of blockchain suitable to manage the information exchanges across
project participants in BIM?
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1.3. Aims and Objectives

The aim of this research is to explore the potentials of Blockchain as an effective strategy to
provide the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry a solution to the
management of complex data and information on BIM projects. This research provides an
overview and application of new technologies such as Blockchain that endeavor its benefits
intending to mitigate these problems. The path aims to explore it leads to the feasibility of a
blockchain-based digital platform to enhance the data and information management in BIM
throughout a trustworthy data transaction (Turk and Klinc, 2017) exchange between different
parties in the daily based project's activities. This study develops and present results supported
in two different methodologies to gather the information, a literature review and personal
interviews with different project-based firms professionals related the management of digital
information in the project lifecycle of AEC projects. Further investigation must be based on the
readiness of the industry to face these remarkable technological changes.
Blockchain, BIM and new digital technologies are emerging in the last few years and will transform
the old hierarchical organizations (Mathews and Bowe, 2017) into brand new decentralized
organizations.
The process and tasks of the AEC industry are connected and the interoperability between them
is essential, this communication often requires data and information to be transmitted
electronically across digital platforms, Redmond, A. et al. (2012), information exchanges and
complexity are inherently tied due to the continuous flows of information:
- The first objective of the research is to evaluate the visible challenges in the
implementation of Blockchain on BIM Data Management.
- The second objective is to enhance the reliability of the information handled in BIM
projects.
- The third objectives are to evaluate the readiness and awareness of professionals in the
industry towards game-changing technologies.
This case was selected and driven by the collaborative nature of building information modelling
and the ideal use for the decentralized self-regulated suitability of blockchain application in order
to enhance as well as the dynamics oriented to disrupt traditional workflows on construction
industry which entails a promising scalability in the number of transactions registered in the
common data environment CDE (Preidel, C. and Borrmann, A., 2016).
1.4. Research Rationale
AEC organizations are experiencing many problematics related to the increasing adoption of
digital technologies as a secondary effect due to the imperative need for developing multiple
competencies and capabilities to enhance the approach for BIM implementation (Murphy, M. E.,
2014). The existing void nowadays to manage the effectively larges amount of information product
of these technological changes is emerging due to inefficient systems based on strict workflows
on such a fragmented industry like construction and engineering industry. Data consistency is
essential in AEC projects and entails the unification of the information consequently giving a
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trustworthy reliance for project participants (Preidel, C. and Borrmann, A.). The failure to
implement effective approaches to backlash those issues previously mentioned is affecting the
productivity and communication during the project lifecycle. Hence, this study is conducted to
highlight the importance of accurate, trustworthy and reliable information in the BIM adoption and
conducted to explore a new alternative like Blockchain application aim to enhance the
communication exchanges in the digital model, in so doing, it will contribute significantly to the
body of knowledge on information management systems and will benefit many industry
professionals related to the BIM coordination process.
1.1. Data Collection

Qualitative research is the proposed methodology to achieve the overarching objectives based
on semi-structured personal interviews with project participants related to the digital information
management in the AEC industry (Architects, BIM managers, Project Managers, Engineers,
Contractors). This interview is the selected method to approach the information gathering
throughout the application of open-ended questions in a face to face basis, in order to determinate
the main issues, attitudes, and opinions of the participants towards the topic in research.
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Chapter II
2. Literature Review
2.1. Introduction
This chapter presents a detailed analysis on the existing literature related to the increasing
interest over technologies related to construction in the digitization process, organizational
motivations, implications on its adoption and consequent effects on supply chain communication
and efficiency on the information management.
2.2. Digital Transformation in the AEC Industry

Construction industry is currently experimenting many issues related to a low rate of productivity
and poor regulations, a big rate of fragmentation causing poor collaboration and inadequate
information (Greenwood, D. et al (2019), this issues are being faced among the years with
solutions based on technology, showing up the potential role that can play to facilitate new
integrative business models and new synergies, encouraging the industry to establish an active
performance based on trust, partnering and collaboration.
Technological advancements within AEC organizations represent a significant impact on the
traditional workflows and ground-breaking changes in the dynamics between industry actors. Key
feature changes are triggered when the industry is motivated by the benefits over the visible
issues, the viability of effective solutions needs to address these key challenges which affect the
performance on the operational fieldworks and the execution of projects.
Standards and defined work driven processes have been established along the years in the AEC
industry due to the strict focus on the following of specific mechanisms and standard, to approach
projects with the aim of delivering solutions based on the acknowledgment of past cultural and
organizational dynamics that had shown efficient results. It has been argued that the degree of
flexibility over these dynamics is low, therefore the gap between the digital transformations
undertook by other industries has pushed AEC industry to adopt different approaches based on
the enhancement of these technologic approaches. Consequently, in the long run, the industry
has shown a lack of innovation due to the remarkable dependence on this process-driven model.
Additionally AEC industry lags over the manufacturing industry in efficiency and productivity
growth (Murphy, M.E.,2014) this lag comes as a consequence of the fragmentation of the industry
and the reluctance to implement innovative dynamics between the project participants.
Collaboration is the key success factor to mitigate the inherent fragmentation on the nature of the
industry, many efforts have been tested in the past, however, an effective integration is not
possible without the implementation of digital innovations, that effectively could benefit the project
lifecycle in all the stages from planning, design, execution, and maintenance. Technology pull
innovations such as Building Information Modelling have become increasingly a standard in the
AEC industry, and its massive popularity is the result of an incremental process, BIM
establishment across many organizations appears to be an effective solution to the fragmentation
gap, proposing a framework that enables several benefits where the integration of project
participants is based on the contribution of every party involved at different stages. Opening the
basis of what is well known today as the digital age of construction (Mosey et al. 2016).
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The disruptive shift between CAD tools and BIM has represent a significant step further looking
towards an effective interoperability of information where the traditional 2D drawings became
much more understandable by key stakeholders with the use of 3D and simulation techniques in
order to establish potential operational cost savings, faster delivery times and accurate
simulations fulfilling tight budgets and time frames in big projects.
The transcendent impact of BIM adoption in the built environment appears as one of the most
promising technologies of its kind, enabling brand new dynamics, many barriers and challenges
need to be addressed to achieve a successful digitization process within the AEC organizations.
Important approaches have been developed to achieve better integration of activities alongside
the use of these technologies such as Common Data Environment CDE (Turk, Ž. and Klinc, R.,
2017). which is an iterative model that works in a layered structure very useful to explore due to
the similarities shared with the blockchain network transactional models.
2.3. AEC industry Fragmented nature and complexity of information systems
The literature point the fragmented nature of the AEC industry as a result of the consequent
workflows established in project-based dynamics (Murphy, 2014), the nature of this methodology
creates weak relationships among the parties due to the specificity and differences in time,
budgets and sizes between contractors, consultants, and clients; is evident how the division of
tasks, different time executions and the lack of consistency in communication is breaking apart
the possible unification of labors and reducing the efficiency and productivity growth. One of the
consequences is the notorious lag from the AEC industry in comparison with the manufacturing
and services industry (Murphy, 2014), which are industries that have known how to seize the
effective collaboratives between all the supply chain involved in their activities, sum to the efficient
adoption of technologic innovations shown by this industries.
AEC Projects lifecycle have been struggling in the last decade with a big hurdle increasingly
needing an imperative solution in order to achieve efficient productivity in the project lifecycle;
when big firms or consultancy companies must handle with multiple large scale projects, at
multiple times, with multiple participants involved the complexity turns into a protagonist,
communication and information exchange systems often are rely on manual procedures, thus are
slow an inefficient (Anumba and Ruikar, 2008). The standard (BSI, 2015) identify the underlying
categorization of several levels of complexity in the AEC project, divided into layered sub-
systems. To backlash this issue the modern infrastructure of IT systems and database capabilities
of BIM in AEC projects endeavor its scopes in battle the poor database scalability (Cui, B et al.
2014), bringing the “big data problem” representing an important challenge with increasing
notoriousness in the upcoming future of construction. This represents an opportunity to implement
technologies based on decentralized systems that can self-regulate the flows of information and
offer scalable data management and high transactional complexity (Li, J et. al. 2019).
2.4.BIM and the digitization of construction

Architecture, Engineering and Construction AEC industry is evolving towards digital
transformations carried by new technologies such as Building Information Modelling BIM. The
massive popularity and adoption of this disruptive technology has enable the construction industry
to have a greater efficiency in what extent to costs savings, design clarity, accurate simulations,
risk mitigations, bigger predictability and enhancement of data sharing within the project lifecycle
(Dakhil, A,et. al., 2019).
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The massive adoption of BIM on AEC building projects has unleashed an ambitious development
of this industry because of the increasing interest in this technology in the last decade. Deep
changes within construction enterprises such as significant investments to adopt this technology,
strategical creation of BIM roles in order to specialize the scope of this approach.
Building Information Modelling is defined as “a shared digital representation founded on open

standards for interoperability, can become a virtual information model to be handed from the
design team to the contractor and subcontractors and then to the client” (Sebastian et al, 2009).
The effectiveness of BIM and the positive results on its application in construction and engineering
projects and multiple benefits in cost, time and performance pushed UK government to the
establishment of a target (Government Construction Strategy, 2011) throughout a mandate
towards the use of BIM Level 2 in public projects for all the AEC companies interested in
participate.
Despite the multiple benefits and innovations as a result of the use of this technology, the AEC
industry shows a considerable grade of resistance to change due to the effectiveness of the
traditional procedures and development of projects. BIM (Building Information Modelling) is one
of the biggest protagonists in this transition and arise as a disruptive technology with a promise
of enhancing the data exchange between the stakeholders and the interoperability of relations
within the project complex system.
The rising popularity of alternative methods in building projects produces an effective

enhancement of the collaborative environment. Due to these new dynamics, the adoption of
technologies such as BIM in the project lifecycle is essential. Hence the project needs to change
its own structure to accomplish the new requirements with the purpose of guarantee the
sustainability and trust along the different phases of the project. Thus, new changing roles (Rizal,
S. 2011) had been introduced in early project phases and different stakeholders have gained
importance and inference in processes in which they had no relevance before.
However, the popularity of BIM and its successful implementation in large AEC projects entails
handling with big amounts of complex data on multiple projects with similar delivery times.
Therefore, the flows of complex information across the project participants and the vast amounts
of data represent an undeniable challenge for the adopters of this technology. As result the project
environment becomes a complex system where the reliability of the information is lost and the
trustworthiness of it is directly affected. This paper outlook and evaluate possible solutions to
mitigate this problematic.
Literature suggests that the role of governments are keen to adopt technologies that can enable
faster workflows within the operational activities in AEC industry (Travaglini, A et. al., 2014),
special focus on European countries already implementing mandates over the use of ground-
breaking technologies as Finland, Norway and UK cases (NBS, 2018) some others suggest
governments poor knowledge regarding this new alternatives is a hindrance to total adoption, in
the UK some local authorities avoid the mandate of BIM in public project due to scarce monitoring
over project requirements, this is reflected in the notorious fragmentation of interests towards
effective digitization.
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2.4.1 Barriers for effective BIM adoption

The interest over the technology application on traditional construction projects has been
gradually increasing, thus recent studies had focus an special approach to indagate efficient
models where technological disruptions can be easily adopted (Hogan, B. et al., 2016, Turk, Ž.
and Klinc, R. 2017, Yli-huumo, J. et al. Li, Jennifer et. al. 2019) by an industry attached to old
practices due to many challenges associated to a poor awareness of technological disruptions an
the consequent benefits that comes with it.
Several literature approaches had described the technology enhancement that represents the
procedural shift in the adoption of BIM (Murphy, 2014) (Travaglini et al, 2014), (Leone and
Vornehm, 2017) (Dakhil et al, 2019) facing some barriers to adoption (NBS, 2018) in regards to
BIM implementation, most of them affect the readiness of organizations internally such as the lack
of proficiency, low training and education, high costs related to investment in hardware and
software or externally in the short demand of clients for the introduction of digital tools and the
small size of the projects which are seen as non-viable projects for BIM application.
Recent studies had shown some critical barriers for an effective BIM implementation (Dakhil et
al. 2019) are based on fears from the adopters in terms of investment and operative changes in
the organization and a lack of understanding of its benefits BIM as an open-ended iterative
process (Miettinen, R., 2014) should be considered an useful tool of continuous learning with
unrivalled possibilities and scopes.
2.5. Blockchain and the emerging revolution of digital transaction technologies

Blockchain is a distributed database of records according to previous research (Crosby M, et al.
2016), its inherent public characteristic record all the transactions held on its platform, this
information is shared among the project participants and is verified by a consensus mechanism
(Yli-huumo, J. et al., 2016) after a mutual agreement from the different nodes, this enhance
effectual transparent procedures and keeps the trust of every party associated, once the data is
recorder by the public ledger the information can’t be modified or deleted.
The most popular example to represent one of the main applications of Blockchain technology in
the real world is the well-known case of Bitcoin, a decentralized asset based on peer to peer
transactions, a wide range of benefits and applications have emerged from the use of Bitcoin.
The economy is based currently on the trust of third-party intermediaries to provide
trustworthiness and reliability in transactions, nevertheless, Bitcoin has emerged to offer a new
alternative to undertake exchanges between parties without the need of intermediaries (Crosby
M, et al. 2016). Cryptocurrencies as intangible assets had to deal with many regulatory issues
due to the poor information about its multiple benefits and the scarce regulations as a brand new
technology, many governments and financial institutions are undertaken new projects and
legislations in order to control in a much more efficient way these disruptive and controversial
dynamics.
Blockchain is the underlying technology behind cryptocurrencies, enabling many of its benefits
should not be underestimated because of the promising features that this technology offers and
its huge potential applications. Blockchain has been applied successfully in many industries such
as insurance, financial and legal fields, this is the proof of the effectiveness on its use and the
multiple opportunities to be seized with its application on the information exchange processes
alongside the use of BIM to enhance AEC industry. The interactions within the BIM database and
the visible similarities with the Blockchain infrastructure settle the perfect environment to conduct
18
an efficient integration to mitigate the limitations and the complexity of the information exchanges
on big AEC projects.
Figure 1. Current state of Blockchain maturity in the built environment. Taken from ARUP Blockchain and the Built
environment report (2019)
Project and construction management processes require the mandatory manage of multiple sets
of events that must be planned, negotiated, contracted and verified with very safe frameworks to
guarantee the success of ambitious projects Hogan, B. et al. (2016). This is where this brand new
technology comes handy. The nature of transactional exchanges of information in the built
environment (Turk and Klinc, 2017) as well as procedural mechanisms within AEC projects such
as confidential management of digital assets contractual agreements between clients,
contractors, and AEC firms set the perfect environment for the application of blockchain
technology.
Blockchain technology is still an immature technology, the level of adoption of this platform is far
away over many other massive technology alternatives such as Internet-based protocols or email
communication (De Filippi, P, and Wright, A., 2018), looking forward to a massive popularity and
multiple applications is a promising panorama for AEC industry.
2.6. Summary
There is remarkable suitability between the underlying benefits of such a pull innovation tool like
blockchain and BIM in the AEC projects sorting the complexity and the reliance on effective
solutions for complex information. Many authors had approached in this literature review the
barriers, challenges, implications, and exploration of the complement between the effective use
of this technologies, the next chapters will rely on the outcome of this review and will objectively
analyze the perspective from the professionals in the industry throughout personal interviews.
19
Chapter III
3. Methodology
3.1. Introduction
This chapter outline the methodology selected for undertaking the data gathering process, the
selection sampling process, and ethical issues in regards to the qualitative methodology selected
for this research.
3.2. Research Methodology
Qualitative research is the proposed methodology to achieve the overarching objectives based
on two main methodologies: Literature review and inductive personal interviews with project
participants related to digital information management in the AEC industry. Participative and
observative strategies are often more suitable for personal interviews because this approach can
effectively proof theories (W. Lee, Thomas, 1999). The results and outcomes of the interviews as
a type of information are consequently a primary data source. Three objectives were settled prior
to undertaking the interviews:
(1) Review a historical summary of the state of the art over the literature related to this topic,
inquiring the set of factors that have triggered the current situation of the adoption of BIM and
disruptive technologies such as Blockchain.
(2) Undertake a set of personal interviews with professionals related with digital information
management dynamics in the AEC industry , such as Architects, Engineers, Project Managers,
BIM designers, among others to provide an objective view on the challenges and perspectives
they handle in the development of their functions and the general perception about BIM adoption
process and the readiness towards the future use of blockchain integration on the actual
operational processes of their workplaces.
(3) The analysis of this data will set a framework for implement a coherent approach in the
potential application of Blockchain in BIM shared- access files, providing important enhancements
on the trust and reliability of the information exchanges within AEC organizations.
Semi-structured interviews were the selected method to approach the information gathering
throughout the application of open-ended questions in a face to face interview to determinate the
main issues, attitudes, and opinions of the participants towards the topic in research. One of the
advantages on this method which caught the attention of the researcher mentioned by the author
(Walliman, N., 2006) is the freedom of speech and expression given by this method eliminating
the bias of the responses and giving a perspective based on personal experiences and solid
knowledge over the expertise role of the participant in the organisation.
The interview questionnaire was based and built with the main findings of the literature review in
order to address direct relations which unveil clear problematics. Indirect information could be
filtered through detailed analysis on the responses of the interviewees (W. Creswell, 2003),
participants can also provide a historical summary of their experience and the adoption process
lived in the organization, giving a significant perspective of the internal issues and implications
brought by disruptive changes.
20
The literature review aim to highlight the main authors and researchers on this topic who
previously make an approach on the subject of research to determinate the actual state of the art
(W. Creswell, 2003), which leads to initial findings to support the design of the questionnaire and
argument an effective theoretical framework for design a solid questionnaire attempt to be applied
to the interviewees. The methodology path was the conducted route undertake in order to guide
the research in the right direction to avoid time-wasting approaches and avoid to cover irrelevant
information.
Research Proposal
and Definition of scopes
Literature Semi structured Data analysis

Review personal interviews and Conclusions
Questionnaire
Design
Figure 2. Qualitative research methodology path . Figured developed by Andres Pedroza
3.3. Data gathering methods

The process of data collection selected was semi-structured personal interviews conducted on
the work location of the participants and undertook at their convenience time, this method was
selected over another qualitative data methods such as focus groups because of the enriched
information given by the opinion and statements of the professionals selected according to the
years of experience acquired on their specific roles and for the suitability of this approach in
relation to the small number of participants (Remenyi, D. et al. ,1998), providing significant material
for the research purposes.
The interviews were conducted in a face to face basis where the interviewees had the opportunity
to express their opinion thoughts and suggestions on the given topic in research. The interview
sessions last about 20 to 30 minutes each, this time-frame was enough to indagate the information
required and some of their experiences on behalf of the technological change. The observational
protocol (W. Creswell, 2003) was through a voice recording device. The audio files were later
converted into transcripts an important material to analyze into detail the different outcomes of
the interview sessions.
An informed consent form was signed by both parties before of the starting of the session,
clarifying the confidentiality of the interviews and the will of each participant for collaborate and
contribute to the research throughout the personal interview, the identity of the participants remain
in the anonymity for keep the purposes of confidentiality.
21
3.4. Selection Sampling

The selected qualitative method approach defines the initial assumptions on the sampling and
the scope of a small sample of individuals intended to be interviewed. Some authors had
discussed the appropriate logic in the sample theory (Babbie, 1990; Sapsford and Jupp 1996) in
order to identify the characteristics of the population and the best suitable way to attempt the first
approach and invitation to the initial participants, a non probability sampling method was the
selected mechanism to define the population sample. A formal invitation letter was sent to each
participant (See appendix 3) to create an appropriate first contact and introduced them to the topic
in research.
The selection criteria of the individuals were based on a minimum understanding on the use of
digital technologies in AEC organizations, was based also on the perspective of the researcher
upon the suitability of the participants in the relation of the significant information that can be
contributed by their experience and specific roles in their organizations. In doing so, the outcome
of information after the interviews would bring relevant testimonials over the given topic. 8
participants were contacted throughout the use of emails, professional social media and direct
referral recommendation from professionals already involved in the AEC industry.
The following table shows the professional role and department of the interviewees.
Participant ID Role Department
Interviewee 1 Lead Coordinator / Project Planning

Assistant
Interviewee 2 BIM Manager Digital Design
Interviewee 3 Senior Architect Architectural Design
Interviewee 4 Project Manager/ Managerial

Architect Director
Interviewee 5 Executive Director/ Lead Management and site
Architect
Interviewee 6 Contractor Plumbering and
Drainage
Interviewee 7 Civil Engineer Structural Engineering
Interviewee 8 BIM Coordinator Digital Design
Table 1. Professional profile of Interviewees. Table developed by Andres Pedroza
3.5. Questionnaire design and Rationale

The questionnaire with the open-ended questions was written as an outcome after a detailed
analysis on the literature review (see Appendix 2.), the structure of the interview begins with an
open question regarding the position of the interviewee in the organization, this first question set
a solid context to the researcher for identify with clarity direct relationships in the statement
depending the perspective and experience acquired in their roles.
22
The questions aim to cover mainly three areas:

- The operational process and the workflow dynamics within the organization in regards to the
interviewee perspective on its actual position.
- BIM readiness and adoption experiences according to the effectiveness of this tool embedded
in the projects of the company.
-Blockchain and thoughts on future technologies and the projections and adoption plans of their
organization on the upcoming technological innovations.
10 open-ended questions were designed having into account as an imperative requirement a
sense of consideration over the theoretical support (Walliman, N., 2006) given by the research
objectives and the material checked on the literature review, supporting the questions on solid
arguments based on a consequent coherence with the purpose of the research.
3.6. Data Analysis
Thematic data analysis is the method chosen to carry out the inquiry of the information collected
all over the interview process, alongside this method a qualitative narrative approach will outline
the significant quotes and comments highlight by the interviewees from the responses of each
question. A systematic coding process will define the different themes and subthemes allowing
an easy way to categorize and condensed the information, the general categories grant a
schematic visualization of the information and thus a more easy way to analyzed and compare
the results between the different participants. NVivo 12 is the software used to organize the
transcripts and compile the files into a unique file, where all the information could be effectively
categorized and layered into the correspondent themes.
3.7. Ethical Issues

An informed consent form was signed by both parties before of the starting of the session,
clarifying the confidentiality of the interviews and the will of each participant for collaborate and
contribute to the research throughout the personal interview, the identity of the participants remain
in the anonymity for keep the purposes of confidentiality.
The appropriate importance to the statements of the participants in the interviews is imperative
and the truthfulness of the testimonials, thoughts or experiences is remarkable (Remenyi, D. et
al. ,1998). The appropriate weight on this primary data is given in the research findings and
discussion chapter. This information gave a significant because the information resultant is the
material throughout the reliability of the validation of the hypothesis is proof.
23
Chapter IV
4. Findings and Discussion
4.1. Introduction
The purpose of this chapter is to undertake a detailed analysis of the data gathered throughout
the personal interviews with the questions built throughout the consistent analysis of the literature
review, 8 professionals related to management of digital information in the AEC projects are the
sampling selected for accomplishing the objectives outlined in the methodology chapter, a
thematic analysis was the method selected to analyze and discuss subsequently the responses
and thoughts from the different interviewees, the most relevant quotations and keywords were
highlighted in order to find the most significant contributions to the theory according to the
research questions and objectives settled in the first instance in the introductory chapter. A later
discussion is presented contrasting the relevant findings with the literature review, portraying a
direct relation to the research questions outlined in the introduction.
4.2. Presentation of Findings
4.2.1. Roles and operational processes.
The participants in the interview respond the question number one in relation to the professional
role in their organizations, the identification of the different roles in relation to the stages of AEC
projects allows the research validate and identify the weight of influence of every interviewee at
different stages of the project, showing up, as a matter of fact, the heterogeneous nature on BIM
usage, being a useful tool that connects the different project participants no matter at what role
or stage is being used.
Role relation to the stages of the project

35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Concept Design Planning Execution Controlling
Figure 3. Distribution of interviewees roles at different stages of the project. Figured developed by Andres Pedroza
The distribution of roles at different stages of the project shows an evident orientation for the use
of BIM at early stages of the project, proving the oriented nature of BIM to be considered more by
professionals related to the concept and design stages than posterior phases of the projects.
Some of the respondents were straightforward referring to their current position and some
others focused on explaining the details of the delivery of projects, clients niche, and a summary
24
of the projects managed in the company.
[...] “I am the executive director, architect director, but I'm also I have an IT background as well.
So I'm in charge of IT. And I also I am in charge of BIM. So yeah, that's really my role. Lots of
different things here”. Interviewee 5.
Interviewee 5 response shows a direct interest and level of responsibility on BIM referring specifically to
the background on IT. This connotates since the first question an anticipated awareness over the use of
this technology before even reach the question centered on it.
[...] “ So, in terms of what we do our practice, I mean, we have a sort of unusual specialism in
market design. And I mean, we're architects so we design, we design residential offices, we've
done some schools or school buildings, predominantly net and a lot of retail and commercial stuff.
That was our main focus, but now our focus is in market buildings. So you work with a lot of old
buildings and creating new interventions as well as old, you know, brand new architecture, or new
buildings markets. But also public ground public space, start-up businesses, all that kind of stuff.
So it's an interesting niche”. Interviewee 4.
Interviewee 4 was more explicit in the specification of the focus core business of the company,
an overall summary of some of the projects done in the past and the new interventions intend to
take on future approaches. Operational process handled in the project initiation was the second
question asked to the participants, which supposed an interesting source of primary data due to
the contrast between the different perspectives:
“Very manual, when a new project starts is very much someone adding a new folder into the
server and physically adding the project to an Excel file that contains our project data, we use
new format.” Interviewee 1
[...] “ So obviously, when the project gets kicked off, we have a brief sometimes included, part
of it is certain requirements, by the way, we have to apply to what the standards are, we said
essentially more about process and putting protocols in place”. Interviewee 3
[...] “So, a project should follow a structured path. And it depends what level we are broadly
defined defines the kind of how we approach a project with the outset. [...] So, in the case of that,
then, you know, we could be brought in a kind of strategic definition stage, which is stage zero.
[...] And, you know, although the structures are similar, but yeah, scalability and the complexity
and how you set that up. Interviewee” 4
Interviewee 1 portrays the used of manual processes at the initiation stage, indicating the
dependence on old operative workflows and the lack of integration with the digital tools useful
in such early stages, Interviewee 3 remarks the underlying importance of following the
requirements settled on the brief taking into consideration the big weight that represents the
application of the standards for perform an effective initiation, Interviewee 4 shows out clearly the
special interest on a well-structured path since stage zero of the project in order to avoid posterior
uncertainties, scalability issues in order to avoid the complexity in the ineffective management of
information.
25
4.2.2. Challenges in the implementation of Blockchain in BIM data management.
The first objective of the research attempts to examinee and evaluate the visible challenges in
the implementation of Blockchain in BIM data management, the third question indagates the
frequency over BIM usage and the importance on its use in AEC projects, different perspectives
were considered by the participants:
“I think we just started using it. So I would say currently, we're probably using BIM about 50% of
our work is probably BIM, but is with us gradually increasing that, so I think in the next five years
or so I would expect us to positively 75% so we're kind of 50% of our current work its done in BIM”
Interviewee 5
“BIM is such an essential tool to develop my daily basis activities, the level of importance on the
application of BIM in the projects I’m involved with is remarkable and indispensable” Interviewee 8.
A common factor among most of the interviewees identified was the recognition for the imperative
gradual adoption, as well as the acknowledge adoption maturity level of BIM supposed an
important factor to discuss:
BIM adoption maturity level
Not BIM at all 11%
BIM Level 3 0%
BIM Level 2 33%
BIM Level 1 33%
CAD 22%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Figure 4. Maturity levels of adoption on interviewees organizations. Figured developed by Andres Pedroza.
The collaboration effectiveness throughout BIM application in AEC projects asked in question 4,
aroused the interest of some participants to express the convenient enhancements given by the
implementation of this technology in some of their projects.
“Well, it basically gives us an enhanced ability to do our work. So as architects, we've been to
the forefront of technology and construction. So internally, it helps us collaborate better with
ourselves” Interviewee 2
“I think it gives more accuracy, in the packages being issued to the client, that's one thing,
which is very helpful, I think, helps the team as well” Interviewee 3
[...] “Some people don't take the importance that needs to collaborate, the collaboration
between project participants”. Interviewee 4.
According to Interviewee 4 opinion, there is a mandatory need for project participants to realized the
imperative importance to collaborative processes in the project lifecycle.
26
In addition, the challenges in the management of digital data inquired in question five to the
participants unveil relevant issues like:
“Most of the sketches, plans and digital models are not from anywhere else. So just making
sure that everyone is doing the same process in finding mean, they're the same file types.
So they're not going to they shouldn't be massive”. Interviewee 1.
[...] And what we end up with is hundreds and hundreds of models and the amount of shared
data space on my server that I've had to use at the last sits is locally what makes me worry
as an IT engineer as well, But it it is a concern for me is how we start projects really, and file
sizes, sometimes extreme big, network infrastructure”. Interviewee 5
The findings highlight as common factors the lack of awareness in the size of the files, poor
changes management protocol practices and the miscommunication between project
participants. Another notorious factor worthy to highlight mentioned by Interviewee 5 is the
network infrastructure capacity, absolutely important to be considered before undertaking the
projects.
4.2.3. Reliability on information handled in BIM - AEC projects
Consequently, the second objective centered its scope on the improvement of the reliable
information handled in projects involve with BIM, therefore the respondents regarding question
six, explained the biggest connotations given by what refers to reliability on AEC projects:
[...] My information needs to be consistent. And that probably could be one of the biggest
issues is starting on site with coordinated information where there's no spent to this known
[...] That's why I think where relies the effectiveness on the projects. “You know, it's very
much about having reliable people managing each of those projects, and that is the key. It's,
it's having the right person with the right skills, doing the right thing at that point in time.”
Interviewee 5
The statements argued by the Interviewee 5 are essential for the findings of this because of the
emphasize in the consistency of the data to be considered as a trustworthy asset and the reliability
people to manage multiple complexes at the same time. Other respondent mentioned an opposite
perspective, unveiling the importance of reliable information on its labor as a contractor.
“These challenges are affecting directly the reliability of the project due to the
miscommunication between the consultants and my labour as contractor, the brief is
sometimes unclear and difficult to be interpreted” Interviewee 6.
To assure the transparency and security of the complex data workflows discussed in question
seven, some participants in the research interview argued the following statements:
[...] “Server, making sure that the server is working, running and backed up. And that we
are only sending information to the intended recipient. If If someone else has the drawing,
we can't control if someone else has a Drawing, but we can say in our email this drawing
is for this, I mean, the transparency is that everyone's been working on it. And they should
know what it is and the securities is when it leaves.” Interviewee 1
27
Internal critical factors such as server management is an important asset to the previous
respondent, making sure the control of destination over the drawings.
External consultancy is another protocol take into consideration by one of the
respondents in order to achieve transparency and safety on the information of the
project:
[...] So, we tried. So when we set up a contract system we go to an external consultants

to do it for us, so that we pretty much follow the UK BIM protocol systems, the current fall
naming systems. Interviewee 5
Nonetheless, one of the participants in the interview manifests the inability of being transparent
with information handled outside of the business, highlighting the reality that some information that
is out of its scope is hardly verified regarding its transparency.
You can't be transparent about the information outside of the business, you know, you
can't even it really talk about it. Interviewee 4.
Decentralized, self-regulated networks could represent a feasible solution, eliminating the need for
an intermediary in charge of monitoring the transparency.
4.2.4. Readiness and awareness upon technological changes
The objective settled in third place sought to approach the social awareness and readiness of the
selected group of participants in the interviews upon disruptive innovations such as blockchain,
and the prospective plans projected to be placed into the dynamics of the project lifecycle in the
AEC projects.
The question number 8 indagates the overall knowledge from the participants over the Blockchain
technology:
Knowledge about Blockchain
25%
75%
Yes No
Figure 5. Interviewees Knowledge about Blockchain Technology. Figured developed by Andres Pedroza.
28
Mixed approaches regarding this unbounded technology were argued by the statements of the
participants in the interviews:
“How does the blockchain work? But I mean, it's not really relevant to my job”. Interviewee 1
“Well, I see Bitcoin. I know, I understand. Bitcoin Well, I'm not going to explain what I understand.
But I think you've explained the background a bit. Just completely now”. Interviewee 2
“I mean, I just, it's just I hear it on podcasts, I listen some podcasts, and then some techie guy
was talking about Bitcoin and Blockchain, and I understand it, I still don't understand Bitcoin”.
Interviewee 4
[...] Yeah, I do. Probably know what its use actually is set there. Yeah, I know a bit about it and I
was quite keen to follow sort of where software’s are going. Definitely, I mentioned the top. Who
really trying to work out how they can use this blockchain technology. Interviewee 5.
Interviewee 1 expressed the lack of knowledge and an the irrelevancy of the platform for the job
which shown a null interest towards the topic, whilst Interviewee 2 and 4 had shown a quite
understanding about the topic but referring directly to Bitcoin listened in some podcasts. However
the attitude of the Interviewee 5 was totally opposite keen to learn about the technology.
Question 9 and 10 aim to explore the different opinion, thoughts and suggestions from the
professionals interviewed over the changes projected to future collaboration and communication
on the digital exchanges of information given by technological pull innovations, the statements of
the participants regarding this topic were:
[...] “Because I can't see it BIM data and just based on hundred, odd way, I just can't see how
that you could imagine the files would be quite the bigger and there will be a lot of transactions
along with the actual file. So I imagined some scenario where they have to come to some sort
of agreement that way. blockchains succeed, I imagine will be some sort of BIM server that
manages transactions, and whether”. Interviewee 5
[...] “But I would like to be able to go on something, a system and say, right, have the check,
you know, if I'm doing a bit of checking, rather than just pestering them, say, Have you done
this, I mean, it was something that just told me, Elisa upstairs has checked this information,
she's done this and, and she writes, she could write some notes to me or something like that”.
Interviewee 4
The overriding path set by the vast majority of the interviewees was based on positive projections
regarding the future use of technologies like blockchain, significant suggestions had been stated
on the interviews from the opinions and based on improving the experiences of these
professionals with this not tested technologies.
These findings highlight the imperative need to portrayed significant conclusions that can trigger
an effective solution to the issues mentioned in the management of complex data, on multiple
projects. The discussion section will take a more detailed approach of the data present in the
findings categorizing the information gathered into the most important themes to be defined for
the coherent conclusion.
29
4.3. Discussion
The data presented to address the findings concerning the main themes of discussion on the
literature review. The interviews were recorded and a posterior transcription of the audios was
made using a specialized qualitative data analysis software known as NVivo, a later
categorization throughout a coding method highlighted the relevance of some concerns in the
general overview of the participants, the most discussed were classified into main themes and
subthemes.
Theme 1: Challenges in the implementation of Blockchain in BIM data management.
The findings had shown a general perspective from respondents over the main challenges on the
information management in the use of BIM that concern the professionals, the majority of the
respondents agreed on the overall slowly adoption strategy established by the organization. The
relational model outcome of the coding process of the interviews was the following:
Figure 6. Theme 1 and derivative Sub-themes from interviews coding. Figured developed by Andres Pedroza
The significance perspective from professionals interviewed towards the effective management
of digital files in the use of BIM is imperative, in overall the participants had a good understanding
about the benefits of building information modeling, the findings pointed that the regular use of
BIM in the daily based activities of these organizations vary due to different communication
mechanisms implemented along the years of existence. The size of the organizations to what
interviewees belong influence on the number of running projects undertake, consequently the
scale of the projects is related with this proportion, delivering different grades of complexity to the
amounts of information handled.
One of the main challenges for the implementation of Blockchain infrastructure in BIM is the early
grade of adoption in the overall perception of the interviewees. A comparison between the
understandings and perspectives over these challenges from the findings and the literature review
showed some similarities in the challenges underlined by some authors such as (Crosby et al.,
2016) who expose the scalability issues and poor network performance deemed in the BIM
infrastructure.
30
The respondents agreed on the fragmented nature of the AEC industry and its effect on low
productivity, miscommunication in the project lifecycle, this assertion was back as well by (Hogan,
B. et al. 2016) who noted a lack of collaboration and complexity derived from the misused of BIM.
In general, the perception of the participants in the interview and the authors shows that the
implementation of blockchain in BIM entails significant challenges in which the AEC industry must
work if it intends to integrate the use of these two technologies.
Theme 2: Reliability on BIM information
The enhancement on the reliability of BM information was pointed out as the second research
objective, according to the findings, common factors were found and express as significative from
the perspective of the respondents. The consistency in the information was deemed as a common
factor for a reliable BIM use in most of the interviewees opinion, matching the perspective from
(Preidel and Bormann 2016) who argued that a consistent data is unified and value as a whole.
Assuring the consistency of this data grated integrity and uniformity in the flows of information,
granting a successful fit in synergies between BIM and Blockchain. These arguments are aligned
in the contrast between this research interviewees and recognized authors in this topic. The
relational model outcome of the coding process the interviews are the follow:
Figure 7. Theme 2 and derivatives Sub-themes from interviews coding.
However the findings shows a certain grade of misunderstanding in regards to the potential
However, the findings show a certain grade of misunderstanding in regards to the potential
benefits of BIM access data sharing, the model described by (Shahi, A. et al., 2014) developed a
remarkable control system for collaborative data sharing pointing the importance of the
accessibility, technical simplicity, and uniformity. None of the respondents were aware of this
information causing a certain degree of misjudgement over the full performance of BIM in the AEC
projects.
31
Theme 3: Readiness upon technological change
The researcher was keen to follow the attitudes and thoughts from interviewees towards the
readiness upon technological changes, including in first instance the acceptance and gradual
adoption of BIM as an integrative mechanism to adopt digital enhancements over classic project
approaches, in second instance the degree of knowledge over unbounded innovations such as
Blockchain and the way this new transactional requirements could be enhanced the information
handled into a trustworthy asset. The relational model outcome of the coding process of the
interviews is the following:
Figure 8. Theme 3 and derivatives Sub-themes from interviews coding.
The contrast showed in the relations between the findings and the literature review indicate
consistency in some positions, from the literature for example some authors like (Greenspan,
2018) underlined considerations over the use of Blockchain in centralised databases as BIM
accomplishing first requirements over regular file storage an transactional interactions, which was
pointed by one of the interviewees in the finding section imagining a BIM server efficiently
managing transactional processes over documents, specifications drawings and material tracking
with the application of blockchain.
Some other sources and reports such as (ARUP 2018,2019) and (Winfield, 2018) agreed on the
use of blockchain in BIM to grant an effective electronic data exchanges, but firstly the technology
needs a widely accepted standard adoption. Consistently, some other essential aspects of the
technology openness and readiness extract from the findings is the need for data-sharing
protocols based on open source mechanisms and continuous verifications to assure
transparency. The potential outcomes in the attitudes portrayed from the authors and the
professionals interviewed in this research are positive, nonetheless, further education and skill
training about this topics should be implemented in the coming years to guarantee a successful
association of technologies.
32
Chapter V
5. Conclusions and Recommendations
5.1. Contributions to Knowledge
The overarching aim of this study relies on the exploration of the potential application of
Blockchain digital infrastructure over the management of complex data in BIM interoperability
processes handled in projects of Architecture, Construction and Engineering, to identify the visible
challenges in the implementation of this proposition value, to propose an enhancement of the
reliability of the digital information and to evaluate the readiness from professionals in the AEC
industry in regards to this technological changes. A detailed analysis of the literature review
previously to be part of the body of knowledge on this topic was undertaken, alongside the overall
perception and attitudes from 8 professionals in the industry. Meaningful findings unveil the main
conclusions that contribute to the knowledge and proportion of a verdict in regards to the suitability
of blockchain over BIM technology.
Design and construction are iterative processes with a high degree of collaboration, social
transactions are needed to complete the project from the initial stages until completion stages.
The main barrier to collaboration unveil through the process undertaken by this study is effectively
found and proved on the analysis identified as the fragmentation of the industry which entails
multiple consequences on the interaction between project participants, such as mistrust practices
and miscommunication interactions.
Multiple contributions were drawn and determined throughout the findings and discussions to
established a solid position towards the implementation of these technological shifts:
1. Firstly, the rising popularity and advancements on widely adoption technologies in the AEC
projects, triggered a notorious phenomenon of heterogeneous information, unleashing and
increase in the management of complex data resulting in an overcome on the capacity handled
in the current digital infrastructures. The complexity of this information entails an effect on the use
of BIM that suits the perfect scenario for the use of Blockchain, some of them are the transaction
processing nature of the BIM centralized database and the storage of multiple digital assets;
therefore Blockchain can provide a clear a transparent immutable record of changes in the data
sharing processes increasing significantly the transparency and the possibility of verification
amongst project collaborators. This approach will inevitably reduce issues related to inefficiencies,
miscommunication, and mistrust from parties in the project lifecycle.
2. Secondly, another significant contribution to the body of knowledge in this topic based on the
findings cover on the data analysis chapter is the evidence of an extensive framework listing the
main challenges that AEC industry is passing by in the implementation of BIM exerting a low
degree of adoption due to fragmented nature of the industry, a resistance to change, a lack of
information sharing and issues related to the ownership of files and contractual claims gaps in the
tendering processes.
3. Thirdly, the contribution behind the interview process unveils relevant points of interest on the
general perception of industry professionals, examining and demonstrating a positive attitude
towards the future implementation and adoption of BIM + Blockchain data sharing mechanism.
33
4. Fourthly, this study sought to contribute to the future application of this technological alliance
throughout the proposition of suitable scenarios for potential benefiting to the AEC industry, these
propositions are discussed in the suggestions of this chapter. Addressing the main research
question settled in the introductory chapter.
The early adopters of BIM in the interoperability processes on AEC projects will be the first
beneficed parties in this gradual process. The potential use of an upgrade model propose as
Blockchain Information Modeling breaks with significant hurdles in the adoption process and
unleash ground-breaking scopes, to take advantage of the multiple benefits given by this
technological fusion, addressing consistently some of the main issues found in the literature
review and finding chapter, such as confidentiality of information, reliable and trustworthy data
exchanges
5.2. Limitations of the study
According to the decisions are taken on the methodological procedures to undertake this study
the main limitations were drawn upon the feasibility of the sampling technique chosen to analyze
the personal interviews, the majority of professionals contacted were unavailable due to other
professional commitments, the final selected sample were keen to discuss the topic in the
research, however the understanding of BIM a the experience on its use was an essential
factor, this signified one of the main limitations, found the appropriate candidates with enough
knowledge in regards to this topic entails one of the main limitations to this study. The convenient
time and location of the interviews signified another limitation to this study. Moreover, the data
sources about a recent technology in developing such a Blockchain is scarce, just a few
researchers and companies had approached and produced a small amount of material in papers,
and reports, therefore a low degree of reliable sources represent another limitation to this study.
5.3. Recommendations and Possible applications
The answer to the research question address the suitability of blockchain infrastructure in BIM, in
providing effective solutions and mechanisms deemed to boost the efficiency and collaboration in
AEC projects, in the light of the conclusions determined by this study the possible outcomes and
recommendations for an effective application of the Blockchain Information Modeling propose
model is the following:
- An integrative data sharing BIM file in the use of a common data environment CDE throughout
a cloud-based infrastructure built on Blockchain, where the documents are stored accessible by
authorized project collaborators, enhancing the reliability, traceability, and verification of real times
modification on digital assets trustworthy, useful for the management of complex data in large
scale projects.
- Smart contracts are a feasible and suitable application on BIM contractual part is highly
recommended for contractual agreements, enhancing the trust between parties and the effective
instant execution of agreements once one party complete the commitments, granting and
effective, traceable and secure payment of labors, enhancing poor payment practices and
contractual disputes.
- Linking methods from digital to physical assets in the BIM model could be tracked throughout
efficient technologies like RFID, matching a direct connection between the real world and the
digital environment.
34
In conclusion, regardless of the degree of awareness from the AEC industry and the slow degree
of adoption of technological innovations the readiness and interest in the implementation of these
tools are increasing. BIM started a digital revolution on classic construction workflows and
technologies in development such as Blockchain will disrupt the whole industry, playing a game-
changing role, however the technology presents a small level of maturity, with the evolution of
technology and the widely spread scenario of adoptions the combination of both digital tools is a
very likely scenario in the long term.
5.4. Suggestions for future research
Further research must be focus on the readiness of the industry to face these remarkable
technological changes, researchers should be prompt to indagate the potential applications of
this technology over the changes occurred in next decade exploring another application of
Blockchain in the AEC industry apart from BIM, such as smart contracting in the contractual part
of the projects, ownership models and traceability of assets on construction site over
digital monitoring. Furthermore, the exploration of possible outcomes depends on the systematic
evolution and grade of adoption reach in future scenarios. Benefitting in the long-term and the
strategic insights and goals settled by the AEC industry along the years.
35
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38
7. Appendices
7.1 Appendix 1: Background and Historical Summary
Adoption of new technologies represent a disruptive change into the traditional workflows of many
industries, to get into disruptive behaviors organizations need to set an effective path towards
Innovation. Many industries worldwide had implemented innovation as a breakthrough shift into
the hierarchical structures established during many years, the main objective of this
implementation is to add intrinsic value to the traditional processes to undertake a much more
effective delivery of activities. In this scenario construction industry lags behind many other
industries such as manufacturing and pharmaceutical in what extent to productivity and efficiency
(Murphy, M. E., 2014).
One of the inherent characteristics of construction industry is to get into collaborative dynamics
between the project participants involved in specific time frames, this scenario is the perfect
framework to define the communication as one of the most important assets within the project
environment, without effective communication is not possible deliver a good performance in non
of the stages of the project
Prior to the absolute domain of digital mechanisms of information within AEC projects, the old
fashioned way to deliver the exchanges of data across design, planning and execution
participants was based on paper drawings, gradually it becomes a standard, a needed language
that all professionals and interest parties in AEC projects should manage in order to keep
competitive, hence the introduction of this dynamics unleash the specialization of labours,
consequently one of the side effects that comes with it was the notorious fragmentation (Turk and
Klinc, 2017). of the industry, driven by the specific roles assumed by project participants in distinct
time frames.
Since the establishment of current global economies, the exchanges between individuals and
organizations were based on transactions verified by trusted authorities which play roles of
recognized third parties to deliver trustworthy exchanges. (Crosby, M. et al. 2016). This framework
preserves the inherent dynamics on the status quo proposed by actual models, hence, many
economic activities such as payments, emails, currency exchanges, and deliveries, are
established following this role model. The fundamental role of a trusted third party is to approve,
certify and validate transactions, however after this process a certain possibility of fraud is
inevitable in financial transactions. Hence high transaction costs are an effect of this process.
In 2008 the emergence of a new alternative based on cryptography exchanges boosts a solution
to carry out peer-to-peer transactions without the need of a trusted intermediary, Bitcoin. This new
approach of exchange is described as a novelty version of electronic cash that enables the
possibility of sent digital payments from one to another party without an intermediary in between.
(Crosby, M. et al. 2016). This concept set up the first well-known application of the blockchain
infrastructure and brought massive popularity to its initiative, triggering a digital revolution of
transactions in the upcoming years. After this massive adoption alternative coins emerged at the
same time creating a whole virtual ecosystem of “cryptocurrencies”. Each transaction occurred
into this digital ecosystem act in a similar structure where every order was placed by groups called
“blocks”, every block behaves as a node into this environment and the link between nodes was
designated as a “chain”, the concept of Blockchain was effectively conceived in this way.
39
Bitcoin is inherently tied to Blockchain, however regardless its financial adoption, Blockchain
preserves a potential to be applied in many other instances where it decentralized nature will
benefit certain industries where the transfer of data is present. The AEC industry is one of the
best-case scenarios for the potential implementation of this technology due to its inherently
collaborative nature, that configures a network communication where the sharing of information
is essential. Conservative dynamics in this industry had settled hierarchical structures reluctant
to the change given by disruptive mechanisms, however, network structures had undoubtedly
been much more efficient, resilient and self-regulating, although hierarchy needs constant
manage compliance over the different components, otherwise the efficiency of the system will be
unstable. (Mathews, M. and Bowe, B. 2017).
Nevertheless before the appearance of this ground-breaking infrastructure, the AEC industry
experienced a revolution towards the digitization of projects with an innovative solution well known
as Building Information Modelling BIM, its main feature is the managing of information in a digital
database where the information about a physical facility is share between multiple project
participants, it source of reliable information for many stakeholders in the lifecycle of AEC projects
(Travaglini, A. et al. 2014), hence the shift in the operational workflows has encourage many
countries to work actively in development of legislation to implement this technology in public
projects due to the multiple benefits in budget efficiency, time management, and quantity
surveying.
The pioneers on the adoption of this technology and the first promoters of legislations into this
topic was Finland in 2007 (Travaglini, A. et al. 2014), the second pioneer on this adoption was
Norway, in 2010 the regulatory bodies and the construction industry within the public projects
worked actively towards the use of specific IFC standards to enhance project lifecycle outcomes
and the effective communication between project participants and legal compliances in the
tendering and procurement stages on this country. The acknowledgment about BIM subsequently
it spread across all Europe, consequently, the UK started working on many initiatives to be at the
upfront of this technological change (Wildin, K. et al., 2014).
The UK government set an ambitious initiative (Government Construction Strategy, 2011) to

respond the AEC industry concerns expressed by important stakeholders as an effective counter
back to several issues carried by the poor productivity behaviors and many sustainability
inefficiencies (Dakhil, A et al 2019). The UK Government construction strategy was settled in
2011 and brought significant enhancements to the accuracy on the designs delivered and the
budgets projected by the companies in the built environment with building information modeling
as a major contributor to this shift towards digitization. The target was set with the aim of achieve
a Level 2 BIM widely adoption by 2016 (Eadie, R. et al. (2015).
In response to the increasing popularity and gradual adoption on large AEC projects many
governments had sought to lead institutional legislation over the gradual spread on the
acknowledgments about BIM, Consequently, this significative efforts encourage many
governments into take actions to standardize frameworks for enabling BIM interoperability such
as the international standard IFC (Laakso, M. et al. 2012) (COBie (BSI, 2014), the adoption of
this standard and the multiple positive results given after the implementation of BIM as
a Nonetheless, the governance framework established is currently facing several barriers in the
adoption process, the main issues addressed are mainly a lack of understanding regarding the
implementation process, miscommunication, and misinformation amid participants across the
common data environment CDE (Preidel, C. and Borrmann, A. 2016) and technological problems
subject to the interoperability and compatibility between file for integrate the full potentials behind
this technology.
40
7.2. Appendix 2: Current Research on Blockchain
Blockchain represents an unbounded innovation no matter what industry implement this tool as
part of a will to be at the upfront of technology competitiveness. Some researches had approached
this technology in the last decade, significant findings and theories have been described in this
previous studies (Coyne and Onabolu, 2018), (Crosby, M. et al. 2016), (Dakhli, Z. et. al. 2019),
(Hogan, B. et al. 2016), (Turk, Ž. and Klinc, R. 2017), (Wright, 2018). The increasing interest is
part of a phenomenal and sociocultural response to many interested adopters due to its central
attributes based on strong security and data integrity reliance, which makes blockchain a
decentralized a self-regulated platform.
Most of the authors had focused their research studies on unveiling the notorious limitations of
Blockchain (Yli-huumo, J. et al. 2016) and some other organizations in reports (Winfield Report,
2018) (ARUP, 2018, 2019) had approached the lack of understanding, scalability challenges and
the massive spread of awareness regarding related topics such as bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.
Distributed ledger technologies (DLT) such as Blockchain had revealed the suitability of Smart
Contracts in AEC projects (Li, Greenwood, and Kassem, 2019), however, literature suggests
that for the use of blockchain in a shared access BIM model there is a remarkable potential but
insufficient maturity in the context of the AEC industry. In conclusion, current research in
Blockchain is gradually increasing and many types of research had approach significant
contributions, there is still a lack of research in terms of scalability issues and Blockchain
applications apart from Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.
41
7.3. Appendix 3: Ethics Form
42
43
44
45
46
47
7.4. Appendix 4: Interview questions
48
7.5. Appendix 5: Research Interview Invitation
49

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Potentials of Blockchain application in BIM: An effective solution to

complex data management and reliability of information

MSc Project and Enterprise Management

This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the

Bartlett School of Construction and Project Management

detection service, Turnitin®.

copy and electronic versions of the work are handed in.

Date: 30/08/19 Signature:

Word count: 9986

Keywords: BIM Building information modelling, Construction Industry, Blockchain, Reliability of

Declaration of Originality ......................................................................................................... 2

Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................... 5

List of Tables ............................................................................................................................. 8

List of Figures ........................................................................................................................... 9

List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................................. 10

1.1. Problem Statement ........................................................................................................ 11

1.2. Research Questions………………………………………………………………………..…..12

1.3. Aims and Objectives....................................................................................................... 13

1.4. Research Rationale……………………………………………………………………….…... 13

1.5. Data collection methods ……………………………………………………………………...14

2. Literature Review ............................................................................................................... 15

2.4. BIM and the digitization of construction .......................................................................... 16

2.4.1. Barriers for effective BIM adoption………….…………….……………………...…….18

3.3. Data gathering methods ................................................................................................ 21

3.5. Questionnaire design and rationale .............................................................................. 22

3.6. Data Analysis ............................................................................................................... 23

3.7. Ethical Issues ............................................................................................................... 23

4.1. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 24

4.2. Presentation of Findings .............................................................................................. 24

4.2.1. Roles and operational processes. .......................................................................... 24

4.2.2. Challenges in the implementation of Blockchain in BIM data management ............. 26

4.2.3. Reliability on information handled in BIM - AEC projects ......................................... 27

4.2.4. Readiness and awareness upon technological changes.......................................... 28

4.3. Discussion ................................................................................................................... 30

4.3.1. Theme 1 ................................................................................................................. 30

4.3.2. Theme 2 ................................................................................................................. 31

4.3.3. Theme 3 ................................................................................................................. 32

4.4. Potential applications of Blockchain in BIM ................................................................. 31

4.5. Mapping challenges and opportunities on the adoption................................................ 32

5. Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................... 33

5.1. Contributions to Knowledge ............................................................................................. 33

5.2. Limitations of the Study .. ................................................................................................. 34

5.3. Recommendations and Possible applications.. ................................................................ 34

5.4. Suggestions for future research ...................................................................................... 35

7.1 Appendix 1: Background and Historical Summary ............................................................ 39

7. 2 Appendix 2: Current Research on Blockchain ................................................................. 41

1. Professional profile of Interviewees ...................................................................................... 22

1. Current state of Blockchain maturity in the built environment. .............................................. 19

List of Acronyms / Abbreviations

Potentials of Blockchain application in BIM: An effective solution

Building Information Modelling BIM is emerging as a solution to enable information exchanges

- Misinformation and miscommunication between project participants involved in the BIM

1.3. Aims and Objectives

1.1. Data Collection

2.2. Digital Transformation in the AEC Industry

2.4.BIM and the digitization of construction

Building Information Modelling is defined as “a shared digital representation founded on open

The rising popularity of alternative methods in building projects produces an effective

Murphy, M. E. (2014) ‘Implementing innovation : a stakeholder competency-based approach for BIM’,