Condition-based Maintenance Using BIM: A Case Study of Energy Modeling for a Residential Building

Efficient management of the built environment is a top priority globally. In light of climate change and funding deficits, and considering the huge stock of buildings and infrastructure, especially in urban centers, the needs and demands induced can be successfully met through effective and efficient maintenance of existing built assets, rather than building new ones. This is the reason behind the continuous refinement and update of operation and maintenance policies and programs in a process of addressing technological advances in the construction industry to render maintenance as the primary approach to achieving the upgrade of the built environment. Yet, a fast transition to modern maintenance management systems requires an understanding by the construction industry of their mode of implementation and of the benefits involved. This paper contributes to this goal by presenting clear and easy to replicate examples of applying Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the context of the condition-based maintenance strategy. First, the dominant maintenance strategies in the construction industry, including preventive, predictive, reliability-centered, corrective, etc. are presented and explored in relation to their efficiency for construction projects. Then BIM technology is applied to showcase the implementation of condition-based maintenance for improving the energy profile of a building. A BIM model of a simple residential building generated in the context of this research is used as a basis for respective energy models addressing three different scenarios of interventions in thermal insulation and door and window frames. The scenarios are evaluated in terms of energy cost reductions and building’s useful life prolongation concerning the energy efficiency aspect. The paper presents to practitioners in the construction industry – mainly designers and operators – a clear, straightforward, and replicable method of designing BIM-based maintenance for buildings that highlight issues of concern and facilitates understanding of the mode of implementation, thus enhancing in real terms the industry’s efficiency in applying technological advancements in every day’s practice. Copyright © Journal of Engineering, Project, and Production Management (EPPM-Journal).