The conservativeness of the construction industry in Ukraine and the need for significant investments in software and personnel training are the main obstacles to the development of Building Information Modeling (BIM technologies) in the domestic construction market, according to a survey conducted by the Interfax-Ukraine agency among developers.
"For most developers in Ukraine, the largest barrier to adopting BIM technologies is the high initial costs and resistance to change. Traditional construction companies, in particular, may be unprepared for changes in operations, as BIM requires new approaches to design and construction management. Effective use of BIM also necessitates specialists with the appropriate knowledge and skills, and their scarcity can delay the implementation process," said Boris Goldenstein, founder and CEO of Zezman Holding, to the agency.
The need for substantial investments and the establishment of new processes, along with the unclear benefits of implementation, are the primary factors deterring most builders, believes Elena Sharova, the operational director of the development department at Alterra Group. The adoption of innovative technologies also requires time: utilizing BIM technologies in design improves the quality of project documentation but increases the time required for its development by 1.5 to 2 times.
"Another key condition for introducing digital technologies in construction companies is the demand from shareholders and company management. Without such support, transformative changes simply will not occur, as the construction industry is primarily conservative, and implementing any innovations is not straightforward," emphasized Sharova.
According to Alexey Koval, project manager at Perfect Group, the lack of qualified personnel in this field is also a barrier to the widespread adoption of BIM technologies in Ukraine.
"Currently, we are in the stage of exploring the possibilities of BIM and artificial intelligence, as the implementation of such technologies requires additional resources and appropriate personnel training," noted the expert.
Moreover, attracting all participants in construction to the BIM ecosystem is also a challenge, which is necessary for the effective use of the technology.
"The key is to fill the entire ecosystem with players: contractors, designers, suppliers, who operate within such systems," explained Roman Davimuka, operational director of Avalon.
As indicated by the Odessa-based company Well-being ConTech, which specializes in construction using prefabricated structures, a unified BIM environment enhances the speed and quality of collaboration among architects, designers, and engineers while minimizing errors caused by human factors.
At the same time, the lack of quality data in the industry, low levels of contractor utilization of these models, and the absence of uniform codification of construction product elements significantly complicate the process of fully implementing BIM technologies, the company points out.
"Unfortunately, the implementation of BIM technologies faces considerable resistance from several players in the construction market. For instance, some 'old-school' architects do not understand the necessity of creating digital twins of buildings and do not see the need to use them. On the other hand, there is a group of developers for whom traditional construction is more familiar and cheaper. And, indeed, those who benefit from the current state of corruption in the construction sector," explained the press service of Well-being ConTech.
As reported, in July 2022, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in the first reading and as a basis draft law No. 6383, which provides for the implementation of BIM technologies at all stages of the life cycle of construction projects. In November 2023, Elena Shulyak, head of the committee on the organization of state power, local self-government, regional development, and urban planning (Servant of the People faction), announced the preparation of the document for the second reading.