Title: Integration of Building Information Modelling (BIM)

and Lean Construction: Current Status, Challenges and

Future Opportunities

1. Introduction
The construction industry has long faced significant challenges during the construction phase,
including low efficiency, resource waste, cost overruns, and project delays (Mitera-Kiełbasa
and Zima, 2025). Productivity levels in the construction industry are generally lower than
those in other industries such as manufacturing. Particularly during the construction phase,
issues of low management efficiency and resource waste are particularly severe. According to
the O'Brien Report (1998), up to 30% of work in construction projects involves rework,
labour efficiency ranges from 40% to 60%, and over 10% of materials are wasted. The report
advocates promoting continuous improvement in construction projects by introducing lean
principles. In recent years, the construction industry has been actively exploring effective
ways to enhance productivity and reduce waste, with Building Information Modelling (BIM)
and lean construction emerging as two core methods of significant interest. BIM provides
project stakeholders with a high-precision visualisation, information sharing, and
collaborative work platform through digital modelling, thereby significantly improving
efficiency and decision-making quality in the design and construction phases. Lean
construction, on the other hand, optimises construction processes using lean management
principles to reduce non-value-added activities and improve resource utilisation.
Subsequently, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (2016) reiterated
that processes should be further digitised and leanised to reduce unnecessary effort and waste.
In summary, industry characteristics and policy directions have jointly driven the integration
of Lean Construction and BIM in the construction phase, but there are still differences in their
development trajectories, and their integration potential has not been fully tapped. This gap
highlights the importance of conducting research on the combination of BIM and Lean
principles.

It is necessary to clarify the mechanisms and application outcomes of BIM and lean
construction integration to enhance a systematic understanding of their synergistic effects.
This research aims to conduct a systematic analysis of the current status, advantages, and
limitations of BIM–Lean Construction integration, and to propose optimisation
recommendations based on trends and challenges. In terms of research methods, this research
primarily employs literature reviews and systematic literature reviews, combined with
quantitative bibliometric analysis and qualitative content analysis methods, to ensure the
scientific rigor and comprehensiveness of the conclusions. To achieve this objective, the
project proposes the following research objectives:
(1) Explore how BIM and Lean Construction integrate with each other
(2) Analyse the advantages and main limitations of BIM-Lean Construction integration
(3) Analyse the current status and future development trends of BIM-Lean Construction
integration and propose recommendations for further refinement

Based on the above research objectives, the findings of this research will provide valuable
references for designers, engineering and technical personnel, innovation practitioners,
corporate decision-makers, and investors in the architecture and civil engineering industries.
The research results will not only help identify the key pathways and influencing factors of
BIM and Lean Construction integration but also provide a basis for formulating industry
technical application strategies and management optimisation plans. It should be noted that
this research still has certain limitations. The data sources for this research primarily consist
of secondary literature from 2015 to 2025, which may have certain limitations in terms of
timeliness and applicability. Future research could incorporate more field cases and cross-
national comparisons to enhance the universality and practicality of the conclusions. This
research will conduct a literature review and a systematic literature review, and finally
propose targeted recommendations based on the integration of strengths and weaknesses.

2. Literature Review
2.1 Lean Construction

Lean construction originated from the principles of lean manufacturing (Jørgensen et al.,
2007; Sarhan et al., 2018). The widespread application of lean thinking in manufacturing and
its significant achievements directly prompted scholars and practitioners in the construction
field to explore the introduction of its core principles into the construction process, with the
aim of alleviating common issues such as cost overruns, schedule delays, and quality
fluctuations during the construction phase. To achieve this goal, Lean methods in construction
have adopted a series of established practices from manufacturing, with the core focus on
establishing highly reliable workflows and minimising waste by systematically identifying
and eliminating non-value-added activities (Li et al., 2019; Brook, 2024; Widiwati, Liman,
and Nurprihatin, 2024). In the manufacturing industry, this philosophy is typically
implemented through Just-in-Time (JIT) to ensure materials are supplied on demand, Total
Quality Management (TQM) to strengthen quality control throughout the process, and 5S
management to enhance the work environment and efficiency (Womack and Jones, 1996;
Cudney, Furterer, and Dietrich, 2014). These methods not only form the foundation of lean
operations in the manufacturing industry but also provide a transferable practical framework
for the construction industry. However, due to the more dynamic and complex nature of
construction project environments compared to manufacturing, the adoption of lean in the
construction industry often exhibits a gradualistic character. This is primarily attributed to the
organisational cultural transformations accompanying its implementation and the heightened
coordination requirements among project teams (EROL, Dikmen, and Birgoul, 2016).
Mahmood and Abrishami (2020) and Parfenova, Avilova, and Ganzha (2020) further note that
while Lean Construction draws on the aforementioned manufacturing methods, it places
greater emphasis on precise control of output quantities, high integration across all stages,
continuous process optimisation, and consistent management of internal project processes.
This leads to shorter construction cycles, optimised batch sizes, and enhanced overall
flexibility, laying a solid foundation for project performance improvement.

2.2 Building Information Modeling (BIM) in Construction

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is typically defined as the process of creating and
managing digital information about a facility throughout its entire lifecycle, from initial
conception to demolition (Jane, 2024; Succar, 2009). Its theoretical origins can be traced back
to the 1970s. Eastman (1975) proposed the Building Description System (BDS), an industry-
specific system capable of digitally modelling and describing a building's physical and
functional characteristics to support integrated management across design, construction, and
operations phases. This concept provided an initial framework for introducing information-
based management to the construction industry at the time. Over the following decades, as
computer-aided design (CAD) became widespread and the digitalisation of the construction
industry advanced, the BIM concept continued to evolve (Kymmell, 2008). In the 21st
century, the integration of BIM with technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and
artificial intelligence (AI) has deepened, enabling higher levels of integrated and intelligent
applications in real-time collaboration, construction simulation, and intelligent operations and
maintenance during the construction phase (Iqbal et al., 2023; Chen et al., 2021; Iqbal and
Shayan Mirzabeigi, 2025).

In practice, BIM is not merely a software tool but a collaborative method based on digital
models (Messner et al., 2019; Borkowski, 2023), with its core focus on developing three-
dimensional models that embed information accessible and usable by all stakeholders to
support decision-making activities across design, construction, and operations phases. The
rise and development of BIM in the construction industry stem from advancements in digital
design technology and increasing demands for integrated project delivery (Azhar, 2011). The
driving force behind this trend lies in the limitations of traditional two-dimensional design
documents in terms of accuracy, coordination, and construction efficiency, compelling the
industry to seek digital solutions that can enhance precision, strengthen collaboration, and
optimise efficiency throughout the entire lifecycle (Succar, 2009; ISO 19650, 2018). At the
implementation level, BIM realises its value through multi-dimensional information models
and data integration. For example, parametric modelling supports dynamic design
adjustments and change management; 4D scheduling combines construction processes with
time schedules to enable visualised progress control; 5D cost modelling integrates cost
information with the model to improve budget accuracy and cost management; clash
detection identifies and eliminates design conflicts to reduce the risk of rework; and cloud-
based collaboration platforms provide real-time data exchange and version management for
dispersed teams (Volk, Stengel, and Schultmann, 2014). The comprehensive application of
these features can effectively optimise construction schedules, reduce waste, streamline
processes, and enhance transparency and controllability during the construction phase.

2.3 Synergy between BIM and Lean Construction

Researchers generally recognise that Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Lean
Construction principles can complement and synergise with each other in both theoretical
frameworks and practical applications (Sacks et al., 2010). Bayhan et al. (2022) mapped BIM
capabilities to lean principles and found that 52 out of 56 interactions were positive. This
indicates that BIM's information-driven functions can significantly support the goals of lean
construction, including process optimisation, waste reduction, and enhanced collaboration.

2.3.1 Collaboration in Construction Projects

Construction projects typically involve multiple disciplines (such as structural,

mechanical and electrical, and interior design), which make information silos between
different contractors and design firms are common (Yin et al., 2023; Awomolo, 2019).
The lean construction philosophy advocates promoting multi-party collaboration and
target value design (TVD) in the early stages of a project to reduce rework and
conflicts later on (Ashcraft, 2022; Ebekozien et al., 2022). In this process, the
adoption of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) has become a common practice
(Elghaish and Abrishami, 2020; Karasu, Aaltonen and Haapasalo, 2022; Ahmed
Namadi, 2019), enabling owners, designers, contractors, and major suppliers to
collaborate within a framework of shared risks and benefits. This mechanism
encourages all parties to focus on the overall value of the project rather than
individual interests, and through frequent interaction, improves problem response
speed, information sharing, and decision-making transparency, thereby alleviating
information silos and communication gaps. However, Bajjou and Chafi (2018) point
out that achieving the high level of collaboration advocated by lean construction often
poses challenges in large-scale projects involving multiple stakeholders, complex
contractual relationships, or significant cultural differences. This is primarily due to
conflicting interests among parties, the inhibitory effect of traditional contractual
models on collaborative incentives, and the absence of trust and a shared culture
between organisations (Sabri, Dovland, and Fredrik Daae, 2025). Additionally, the
inherent uncertainty and complexity of projects reduce the visibility of the execution
process and the real-time nature of information exchange (Lafhaj et al., 2024; Judson
and Paul, 2022), thereby impacting lean construction's reliance on continuous
optimisation and efficient collaboration.

To address the shortcomings of lean construction in collaborative implementation, the

application of BIM provides technical support for enhancing collaborative efficiency
and breaking down information silos. During the design phase, BIM enables
multidisciplinary teams, including structural, architectural, and MEP engineers, to
collaborate on a unified digital platform through 3D visualisation and parametric
modelling, effectively avoiding issues such as inconsistent drawing versions and
delayed information transmission (Gajjar, 2024; Jiedeerbieke Madiniyeti et al., 2024).
Model changes can be updated in real time, ensuring that all stakeholders remain
synchronised with the latest information, thereby providing an accurate information
foundation for the implementation of lean tools (Aziz, Nasreldin, and Hashem, 2024;
El Mounla et al., 2023). Additionally, Konyushkov et al. (2020) and Jin (2024) both
mention that BIM's four-dimensional construction simulation (4D Modelling) can
dynamically display the construction process, helping to enhance the executability of
construction plans and on-site organisational efficiency; all parties involved can also
use the BIM model for visual communication, improving information transparency
and response speed. Overall, BIM establishes a cross-stage, cross-disciplinary
information integration platform, providing a robust technical foundation for the
transparency, value-driven approach, and process optimisation sought by lean
construction.
2.3.2 Sustainability

In the context of contemporary society, sustainable development has become one of

the core issues that the construction industry needs to address urgently. As pointed out
by Skjonsberg et al. (2015) and other scholars, the sustainable transformation of
construction activities, which account for a significant proportion of global energy
consumption and carbon emissions, is key to the achievement of the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Lean Construction's concepts of “waste
reduction” and “value creation” are instrumental in promoting environmental
sustainability in construction projects. Specifically, Lean promotes standardised
construction, prefabrication and pull supply chain management, which not only
reduces resource wastage and site disturbance, but also reduces the negative
environmental impact of the construction process. This efficiency-focused approach,
with an emphasis on process optimisation, helps to achieve more environmentally
friendly and energy-efficient construction practices.

However, Lean Construction still faces certain structural limitations in advancing

sustainability. Although its philosophy indirectly promotes environmentally friendly
construction, it mainly focuses on process efficiency and localised resource control
during the construction process, and pays insufficient attention to the control of
environmental impacts throughout the whole life cycle of a construction project. Ng,
Low, and Song (2015) point out that Lean prefers identifying “waste” and upgrading
the process rather than systematically measuring the environmental impacts of
construction. Meanwhile, in the absence of systematic technical tools to quantify and
manage environmental performance, it is often difficult to unleash the full green
potential of Lean in practice.

The introduction of BIM technology offers the possibility of bridging Lean's

shortcomings in terms of sustainability goal achievement. Khetani (2020) emphasises
that BIM provides architects and engineers with more refined design tools by
integrating rich environmental parameters, making it easier to implement bionic
architecture concepts and sustainable design strategies. At the design stage, BIM can
be used to simulate building energy performance, daylighting and ventilation effects
and lifecycle carbon emissions, helping teams to prefer green design solutions in early
decision-making, thus avoiding reactive optimisation that is energy-intensive and
emission-intensive. In addition, Hadjadji, Toulan, and Dorra (2023) argue that BIM's
multidimensional representational capabilities provide designers with a high-quality
solution space, making designs more creative, feasible, and resource-efficient, and
improving the accuracy of the synergy between design and construction while
lowering the overall cost of construction.

More importantly, BIM supports the extension of the building model to the operation
and maintenance phase, thus opening up the whole life cycle information chain from
design, construction to operation and maintenance. Model-based energy consumption
monitoring, equipment performance tracking and facility management not only realise
real-time optimisation of building energy use, but also fill the gap in Lean
Construction's sustainability management at the optimisation level. In other words,
the BIM technology not only supplements Lean's shortcomings in technical tools, but
also extends its process optimisation concept to a longer-term, more systematic green
construction goal.

The synergy between these two is expected to lead to a more comprehensive and
deeper sustainable transformation of the environmental, economic and social
dimensions of construction projects.

3. Methodology
3.1 Overview

figure 1 Methodological framework based on the Research Onion, applied to BIM and Lean
Construction integration

This chapter introduces the research methods adopted by this institute to explore the
integration mechanism between BIM and Lean Construction. To ensure the logical and
systematic nature of the research design, this research references the Research Onion model
proposed by Melnikovas(2018) and adapts it appropriately to the research theme. This model
unfolds layer by layer from research philosophy to data collection techniques, aiding in the
comprehensive planning of the entire research process. The research is grounded in
interpretivism, combining literature reviews with systematic literature reviews (SLR). It
selects research literature from 2015 to 2025 and employs a longitudinal research design to
analyse the evolutionary trends of BIM–Lean integration studies. Data is screened using
established criteria and analysed using thematic analysis to identify key integration
mechanisms, advantages, and challenges.

3.2 Research Approach

This research adopts an inductive approach, aiming to extract the key mechanisms and
research trends of the synergistic effects between Building Information Modelling (BIM) and
Lean Construction from existing literature. The inductive method emphasises starting from
specific data and gradually summarising conclusions with greater universality and theoretical
value (Thomas, 2006). In this research, the research process first involves a rigorous
collection, screening, and integration of secondary data from authoritative academic
databases through literature reviews and systematic literature reviews; subsequently,
Bibliometric Research is employed to conduct visual analyses of literature growth trends,
countries of origin, keywords with the strongest citation bursts, and keyword clustering;
Finally, by analysing the selected literature, the advantages, challenges, and research gaps in
the synergistic process between BIM and Lean Construction were identified. This inductive
research approach does not rely on pre-set hypotheses but instead bases itself on existing
research findings to identify patterns and construct conceptual frameworks, thereby
providing theoretical support and directions for improvement for future research and
practice.

3.3 Research Methods

Research methods include quantitative, qualitative and mixed research (Ahmed, Pereira and
Jane, 2024). Due to various factors such as time constraints, only secondary data will be used
in this paper. This research adopts a mixed research approach, combining quantitative and
qualitative research. In the quantitative part, this paper will collect key variables from relevant
studies through bibliometric statistics and process the data using descriptive statistics and
correlation analysis to identify patterns of relationships between variables. Through
quantitative data, this paper will analyse and reveal the statistical relationships between
variables, while combining qualitative research to gain an in-depth understanding of the
drivers and mechanisms behind the phenomena. This helps to achieve complementarity and
cross-validation of the results, improving the comprehensiveness and credibility of the
research findings. Through this hybrid approach, this paper is not only able to demonstrate
industry trends and performance effects at the quantitative level, but also capture key details
and experiences in the practice process at the qualitative level, so as to enhance the depth and
application value of the study, and to provide more empirically grounded recommendations
for the theoretical development and management practice in related fields.

3.4 Research Strategy

The research strategy is the overall methodological approach to achieving the research
objectives and answering the research questions, which bridges the researcher's theoretical
stance with the data collection and analysis methods at the practical level. A clear and
reasonable research strategy helps ensure that the research process has logical consistency and
academic rigour. According to the characteristics and objectives of the research topic, this
paper adopts a qualitative research method and uses secondary data as the main source of
information, which avoids the time and resource constraints in primary data collection and
ensures the breadth and diversity of data. In order to systematically organise the existing
research results, this paper adopts a combination of Literature Review and Systematic
Literature Review (SLR). Literature Review helps to build an overall theoretical background
and research framework, while SLR ensures the representativeness and relevance of the
selected literature through clear search criteria and screening process, and effectively
identifies the shortcomings and controversial points of the existing research. On this basis,
this paper further introduces the case study strategy, selecting representative practice cases for
in-depth analysis, and verifying the applicability and limitations of the theory from the
perspective of practical application. The combination of the three strategies can realise the
organic unity between macro and micro, theory and practice, which not only helps to clarify
the existing knowledge structure of this research, but also provides a solid foundation for
proposing targeted improvement suggestions.

3.4.1 Literature Review

The literature review in this research aims to review and summarise existing research findings
on the integration of BIM and Lean Construction, and to explore the impact of combining the
two on information collaboration and sustainability in construction projects. Through reading
and analysing peer-reviewed academic journal articles, case studies, systematic literature
reviews and relevant books, this research wrote a literature review to lay the foundation for
the entire study.
3.4.2 Systematic Literature Review

This systematic literature review aims to systematically identify, screen, and analyse existing
academic achievements in the field of BIM and lean construction collaboration on a global
scale, in order to reveal the advantages, challenges, development trends, and research gaps of
their integrated application.

3.5 Time Horizon

The use of only secondary data allows for longitudinal studies. Adopting a longitudinal time
span requires observing and analysing the phenomenon within a longer time frame,
identifying its trends and influencing factors as they evolve over time. Based on this, this
paper selects the decade from 2015 to 2025 as the scope of the study, and analyses the
development paths and key nodes of a particular field at different stages by collecting and
integrating relevant literature, industry reports, policy documents and project cases within that
period.

This analysis helps to reveal how variables such as BIM and Lean Construction technology
applications, industry practices, or policy directions have changed over time and interacted
with the internal and external environments (Cherry, 2023). Compared to cross-sectional
studies that examine the diversity of the same time cross-section, the longitudinal strategy
places more emphasis on stage evolution and trend analyses(Institute for Work and Health,
2015) , thus providing a more in-depth and dynamic understanding of the research object.
This helps to judge whether there is continuity in their integration pathways, whether the
relevant interventions are effective, and what opportunities and challenges they may face in
future development.

3.6 Data Collection

This research relies solely on secondary data as a source of data. The main reason for
choosing to use secondary data is its cost-effectiveness (Chatfield, 2020): it can cover a wide
range of research perspectives despite resource constraints, and is particularly suitable for
analysing relatively complex and interdisciplinary topics such as the integration of BIM and
Lean Construction. It also avoids the response fatigue or data collection challenges that can be
associated with field research.

This research adopts both Literature Review (LR) and Systematic Literature Review (SLR)
approaches to systematically compile and analyse research findings on BIM and Lean
integration in the construction industry. The main tasks in this process include identifying,
screening, acquiring and evaluating high-quality existing literature. Unlike traditional
literature reviews, SLR is more methodologically rigorous in that it follows pre-set search and
inclusion criteria, strictly controls the quality and relevance of the selected studies, and seeks
to distil representative integration trends and research findings in a transparent and replicable
manner. Through a systematic analysis of this literature, this paper will explore the key role of
BIM technology in supporting the implementation of the Lean concept and identify the
strengths, challenges and future research directions in current integration practices.

3.6.1 Literature Review

The literature review section of this research covers peer-reviewed academic journal articles,
case studies, academic monographs, and conference papers to ensure diversity and academic
reliability of sources. Literature searches were primarily conducted using academic databases
such as Scopus, Web of Science, and UCL Library, with additional searches conducted using
Google Scholar.

3.6.2 Systematic Literature Review

The SLR section follows the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic
Reviews and Meta-Analyses) to ensure transparency and reproducibility in literature retrieval
and screening (PRISMA, 2020). Literature searches were conducted strictly according to pre-
established search terms and criteria. First, keyword searches were conducted in each
database, and duplicates were excluded. Then, an initial screening of titles and abstracts was
conducted to exclude literature that clearly did not meet the criteria. Finally, during the full-
text review stage, a refined screening was conducted based on inclusion and exclusion criteria
to form the final set of analysed literature. During the data extraction stage, the research
background, research methods, implementation framework, advantages, and challenges of
each piece of literature were recorded. In the analysis phase, this research will present the
results through tables, diagrams, and thematic summaries, and further explain their academic
and practical significance in the discussion section, while also identifying the limitations of
existing research and potential directions for future research.

To ensure the comprehensiveness and relevance of the search, this research used Boolean
logic (AND, OR) to combine keywords when constructing the search terms. The academic
databases including Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest and ScienceDirect were used. The
following are the keywords used in the SLR search:

(“BIM” OR “Building Information Modeling” OR “Building Information Modelling” [All

Fields]) AND (“Lean Construction” OR “Lean” [All Fields])
 Identification of studies via databases and registers

Identification
Records identified from: Records removed before screening:
Scopus (n =576), Duplicate records removed (n =
Web of Science (n =306 ), 1059)
ProQuest (n = 8,690) Records marked as ineligible by
Science Direct (n = 1,037) automation tools (n = 2536)
Records removed for other reasons
(n = 824)

Records screened Records excluded “BIM” OR

(n = 6190) Screening “Lean”
(n = 5842 )

Reports sought for retrieval Reports not retrieved

(n = 348) (n = 7)

Reports excluded:
Reports assessed for eligibility Proceeding (n = 22)
(n = 341) Publication type not eligible
(n = 2)

Included
Studies included in review
(n = 317)
Reports of included studies
(n = )

Figure 1: Prisma Chart for Research

It is notable that this research used automated tools to exclude records that did not meet the
inclusion criteria, including company annual reports/reviews, non-English literature, and
studies published before 2015. At the same time, automated screening also removed non-
academic research such as news, advertisements, and book reviews. In the ‘Records removed
for other reasons’ category, this research manually identified and excluded some non-English
language literature that was not detected by the system. Ultimately, after a series of
screenings, 317 articles were included in the analysis.
[Link]
4.1 Systematic Literature Review

Article Scope of study Areas Research Technologies

method
F I B C U S V LR ER SR C D C O&
F C C O M
Toland, P. (2023) + + + + +
Nassereddine, + + + + + +
Veeramani and
Hanna (2019)
Barkokebas et al. + + + + + + + +
(2023)
Marzouk, + + + + + + +
Elmaraghy and
Voordijk (2019)
Liu and Shi (2017) + + + + + + + + + +
Ahuja, Sawhney + + + + + + +
and Arif (2018)
Li et al. (2018) + + + + + + + +
Zhang et al. (2025) + + + + + + + +
Saleh et al. (2024) + + + +
Marzouk, + + + + + +
Elmaraghy and
Voordijk (2019)
Karaz and Cardoso + + + + + +
(2023)
Mohammad Omar + + + +
Aburumman, Sweis
and Sweis (2023)
Evans et al (2020) + + + + + + +
Bayhan et al. + + + + + + + +
(2022)
Fang et al. (2023) + + + + + + +
Evans and Farrell + + + + + + + +
(2020)
Koseoglu and + + + + + + +
Nurtan-Gunes
 Article Scope of study Areas Research Technologies
method
F I B C U S V LR ER SR C D C O&
F C C O M
(2018)
Mitera-Kiełbasa + + + + + + + +
and Zima (2025)
Hei et al. (2024) + + + + + + + +

Abbreviation description:
F: factors IF: implementation frameworks B: benefits C: challenges U: utilization
SC: specific country VC: various countries
LR: literature review ER: evidence-based research SR: secondary research and other
methods
C: conception D: design CO: construction O&M: Operation & Maintenance

Summarise the integration of BIM and lean construction throughout the project
lifecycle and draw a flow chart (not completed)
4.2 Citespace

4.2.1 Analysis of the number of publications from 2006 to 2025

The Number of Articles Published from 2006 to

2025
60 51
R² = 0.786284191624975 44
50
39
40 34
28 31 28
30 21
18 19
20 11 13 14 13
8 9
101 2 2 5
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Year

Table 1 the articles related to BIM and Lean Construction published in the different years

The volume of literature output and its trends can be used to measure the
developmental stage and research maturity of a field (Mina, 2023). To explore the
trends in research outcomes regarding the integration of BIM and Lean Construction,
this research selected published literature from 2006 to June 2025 for analysis. As
shown in Table 1, from 2006 to 2012, this research field was in its early development
stage, with a slow annual increase in the number of literature pieces, totaling 41
related literature pieces in the database. During this period, scholars primarily
explored the relationship between BIM and Lean Construction, as well as the
feasibility and preliminary framework for their integration in the construction
industry (Gerber, Becerik-Gerber, and Kunz, 2010; Moghadam, Alwisy, and Al-
Hussein, 2012; Hao, 2012). From 2013 to 2018, the field entered a steady
development phase. The annual number of publications showed a relatively stable
upward trend, with a total of 103 papers in the database. During the early part of this
period, scholars proposed methods and benefits for integrating BIM and lean
construction (Mahalingam, Yadav and Varaprasad, 2015; Bi and Jia, 2015). In the
latter part of this period, scholars validated various interdisciplinary practice
frameworks and methods based on the theory of integrating BIM and lean
construction (NASCIMENTO et al., 2017; Sánchez-Rivera et al., 2017; Nascimento et
al., 2018). From 2019 to June 2025, the number of publications rapidly increased,
indicating rapid development in this research field. During this phase, research in this
field became more specialised, gradually focusing on more specific areas such as
Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), sustainability, and project timelines (Rodriguez,
2023; Moradi and Piia Sormunen, 2023; Mahboubi Niazmandi et al., 2024; Yang et
al., 2025). Overall, research findings and literature volume related to BIM and lean
manufacturing have shown a sustained upward trend (R² = 0.7863) and have entered
a phase of rapid development in recent years. Although fluctuations occurred in
some years, the overall growth trend is clear. However, the literature volume in this
field remains relatively small, indicating significant potential for future expansion in
the research database.

4.2.2 Country Analysis

Country Count Centrality Year

England 33 0.76 2015
China 32 0.08 2015
USA 19 0.28 2016
Brazil 15 0.08 2017
Spain 14 0.17 2019
Australia 12 0.09 2018
Italy 12 0.14 2017
Germany 10 0.09 2017
Chile 10 0.03 2020
Canada 9 0.07 2019

figure 2 Country Analysis

In this section, this research selected the top ten countries by number of published
papers for a list analysis. Centrality refers to the number of connections and
connection weights, thereby assigning relative importance (Opsahl, Agneessens, and
Skvoretz, 2010). As shown in Figure 2, international research on the integration of
BIM and lean construction in the literature from 2015 to 2025 exhibits a trend of
multi-country publications and collaborative publications. As shown in Table 2,
among the literature selected over these 11 years, the earliest academic publication
on the integration of BIM and lean construction was released by England and China
in 2015, although several publications had already discussed this topic prior to that.
From a temporal distribution perspective, this year marked the peak starting point
for literature output in this field for these two countries, indicating that they had
already invested significant research efforts at an early stage. The United States saw
an increase in literature output from the second year onwards and played a crucial
role in the international collaboration network during this phase with a relatively
high intermediary centrality (0.28). Subsequently, the involvement of Brazil, Italy,
Germany, and other countries further expanded the geographical diversity of the
research. Additionally, the United States, China, and the United Kingdom have the
largest node sizes in Figure 2, reflecting their high literature output and significant
collaborative influence. Spain and Brazil, though with relatively fewer outputs (14
and 15 papers respectively), hold important positions in certain regional
collaboration literature. Notably, countries like Canada, Chile, and Australia, despite
having lower output volumes than the core nations, maintain close ties with major
countries in terms of research topics.

According to the chart statistics, there are significant differences in research output
among countries in the integration of BIM and lean construction. Countries like China
and the United Kingdom have a higher number of publications, primarily due to their
early adoption of BIM and lean concepts and their pioneering efforts in industry
digital transformation. These countries not only possess advanced research and
industrial foundations but have also accumulated rich case studies through policies,
regulations, and large-scale construction projects, such as the UK's BIM Level 2 and
China's Shanghai Tower project (Alwan, Jones, and Holgate, 2017; Bi and Jia, 2015),
which have driven sustained academic research output. Additionally, core countries
like the UK and the US have high centrality, maintaining close research collaborations
with multiple nations. This high centrality enables them to effectively integrate
resources and experiences from different countries and research groups into their
own research, thereby promoting the diversification and innovation of research
topics.

In contrast, although China ranks among the high-output countries with 32 papers,
its centrality is only 0.08, indicating that its international cooperation coverage is
relatively limited, and research exchanges exhibit regional characteristics. China's low
centrality to some extent suggests that while it has a high output volume, its
influence in international research may be relatively low. Additionally, this also
indicates that China has more limited knowledge sources and a narrower scope of
collaboration. Countries following Canada have even fewer research publications,
with many countries publishing only one paper. This may be attributed to insufficient
engineering practices combining BIM and lean methodologies, the absence of
national-level promotion policies, and low participation in international academic
exchanges. Additionally, this may be because some non-English-speaking countries
face language and publishing system barriers in international journal publications.
Scholars from these non-English-speaking countries may prefer to use their native
languages for literature dissemination, resulting in lower statistical output in
international databases.

4.2.3 Keywords with the Strongest Citation Bursts

figure 3 19 Keywords with the Strongest Citation Bursts

A burst refers to a sudden increase in the frequency of a certain type of event within a certain
period of time (CiteSpace, 2025). This section employs citation burst analysis to identify keywords
with a significant increase in citation volume over a specific time period, ultimately selecting 19
keywords. Although the keyword bursting analysis results of this research show that the intensity
of most emerging keywords is at a relatively low level, mainly in the 1.5–2.0 range, with a
maximum value of 3.12. Additionally, these keywords demonstrated high continuity during their
burst periods, such as facility management and IPD, whose burst spans lasted up to 3–5 years.
This suggests that the research hotspots in the integration of BIM and Lean Construction do not
follow a rapidly changing short-term trend but instead maintain a relatively stable focus over the
long term. Unlike keywords in emerging technology fields that experience explosive growth in the
short term, the hotspots in BIM–Lean research are more focused on deepening and expanding
existing theoretical and technical frameworks, evolving from early-stage basic technology
applications and feasibility analyses to recent areas such as sustainability, time and IPD.

It is worth noting that one possible factor contributing to the relatively low strength is that some
literature on the integration of BIM and Lean construction is scattered across various sources
such as websites, news articles, conference reports, and industry reports, which were excluded
during the initial literature screening phase and thus not reflected in the bibliometric analysis.

4.2.4 Keyword Clustering Analysis

figure 4 Keyword Clustering Analysis

The keyword clustering diagram shows that when largest K=6, there are six effective clusters
in the research on the integration of BIM and Lean Construction, which represent the main
themes of the overall research in this field. The weighted mean silhouette of these clusters
was 0.7744. When the silhouette coefficient exceeds 0.7, it indicates that the clusters exhibit
high homogeneity, and the research findings are persuasive (Sarle, Kaufman, and Rousseeuw,
1991). This research analyses the six main clusters with silhouette coefficients above 0.7,
which include building projects, last planner system, construction megaprojects, building
production, artificial intelligence, and design. Specifically, cluster 0 ‘building projects’ is
located at the network centre and is the core theme of the study, covering research on building
project management, delivery models, and performance evaluation. This cluster serves as the
primary hub connecting other thematic areas, indicating its key role in integrating BIM
applications and lean principles across different project phases. Closely linked to the central
cluster is Cluster 1 ‘Last Planner System,’ which focuses on lean construction planning and
control methods, particularly the application of the Last Planner System (LPS) as a
collaborative production planning tool. It also explores how BIM's information sharing and
visualisation simulation capabilities enhance the implementation effectiveness of LPS. The
proximity and overlap between Cluster 0 and Cluster 1 also highlight the synergistic
relationship between BIM and the lean construction framework.

Cluster 3, ‘Building Production,’ is another theme highly related to Cluster 0, emphasising

construction process optimisation, resource allocation, and productivity improvement.
Research in this cluster typically explores how BIM-driven scheduling, 4D modelling, and
prefabrication align with lean objectives of reducing waste and creating value. The close
connection between Clusters 0, 1, and 3 indicates that most current research focuses on
integrating BIM into the core operational processes of lean construction, particularly within
the plan–execute–optimise continuum during the construction phase.

In contrast, Cluster 5 ‘Design’ is located on the periphery of the network but remains an
important thematic area, focusing on multidisciplinary collaboration during the design phase
and leveraging BIM's parametric modelling and 3D visualisation capabilities to advance lean
principles. However, its weaker connection to central clusters suggests that BIM–lean
integration in the design phase is less mature than in the construction phase. Cluster 4
‘artificial intelligence’ represents an emerging research frontier, primarily focusing on using
AI to analyse BIM datasets, optimise construction processes, and predict project risks. Its
peripheral position and smaller scale indicate that AI integration is still in its early stages but
may have a significant impact on BIM–Lean collaboration in the future.

Cluster 2 ‘construction megaprojects’ focuses on large-scale and complex infrastructure or

building projects, which typically involve multiple stakeholders, high uncertainty, and
complex logistics challenges. Research in this cluster primarily explores how BIM and lean
tools can improve coordination, reduce rework, and enhance decision-making capabilities.
Although the themes are independent, the moderate connection with the central cluster
suggests that experiences in large-scale project management can provide insights for broader
BIM–lean strategies, particularly in terms of scalability and risk management.

The cluster diagram shows that research is highly concentrated on project execution and
planning (Cluster 0, Cluster 1, Cluster 3), while integration during the design phase (Cluster
5) and connections with other technologies (Cluster 4) are relatively weaker. Additionally,
Cluster 0 indicates that the research focus in this field remains on actual project delivery
issues, with technological and methodological innovations centred around this core. This
aligns with the historical development trajectory of the field, where BIM adoption initially
focused on enhancing project delivery efficiency, and the introduction of Lean principles
aimed to reduce waste and improve workflow reliability.
For this research, these clustering patterns are directly relevant: the core clusters align closely
with the research question, namely how to enhance BIM–Lean integration during the
construction phase to improve project performance. Cluster 1 and Cluster 3 offer
methodological and operational insights, while Cluster 4 and Cluster 5 point to potential
directions for integrating technology and design phases. The relative isolation of the AI and
design clusters also suggests that cross-fertilisation with core construction themes could
provide new avenues for enhancing BIM–Lean collaboration, particularly in predictive
analytics, sustainability, and collaborative decision-making.

4.2.5 Other digital tools used during the integration process

5 Discussion & Suggestions

5.1 Discussion

By conducting a comprehensive analysis of literature publication trends, national distribution,

keyword emergence, and clustering in the field of BIM–Lean Construction integration, we
can reveal the current state and development potential of this research direction from multiple
dimensions.

First and the Foremost, literature publication trend analysis can help identify the maturity
level and development stage of the technology (Lezama-Nicolás et al., 2018) and pinpoint key
time points driven by policy interventions and technological advancements. This trend
analysis not only helps trace the evolution of the field but also provides data-driven insights
for predicting future development directions, offering theoretical support for integrating new
technologies in subsequent stages. The trend in the number of published papers indicates that
the integration of BIM and lean construction has entered a stable and mature stage, with
research priorities shifting from improving efficiency in local construction processes to
sustainable management and intelligent integration across the entire lifecycle. This trend
suggests that future development in this field will be driven by technological integration and
lifecycle optimisation.

In addition, the country analysis reveals the research activity levels and international
cooperation models of different countries in this field. Countries like the UK, which combine
high output with high centrality, can play a leading role in the formulation of technical
standards and the dissemination of methodologies, meaning that their research findings are
more likely to be widely adopted and disseminated. This enables these countries to achieve
cognitive levels on par with or even exceeding international standards in the integration of
BIM and lean construction. Countries with low centrality but high output (such as China) may
have rich local practical experience but may lack international standardisation capabilities,
which may result in research findings being difficult to integrate into the international
standardisation system or even failing to gain international recognition. This disparity
provides important reference for future cross-border collaboration and knowledge flow, as
well as a cautionary note for different countries in their strategic planning for technology
promotion and standardisation pathways.

Furthermore, keyword emergence and cluster analysis can track the formation and evolution
of research hotspots, reflecting the interconnectivity of different thematic modules within the
field and emerging research focuses. This research has evolved from an early focus on BIM's
foundational applications and feasibility analysis to encompassing higher-level issues such as
sustainability, time management, and IPD. This thematic evolution not only demonstrates the
continuous deepening and refinement of technical and managerial concepts but also provides
a basis for researchers to identify potential research gaps and emerging topics.

5.2 Suggestions

Aaa

6 Conclusion

7 Acknowledgement

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