SYNOPSIS

The construction industry has undergone massive changes through the years, evolving according to contemporary demands in terms of efficiency and optimisation of time and cost. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is one instrument that has facilitated this evolution and it has had a profound effect on the construction industry. It has greatly improved coordination among stakeholders, enhanced productivity, and increased profits. However, several factors still limit the application of BIM in the construction industry.

One of the challenges industry players faces is the resistance to this technology by the stakeholders themselves. In divulging the reasons behind this, it appears that the intricacies of the process rooted from the software origin itself and the related cost in maintaining the adoption in the stakeholders’ set up are among the causes resulting to major setbacks. Others include management, personnel, and legal issues.

However, there are precedents emerging that propagate the potential success and benefits of BIM adoption in the construction industry. This will pave the way forward in ensuring the acceptance and vast implementation of BIM technology the industry.


BIODATA OF SPEAKER

Latipah Abu, the founder of L.A Architect trained and worked in Australia before returning to practice in Kuala Lumpur. She graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture (Distinction) from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in 1987 and incorporated the practice L. A Architect in 1994. She is also a GBI Facilitator and an IBS Consultant.

Through her years as an Architect she was exposed to various architectural challenges and has over the years been influenced by the notion of function versus aesthetics and deals with this by paying special attention to always developing a concept that fully personifies the aspirations of the Client.

Her work ranges from mass housing to institutional, commercial and mixed developments, sports facilities, recreational centers, institutional, industrial as well as lab facilities. She seeks to develop her designs by integrating new technological developments with sustainable solutions and has several GBI accredited jobs including GBI Gold projects.

Her vast experience in diversified projects has allowed her to possess a strong appreciation of the multitude of complexities involved in the successful implementation of the job. Throughout her practice she has broadened her field experience in the execution of building contracts, ensuring always that the role of the architect is performed with due diligence and integrity. This has ultimately contributed to her enriched sense of professionalism and broadened practice overview.

Her strong belief and conviction in new methods of implementation became the driving force behind the firm’s successful accomplishments in BIM implementation. She recognized not only the potential but more importantly the refinement in the building design process that BIM offers and pursued it until what was deemed impossible became possible when the firm finally became recognized as the first to be a full BIM Architecture practice.