Building Information Modelling for Prevention through Design: An Exploratory Structural Model of Factors Influencing Its Adoption

Prevention through design (PtD) is an approach to construction safety management. However, previous research has shown that its adoption rate in the construction industry is considerably slow because of the lack of PtD tools among designers. Previous research suggested that building information modelling (BIM) has the potential to support construction safety assessments, specifically in PtD. This study aimed to explore socio-technical factors influencing the adoption of BIM for PtD. The study examined how socio-technical aspects of BIM affected designers’ decisions to adopt BIM for PtD. A theoretical model was developed by extending the technology acceptance model. The structural equation modelling analysis was utilised to substantiate the model’s components based on data collected from 131 structural designers in the Philippines. The model shed light on the impact of BIM’s socio-technical qualities on adopting BIM for PtD. Results determined that the perceived usefulness and the relative advantage of BIM for PtD influence the behavioural intention of designers to adopt BIM for PtD directly. However, the perceived benefit and ease of use of BIM for PtD indirectly affected the designer’s intent to adopt PtD. The study further synthesised and explained the model’s theoretical and practical implications. As an exploratory effort to empirically model the adoption of BIM for PtD through integrating the socio-technical qualities of BIM, this study contributes to a deepened understanding of how designers will interact with BIM to implement such innovative technology for PtD.