BIM-enabled energy retrofitting: a critical review of current status and future prospects

• Reviews 88 studies on BIM-Energy Retrofitting Frameworks (BIM-ERFs). • Identifies disconnect between theoretical BIM-ERFs and practical application. • Pre-retrofit stage is critically underrepresented in existing studies. • Most studies focus on design stage using BIM and energy simulation. • Calls for standardization of information requirements to support real-world use. In response to climate change and carbon reduction targets, there is an urgent need for countries to reduce energy consumption in the building sector. Existing building stock represents 80% of the buildings that will be present in 2050, and energy retrofitting of these unsustainable buildings is essential in achieving the carbon targets. However, energy retrofitting is a multiplex process plagued with inefficiencies, leading to limited adoption and poor decision making worldwide. If applied correctly, Building Information Modelling (BIM) has the potential to improve this process and support more effective retrofit decisions. Previous studies have successfully adopted BIM-Energy Retrofitting Frameworks (BIM-ERFs) to enable optimum decision making for energy retrofitting projects. In theory BIM-ERFs work, however, in practice this is yet to be fully realized. This study critically reviews 88 recently published BIM-ERF studies via a systematic literature review to identify why this gap persists. The review shows that while these frameworks typically cover the pre-retrofit, design and analysis, construction, and post-retrofit stages, majority of the studies focus primarily on design and analysis stage, such as using BIM for energy analysis (67 studies), far fewer addressing the pre-retrofit stage, including only eight mentions for BIM standards. This concentration on one stage limits the frameworks’ practical impact. Accordingly, this study points to future research towards expanding BIM-ERFs to include key aspects of the pre-retrofit stage, including standardization and information requirements. Such expansion will help unlock the full potential of BIM-ERFs, driving the building sector towards more optimal and accelerated energy retrofitting of buildings.