Rethinking Liabilities and Responsibilities: Towards a Balanced Risk-Sharing Framework in BIM

Dept. of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

^* hairunamirah@graduate.utm.my

Abstract

By enhancing digital collaboration, transparency, and efficiency across the project lifecycle, Building Information Modelling (BIM) has completely transformed the construction business. However, risk distribution, responsibility, and legal clarity are complicated issues with BIM-based projects, which frequently result in disagreements and a decline in stakeholder collaboration. The shared duties present in BIM settings are still not adequately addressed by current contractual frameworks. This paper argues for the necessity of developing an equitable risk-sharing model to enhance stakeholders’ cooperative behavior in BIM-based construction projects. Rather than reporting empirical results, this paper positions the issue as a critical research gap in current BIM practices. Building Information Modelling (BIM) has revolutionized the way the construction industry works together, but it also creates new issues with risk distribution, responsibility, and liability. The shared obligations and complicated liabilities present in BIM systems cannot be adequately addressed by current contractual frameworks. This article makes the case that these difficulties necessitate a rethinking of how risk is distributed across BIM stakeholders. Rather than conducting new empirical research, this paper critically reflects on existing literature and positions the need for future research to develop frameworks that align fairness, trust, and cooperative behavior in BIM environments. This study illustrates how ambiguity in risk allocation affects trust, hinders collaboration, and leads to conflicts by synthesizing prior research. It finds that in order to increase collaboration, lessen conflict, and improve project efficiency, a fair and balanced risk-sharing structure is essential. In order to create, validate, and use an equitable risk-sharing model in BIM-based projects, the article urges further empirical research.