Construction project software reshaping how buildings are designed, built and run

Global, October 6, 2025

News Summary

A market forecast reveals rapid adoption of BIM, AI and IoT across architecture, engineering, construction and operations. BIM is evolving from visualization into a multi-dimensional platform that integrates scheduling, cost, sustainability and maintenance data while feeding from real-time IoT to create digital twins. Firms report faster clash resolution, reduced rework and improved collaboration, though interoperability costs, cultural change and training remain barriers. Examples show large reductions in change orders and materials waste. Vendors are consolidating around lifecycle platforms even as standards like ISO 19650 and openBIM work to close data gaps and improve long-term asset management.

Construction project software forecast to 2033 highlights rapid BIM, AI and IoT uptake and key hurdles

A new market forecast titled Construction Project Management Software Market Size, Future Growth and Forecast 2033 signals accelerated adoption of digital tools across the architecture, engineering, construction and operations sector. The report highlights rapid uptake of BIM, AI and IoT, growing vendor activity, and persistent costs tied to interoperability and cultural change.

Top-line findings

The forecast places strong emphasis on building information modeling (BIM) as a platform that serves as a digital platform, visualization tool and an evolving way of working in the AECO industry. BIM is described as organizing design and construction data and addressing fragmentation and inefficiencies. It provides a shared, continually updated 3D model that can become a single source of truth, reducing RFIs and redundant emails and improving visualization, decision-making and resource management across all project phases.

Why the industry is changing

The forecast and supporting analysis point to long-standing productivity challenges. According to McKinsey (cited), large construction projects typically take 20% longer to finish and are 80% over budget on average. Construction-sector productivity has declined since the 1990s, and the sector remains one of the least digitalized in the economy, second only to agriculture and hunting (as stated). The AECO industry is highly fragmented and organized as a network of regional and local firms producing largely bespoke buildings, which has driven demand for shared digital systems.

How BIM is being used

BIM finds users across the building lifecycle: designers at architecture firms, engineers, builders at construction firms, operations and maintenance specialists, and building owners. Multi-dimensional BIM integrates scheduling, cost, sustainability and maintenance data. Examples include 4D BIM for time and sequencing, 5D BIM for cost, 6D BIM for sustainability and carbon metrics, and 7D BIM for maintenance and operations data such as warranties and inspection schedules.

Digital twin implementations combine BIM with IoT sensors to provide real-time data on ambient temperature, moisture, energy consumption and system diagnostics. These applications support optimized operations and reduced lifecycle costs; the report notes that 70%–80% of a building’s overall lifetime cost occurs after its construction.

Benefits, automation and case examples

BIM coordination tools automatically generate reports and metrics and can push those outputs to relevant team members. Automated takeoff and clash detection reduce manual counting and rework. An example given is that engineers on a high-rise project reduced change orders by 80% compared to similar projects through clash detection. A digital twin example shows diagnostics and monitoring were used on a landmark tower that combined Revit and cloud collaboration tools during construction and operations.

Other real projects and outcomes cited include an adaptive reuse job that salvaged 70% of construction materials, saving 12,000 tons of embodied carbon and cutting 13 months from the schedule after applying reality capture and BIM coordination tools. Parametric modeling and collaborative platforms have been used to win design awards for complex forms while maintaining sustainability aims.

Technology spread and toolset

Commonly referenced platforms include Revit, AutoCAD, Civil 3D, Navisworks, ReCap Pro, BIM Collaborate Pro, BIM 360 and specialist AI and analytics layers. Game engines are being used to boost visualization. AR/VR and reality-capture overlays are used on-site to compare plans with as-built conditions and to guide assembly. Product-level innovations include plug-ins that auto-generate bills of materials and claim to cut time searching for components by 75%.

Standards, costs and interoperability

Standardization has advanced: UK Standard 1192 evolved into ISO 19650 in 2018. A BIM Execution Plan should be assembled by the whole team to define roles, responsibilities, platforms, deliverables, schedules and sharing parameters. Start-up investments typically cover hardware, software and training, with extra costs for customization and process change. Measuring BIM ROI remains difficult because benefits are often preventative and distributed across participants.

Interoperability problems persist. A NIST study cited in the material found that lack of interoperability in facilities management costs building owners $15.8 billion annually, equating to $0.23 per square foot per year. The forecast notes that many nations have mandated BIM on public projects and that open, non-proprietary platforms are becoming more common.

Adoption challenges and change management

Challenges include technical incompatibilities, cybersecurity gaps specific to BIM, and cultural shifts. The content emphasizes the need for grassroots buy-in, role clarity and targeted training. Recommended rollout strategies include piloting BIM on projects already underway rather than starting on brand-new projects, phased implementation, SaaS to spread upfront costs and middleware to reduce integration friction.

Industry players and organizational context

The material includes company-level facts and histories, staff and office addresses for major software groups and service providers, and notes awards and corporate reporting. One long-standing group presented in the material traces origins back to 1963, lists recent awards and publications, and provides office addresses in Munich and multiple cities worldwide. Another featured service provider lists global office addresses and claimed delivery metrics for software projects. These items are presented as neutral facts about vendors and service firms active in the space.

Practical next steps for firms

Recommended steps include auditing current processes, defining objectives, selecting suitable technologies such as BIM, IoT and AI/ML, planning integration and data migration, piloting on underway projects, monitoring outcomes and fostering a culture that embraces change. Security measures such as encryption and exploratory blockchain solutions are mentioned as future directions for protecting BIM data.

All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V., its licensors, and contributors.

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Key features table

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

Additional Resources

• ScienceDirect: Article S0926580520310219
• Wikipedia: Building information modeling
• Autodesk: BIM — Building Information Modeling
• Google Search: BIM building information modeling
• Nemetschek Group: About Us
• Google Scholar: Nemetschek openBIM
• Indian Infrastructure: Building efficiency — Advanced technologies (Feb 5, 2025)
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Building information modeling
• Appinventiv: Digital transformation in construction
• Google News: BIM construction digital transformation

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