BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING (BIM): A NEW APPROACH TO IMPROVING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN THE Z.C.I.INTRODUCTIONThe construction industry has been facing a paradigm shift to increase productivity, efficiency, and infrastructure value as well as reducing lifecycle cost and duplications. As a suite of process tools, BIM creates a new level of transparency for project stakeholders. It enables waste reduction and improves profitability. It allows valuable project information to adhere to project objectives and creates a reporting mechanism for those who need project information. Benefits include a planning basis for planners, a go/no-go platform-assessment system for decision makers and a single collection point for all data that a project generates (Newman, 2013)This research study aims to show how BIM adoption when applied to the Z.C.I can help regulate the discrepancies that are encountered between the design plan and actual construction. It is expected that this research could contribute to the extensive application of BIM to achieve clients requirement with reduced cost, time and material wastage through Integrated Project Delivery. PROBLEM STATEMENTThere is little integration between designers and contractors during the design stage resulting into variances between the design and actual construction. This usually leads to modifications to be made after actual construction has begun.AIM OF RESEARCHThe aim of this research is to show how a BIM approach will integrate designers and contractors in ensuring that design intent is preserved all the way through to construction phase.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES To investigate the current practices of designers and contractors at design stage in the Z.C.I To investigate the whether the client requirements are met by designers and contractors using the current design practice To establish ways in which the BIM approach integrate designers and contractors to achieve clients requirements To assess and establish the feasibility of a BIM approach in improving design and construction in the Z.C.IRESEARCH HYPOTHESISThe use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) improves design and construction through integration of designers and contractors. RESEARCH QUESTIONS What are the current practices of designers and contractors at the design stage of construction? How does the current design practice achieve the clients requirements? How does the BIM approach integrate designers and contractors? What is the significance of introducing a BIM approach in the Z.C.I?SCOPE OF RESEARCHThis research will be limited to a Target Population of clients, contractors and designers in the Copperbelt as well as Lusaka provinces as this is where the large number of contractors are located. As this research is only aimed at ensuring that design intent is preserved all the way through to construction phase, this research will only focus on how the BIM approach will achieve Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) amongst its many other applications. SIGNIFICANT OF THE RESEARCHThis research introduces a new approach that will help in delivering clients project objectives through the use of the BIM approach that will Integrated both the designers and contractors from the initial design stage all the way through to construction phase. By using this approach, design problems will be realised and solved earlier before actual construction can commence therefore reducing construction reworks.RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used.Primary Sources: interviews will be conducted with professionals and institutions responsible for cost management Secondary sources: these will include both published and unpublished books, journals, internet articles and dissertations.