Offering a preventive solution to defects in commercial building facility system using BIM

Purpose Commercial building facility systems are costly, and due to the complexity of operation and maintenance (O&M), some failures can cause irreversible expensive damage. Currently, few capabilities of building information modeling (BIM) have been used in the facility maintenance operation. The purpose of this paper is to use a tool for making it easier to predict preventable defects in commercial building facility systems by examining a complete BIM. Design/methodology/approach To this end, a list of frequent defects in the facility system was achieved by a review of commercial building literature. Then, by examining a complete BIM model, the available methods and tools for O&M facilities during the operation period are identified and analyzed. Findings The results of the paper show that the solution presented based on total productive maintenance (TPM) subsets can effectively prevent facility system defects during the operation and maintenance period. An expert team assesses the validation of results. Originality/value The findings can help facility managers to adopt measures using TPM methods to prevent defects through an integrated BIM platform. The examination is based on case studies, surveys, expert experience and a thorough literature review.