Southeast Asia (SEA) is undergoing a dramatic transformation in its infrastructure landscape. From the ambitious Changi Airport Terminal 5 in Singapore to Indonesia’s burgeoning new capital, Nusantara, and large-scale public transport projects across the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia, the region’s skyline and built environment are evolving at a rapid pace.
At the core of these mega-projects lies a crucial principle: adaptability. In a region experiencing rapid growth, ensuring that infrastructure is built with longevity from the outset is essential. Having worked closely with construction projects across SEA, I’ve witnessed first-hand how vital it is to establish strong foundations early on — because no one wants to face costly overhauls or retrofitting two decades down the line.
Despite this remarkable growth, SEA is grappling with a widening infrastructure gap. Economic expansion, urbanisation, and population growth are driving demand at a pace that existing infrastructure struggles to match. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the region’s infrastructure deficit is projected to reach between US$2.8 trillion and US$3.1 trillion by 2030. Adding to this challenge is the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, driven by climate change, which underscores the need for resilient, sustainable infrastructure.
In these circumstances, ensuring that construction is future-focused and resilient requires smarter, more adaptive approaches.
The call for smarter solutions
For over two decades, building information modelling (BIM) has transformed the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO) industries. It has enabled highly detailed digital models that describe, connect, and visualise design elements down to the smallest components.
For instance, BIM is being used in large, complex infrastructure projects like airports, allowing teams to create intricate 3D models that encompass every element of the terminal — from passenger flow layouts to baggage systems and mechanical components. The precision offered by BIM enables architects and engineers to digitally simulate passengers’ experiences throughout an airport’s lifespan, incorporating relevant considerations early in the design process to minimise rework. BIM also facilitates smoother construction phases by fostering real-time collaboration across teams, enhancing efficiency.
While BIM has improved collaboration, streamlined processes, and optimised designs, traditional BIM tools often fall short in addressing ongoing industry challenges. Construction teams frequently struggle to extract meaningful insights from the wealth of data generated, making it difficult to anticipate risks or adapt to evolving requirements. This is compounded by the AECO sector’s ongoing difficulty in attracting skilled labour, as older workers retire even as demand for high-performing infrastructure continues to grow across SEA.
To meet the needs of increasingly complex projects, the construction industry must adopt a more sophisticated approach.
The next generation of construction planning
While traditional building information modelling has served the industry well, the growing focus on sustainable buildings across the Asia-Pacific region necessitates a different approach to BIM implementation.
Rather than replacing traditional BIM, outcome-based BIM complements it by focusing on predefined outcomes. It enables teams to maximise the potential of their resources by identifying the best option from thousands of possibilities based on criteria such as sustainability, construction timelines, cost, and social or environmental impact.
Outcome-based BIM also allows teams to leverage interconnected data for smarter and more effective decision-making during the planning phase. This enhanced data capability not only helps projects stay on track but also integrates AI-driven insights to improve productivity, optimise design choices, and mitigate risks. By embedding AI throughout the project lifecycle, outcome-based BIM can help teams prioritise key sustainability factors — such as carbon impact, energy efficiency, and occupant comfort — from the outset.
For example, AI-powered tools can generate insights into the long-term impact of construction choices, identify potential bottlenecks due to usage requirements, and produce designs that meet stringent environmental standards throughout a building’s lifecycle. This accelerates decision-making, ensures alignment with project objectives, and helps teams stay within budget and schedule constraints. Additionally, AI can assist in balancing sustainability and cost considerations while optimising performance across the entire lifespan of an asset.
The path ahead: building for longevity and resilience
Beyond technology upgrades, the future of the AECO industry requires a fundamental rethink of how infrastructure projects deliver value — not just at the point of completion, but throughout their lifespan. With significant investments pouring into infrastructure, data centres, and renewable energy projects across SEA, the adoption of outcome-based BIM is set to play a critical role in the region’s sustainable growth.
To build for longevity, we must get it right from the beginning — constructing with purpose and foresight. In a rapidly evolving region like SEA, where challenges are ever-present, outcome-based BIM is key to ensuring today’s mega-projects stand the test of time and provide infrastructure that serves communities for generations to come.
