The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

www.emeraldinsight.com/0263-2772.htm

F
34,13/14
Serious games as a virtual
training ground for relocation to
a new healthcare facility
788 Christoph Merschbrock, Ann Karina Lassen and Tor Tollnes
Department of Civil Engineering and Energy Technology,
Received 25 February 2015
Revised 6 May 2015 Oslo and Akershus University College, Oslo, Norway, and
15 November 2015
Accepted 4 January 2016 Bjørn Erik Munkvold
Department of Information Systems, University of Agder,
Kristiansand, Norway

Abstract
Purpose – This paper aims to enquire into how building information modelling (BIM) and gaming can
be integrated to support professionals in their learning about the spatial layout of a new building. This
knowledge is important to prepare building operation and facilities management (FM).
Design/methodology/approach – Ingrained in task–technology fit theory, this paper reports from a
case study of a serious game staged in the graphical environment of a building information model. A
series of interviews with the client, subject-matter experts and software developers involved in
developing the game were conducted. The industrial setting for the study is a major hospital
construction project in Norway. The project has been awarded BuildingSMART’s 2015 award for
“outstanding open BIM practice”, making it Norway’s role model for BIM practice.
Findings – Importing and exporting geometry from BIM into a game engine remain challenging. The
transfer of data between the two requires workarounds using intermediary software. Apart from issues
related to technical interoperability, several sociotechnical challenges influential for the integration of
BIM and gaming have been identified, related to: the collaboration among construction, operational and
gaming experts; clear communication of information needs; and better contractual agreements.
Research limitations/implications – BIM’s geometric and semantic data enabled the creation of a
sophisticated game for preparing building operation. Test-users perceived the game to be superior to
classroom teaching for learning about the spatial layout of the building. However, quantifying the business
value of the game for operation after occupancy of the new facilities was beyond the scope of this study.
Originality/value – The work presented exemplifies a novel application area of BIM and gaming
technology in FM. The findings presented in this article are relevant for professionals and scholars
seeking to expand the utility of BIM for starting up the operation of new facilities.
Keywords Information systems, Relocation, Organizational change, Facilities management,
Work organization, Computer facilities management
Paper type Research paper

The authors would like to thank the Associate Editor and the anonymous reviewers for their
constructive suggestions. Furthermore, all the support provided by the South-Eastern Norway
Facilities Regional Health Authority (Helse Sør-Øst) is gratefully acknowledged.
Vol. 34 No. 13/14, 2016
pp. 788-808 An early version of this article has been presented for an audience of gaming researchers at the
© Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0263-2772
21st Norwegian Symposium on Information Technology and Organizations (Merschbrock et al.,
DOI 10.1108/F-02-2015-0008 2014).
Introduction Healthcare
High-quality data and information created from advanced information systems (ISs), such facility
as building information modelling (BIM), are considered valuable assets for the
management of today’s sophisticated facilities (Becerik-Gerber et al., 2011; Rundell, 2006;
Teicholz, 2013). Consequently, an increasing number of building owners and operators
prioritize BIM utilization in design, construction and facilities management (FM)
(McGraw-Hill, 2012). The term computer-integrated FM refers to the reuse of digital project 789
information created throughout design and construction in FM (Yu et al., 2000). Despite an
increasing BIM technology uptake in project planning, limited consideration is given to
operation, maintenance and end-of-life disposal of buildings (Shen et al., 2010). Thus, few
BIM models are developed with the purpose of providing accurate data, information and
knowledge required for FM (Liu and Issa, 2014; Teicholz, 2013). As a result, FM struggles to
reap the benefits of BIM technology (Arayici et al., 2012).
A recent survey study reporting on important FM research trends in the Nordic countries
argues that information technology continues to be an important theme in further
developing the sector (Jensen et al., 2014). This is echoed by research reviews calling for
further work expanding BIM’s utility for management and maintenance of built structures,
facilities and infrastructure (Merschbrock and Munkvold, 2012; Shen et al., 2010). In line with
this, we explore how BIM’s utility for FM can be enhanced. The BIM application area
focussed in this article is relocation management in FM. As organizations respond to their
business “climate”, their facilities change to provide best support for core operations and
processes (Alexander, 1996). Change scenarios such as the relocation of organizations to new
facilities or refurbishments of existing facilities need to be carefully managed to prevent
inefficiencies and downtime (Airo et al., 2012; Bull and Brown, 2012).
Preparing a workforce well ahead of starting-up can curb inefficient downtime and
improve services delivered to clients and customers, which are core priorities for FM
(Jensen, 2010). A recent example of what can go seriously wrong when healthcare
personnel are not trained well enough before relocating, is the new Akershus University
Hospital in Norway, where the police is investigating 11 suspicious patient deaths
related to the moving-in process (Lerø, 2012). By focusing on BIM use in staff training
before workplace change, the employees’ familiarity with a new facility can be increased
(Arayici et al., 2012; Raju et al., 2011). Despite BIM being a powerful tool for visualization
in building design, it has not been built for educational purposes. Thus, scholars have
suggested utilizing BIM models as graphical environments in digital game-based
learning (DGBL) (Raju et al., 2011). DGBL is the newest trend in e-learning and has
become an important part of the global education and training market (Prensky, 2007;
Susi et al., 2007). DGBL can be defined as the use of computer/video games for
educational purposes such as professional training (Breuer and Bente, 2010). In this
article, we study a digital learning system which we from here on refer to as a “serious
game”, a more widely used term for DGBL (Susi et al., 2007).
Digital games and their motivating features are widely perceived as useful and attractive
new methods of delivering educational content (Boyle et al., 2011; Charsky, 2010; Connolly
et al., 2012; De Freitas, 2006; Sward et al., 2008). This is echoed by serious games becoming
increasingly diffused in businesses, industry, marketing, healthcare, education and
governments (Sawyer and Smith, 2008). The success of serious games in the educational
market has been ascribed to “learning which can be more engaging with the induction of an
underlying game, and the current generation of learners who have grown up in a digital
F environment” (Yusoff et al., 2009, p. 21). While the adoption of serious games is a
34,13/14 well-developed research area, the link to BIM in the context of architecture, engineering,
construction (AEC) and FM is less well studied (Liu et al., 2015). Joining BIM and gaming
technology offers several benefits for the AEC/FM disciplines, including “3D walkthroughs,
interactive visualisation, virtual collaboration, design and planning to education, training
and simulation” (Raju et al., 2011, p. 2). BIM’s geometric data also aid the generation of levels
790 and maps in games (Yan et al., 2011). Moreover, object-oriented programming in BIM tools
and games supports their integration (Yan et al., 2011). So far there is “limited research
focused on using BIM as […] 3D virtual environment for collaboration, learning and/or
training” (Shen et al., 2012, p. 1212).
In this article, we contribute to the discourse on integrating BIM and gaming by
reporting on the development of a 3D role-play serious game used to prepare
professionals for relocating to a new, yet unbuilt, hospital facility. In doing so, we draw
attention to BIM-based gaming as a novel approach to prepare the relocation of a
workforce to a new facility, and we illustrate some of the challenges this involves.
Against the background that downtime can be reduced and even lives can be saved,
considering BIM-gaming integration in the context of healthcare FM is worthwhile. The
research question addressed in this article is:
RQ1. How can BIM and gaming be integrated to support professionals in their
learning about the spatial layout of a new building?
We present the results of a case study conducted in a hospital construction project in
Norway. The case constitutes Norway’s first BIM and gaming integration with the
purpose of building operation testing. Moreover, the project has been awarded
BuildingSMART’s 2015 award for “outstanding open BIM practice”, making it
Norway’s role model for BIM practice. The project entailed the development of “the
Ward”, a serious game intended to familiarize healthcare professionals with their new
work environment. The new hospital ward differs from those in older hospitals by its
architectural layout, the building automation systems used and its medical equipment.
We present the findings of a series of interviews conducted with several key persons
involved in the development and testing of the game. Task–technology fit (TTF) theory
(Goodhue and Thompson, 1995) serves as a starting point for our analysis of the actions
undertaken throughout the development process to integrate BIM and gaming, and to
ensure that the game would fit its purpose.

Related research
Combining BIM and gaming is a relatively new discourse in the field of construction
informatics (Liu et al., 2015). Triggered by the recent evolution of both technologies,
construction informatics researchers begin to explore the potential that lies within
combining them (Raju et al., 2011). Early examples of this stream of research can be found in
the 2011 special issue on “BIM and serious gaming” published in the Journal of Information
Technology in Construction. Topics discussed in this release include: BIM-based games for
construction site safety training (Lin et al., 2011), education of forklift drivers working in the
future facility (Juang et al., 2011) and the use of games to optimize a building’s design
(Shiratuddin and Thabet, 2011). This work indicates that construction researchers find a
range of prospective application areas and benefits of this combinatorial innovation. More
recent examples of trying to apply the new technology include BIM-based games combined
with sensor technology as a means for assessing a building’s state, including temperature Healthcare
and energy consumption (Chiang et al., 2015; Fürst et al., 2014). Others suggest using these facility
technologies for elderly care and related building automation (Wu, 2015). Moreover, there is
growing interest to apply BIM-based games for building design review by users (Edwards
et al., 2015). Some research suggests using BIM-based games displayed on handheld devices
for fire emergency evacuations (Wang et al., 2014). Thus, there is a wide array of thinkable
application areas of the new technology and construction researchers are just beginning to 791
understand its implications.
While there appears to be wide agreement that integrating BIM and gaming is
worthwhile, it is all but easy, and researchers report a number of challenges, especially
when large, data-heavy BIM models are to be incorporated in game engines (Dalton and
Parfitt, 2013; Edwards et al., 2015). There is a focus on overcoming challenges related to
the technological integration of BIM and gaming as the following quote illustrates:
“importing the Revit model into Unity via the FBX file format will lose some parameter
information, e.g. the material color or texture” (Chiang et al., 2015). Consequently,
scholars begin to suggest workflows and IT solutions assisting the technological
integration (Chiang et al., 2015). Because the technology is still in its infancy, most of the
practical “use cases” presented in literature are based on laboratory experiments run in
universities (Chiang et al., 2015; Edwards et al., 2015; Fürst et al., 2014). Perhaps due to
the novelty of BIM-based games, their application in the industry is rare.
Norway’s construction industry is a global leader in BIM adoption and use (Smith, 2014).
This article presents an early case of an industrial BIM-based gaming application in
Norway. Moreover, the end to which the system is used can be seen as a novel application
area of this technology. BIM-based gaming can assist in preparing organizations for
workplace change in projects where communication and spatial information is essential
(Bull and Brown, 2012). Thus, this article contributes to the body of literature by:
• studying a novel application area of BIM-based games, namely relocation training
in FM; and
• providing an early case of an industrial application of the technology.

Theoretical lens
The application of a technology in a novel area can be investigated based on theoretical
models explaining software use and linking it to work performance. The model chosen
for this study is the so-called TTF model, which facilitates the investigation of how well
a new system (e.g. BIM-based game) supports work performance (e.g. knowledge of the
new hospital’s spatial layout). Goodhue and Thompson (1995, p. 213) proposed the
concept of TTF to “better understand the linkage between the ISs and individual
performance”. The TTF construct is intended to serve as an indicator for evaluating the
extent to which a new system will be useful to assist its future users in doing their jobs.
Since its inception, TTF has been applied to the study of a wide range of ISs, including
group support systems (Zigurs and Buckland, 1998), e-procurement systems (Gebauer
and Shaw, 2004) and electronic knowledge repositories (Kankanhalli et al., 2005).
Early TTF models were criticised for their technological imperative perspective,
where improved job performance depends solely on technology and task characteristics
(Goodhue and Thompson, 1995). However, newer versions of the theoretical model
include the characteristics of the individuals involved (Goodhue, 1998). Similar as with
other theories used in ISs research, TTF has undergone a shift from what was a
F techno-centric focus to a better balanced socio-technical focus. For instance, Goodhue’s
34,13/14 (1998) research model suggests that task, individual and technological characteristics
all influence TTF. Based on a research review, Nan (2011) found that current TTF
research mainly focuses the correspondence between:
• task requirements or characteristics;
792 • individual abilities; and
• the functionality of an IT system.

Tasks are broadly defined as:

[…] the actions carried out by individuals in turning inputs into outputs. Task characteristics
of interest include those that might move a user to rely more heavily on certain aspects of
information technology […]. Characteristics of the individual (training, computer experience,
motivation) could affect how easily and well he or she will utilize the technology. […]
Technologies are viewed as tools used by individuals in carrying out their tasks. In the context
of ISs research, technology refers to computer systems (hardware, software, and data) and user
support services (training, help lines etc.) (Goodhue and Thompson, 1995, p. 216).
TTF highlights the importance of aligning the three aforementioned constructs for inducing
positive IT-enabled task performance, or, in other words, a TTF situation. Figure 1 presents
a graphical illustration of the constructs important in TTF. The TTF model has guided the
analysis in this article. Rooting the article in TTF and ISs theory aids the systematic
assessment of the utility of a BIM-based game for FM (Junghans and Olsson, 2014).

Method
The research strategy chosen to guide the inquiry is a case-study approach reporting on
game prototyping done by software developers. Data were collected through a
combination of semi-structured interviews, a focus group interview and document
analysis which allowed for data triangulation. The game development process was
executed in three sequential stages:
(1) development of an alpha version to demonstrate feasibility;
(2) development of a full version; and
(3) game testing sessions.

In the case study, the developers created their BIM-game by transferring a BIM model
(Revit) via a rendering software (3DS Max) to the game engine (Unity3D).

Task requirements

Individual abilities Task-technology Fit

Functionality of the
IT system
Figure 1.
TTF model Source: Adapted from Nan (2011)
There are several reasons for why a case study was considered a good fit for the purpose of Healthcare
this research. A case-study approach enables an in-depth understanding of “sticky” facility
practice-based problems where experience and the context of the action are important
(Benbasat et al., 1987; Orlikowski and Baroudi, 1991; Yin, 2009). RQ1 pursued in this study
is an exploratory “how” question, and the case study method is perceived as well suited for
studying this type of question (Yin, 2009).
The data were collected over the time span from April 2013 to May 2014 through nine 793
semi-structured interviews and one focus group interview, involving altogether 12
interviewees. We complemented our data collection by document analysis where we studied,
for instance, trade press articles (www.buildingsmart.no) or public announcements related
to our case (www.doffin.no). The interviewees were selected either for their active
involvement in creating the BIM-based game or for participating in testing. The
interviewees included a client representative responsible for BIM, a client representative
responsible for making the game, four game developers, a healthcare expert involved in
creating the game and a group of five healthcare professionals testing the game. This
approach ensured that both developer and user perspectives were taken into account.
Two individuals were interviewed twice, namely, the client’s BIM manager and one of the
developers. A first early interview with the client’s BIM manager was undertaken in April
2013 while construction design was underway. This allowed for an understanding of how
the game development process would be arranged. The follow-up interview in March 2014
was undertaken to attain an understanding of the construction design teams’ involvement in
the BIM-game development. The game developer was interviewed twice for confirming and
complementing some statements made in the earlier interview. This improved our work by
filling “holes” in our data. These interviews took place, when possible, at the interviewees’
offices mostly located in the wider capital area of Norway. In two cases, due to the tight
schedules of the interviewees, the interviews were undertaken via the video conferencing
tool Skype. The focus group interview took place at the hospital agency’s IT training centre
in Sarpsborg, Norway. An overview of the interview details such as the interviewees’
professional roles, interview durations, techniques and interview dates can be found in
Table I. All interviewees were informed about the modalities of the interviews and gave their
informed consent for the process.
The following work procedure was followed to analyse the data:
• recording all interview and focus group data and writing it down to produce
textual accounts;
• uploading the full-text transcriptions to the qualitative data analysis software
NVivo10, reading and analysing the acquired material sentence by sentence, creating
thematic nodes for task requirements or characteristics, individual abilities, the
functionality of the IT system, and task technology fit;
• coding all textual accounts by assigning nodes to notions related to the
aforementioned TTF constructs;
• developing overview reports showing all text fragments assigned to a specific node;
• exploring differences and similarities between the various data sources and making
“sense” of them; and
• writing up initial findings, and discussing them with the co-authors and colleagues.
F Interview
34,13/14 duration
Affiliation Services provided (min) Interview technique Date

Client (Regional Health Responsible BIM 60 Face-to face April 2013

Authority) manager (architecture, 10 Skype March
794 engineering, and 2014
construction expert)
Client (Hospital) Responsible gaming 80 Face-to face March
manager 2014
Developer #1 3D artist in game 30 Face-to face March
(alpha-version) design 2014
Developer #2 CEO and game 30 Face-to face March
(alpha-version) developer 2014
Developer #3 CEO and game 30 Face-to face March
(alpha-version) developer 2014
Developer #4 CEO 35 Face-to face March
(full-version) 2014
45 Face-to face April 2014
Healthcare Professional Counsellor game design 50 Skype March
#1 and script, experienced 2014
expert
Table I. Healthcare Professionals Game testers, 30 Focus group May 2014
Interviews conducted # 2, #3, #4, #5, #6 experienced expert

The hospital case

The setting of our case study is a major healthcare construction project in the Østfold region of
Norway, built by the Southern and Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority (Helse Sør-Øst)
and operated by the county’s hospital agency (Østfold Sykehus). The project is part of a large
programme of investments in the Norwegian healthcare sector. The target is to change and
improve the way healthcare services are provided to the patients by building better caring
environments. Operating brand-new hospital facilities fitted with the latest technology involves
significant changes for healthcare personnel. Careful change management and intensive
preparation are required for safe and effective operation of new hospital facilities. This entails
significant changes to users’ well-established processes and ways of working.
The project comprises the construction of several facilities, including buildings for
emergency, surgery and intensive care, patient rooms, psychiatric care and services such as
a laundry and central sterilization. Altogether, the buildings comprise a gross floor area of
85,082 m2, and the project costs are estimated at €670m. Helse Sør-Øst and Østfold Sykehus
decided to prioritize BIM technology use in design, construction and operation. Serious
games were developed as part of the effort to extend the employment of digital modelling
data beyond building design and make it available for operation. The game development
process was executed in three sequential stages, namely:
(1) development of an alpha version to demonstrate feasibility;
(2) development of a full version; and
(3) game testing sessions.

According to the client’s BIM manager it is:

 […] an important part of the strategy [for a building owner] to have building models that can Healthcare
be used […] and the intention is to save money in the operation phase (Client, Regional Health
Authority).
facility
To ensure that the outcome of the model-based design would be of sufficient detail for FM,
the client made it clear that the BIM model was to be an: “acceptable [virtual] prototype of the
building”. Moreover, the desired outcome of the BIM work was to create “[the] biggest, most
complete and best digital model in the world” (BIM manager client). BIM was deployed as 795
the 3D virtual environment for the serious game used in staff training. Figure 2 presents two
screenshots from the Ward game, one of a surgery room (left) and one of a hospital corridor
(right), to provide a visual impression of the serious game.

Analysis
The analysis of our results is based on the TTF constructs suggested by Nan 2011,
namely:
• task requirements;
• functionality of the IT system;
• individual abilities; and
• user evaluations of TTF.

The factors discussed have been identified based on interview statements that could be
related to the TTF of the serious game.

Task requirements
The game was developed to “ease the [workforce’s] transition to the new hospital facility
and the new work environment” (Client, Hospital). Achieving this, required “teach[ing]
and train[ing] people who are going to work in the new hospital” and familiarizing them
with “the [architectural] features of the buildings” (Client, Hospital). The workforce
needing training comprised nurses, physicians and other healthcare professionals.
Getting the visual impression right was a priority:
The most important thing is to get the details in their place so that it is as realistic as possible”
(Healthcare Professional #1). Entering the new hospital after having played the game should give
users an impression of “having been here before” (Client, Regional Health Authority).

Figure 2.
Screenshots of the
serious game “Ward”
showing: (a) a
surgery room, and (b)
a hospital corridor
F The virtual space needed to provide a close resemblance to the physical space found in
34,13/14 the as yet unbuilt hospital:
[We make the game] because when we move, then that will be a radical change in a very brief
period of time. We will have new equipment, new spaces in which we move, and I think when
you come to the new hospital it is crucial to know where the things are and that you can avoid
having to look for things. If you have patients with serious health conditions then it is
796 important to know where things are. I think that gaming technology can support us very much
to get to know the building (Healthcare Professional #1).
Rooting the game in architectural BIM data was prioritized to ensure that dimensions,
proportions and materiality of the “real” hospital were accurately represented in the game.
Thus, the game developers had to incorporate the architectural BIM model in the game
engine. Moreover, rendering details like surfaces, lighting and fittings with a high level of
accuracy received priority. In addition to providing a close resemblance of the physical
hospital the game had to be self-explanatory and easy to use:
[The game has to be] accessible and intuitive, [and] there should be no manuals […]. It should
teach you everything you need to play and you should not even know that you are being
taught. The simulation should be rewarding and motivating and the game needs to give you
feedback on what you’re doing (Client, Hospital).
The desired outcome was to motivate users to play the game not only during office hours
but also in their spare time. To enable use of the game at will, various versions were
developed which can be run on tablets, laptops and stationary PCs. The game was also
intended to serve as a “virtual training ground” for healthcare professionals, simulating
typical work processes taking place in a hospital ward. Accomplishing this required
infusing the gameplay with healthcare expertise, presenting users with a “true”
reflection of real work situations. This required simulating different work procedures
like handling patient complaints, disinfecting hands before entering a room and finding
the required medication. To enable building operation testing and providing users with
a good understanding of the new building, the game had to fulfil the following task
requirements:
• realistic resemblance of the physical space;
• self-explanatory and easy to use interface; and
• simulation of typical healthcare work processes.

Individual abilities
Creating a functional serious game required collaboration among different expert groups.
The users’ individual abilities mattered for game development. The groups involved were
architects, healthcare professionals (the game users), game developers and script editors.
Consequently, hospital management established the role of a “knowledge broker”, having
the responsibility to facilitate knowledge exchange among the different disciplines involved
in the game design. The senior manager entrusted with this job was a computer scientist
having extensive prior experience from working as a 3D artist in game design since 1994. An
experienced nurse having worked since 1995 in professional healthcare represented the user
perspective in game development. Her job encompassed close collaboration with the
developers to ensure the game would reflect the realities of hospital work. She met with the
game developers in a series of five workshops in which she helped developing dialogues and
explained work tasks. The following quote describes why involving a senior healthcare Healthcare
professional was of crucial importance for the game design: facility
It is of course a lot of information you have to give [the game developers] because they have no
experience from before, and it would have been an advantage if they would have known
something about hospitals and how a hospital is run from before. What we have also done [to
mitigate for this] is that one game developer has taken an internship in one of our hospital
wards to see how [for example] dialogues happen (Health-care Professional #1). 797
The architects’ involvement was limited to handing over a BIM model which was
consecutively used by the organisations developing the game. Thus, rendering the
model and creating an accurate representation of the building’s physical space was left
to the game developers who had no prior experience from architectural design. The
health professionals’ computer skills, professional backgrounds, age and educational
background differed. While young healthcare professionals were quite acquainted with
using games in private, many of their older peers had no gaming experience from before.

Functionality of the IT system

There is currently no “easy way” for importing and exporting geometry from CAD
and/or BIM into a game engine (Lehtinen, 2002; Yan et al., 2011). While the challenges
are known and researchers suggest developing software for easing the integration of
data between BIM and game engines, no such software is yet commercially available
(Yan et al., 2011). The findings from our case study showcased how practitioners
struggle to accomplish such “crossovers”. The Autodesk©Revit design software was
used to create the BIM design and the Unity3D engine was used in game development.
Unity3D allows for running large models in real time and can be used to add physics to
objects such as opening and closing doors, creating sunlight simulation and
incorporating acoustics (Dalton and Parfitt, 2013). However, translating Revit models
into Unity3D is challenging, as several of Autodesk’s textures cannot be interpreted by
Unity (Dalton and Parfitt, 2013). Thus, transferring Revit files into Unity cannot be done
without additional intermediary steps, such as using Autodesk’s rendering software
3DS®Max as an intermediary system between Revit and Unity (Kreutzberg, 2011).
Despite the technical obstacles, the developers succeeded in importing the Revit file into
Unity via 3DS®Max based on the fbx file format. However, they deemed the quality of
the resulting model in Unity as unfit to serve as a 3D environment for their game:
It is bad, really bad. […] the problem is that the BIM model is built in a totally different way and
with a totally different focus. [This is not] what a game engine really needs (Developer #4).
From this quote it follows that the different focus with which the architects drew their
model posed the real challenge for the game developers. According to the project’s BIM
manager, the game designers received an unaltered construction design model,
developed to serve as blueprint for construction design and work – in other words, a
single-disciplinary architectural BIM model which had been coordinated with
structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing design data. The model was
semantically rich, featuring specifications of building components, materiality, and
precise measurements. While such an architectural BIM model works for engineers and
other construction professionals, it had not been prepared for use in a game engine:
The thing is that a BIM model represents a physical building and is loaded with information.
Insulation found in a wall, nuts and bolts, and all that. That is way too much information for
F a game engine. A game engine would need only the visible surfaces and not what’s below
34,13/14 (Developer #1).
A technological issue occurring in Revit to Unity import, beyond the aforementioned, is that
deleted Revit objects have a tendency of reoccurring in Unity. While deleted objects
disappear from the architects’ Revit user interface, they remain as hidden objects in the
system. This indicates that the game developer was not familiar with how data can be
798 filtered when it is exported from Revit. These objects then reappear once models are
imported into Unity:
In the BIM data there was a lot of – let’s call it “trash” data, for example, windows floating in
mid-air or a room without a door, or window. Probably leftovers from the construction design
process where some stuff is deleted in the architect’s software remaining flagged as hidden.
When we import this data into the game it doesn’t read as flagged and so it is put back in the
model (Client, hospital).
Increasing the architects’ awareness of import-related issues and especially improving the
use of layering in the architectural model would have eased Revit data import. According to
the client, layering would then have to be done “right” and procedures for building up the
architectural design model would have to be put in place. How improved layering could
improve the process of importing BIM models is illustrated by the following quote:
If the engine has to draw thousands of pipes and wires in the walls, everything that you don’t
see, the game will be slow. What I suggest is layering – that you can better segment things. You
could put all the pipes and wiring in one box, and all which is actually visible while in the
building, in a different box, and then you could turn these things off quickly (Client, Hospital).
This could have been achieved by using filters within Revit. The game developers found
that a crucial aspect for getting the game right is strengthening communication among
those building BIM models and those building the game:
There must be a good process setup in advance before attempting a BIM model import into
Unity. The BIM model was unnecessarily heavy, a lot of clutter, there were double surfaces, the
object naming was inconsistent, a lot of unnecessary objects that you do not need because they
are anyhow invisible in the game. We should have had a proper dialogue with those building
the BIM model from day one. This would have helped clarifying the naming, the materiality of
objects, we would have known which objects were supposed to be static and which objects
needed dynamic functionality. These things need to be resolved before attempting to put BIM
into Unity (Developer #2).
Consequently, the data import was prefaced by a lengthy process of “cleansing” the
architectural BIM model of all unnecessary data. This took the form of reducing the BIM
model and even drawing anew in Unity. After remodelling the geometries, the models were
re-rendered, lighting and shading simulated, and the digital hospital was furnished. Thus,
turning the BIM model into a realistic 3D game environment was labour-intensive and
tedious work. Nonetheless, as can be seen in Figure 3, the availability of the architectural
BIM model and data allowed for creating a realistic virtual prototype of the building. Details
such as the wall signs in hospital corridors, the stainless-steel cladding on the walls, the
display of colours and the furnishing of patient rooms were all depicted based on the
architectural knowledge conveyed by the BIM model. Additionally, several new electronic
tools like electronic patient curves on tablet computers, large wall-mounted touch panels (to
maintain an overview of the patients, the logistics and the personnel resources), and the new
 Healthcare
facility

799

Figure 3.
Screenshots of:
(a) hospital staff
room, (b) patient
room, and (c) a floor
plan view of the
‘Ward’

electronic tube post system, were simulated in the game. These electronic “gadgets” also had
a simulated in-game functionality. One more issue is that current Revit Unity import can be
characterized as a “static” process where a model is only imported once. This leads to a
situation where changes in an architectural Revit model after import into Unity are not
depicted in the game:
If the architect were, in five years’ time, to move the door, then you would have to move that
door in the game. There’s two ways of approaching that. There is a static way, if you move this
door you have to update the model, you have to get a new model from the architect etc., and
there is a delay here. But if you know you are going to have to move things, you can set up the
game engine so that it is instant. Like Sims – you could actually click the door and drag it. In
the game, if you want. And the light and everything would change. And you can even build in
rules that if you try to move that door it will stop at the window (Developer #3).
Players of the Ward game are offered a gameplay in which they take on the role of a
nurse working in a ward. Gameplay is defined in this article as “that which lies at the
F heart of a game”, it describes what happens and what players do. The game places
34,13/14 players into the new hospital where they start a shift and take care of patients in the new
ward. Players engage in a series of scenarios supporting them in learning the concepts
of being a nurse in this new hospital. The following quote illustrates how the features of
the gameplay resemble real world tasks typically found in a hospital environment:
You arrive at your job and then you go to your work station where you sit down with a PC and
800 then you read a report about the patients you have to take care of on this day. The alarms will
go off and you have to respond. That is when the patients call [patient alarm system], then a
new job will appear on the screen at your workstation for the respective patient room. Then
you will go to that room and start a dialogue with the patient (Healthcare Professional #1).
Figure 3 (top right) shows a game situation where a patient having a certain health
condition needs to be cared for in an appropriate way. A patient is a non-Player
Character (NPC) randomly occurring throughout the gameplay. There are 20 different
types of patients, all having different health conditions requiring a certain response by
the players. For example, one patient type complains about a pain in the chest, while
another is confused or having dementia. Taking care of a patient requires locating the
right patient room, engaging in a dialogue and resolving the problem situation.
Involving the senior healthcare professionals in the making of the game ensured that
realistic “business as usual” in a hospital was depicted in the game. In a series of
workshops, this expert told the game developers where the hospital staff go when
starting a shift, where patient reports are read, how staff disinfect their hands before
entering a patient room, how to preferably address patients, the kind of feedback given
to patients, where to pick up drinks, where to get the medication and other daily
activities. Figure 3 (top left) shows a game situation where a player engages in a
dialogue with a colleague in the staff room. Figure 3 (bottom) shows an in-game plan
view of the hospital ward aiding the orientation of players.

Task–technology fit
To attain an initial understanding of the game’s TTF, a group of healthcare experts tested
and evaluated the game before it was rolled out operation wide. Twenty individuals were
randomly selected from the total population of potential users, and five of these were
interviewed after the test session. A test-player who had visited the hospital construction site
prior to playing the game reported that the game certainly captured some of the building’s
feel: “I have been to [the hospital construction site], and seen how it looks so far. I was there
in March and I recognized it” (Healthcare Professional #2). Naturally, the user perception of
the game “being similar” to the construction site can just offer an initial idea of whether the
game works for representing the finalized building. Nonetheless, not only was the game
recognizable for people having visited the construction site, but the virtual environment also
gave newcomers a sense of “being there”:
It [the new ward] was different from what I thought it would be, I thought the wards were
arranged differently. One could see how the rooms were grouped […], that was good
(Healthcare Professional #3).
Users felt that the game provided a superior understanding of the new workplace: “We
did get more of an impression [of the new building] than from those sheets with
drawings that we have seen” (Healthcare Professional #3). However, there were some
critical voices as to how well gaming could provide a solid understanding of the Healthcare
dimensions of the new space: facility
How far is it from one end of the hallway to the other? That’s rather interesting. We didn’t
really get an impression of that. We do not know how many meters we cover while pushing a
button. (Healthcare Professional #5).
Moreover, one user argued that: “it’s only me running around in the corridors” 801
(Healthcare Professional #6), indicating that there should be more NPCs in the game,
making corridors look more realistic (compare Figure 3).
How the game was perceived as a useful means of learning is illustrated by the following
quote: “one becomes more focused by doing it yourself [playing a game] instead of being
served a power point presentation, which is not interactive” (Healthcare Professional #4).
However, several test users reported feeling “dizzy, sea sick, and even driven crazy”,
indicating that not all of them were accustomed to using computers in general, and/or 3D
games in particular. On the other hand, some users were motivated and considered using the
game at home to train some more, or to show friends what they do at work.

Discussion
The early results of integrating BIM and gaming are encouraging and show the
potential this technology yields for building operation. However, the case project also
shows that there is significant work remaining in this field. One fundamental issue is
currently the technological integration of BIM models and games. In line with earlier
research (Dalton and Parfitt, 2013), our results show that design systems like
Autodesk®Revit and game engines like Unity3D are not interoperable. Because all
developers in the case worked based on Unity3D, we cannot say whether other game
engines would have performed better.
The interoperability challenges have to do with Revit encrypting its exported
materials, making it unreadable for Unity (Dalton and Parfitt, 2013). This requires
practitioners to conduct workarounds via other systems, when importing BIM data into
game engines (CIC, 2014). However, the textures and renderings would still need to be
manually applied in Unity. Thus, there appears to be room for improvement which is
echoed by researchers calling for the development of crossover modules for BIM import
(Yan et al., 2011). These crossover modules would then have to be designed to support
different BIM solutions (i.e. Autodesk, Bentley, Graphisoft, Nemetschek), as well as
different game engines (i.e. Unreal® Engine or the CryEngine®), which complicates
matters. While early prototypes for direct import from Revit to Unity are emerging, they
are not yet commercially available and they support neither other BIM software nor
other game engines (Edwards et al., 2015). A thinkable solution would be to develop
software using non-proprietary file exchange formats like the Industry Foundation
Class (IFC) format. However, at the moment, no game engine is able to build a virtual
environment based on IFC descriptions (Pauwels, 2014). Thus, there remain unsolved
technological integration issues requiring further research.
Nonetheless, the game designers in the case project succeeded in overcoming
software-related interoperability issues by manually redrafting and rendering the game’s 3D
graphical environment. However, this manual work was redundant, unnecessary and often
error-prone. One possible way to achieve higher levels of integration between BIM and
F gaming is to develop both BIM and gaming systems further into better interoperable
34,13/14 systems. This would then lead to a reduction in unnecessary rework.
A similarly important issue was the differing focus of architectural design and game
design. Architects and game designers have different information needs. While the
architectural design model needed to be detailed and semantically rich, the game developers
only had need for simpler surface data. Moreover, as pointed out by Dalton and Parfitt (2013),
802 data-heavy, complex and large BIM models need to be reduced to prevent a reduction in
run-time and overcome texture translation issues in games. BIM models would thus ideally
need to have a “lighter body” to best facilitate BIM and gaming integration. However,
simplifying a large architectural design model and reducing its polygon counts requires a
significant amount of work (Dalton and Parfitt, 2013). Several commercial and freeware
solutions designed for reducing BIM model polygon count are available.
A swift transition from architectural BIM models into a computer game would thus
require game developers to clearly define and express their information needs. Doing so
could facilitate a mutual understanding between architects and game developers of how to
best generate BIM-based games. Moreover, it is thinkable to make the production of “lighter
body” BIM models part of the contractual arrangements for BIM delivery. This would be an
initial step for easing the creation of BIM-based games. It follows from our results that the
absence of contractual arrangements and specifications, in conjunction with architects being
pressured for time, led to limited involvement of the architects in making the game. In fact,
the handover of BIM models from architects to game developers happened without any form
of coordination and an ordinary construction BIM model was used in game design.
Despite the apparent shortcomings in current practice of integrating BIM and
gaming, the responses by the game’s test users were promising. An overview of the TTF
of the Ward game can be found in Figure 4. Most test players found the Ward game to
provide them with a realistic representation of the future hospital. Moreover, by infusing
game design with healthcare knowledge, the gameplay, in-game dialogues and
representation were perceived as realistic by most of the test users. However, a
limitation of gaming technology surfaced in that the game did not provide a good
understanding of the walking distances that would need to be covered between the
rooms in the hospital. This limitation could perhaps be overcome by having an avatar/
user move through the distance between the rooms and let this “take some time”, or by
indicating the number of steps needed, similar to how this is solved in Second®Life.
In addition, players not accustomed to playing computer games reported feeling unwell or
dizzy during play. The fact that some players even considered playing the game in their spare
time, and/or share it with their friends, shows that the developers succeeded in creating a
motivating gaming experience. However, the group interview with the game’s test users
provided only an initial understanding of the game’s utility for building operation. Given that the
hospital has not yet started up its operation, the results presented here do not allow for claiming
that the game provided performance gains in operation. Rather, this presents an intriguing area
for further research. Research into the value of BIM games for operation could, for instance, draw
from existing FM literature on post-occupancy evaluation, similar to what has been suggested by
Zimmerman and Martin (2001).
This article contributes to the emerging discourse on the application of BIM-based games
in building operation in general, and in the context of healthcare projects in particular (Juang
et al., 2011; Lin et al., 2011; Raju et al., 2011; Yan et al., 2011). Based on our findings, we argue
that BIM-based gaming yields a range of opportunities for improving staff training in
 Task requirements
• Realistic resemblance of the physical space
• Simulation of typical healthcare work processes
• Self-explanatory and easy to use
Task-Technology Fit
• Difficult to convey a feeling for ‘real’ distances
Individual abilities of rooms and corridors
• Game developers lack of knowledge of building operation • In-game problem situations perceived as
• Test users’ IT capabilities range from highly ‘gaming’ realistic
literate to not using computers at all • Game of architectural features perceived as
superior to classroom teaching
Functionality of the IT-system
• Highly detailed rendering of building components
• Physics assigned to objects like doors and windows
• Sunlight simulation incorporated
• Simulation of several work scenarios

Figure 4.
803
facility

“Ward” game’s TTF

Key factors of the
Healthcare
F healthcare projects, including training in work processes and learning about a new work
34,13/14 facility. Yan et al. (2011, p. 446) argued that “[…] building operation may benefit from the
educational potential of games”, and the initial responses by the test users in our case
indicate that this may be true. BIM-based games appear as a promising tool for aiding FM by
making workplace changes apparent for users. Gaming could also open up opportunities for
feeding user experiences back to the construction design process similar to what has been
804 argued by Shiratuddin and Thabet (2011).
Our work could be extended by research inquiring into how collaboration and
information exchange between architects, game developers and subject matter experts could
be further improved. Moreover, an intriguing area for further research is to study the
business value of BIM-based games for building operation. How user experiences could
inform construction design represents an interesting avenue for further research. Last, the
technological interoperability between BIM and gaming is an area in need of further work.
The main contribution of our work is in drawing further attention to the potential of
DGBL for building operation. In addition, the paper explains some of the challenges in
BIM and gaming integration and suggests improvements in this. BIM and gaming
research is still in its infancy, and we have just begun to understand the implications of
this technology for industrial practice. Based on early-stage feasibility studies run in
university settings, it has been claimed that BIM-based games support “the simulation
of aspects of the use of a completed building” (Bille et al., 2014, p. 7). We extend this prior
work by exploring, based on an early industrial application of this novel technology,
whether and how these claims are supported in industrial practice.

Conclusion
Our study shows how the TTF concept is useful to analyse, explain and understand how
BIM and gaming could be integrated to support staff training before starting up the
operation of a new facility. The case analysis identified that integration between BIM
and gaming could be further improved by:
• using crossover modules in data exchange;
• increasing collaboration between architects and game developers;
• formulating clear information needs; and
• defining contractual arrangements for the integration of BIM and gaming.

Processsimulationbasedongamingtechnologyinformedby3Dbuildingdesigndataisjustinits
infancy, and current commercially available solutions do not support an integrated way of
working. Despite the experienced challenges, the test users perceived the BIM-based game as a
useful tool for increasing their knowledge of the building’s architectural layout. Still, there is a
need for further research exploring the benefits of BIM-based games for building operation,
facilitating stronger collaboration among architects and game designers, and improving the
technical interoperability between BIM and gaming technology.

References
Airo, K., Rasila, H. and Nenonen, S. (2012), “Speech as a way of constructing change in space:
opposing and conforming discourses in workplace change process”, Facilities, Vol. 30
Nos 7/8, pp. 289-301.
Alexander, K. (1996), Facilities Management – Theory and Practice, E & FN Spon, London.
Arayici, Y., Onyenobi, T. and Egbu, C. (2012), “Building information modelling (BIM) for facilities Healthcare
management (FM): the MediaCity case study approach”, International Journal of 3D
Information Modelling, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 55-73.
facility
Becerik-Gerber, B., Jazizadeh, F., Li, N. and Calis, G. (2011), “Application areas and data
requirements for BIM-enabled facilities management”, Journal of Construction Engineering
and Management, Vol. 138 No. 3, pp. 431-442.
Benbasat, I., Goldstein, D.K. and Mead, M. (1987), “The case research strategy in studies of 805
information systems”, Management Information Systems Quarterly, Vol. 11 No. 3,
pp. 369-386.
Bille, R., Smith, S.P., Maund, K. and Brewer, G. (2014), “Extending building information models
into game engines”, Proceedings of the ACM Conference on Interactive Entertainment,
Newcastle, pp. 1-8.
Boyle, E., Connolly, T.M. and Hainey, T. (2011), “The role of psychology in understanding the
impact of computer games”, Entertainment Computing, Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 69-74.
Breuer, J.S. and Bente, G. (2010), “Why so serious? On the relation of serious games and learning”,
Journal for Computer Game Culture, Vol. 4 No. 1, pp. 7-24.
Bull, M. and Brown, T. (2012), “Change communication: the impact on satisfaction with alternative
workplace strategies”, Facilities, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, pp. 135-151.
Charsky, D. (2010), “From edutainment to serious games: a change in the use of game
characteristics”, Games and Culture, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 177-198.
Chiang, C.T., Chu, C.P. and Chou, C.C. (2015), “BIM-enabled power consumption data management
platform for rendering and analysis of energy usage patterns”, Procedia Engineering,
Vol. 118, pp. 554-562.
CIC (2014), Workflow of Exporting Revit Models to Unity, Computer Integrated Construction (CIC)
Research Group, Department of Architectural Engineering, The Pennsylvania State
University, PA.
Connolly, T.M., Boyle, E.A., MacArthur, E., Hainey, T. and Boyle, J.M. (2012), “A systematic
literature review of empirical evidence on computer games and serious games”, Computers
& Education, Vol. 59 No. 2, pp. 661-686.
Dalton, B. and Parfitt, M. (2013), “Immersive visualization of building information models, Design
innovation research center”, working paper 6, University of Reading.
De Freitas, S. (2006), Learning in Immersive Worlds, Joint Information Systems Committee,
London.
Edwards, G., Li, H. and Wang, B. (2015), “BIM based collaborative and interactive design process
using computer game engine for general end-users”, Visualization in Engineering, Vol. 3
No. 1, pp. 1-17.
Fürst, J., Fierro, G., Bonnet, P. and Culler, D.E. (2014), “BUSICO 3D: building simulation and
control in unity 3D”, 12th ACM Conference on Embedded Network Sensor Systems,
Memphis, pp. 326-327.
Gebauer, J. and Shaw, M.J. (2004), “Success factors and impacts of mobile business applications:
results from a mobile e-procurement study”, International Journal of Electronic Commerce,
Vol. 8 No. 3, pp. 19-41.
Goodhue, D.L. (1998), “Development and measurement validity of a task-technology fit
instrument for user evaluations of information system”, Decision Sciences, Vol. 29 No. 1,
pp. 105-138.
Goodhue, D.L. and Thompson, R.L. (1995), “Task-technology fit and individual performance”,
Management Information Systems Quarterly, Vol. 19 No. 2, pp. 213-236.
F Jensen, P.A. (2010), “The facilities management value map: a conceptual framework”, Facilities,
Vol. 28 Nos 3/4, pp. 175-188.
34,13/14
Jensen, P.A., Andersen, P.D. and Rasmussen, B. (2014), “Future research agenda for FM in the
Nordic countries in Europe”, Facilities, Vol. 32 Nos 1/2, pp. 4-17.
Juang, J.R., Hung, W.H. and Kang, S.C. (2011), “Using game engines for physical– based
simulations–a forklift”, Journal of Information Technology in Construction, Vol. 16 No. 2,
806 pp. 3-22.
Junghans, A. and Olsson, N. (2014), “Discussion of facilities management as an academic
discipline”, Facilities, Vol. 32 Nos 1/2, pp. 67-79.
Kankanhalli, A., Tan, B. and Wei, K. (2005), “Contributing knowledge to electronic knowledge
repositories: an empirical investigation”, Management Information Systems Quarterly,
Vol. 29 No. 1, pp. 113-143.
Kreutzberg, A. (2011), “Game engines as dynamic tools in the design phase”, Proceedings of the 1st
International Congress of ReteVitruvio: Architectural Design Between Teaching and
Research, Riccione, pp. 655-664.
Lehtinen, S. (2002), “Visualization and teaching with state-of-the-art 3D game technologies”,
Proceedings of the 20th Education and research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in
Europe Conference, Warsaw, pp. 538-541.
Lerø, M. (2012), “Ahus-skandalen”, Dagens Perspective, available at: www.dagensperspektiv.no
(accessed 2 November 2015).
Lin, K.-Y., Son, J.W. and Rojas, E.M. (2011), “A pilot study of a 3D game environment for
construction safety education”, Journal of Information Technology in Construction, Vol. 16
No. 5, pp. 69-83.
Liu, R. and Issa, R.A. (2014), “Design for maintenance accessibility using BIM tools”, Facilities,
Vol. 32 Nos 3/4, pp. 153-159.
Liu, Y.S., Li, H., Li, H., Pauwels, P. and Beetz, J. (2015), “Recent advances on building information
modeling”, Scientific World Journal, Vol. 2015, pp. 1-2.
McGraw-Hill (2012), The Business Value of BIM in North America: Multi-Year Trend Analysis
and User Ratings (2007-2012), Smart Market Report Mc Graw-Hill Construction,
New York, NY.
Merschbrock, C., Lassen, A.K. and Tollnes, T. (2014), “Integrating BIM and gaming to support
building opreration: the case of a new hospital”, Proceedings of the 22nd Norwegian
Symposium on Information Technology and Organizations, Fredrikstad.
Merschbrock, C. and Munkvold, B.E. (2012), “A research review on Building Information
Modelling in construction – An area ripe for IS research”, Communications of the
Association for Information Systems, Vol. 31 No. 10, pp. 207-228.
Nan, N. (2011), “Capturing bottom-up information technology use processes: a complex adaptive
systems model”, Management Information Systems Quarterly, Vol. 35 No. 2, pp. 505-532.
Orlikowski, W.J. and Baroudi, J.J. (1991), “Studying information technology in organizations:
research approaches and assumptions”, Information systems research, Vol. 2 No. 1, pp. 1-28.
Pauwels, P. (2014), “Supporting decision-making in the building life-cycle using linked building
data”, Buildings, Vol. 4 No. 3, pp. 549-579.
Prensky, M. (2007), Digital Game-Based Learning, Paragon House, St. Paul, MN.
Raju, P., Anumba, C. and Ahmed, V. (2011), “Use of gaming technology in architecture,
engineering and construction” Journal of Information Technology in Construction, Vol. 16
No. 1, pp. 1-2.
Rundell, R. (2006), “1-2-3 Revit: BIM and FM, how can BIM benefit facilities management”, AIA
Cadalyst, available at: www.cadalyst.com (accessed 21 October 2014).
Sawyer, B. and Smith, P. (2008), “Serious games taxonomy”, Serious Games Summit at the Game Healthcare
Developers Conference, San Francisco, CA.
facility
Shen, W., Hao, Q., Mak, H., Neelamkavil, J., Xie, H., Dickinson, J., Thomas, R., Pardasani, A. and
Xue, H. (2010), “Systems integration and collaboration in architecture, engineering,
construction, and facilities management: a review”, Advanced Engineering Informatics,
Vol. 24 No. 2, pp. 196-207.
Shen, Z., Jiang, L., Grosskopf, K. and Berryman, C. (2012), “Creating 3D web-based game
environment using BIM models for virtual on-site visiting of building HVAC systems”, 807
ASCE Construction Research Congress, West Lafayette, pp. 1212-1221.
Shiratuddin, M.F. and Thabet, W. (2011), “Utilizing a 3D game engine to develop a virtual design
review system”, Journal of Information Technology in Construction, Vol. 16 No. 4, pp. 39-68.
Smith, P. (2014), “BIM implementation– global strategies”, Procedia Engineering, Vol. 85,
pp. 482-492.
Susi, T., Johannesson, M. and Backlund, P. (2007), Serious Games – An Overview, School of
Humanities and Informatics, University of Skovde.
Sward, K.A., Richardson, S., Kendrick, J. and Maloney, C. (2008), “Use of a web-based game to
teach pediatric content to medical students”, Ambulatory Pediatrics, Vol. 8 No. 6,
pp. 354-359.
Teicholz, P. (2013), BIM for Facility Managers, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.
Wang, B., Li, H., Rezgui, Y., Bradley, A. and Ong, H.N. (2014), “BIM based virtual environment for
fire emergency evacuation”, The Scientific World Journal, Vol. 2014, pp. 1-22.
Wu, W. (2015), “Design for aging with BIM and game engine integration”, Annual Conference of
the American Society for Engineering Education, Seattle.
Yan, W., Culp, C. and Graf, R. (2011), “Integrating BIM and gaming for real-time interactive
architectural visualization”, Automation in Construction, Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 446-458.
Yin, R.K. (2009), Case Study Research: Design and Methods, Vol. 5, Sage, London.
Yu, K., Froese, T. and Grobler, F. (2000), “A development framework for data models for
computer-integrated facilities management”, Automation in Construction, Vol. 9 No. 2,
pp. 145-167.
Yusoff, A., Crowder, R., Gilbert, L. and Wills, G. (2009), “A conceptual framework for serious
games”, International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, Riga.
Zigurs, I. and Buckland, B.K. (1998), “A theory of task/technology fit and group support systems
effectiveness”, Management Information Systems Quarterly, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 313-334.
Zimmerman, A. and Martin, M. (2001), “Post-occupancy evaluation: benefits and barriers”,
Building Research & Information, Vol. 29 No. 2, pp. 168-174.

Further reading
Davis, F.D., Bagozzi, R.P. and Warshaw, P.R. (1989), “User acceptance of computer technology: a
comparison of two theoretical models”, Management Science, Vol. 35 No. 8, pp. 982-1003.
Kirkley, S.E. and Kirkley, J.R. (2004), “Creating next generation blended learning environments using
mixed reality, video games and simulations”, TechTrend, Vol. 49 No. 3, pp. 42-53.
Pittard, S. (2013), What is BIM? Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, London.
Rilling, S., Wechselberger, U. and Mueller, S. (2010), “Bridging the gap between didactical
requirements and technological challenges in serious game design”, Proceedings of the
International Conference on Cyberworlds, pp. 126-133.
Yaman, M., Nerdel, C. and Bayrhuber, H. (2008), “The effects of instructional support and learner
interests when learning using computer simulations”, Computers & Education, Vol. 51
No. 4, pp. 1784-1794.
F About the authors
Christoph Merschbrock is an Associate Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering and
34,13/14 Energy Technology at the University College of Oslo and Akershus, Norway and senior lecturer
at the School of Engineering, Jönköping University, Sweden. Christoph Merschbrock received his
PhD from the Department of Information Systems at the University of Agder (UiA), Kristiansand,
Norway. He holds an MSc degree in civil engineering from Reykjavik University’s School of
Science and Engineering, Iceland. The results of his work have been published in international
808 journals such as Communications of the Association for Information Systems, Computers in
Industry, the Journal of Information Technology in Construction and the International Journal of
e-Collaboration. In addition, his research has been presented in well-acknowledged international
conferences such as the European Conference on Information Systems, the European Conference
for Product and Process Modelling and the CIB World Building Congress. His current research
interests are ICT innovations in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry.
Christoph Merschbrock is the corresponding author and can be contacted at:
christoph.merschbrock@hioa.no
Ann Karina Lassen is an Architect and an Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil
Engineering and Energy Technology at the University College of Oslo and Akershus, where she
is also a member of the “BIM for a Sustainable Built Environment” Research Group. Having
previously taught at the chair of Climate Design and Sustainability at the Faculty of Architecture
at TU Delft, she is primarily concerned with advancing environmental awareness in the built
environment.
Tor Tollnes is a Senior Engineer at the Department of Civil Engineering and Energy
Technology. Tor Tollnes is a member of the Department’s research group on “BIM for a
Sustainable Build Environment”. He has several years of experience from teaching students based
on BIM and 3D modelling technology such as Autodesk©Revit.
Bjørn Erik Munkvold is a Professor of Information Systems at University of Agder (UiA) in
Kristiansand, Norway, and an Adjunct Professor at the Westerdals Oslo School of Arts,
Communication and Technology. His main research interests are organizational implementation
of information systems, e-collaboration and virtual work and qualitative research methodology.
He has published in journals such as Computers in Industry, European Journal of Information
Systems, Group Decision and Negotiation, IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication,
Information & Management, Information Systems Journal, International Journal of
e-Collaboration, Journal of Information Technology and Journal of Management Information
Systems. He is the author of the book Implementing Collaboration Technologies in Industry: Case
Examples and Lessons Learned (Springer).

For instructions on how to order reprints of this article, please visit our website:
www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/licensing/reprints.htm
Or contact us for further details: permissions@emeraldinsight.com