Mandatory implementation of building information modeling as a mechanism for digital transformation of the construction industry in the Republic of Kazakhstan

Shakhnovich, A.Yu., Kabzhan, Z.Ye., Serikkhaliev, S.B., Beach, T.H. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5610-8027 and Badashvili, K.G. 2026. Mandatory implementation of building information modeling as a mechanism for digital transformation of the construction industry in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Bulletin of Kazakh Leading Academy of Architecture and Construction 2 (100) , pp. 24-45. 10.51488/1680-080x/2026.2-02

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Abstract

The digital transformation of the construction industry requires a shift from the fragmented, voluntary implementation of technologies to their structured, regulatory consolidation. This article examines the mandatory use of construction information modeling (CIM) technology in the Republic of Kazakhstan as a preliminary case of regulatory-driven digital transformation in the construction sector. Using a comparative documentary analysis informed by institutional theory, the concept of innovation diffusion, and international experience with BIM mandates, the regulatory framework for mandatory BIM implementation in Kazakhstan is examined in comparison with three reference jurisdictions: the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Finland. A three-tiered analytical framework is developed, encompassing the regulatory, organizational, and technological levels of implementation. The concept of computable regulation readiness (CRR) is introduced, allowing for a distinction between the formal introduction of a BIM mandate and the broader set of conditions required for automated compliance verification. The results show that the Kazakhstan mandate already forms a regulatory framework for structured information transfer and phased implementation. However, the digital delivery infrastructure, interoperability mechanisms, and institutional recognition of computational verification remain underdeveloped. It is shown that mandatory BIM implementation is not the same as readiness for computable regulation, and the digitalization of regulation depends on the combined development of requirements for structured data, standardized exchange procedures, and formalized regulatory knowledge. The obtained results contribute to research on regulatory-driven BIM implementation in countries with transition economies and have practical implications for the digital governance of the construction industry.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Engineering
Publisher:	LLP International Educational Corporation
ISSN:	1680-080X
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	12 October 2026
Last Modified:	12 Oct 2026 11:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/190151

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