Table 1

Proposed KPI framework for assessing DBP maturity

LevelIDKPI nameDescriptionMeasurement unit Reference/Source
Legislative Level
L1A
Archiving Provision for Digital DocumentsWhether national/regional regulations allow/mandate long-term digital archiving of BP documents (e.g. PDFs, scanned drawings)Binary (Yes/No)TalEST; (Rakennusteollisuus RT, 2026)
L1BArchiving Provision for BIM Models (IFC or others)Whether model-based submissions (e.g. IFC, proprietary formats) are legally recognised and archivable in digital archivesScale (0–4); 0: Not recognised; 1: Planned; 2: Discussed; 3: IFC only; 4: Open + proprietary formatsTalEST; (Lavikka and Kallinen, 2024)
L2Digital Submission Enablement in LawWhether digital submissions are accepted as valid (vs. paper)Scale (0–4); ​0 Not started​; 1 Planned; ​2 Initiated; ​ 3 Partially implemented​; 4 fully implementedUllah et al. (2022) 
L3AMandatory BIM Submission RequirementWhether BIM is required for submission (and for which project types)Binary/ScaleCORENET X Initiative Singapore (Urban Redevelopment Authority, 2023)
L3BVoluntary BIM Submission UptakeProportion of voluntarily submitted BIM-based permitsScaleCity of Vienna (2020) 
L4Inclusion of BIM in official RegulationsQuality of national regulations/guidelines mentioning BIM in permittingScale Unit​
0: not; ​1: initial documents; 2: very clear guidelines
(buildingSMART Finland, 2012; buildingSMART International, 2020a, b, c)
L5Measurability of Building CodesExtent to which codes contain clearly defined, checkable rules%Ullah et al. (2022),
TalEST
L6Machine-Readable Code AvailabilityPercentage of building codes published in digital formats (XML, JSON, etc.)%Fauth et al. (2024a, b, c, d),
EU Construction Strategy
L7Regulatory Flexibility ScoreExtent to which legal system accommodates pilots, open standardsScale 0–4buildingSMART International (2025) 
L8Legal Clarity on Model OwnershipExistence of ownership/responsibility provisions for BIM modelsScale/optional/low priorityArdani et al. (2021) 
L9Legal Validity of Automated Compliance ChecksWhether automated rule-check results are recognised in legal decision-makingBinary/ScaleTalEST
L10Existence of Regulatory Data StandardsExistence of national/regional regulation mandating data standards for BP, enabling interoperability and automated code checkingScale 0–4OntCAN
Organisational LevelO1Implementation of Institutional BIM GuidelinesExtent to which BP institutions apply structured BIM modelling or documentation requirements% of authorities with internal BIM guidelinesSurvey data, (EU BIM TASKGROUP, 2017); Municipal BIM Guidelines (Finland) (buildingSMART Finland, 2012)
O2Implementation of Staff Training in BIMPercentage of BP personnel trained in BIM methodologies, workflows, and relevant tools% of BP staff training (basic/advanced)Rava2/Rava 3 Pro project (KIRAHub, 2023a, b; Ullah et al., 2022; SmartMarket Report, 2012; Crisan et al., 2024)
O3Platform Availability for BIM SubmissionExistence of platforms for receiving digital/BIM filesBinarybuildingSMART International; Lupapiste case Solibri (2024) 
O4Participation in DBP R&D InitiativesLevel of organisational engagement in R&D or pilot projects for DBP developmentScale (0–3): 0: not important; 1: considering; 2: important but not participating; 3: important and participatingKIRA-digi (n.d.), KIRAHub (2023a, b), Crisan et al. (2024) 
O5Performance-Based Approval through ModellingExtent to which BP decisions rely on performance-based evaluation using modelling and simulations, rather than fixed prescriptive requirementsScale (0–3): 0: not important, 1: considering; 2: important but not participating, 3: important and participatingOntCAN
Procedural LevelP1Average Processing TimeTime between submission and approvalDaysFauth et al. (2024a, b, c, d), Pärn et al. (2023) 
P2Error Reduction RatePercentage reduction in errors in BIM-based vs. paper-based submissions%Ahmad et al. (2018) 
P3Application Revision CyclesAverage number of iterations before approvalCountSurvey responses
P4File Format ConsistencyPercentage of files in standard open BIM formats (e.g. IFC)%ISO (2018); Järvenpää case, online BP systems
P5IFC-Based Submission RateProportion of submitted BP applications that include an IFC model%Lavikka and Kallinen (2024) 
P6Municipal Digital Workflow AdoptionPercentage of BP bodies using online platforms for submission, review, and communication%(ACCORD, 2024)
P7Level of Automation in Regulatory ChecksDegree to which code compliance and rule verification are automated in the BP review processChecks completed/total checks (est.)Solibri Model Checker usage (Finland)
P8User Satisfaction ScoreProportion of users expressing satisfaction with DBP service (e.g. thumbs up/down)%TalEST
Technological LevelT1Existence of E-BP PlatformWhether an electronic BP platform is operationalBinaryEU BIM TASKGROUP (2017) 
T2BIM Integration Level in PlatformDegree of integration of BIM models into the permitting platformScale (0–5)Pärn et al. (2023), Ullah et al. (2022) 
T3AData Availability: 3D EnvironmentExtent to which 3D city models (e.g. CityGML, mesh) are used in permitting% of municipalities with 3D modelsCity-level initiatives and (Puttonen, 2021)
T3BData Availability: 3D Zoning PlanAvailability of zoning/master plans in digital 3D or machine-readable formatBinary or Pilot/Partial/FullTalEST
T4Automated Rule-Checking AvailabilityAvailability of automated code compliance toolsBinaryIsmail et al. (2023), Al Nama and Alalawi (2023), Lee (2024), Building and Construction Authority (BCA, 2025)
T5Compliance with Open Formats and InteroperabilitySupport for open data formats in BP workflows (e.g. IFC, CityGML, XML)BinaryISO (2018), KuntaGML, (Kolbe, 2009)
T6User-Friendliness of Digital SystemsPerceived ease of use of digital systems by applicants and authoritiesScale (0–5)TalEST
T7Use of AI in Permitting ToolsUse of AI-driven tools to support permitting processesBinary/ScaledTalEST
T8Availability of Municipal/Provincial Digital TwinAvailability and active use of municipal digital twin (DT) integrating GIS, and regulatory data to support BP and planning decisionsScale (0–4)
0: No DT available
1: Pilots/partial prototypes in testing
2: DT exists but limited in scope (e.g. only zoning or environment)
3: Comprehensive DT for planning and BP (covering BIM + GIS + regulatory layers); 4: Fully operational DT
OntCAN

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