Structuring the Past: Leveraging HBIM and Decision-Making for Heritage Conservation

The conservation of architectural heritage is a process that encompasses the protection and maintenance of structures of cultural and historical significance. This task presents several challenges, including balancing historical accuracy with contemporary requirements, addressing structural degradation, and meeting modern standards. In response to these challenges, heritage conservation has increasingly turned to advanced technological solutions, particularly Heritage Building Information Management (HBIM). While “BIM” traditionally stands for Building Information Modeling, reflecting its origins in digital modeling, “Management” is being recognized as more accurate in capturing the broader scope of BIM’s application, particularly in managing the extensive data associated with building projects. HBIM is a specialized subset of Building Information Management (BIM) tailored to the unique requirements of historic buildings. It provides a comprehensive repository that collects semantic and geometric data and facilitates the efficient storage and management of information essential for heritage conservation. Decision-making in heritage conservation must consider a wide variety of often conflicting criteria. Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) techniques have proven effective in providing a systematic approach to evaluating and prioritizing these various criteria. By integrating MCDM with HBIM, stakeholders can achieve a more balanced and informed decision-making process that respects the historic significance and sustainability of heritage structures. The paper’s primary objective is to examine the integration of MCDM techniques for the definition, weighting, and management of criteria by different stakeholders within HBIM. The goal of this exploration is to demonstrate the potential of HBIM and MCDM to transform heritage conservation by facilitating a structured, collaborative, and transparent decision-making process. This approach not only enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of conservation efforts but also guarantees that the diverse perspectives and expertise of all stakeholders are integrated into the decision-making process.