Policy and Institutional Frameworks for City Information Modeling (CIM) Adoption in Bahrain: A Pathway to Achieving Sustainable Urban Development Goals

Abstract

City Information Modeling integrates Building Information Modeling (BIM), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and real-time data analysis to enhance urban planning. While CIM has a lot to offer in sustainable urban development, its application in Bahrain is hampered by policy and institutional limitations. This study examines the impact of policy platforms and institutional frameworks on integrating CIM to align with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030 and United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combines policy analysis, stakeholder interviews, and comparative case studies to ascertain barriers, including fragmented regulations, poor inter-agency coordination, and capacity limitations. The main findings highlight the CIM potential to enhance infrastructure efficiency, urban resilience, and public engagement subject to surmounting such barriers. The research proposes a policy-led roadmap for targeting standardized data protocols, cross-sector collaboration, and capacity building. With an emphasis on institutional and policy reforms, this research presents prescriptive outcomes for the application of CIM to enhance sustainable urban development in Bahrain and other places.