Model ownership and intellectual property rights for collaborative sustainability on building information modeling

The concept of building information modeling (BIM) requires multidisciplinary collaboration and generates the problem of intellectual property protection for the creator of the model element. Therefore, this research aimed to determine the model ownership factors and intellectual property rights (IPRs) for collaborative sustainability on BIM practices in Indonesia. This research used the qualitative approach of primary data, and questionnaires were distributed to parties involved and experienced with BIM-based projects in Indonesia. The research adopted descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze data obtained from respondents. The results showed that the party that produces the model element is the main factor that owns the model and the IPRs. Meanwhile, the employer will have the right to own the model of BIM in the form of a license, with limited use only for operations, maintenance, and marketing, and they do not have the right to reuse the model for the construction of future projects. This research is expected to contribute to the body of knowledge and provide recommendations for policymaking in construction contracts to better manage BIM-based projects. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.