Historic-building information modelling (HBIM)-retrofit as a framework for enhancing the performance of heritage building conservation projects in Malaysia

Malaysia’s heritage-built environment faces increasing conservation pressures associated with ageing buildings, deteriorating performance, fragmented practices, and growing sustainability demands. These challenges extend beyond environmental performance and include project delays, inefficient decision-making, poor coordination, and inadequate building documentation, which collectively reduce the effectiveness of heritage conservation projects. Although Historic Building Information Modelling (HBIM) demonstrates significant potential to support retrofit and conservation processes through improved information management and collaboration, its application in Malaysia remains limited. Furthermore, there is a lack of clear HBIM-retrofit concepts and characteristics, limited empirical understanding of the relationship between HBIM-retrofit and project performance, and the absence of a structured HBIM-retrofit framework to support heritage building conservation practice in Malaysia. Therefore, this study aims to develop a HBIM-integrated retrofit framework to enhance the performance of heritage building conservation projects in Malaysia. The objectives are to: (1) investigate HBIM-retrofit concepts and characteristics, (2) analyze the relationship between HBIM-retrofit and project performance, and (3) formulate a structured HBIM-retrofit framework. A quantitative research approach was adopted through literature review, questionnaire surveys, and expert validation involving conservation professionals in Malaysia. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The findings confirmed significant relationships between HBIM-retrofit constructs and project performance, validating forty-three (43) indicators as the core components of the proposed framework. The study successfully achieved its aim through the development of a structured HBIM-retrofit framework consisting of prioritized retrofit indicators, hierarchical retrofit stages, and an operational decision-support system for retrofit planning and management. The AHP results further generated weightages and ranking priorities across the retrofit development stages, providing practical guidance for selecting appropriate retrofit strategies. The key outputs of the research include: (1) an empirically validated HBIM-retrofit framework, (2) a prioritized indicator and ranking system for heritage retrofit decision-making, and (3) a decision-support tool to improve HBIM-retrofit project coordination, data management, and digital readiness in conservation practices. The study also contributes theoretically by integrating HBIM and retrofit concepts within a Task-Technology Fit (TTF)-based model to form a conceptual framework, while methodologically demonstrating the combined application of PLS-SEM and AHP in heritage conservation research. Practically, the framework provides a foundation for evidence-based HBIM-retrofit adoption and future heritage digitalization guidance in Malaysia.