Increasing attention was given to building information modeling (BIM) and multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) globally due to their advantages for various stages of the life cycle of a building. The aim of this paper is to improve practitioners' understanding of the process for BIM and MCDM adoption towards sustainable construction through energy efficiency. A questionnaire survey is being conducted for construction professionals and building industry experts in Malaysia. With expert survey data, a multi-criteria decision model using analytical network process (ANP) was built to identify key factors affecting sustainable building by reducing both embodied and operational energy and carbon emissions. Data from the survey was analysed using descriptive statistics. Model developed consisted of three clusters with a total of six nodes, and the level of importance was compared pairwise with one another. Results shows that design optimisation, reduced material requirements are important factors for sustainable construction considered in the BIM application. © 2020 THE AUTHORS