Building Information Modelling (BIM) represents a long-term investment that could allow time reduction and a cost enhancement by means of optimised design and construction processes. The paper focuses on the first official Italian Public Pilot Project, dealing with the implementation of BIM-based validation and construction optimisation in a construction process. The case study concerns a residential building located in a dense urban district, causing a confined construction site affected by space shortage and coordination issues. The research aims to implement an interoperable IFC-based process in order to support the design and construction phases, performing advanced Model and Code Checking and analysing the construction phase through 4D BIM. Architectural, structural, and MEP models have been enriched with alphanumeric attributes as required by semi-automatic validation processes. An auto-matching between BIM objects and construction activities was also achieved. The early results showed the possibility of a BIM-based semi-automatic validation of design choices and an improved coordination between design disciplines. Moreover, the construction site simulation allowed the comparison of different layout options and baseline schedules. The research also tested the joint use of Model Checking and 4D BIM tools in order to analyse construction progresses by exporting an IFC-based construction site configuration directly from the 4D BIM tool. The tested process created an open, interoperable, and multi-disciplinary approach. The main findings concerning the domestic special constraints are described and analysed. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.