How the Internet Will Change the Design and Construction Process
By Colin Gilboy, P.E., CCPR
Summary: The Internet has already changed how consumers research and purchase books, music CD's and automobiles. The Internet is going to change the way engineers, architects, owners and contractors work and communicate. This article provides an overview of what is currently available so you can start to learn how to use these tools. Three fields of change are discussed:
Tools must be cost effective, easy to use with training and experience, and must produce efficiencies for the project. People and organizations adopt tools that are effective. The greater the savings, the faster the adoption. The Internet is already providing tools to improve communication and records management for construction projects.
Over 80 companies presently plan to provide Internet tools for construction.
Venture capitalists have funded over $500 million in just 6 firms. Competitive pressures among providers will make for rapid changes and improved services. The tools and management concepts will continue to evolve and become part of the traditional construction process over the next five years.
This article recommends you investigate how these tools work and discover for yourself how they will affect your future business. In this way you will be able make sound decisions when you are ready to go with a major project.
Collaborative Systems for Design and Construction
Lotus Notes was the first example of a collaborative system, and organizes corporate information to make it easy to locate documents relating to a specific question or topic.
Goldmine provides a similar system for the sales process. A summary of every contact with a customer or potential customer is logged and available to the sales team. Goldmine maintains a record of discussions, questions, offers and a history of any problems and the resolution.
Collaborative systems for construction projects are different than those in a business or sales environment. Specialized programs and documents are required to effectively manage the construction project. Examples include the exchange of large CAD drawing files, critical path scheduling and the specialized construction-specific documents for RFI's, payment requests and change orders.
Collaborative systems are also called extranets or project intranets.
Systems are run on a restricted-access Internet web site, available from any location to authorized people. The key concept is to provide the following:
Management of the project information and documents from start to finish, including: Creation, distribution, organization, transformation, and transmission combined with searching, publishing and archiving of all the documents(e.g. drawings, RFI's, addenda, requests for payment, and submittals) from start of design through the completion of the punchlist items and turnover to the owner.
The collaborative systems maintain in one place a record of all communications and documents
These can be searched for key words and individual documents retrieved and printed. The collaborative system provides for access to documents that use otherwise incompatible file formats.
Collaborative systems are currently available from several web site services. Some systems are fee based (such as bluelineonline.com and bidcom.com) while buzzsaw.com provides free usage for moderate-scale projects. Other free and low-cost services are expected to come online this year. The free services generally expect to be funded through material and subcontract purchases made through the web site.
Free systems can be interesting to try on a trial basis and for smaller projects. On a large project, the cost of the collaborative program is a small percentage of the project cost and you may want to pay for the collaborative service if it provides better support, training and accountability or other benefits than a free system.
Lets look at three construction-specific examples:
1. Transfer of new drawings and floor plan backgrounds:
Envision the online transfer of all the drawings among the consultants. The cost of high-speed Internet connections will be offset by reduced courier and similar charges. The consultants and other are notified by email or fax that the new drawings are available. A collaborative system will maintain a record of when the person was notified and when the file was downloaded by each person. A simple file transfer program will not maintain this information that may be needed in the event of problems or conflicts.
2. Submittals:
The collaborative system will maintain an up-to-date receipt and approval status report of every submittal, including who is responsible
3. Requests for Information (RFI):
During construction, questions arise as to the specific intent and requirements. A collaborative system will record all these requests and provide a history accessible to the building team, along with a history of the results and discussion.
Recommendation: Try one of the free services such as buzzsaw.com to learn what is available and where there are constraints. Compare the services and limitations with for-pay sites such as bidcom.com and bluelineonlien.com. Work with your consultants and contractors to evaluate what system is best used on your projects, and to evaluate the costs and benefits. You will become prepared to choose and use a system for your next project.
Manufacturers' Product Design Information Online
Today, manufacturers provide their design data in product binders and in literature collections such as Sweets and CMD. A manufacturer can reduce the amount and cost of printed material by including links in the printed documents to the Internet where additional information is maintained, including CAD files, specifications and automated design guides.
There are advantages to all parties. The manufacturer can maintain up-to-date information online while reducing costs. The A/E can use the Internet for detailed design data and reduce the size and cost of their libraries and CD-ROM collections. Contractors can get quick access to installation information and Material Safety Data Sheets, as well as find competitors for comparative costing.
Users will access the manufacturers' web sites through advertising of the Internet address, through easy-to-remember domain names, and through specialized online and print directories listing the web site addresses.
Most manufacturers have underestimated the designers expectations for online information.
The manufacturers believed that maintaining a simple brochure or advertisement online was all that was required, while the designer now wants everything online.
Many manufacturer web sites have extensive graphics that make for slow access. Websites have confusing ways to find the information as the web site designers were not familiar with the specific needs of A/Es, designers and other construction professionals.
Recommendation: There is a need for an organization to develop recommendations for online content along with a standardized navigation system for web sites, similar to the CSI 3-part specification and MasterFormat®documents. This will give web site designers and manufacturers guidelines to redesign their web sites to improve their effectiveness and usefulness to construction professionals.
Smart Permits - Online Application and Plan Review
In some cities, the permit application and plan review process is already online. While this is not yet available in most areas, this is another field with significant time and money savings.
In some cities, the permit application and plan review process is already online. While this is not yet available in most areas, this is another field with significant time and money savings.
Los Angeles is working towards online filing and issuing of permit applications for simple tasks - reroofing and water heaters, for example.
Twenty-seven Silicon Valley (California) building departments have adopted a standardized permit form. In several communities the permit can already be filed online. The program intends to make the plan check process available online. The architect submits the drawings for plan check using a non-modifiable CAD file. The code official marks up the drawings and returns them electronically. Using collaborative tools now available, the A/E and plan checker can talk on the phone and view on the Internet the same drawing and markups during the phone call.
The ultimate goal is for a community to have online all the building information, including plans and building permits. A fire department could go online to get the plans if they are going to fight a fire.
Recommendation: Work with your local code officials and communities so they understand what is available to automate the permit application and review process and why it is important.
About the author: Colin Gilboy, P.E., is a Director of CSRF. He developed the 4specs.com Internet directory which provides construction professionals with hot links to over 3,100 manufacturers' product web sites. Access the site at www.4specs.com.
The CSRF newsletter is published for SPECTEXT® subscribers and others involved in design and construction. To obtain your copy of Creating a Common Language®, please contact the CSRF Support Center by telephone at 1-877- SPECTXT or 410-838-7561 or you may e-mail us at supportcenter@csrf.org
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