HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF IT IN THE CONSTRUCTION FIELD Experience of IT in building since 1970 Original research Early use of CAD Management systems Human.

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF IT IN THE CONSTRUCTION FIELD

• Experience of IT in building since 1970

• Original research• Early use of CAD• Management systems• Human problems –

energy & complexity• Range of topics here• Need for basic data

Rob Howard

WHAT IS ORIGINAL?

• Nothing is new• Ivan Sutherland VR• Rapid take up:

hardware, software tools, communications

• Slower evolution of: standards, procedures, reorganisation, training.

EARLY COMPUTER SYSTEMS

• Atlas computer 1970s: 128 Kbytes memory, 24 Mbytes storage

• Early PDA - Apple Newton 1993:

1 Mbyte memory• Development of early

CAD systems

CAD AND 3D MODELLING• Early systems limited by hardware

speed & capacity• Early research focussed on automated

design & evaluation• Draughting & visualisation developed

in the 1980s• 3D modelling began in the 1970s but

only became effective in the 1990s• VR finally became effective by 2000,

enhanced by radiosity Aalto Altstetter Church model - Andrzej Zarzycki

PATTERN OF SYSTEM GROWTH• Building on IT surveys

• 1992 communications

• Original S-curve growth

• Email forecast to grow

• CDROM data expected to overtake on-line data

• Broadband starting

• Web not yet established

MATURITY MODEL OF CONSTRUCTION & IT PROCESSES

Optimised

Managed

Defined

Applied

Ad Hoc

Pre-project phase

Pre-construction phase

Construction phase

Post-construction phase

Simulation

Integration

Intelligence Communications

Visualisation

IT support

Construction process

IT facilities

ENVIRONMENT & COMPLEXITY

• Environmental concerns require lifecycle models

• CAD systems enable complex geometry, often for its own sake

GLA building, London Foster Associates

NORDIC IT BAROMETER 2001 Nordic Project web use. Danish awareness of standards

Use of Project Web weighted by staff numbers

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Architect Property Contractor EngineerProportion of firms

Denmark

Finland

Sweden

Experience of standards

0102030405060708090

SfBclassif ication

system

EDIFACTbusiness data

IFC FoundationClasses

STEP productmodel standard

Ibb CAD layerguidelines

CIS-CAD projectdata

Number of respondents

Know Don't know Use Would like to use Would like more to use

PATTERN OF E-BUSINESS GROWTH1990 – 2010 Gartner Group

Awareness e-business at its height

Run on European stockmarket

Run on US stock-market

Dotcom starts

Dotcom stock falls

Investors disappointed

Dotcoms decline

Industry disappointed

Real e-business appears

Post-net companies

2006-2008e-business closes

Technology Expectations Bottom of Experience of Income onStarts climax the wave cautious growth a plateau

CONCLUSIONS

•Variety of topics here relate to the gaps in IT exploitation

•IS/IT strategies, Product & Process models, IT in housing, Value chains in construction information, EDM experience, ICT impact on architectural design, Wireless & web-based facility management, Work flow management, etc.

•Surveys such as IT barometer provide base data for research and business. They expose lack of awareness.

•Now that IT applications are essential to business they suffer from the sudden changes in financial support

•Research considering human factors is now more essential