MODEL BASED CONSTRUCTION PROCESS MANAGEMENT Model based construction process management

The purpose of this research was to study how the data management of a main contractor can be improved, in order to provide better client value and more costefficient production. The research focused on methods for reengineering the information management using product modelling as an enabling technology. The methods were tested in pilot tests in which the developed cost and value engineering prototype application was used. This paper demonstrates an integration of design and production planning based on the product model approach. The final outcome is that the main contractor can utilise information coming from designers as input in its own tendering and cost estimation applications. The key methodology used for describing the information management process throughout the building process life-cycle was IDEF0. The analysis of the current process (as-is), in the form of an IDEF0 model, helped in identifying the main problems of current practice. The target process (to-be) definition was based on product model utilisation and takes into account the possibilities for process reengineering supported by product data technology. One specific requirement was deemed important in view of the anticipated developments in the area of data exchange; the target system should be structured in such a way that it could easily be adapted to receive data according to the emerging Industry Foundation class (IFC) core model schemas. The overall result of the research reported in this paper is that the product model approach can be used for a substantially reengineered information management process of a main contractor, especially in design and constructdesign/build type contracts.