Architecture Engineering Construction Industry Research Articles

IT support of single project, multi-project and industry-wide integration

This paper discusses the social or organizational context in which integration in the architecture–engineering–construction industry takes place. We distinguish types and examples of integration at the project level, the multi-project level and the industry level. These types of integration motivate opportunities for the use of information technology. The paper then discusses work related to integration technology in support of integration, in particular in the area of information modeling. It addresses several research challenges with respect to purpose, representation, reasoning, user interface and testing of these models. The goal of this paper is to provide the background for the focus of this journal issue.

Computer Integration: Reducing Fragmentation in AEC Industry

Emerging and existing computer technologies can be synthesized in ways that provide new kinds of decision support for integrating the data, design decisions, and knowledge normally dispersed among the many participants in the architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) process. This paper briefly examines the origins and impacts of fragmentation in the industry in the U.S. and describes six thrust areas where computer‐integrated design and construction can substantially improve the competitiveness of the U.S. AEC industry and the quality of its products. In each of these thrust areas, AEC problems pose important challenges to developing technologies for artificial intelligence, graphic and nongraphic databases, process automation and robotics, and management and dissemination of technology. The application of these advanced computer technologies and the AEC industry offers the promise of significant gains in productivity and will infuse new excitement into civil engineering education and practice.

Applications Of Design Intent In ValueEngineering

The increasing complexity of building facilities highlights the need for improved communication among the numerous Architecture-Engineering-Construction (AEC) participants involved in a single project. The AEC industry implements value engineering programs not only to improve the life cycle cost effectiveness of these projects, but also to improve the communication of design intent among the project participants. This paper briefly describes the design intent and value engineering concepts from the point of view of the AEC industry. Emerging computer technologies such as computer-aided design and artificial intelligence are necessary in the implementation of the coupling of these two concepts. This coupling improves the efficiency of the value engineering process. The paper also presents a prototype computer-aided value engineering (CAVE) system currently under development. The implementation of a CAVE system embeds the value engineering process in the design process and forms the foundation for a computer-integrated facility life cycle concept