Digitalization must make it easier for companies to complete deliverances, improve results of these, increase production and to improve quality of products. This must be the overall target when increasing digitalization in the Building Industry.
The Building Sector is recognized by a constantly changing production process which results in a geographically static product:
Every
new product is geometrically unique. Each is built on a new location.
Each product is created in processes that involve new and changing
collaborators throughout the lifecycle and the entire project chain.
Building
projects are completed through various Organizational-, Tender-,
Collaboration-, and Enterprise formats and each project is submitted to
various legislations, both locally, regionally and structurally.
Throughout the creation process, each party design different types of information which will be put to use and further developed for various purposes, milestones and endpoints, depending on which part or phase of the building project the party is to contribute to.
Data accessibility becomes a bearing feature when creating a digitalized Building Sector with automated workflow – meaning a secure way of handling systematic data exchange.
And in this, we have a unique possibility to strengthen trade of Building Products within the EU. But it requires access to information regarding these products, to incorporate these data and to use data independently of the producer’s geographical location and/or nationality.
An example of the potential in digitalization
One of the potential wins by digitalization is the possibility to reuse already constructed data. However, this is impeded by the fact that much data constructed today is coherent only to local Building projects and developed quasi structured.
To break down these barriers, data could be generated centrally and structured in accordance to already existing CEN standards.
But instead of expecting engineers and architects to understand how to structure data correctly, and furthermore create a correctly structured data frameset – without being paid to do so – this work could advantageously be done in collaboration between Construction Products Manufacturers and Software companies
The incentive for Building Product Manufacturers to invest in such undertaking should be to have these data available for any building project in the EU, resulting in their products potentially being part of Tender material for all building Tenders throughout the EU.
Data should be product neutral and specific
A crucial point to make, is that these data should be both product neutral and product specific. Neutral, because public Tenders require material that does not refer to specific products due to competitive aspects. Specific, because it is necessary to refer to specific products when making a building offer.
By including Building Product manufacturers and Software companies in generating correctly structured data, a larger decree of reusability of data is obtainable, by which it will be easier to engineers, architects and contractors to complete deliverances.
Furthermore, it will be easier for Building Product Manufacturers to access the European market and collectively it will increase productivity for the benefit of the Builder.
