Software integration in the construction industry

The authors observe that in a typical construction project, work is assigned to various groups of specialists such as architects, engineers, draftsmen, managers, fabricators, erectors and administrators and that information technologies (IT) have progressed in each corresponding field. They note that the existing software solutions have their own proprietary format and databases for input and output, and then argue that the lack of interdependencies between these software tools has created a major problem for the construction industry. The authors propose a virtual model concept for buildings with configurable views aimed at the various users such as the designers, estimators, engineers and, incrementally, the architects, draftsmen, fabricators and erectors, as well as various other construction trades. The virtual model concept could be used to improve software integration with consequent savings for the construction industry.