The Role of Geospatial Technologies in Streamlining Constructions

GIS technology includes, at a minimum, the ability to enter, display, edit and manipulate computer-stored information that has locational attributes. In GIS, location is core. It is different from other computer-aided mapping or drafting technologies in a way that, in addition it provides the ability to perform spatial analysis on this data, i.e. examine the data using concepts that are unique to locational data, such as nearness, sequential location on a network, etc. GIS technology also stores topological relations between spatial data elements to accomplish this end, where mapping technologies may be restricted to storage of geometry only. Frequently, GIS technology may include varying degrees of modeling capability, which is the ability to use the stored spatial data as the basis for analytical or stimulation modeling of various spatially distributed phenomena. Because Geographic Information System(GIS) technology is an increasingly popular methodological approach to working on a variety of problems of interest in all fields not limited to; environment,water,health,transportation,mining,military,financeenergy, information technology and even cryptocurrency . Many of the users of GIS view this technology as a relatively new tool with little history or applications experience yet this technology has been around for the past six decades. The character of much recent work is simply ‘re-invention of the wheel; according to Richards M. Males and Walter M.grayman, as researchers and workers proceed without examining the literature and learning from prior experience. This paper is set to provide an insight into the threads that have led to the directions for improvement of GIS technology since the early 1950s.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is an innovative new approach to building design, construction and management. During the construction phase of the building lifecycle, BIM makes available concurrent information on building quality, schedule, and cost. Completing a construction project within these three important parameters such as time, cost and quality are the criteria of success for a project. BIM plays an important role in the performance improvement of quantity surveying practice However; the concept of BIM to quantity surveying professionals in Tanzania is unknown and little understood by many of the professions. Low awareness and knowledge of BIM may lead to slow adoption of BIM as well as the delay in benefiting from BIM as enjoyed by the various countries that have adopted it fully. This research aims to investigate on how BIM can be implemented for quantity surveying professionals in Tanzania. The data were collected from 41Quantity surveying professions, after analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS), it shows that the majority of quantity surveying professionals is far behind as far as BIM knowledge is concerned and hence, hinders the implementation of BIM for them. Comparing these facts, the suggestions to the factors necessary to consider for BIM implementation to quantity surveying professions have been proposed.

Since the publication of Sir John Egan’s report on the state of the UK construction industry 15 years ago (Egan, 1998), there have been remarkable improvements. The UK’s newest 2012 HM Government Report challenges the industry to step forward and embrace technological change. Though, as with every industry, sector, or organisation, the need for continuous and sustainable improvement continues to push the boundaries and is slow in acceptance. The construction industry is no exception to this phenomenon. As cost is a major factor in any construction project, there is an ever growing need to keep it at manageable levels, while still seeking to achieve the desired budget, quality and delivering on time. Innovation in information, communication, technology and process management has contributed to making this achievable. The industry has witnessed a radical change in the form of Building Information Modelling (BIM). This has revolutionised the delivery approach to construction projects. Evidence of a quantum leap into the realm of BIM has been reported in various forms such as journal articles, industry reports, magazines and case studies. New project delivery processes and approaches to delivering construction projects, such as Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), have been developed as well as Lean Construction, which have been pioneered in the USA and the UK. Better efficiency and collaboration between project stakeholders on a global scale have been engendered on complex projects in France, China the UK and USA. Overall, BIM has witnessed positive adoption in China, the USA, Europe and Australia. This tends to portray an overwhelming support and benefit of BIM in the construction industry. On the other hand, little has been done to determine the economics and the added value of BIM to the construction sector and society holistically. This presents a major challenge for investors in determining what the real value of adopting this approach to current and future projects will be. If BIM is to take-­‐off and adopted holistically by all stakeholders in the AEC industry, then a better understanding of its economic value must be rectified. Currently, there is no standardised methodology or approach in determining its economic value, which has been highlighted in this report. Current efforts have been made by way of investment appraisals such as Net Present Value (NPV), Discounted Cash Flow (DCF), and Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA), yet this has been engaged at the micro-­‐level of organizations. Hence, its application at a macro global level is not robust enough as other factors that affect world economies are not considered. This report draws attention to the above issues and proffers an approach to overcoming this challenge. Within the report, benefits of BIM have been highlighted. Moreover the challenges experienced by industry experts have been elucidated. Finally an approach to determining the economic benefit of BIM has been offered. This uses the economic concept of Total Factor Productivity (TFP). Consequently, in order for BIM to be successful there has to be a paradigm shift from traditional silo disciplines of architecture, engineering and construction to a more collaborative management practice, which stipulates a process management, operations management and lean management approach that will create an overall workforce with enhanced skills, supported by information and knowledge technologies.

Journal of Management in Engineering ASCE, 2018

As a disruptive information and communication technology (ICT) in the architecture, engineering, construction, and operation (AECO) industry, building information modeling (BIM) enables project teams to manage a project via a model-based cooperative approach. Although it has a widespread impact on the industry, the systematic implementation of BIM in projects faces challenges. This study integrated BIM into the lifecycle of a building project with the introduction of a conceptual framework constituted by BIM Information Flow, BIM Model Chain, BIM Workflow, BIM Institutional Environment, and BIM-based Project Management Information System (PMIS). This conceptual framework identifies the key areas for integrating BIM into the project lifecycle and explains how BIM works for project management practice. Through an ethnographic action research approach, the study developed a BIM roadmap for the project lifecycle by systematically implementing BIM in the building project. The major findings and pieces of evidence derived via the implementation support the conceptual framework. The following discussions explain how BIM disrupts the project from the view of organization design and clarify the contributions of this study in project management, as well as BIM adoption and integration. Finally, the conclusions focus on the development of this research, the role of the conceptual framework to underlie the BIM roadmap, and the research limitations. Recommendations are provided toward future research works.