Engineering Commons^™

Combining A Virtual Learning Tool And Onsite Study Visits Of Four Conservation Sites In Europe, Alain Chenaux, Maurice Murphy, Garrett Keenaghan, James Jenkins, Eugene Mcgovern, Sara Pavia

Conference papers

The design and evaluation of virtual learning environments for construction and surveying students is presented in this paper; by combining virtual learning environment and on-site student surveys to model and replicate practice in the architectural heritage sector. The Virtual Learning Environment is enhanced with real live survey projects whereby students collect the data to build virtual historic buildings from onsite surveys using advanced survey equipment. The survey data is modelled in HBIM; Historic Building Information Modelling (HBIM) is currently being developed as a virtual learning tool for construction and surveying students in the Technological University of Dublin. HBIM, is a …

Advancing The Use Of Bim Through A Government Funded Construction Industry Competency Centre In Ireland, Alan V. Hore, Ken Thomas

Conference papers

The main aim of this paper is to develop the early case for a new Competence Centre dedicated to industry led research in the Irish construction industry. It incorporates the results of a survey carried out by the Construction IT Aliance (CITA) and also identifies similiar centres carrying out industry led research around the world. Results from the survey show a clear support for the establishment of such a centre in Ireland and, in particular, a strong interest in Building Information Modelling (BIM) as a immediate priority research area. BIM is having a profound effect worldwide on the construction industry. …

Developing A Cloud Integrated Life Cycle Costing Analysis Model Through Bim, Alan Redmond, Alan V. Hore, Roger West

Conference papers

Advancing interoperability between design team applications has been a major challenge for advocates of open standards. The buildingSmart alliance and Open Geospatial Consortium Inc in the U.S. have developed and implemented an Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Owner Operator, Phase 1 Testbed that streamlines communications between parties at the conceptual design phase to establish an early understanding of the tradeoffs between construction cost and energy efficiency. The results of this Testbed combined with an on-going collaborative R&D project ‘Inpro’ co-funded by the European Commission to identify business and legal issues of Building Information Modeling in construction were used as theoretical propositions underlying …

Development Of A Cloud Solution For Smes In The Irish Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore, Alan Redmond, Roger West

Conference papers

There is a strong emerging trend within the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector for replacing traditional packaged desktop applications with Web based, outsourced products and services. The drive for this innovative solution is its contribution to enabling software to be developed, delivered and consumed in discrete chunks (known as services) liberating the users from traditional computing and providing services accessible across a range of devices and appliances. The objective of this paper is to report on the progress towards defining this Web based service, commonly known as ‘Cloud computing’, for Small to Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) in the Irish construction …

Finding A Middleware Ict Solution For The Irish Construction Sme Sector, Alan V. Hore, Alan Redmond, Roger West

Conference papers

A key feature of the Irish construction industry is its fragmented structure. Some 16,000 businesses list their main activity as construction, yet no company has more than 3% of the total Irish output. The top 20 companies have less than 15% of total output. There is a very high number of Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SME‟s) in the sector. However, most software products which address the specific needs of the construction industry are designed for larger companies. It is felt that the needs of the large number of SME‟s in the sector are underserved. The Construction IT Alliance (CITA) …

Building Support For Coud Computing In The Irish Construction Industry, Alan Redmond, Alan V. Hore, Roger West

Conference papers

The construction industry has been traditionally recognised as a fragmented sector associated with a poor level of implementation and penetration of Information Communication Technology (ICT) by Small to Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs). Cloud computing is a collective term that can facilitate the ability to collaborate within a central repository that can act as a base for interoperability between various construction disciplines and their software applications. Cloud computing is a new layer of internet architecture that creates an open opportunity to add better functionality to an increasingly global network. The characteristics of cloud computing, such as, shared infrastructure, on-demand applications, elasticity …

Cloud Computing And Its Application In The Irish Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore, Roger West, Alan Redmond

Conference papers

The significance of Irish Small to Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) being more effective and efficient with eBusiness solutions in the construction industry has never been more evident than in today’s global economy. Through the development of a strong and proactive network the Construction IT Alliance (CITA) hope to create a platform for implementing the use of eBusiness in the SME community. This network will provide SME companies with a direction on how to improve their efficiency and effectiveness through the use of technology. At present CITA has identified a potential business solution that would make construction software more accessible by …

Comparison Of Indian Ppp Construction Industry And European Ppp Construction Industry: Process, Thresholds And Implementation, Louis Gunnigan, Renuka Rajput

Conference papers

Abstract Since the 1990’s, there has been a rapid rise of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) across the world. Governments in developing as well as developed countries are increasingly using this procurement method to bridge the much needed infrastructure gap. PPPs are seen as an important tool for producing an accelerated and larger pipeline of infrastructure investments, and catching up with the infrastructure deficit. Arguably, this is why developed and especially developing countries are very keen on PPP models. This paper will compare the PPP procurement process followed in Europe compared to India and presents a thorough review of literature on …

Creating A Software Marketplace For The Sme Community In The Irish Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore, Roger West, Alan Redmond

Conference papers

The Construction Industry is a sector where Information Communication Technology (ICT) and e-Business are used to a lesser extent than in most other sectors. The high concentration of Small to Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the industry and the typical nature of the service provided, being an on-site and often highly customised service are generally identified as the reason for the low ICT uptake. The majority of Irish companies in the construction sector are SMEs. E-Business has provided the construction SME industry the opportunity to compete globally. The Construction IT Alliance (CITA) has identified a programme that can create a …

Creating A Digital Sme Community In The Irish Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore, Roger West, Alan Redmond

Conference papers

The Construction Industry is a sector where ICT and e-business are used to a lesser extent than in most other sectors. The high concentration of SMEs in the construction industry and the typical nature of the service provided in construction, being an on-site and often highly customised service are generally identi-fied as the reason for the low ICT uptake. The majority of Irish companies in the construction sector are SMEs. It is essential that Irish companies become more effective and efficient with eBusiness technologies in order to compete in the global economy. The Construction IT Alliance in Ireland has identified …

The Future Scenario Of Creating A Digital Sme Community In The Irish Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore, Roger West, Alan Redmond

Conference papers

The problems associated with the Construction Industry not being able to manage and com-municate electronically product and project data between collaborating firms and within individual companies is compounded by the large number of small companies that have not adopted advanced Information Com-munication Technology (ICT). The typical nature of the service provided in construction, being an on-site and often highly customised service are generally identified as the reason for the low ICT uptake. The majority of Irish companies in the construction sector are Small to Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs). As eBusiness opens up the Irish economy to international competition Irish SMEs …

Icpma Knowledge Management Centre – Sharing Knowledge In The International Construction Project Management Community, Louis Gunnigan, Wilhelm Reismann

Conference papers

In 2007, The International Construction Project Management Association (ICPMA) established a Knowledge Management Centre (KMC) the objective of which is to share experiences of construction project management amongst academics and practitioners across the globe. A strategy for the KMC was developed and a number of areas were identified as being relevant to the members of the international construction project management community. This paper examines the development of the KMC to date and establishes the achievements to date. The difficulties encountered in the development of the KMC are identified and the causes of these difficulties established. The plan for the future …

A Flexible Web Based Learning Tool For Construction And Surveying Students Using Building Information Modelling And Laser Scanning, Maurice Murphy, Garrett Keenaghan, Eugene Mcgovern, Sara Pavia

Conference papers

Teaching and training construction and surveying students using computer simulations of buildings although recently developed is not new. In the case of this project a novel aspect is introduced through applying advanced recording and building modelling techniques developed in the Faculty of the Built Environment in the Technological University of Dublin. In summary this learning software uses parametric objects representing intelligent building components which are brought together virtually by the student to create or form an entire building. The library of parametric objects contain the real world geometry, texture and specification of building parts allowing the student to virtually analyse …

Barriers To Innovation In Public-Private Partnership (Ppp), Louis Gunnigan, David Eaton

Conference papers

This paper sets out to identify barriers to greater use of innovation in PPP projects. Using a series of in-depth interviews with participants on two closely related PPP projects, data were gathered and analysed to compare the success of the projects in relation to innovation. The views of the participants relating to the approach to innovation were recorded and were examined relative to the views on innovation expressed in published documentation relating to these projects. The research showed that two different types of innovation could be identified – namely cost reducing innovation and product enhancing innovation. It also showed that, …

Changing Training Needs Arising From The Introduction Of Off-Site Construction Techniques, Louis Gunnigan, John Mcdonagh

Conference papers

The objective of this paper is to examine the changes in training needs arising from the increase of off-site construction in the Republic of Ireland. The methodology employed was a case study using a participant observation research technique. For a period of three weeks, the researcher observed the construction of residential housing, constructed using off-site techniques. From the practices observed and from interviews with the operatives on-site, an account of the differences in skills required between those employed in traditional construction and off-site construction was compiled. Each of the different trades involved in traditional construction was addressed and a comprehensive …

Implementing Ecommerce In The Irish Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore, Roger West

Conference papers

The current methods of ordering, delivering and invoicing of materials in the construction in-dustry is enormously inefficient, with vast quantities of paperwork, duplication of effort, scanning, re-keying and resolving mismatches between invoices, delivery dockets and purchase orders. The objective of this pa-per is to set out the progress that is being made by the Construction IT Alliance (CITA) in Ireland to support the implementation of eCommerce in the Irish construction industry. The authors will present the result of a pilot project in 2006 which demonstrated that the technology necessary for implementing an electronic supply chain exists and could be deployed …

Proposal For A Construction Industry Digital Competency Centre For Ireland, Alan V. Hore

Conference papers

The Irish construction industry is facing a series of fundamental challenges that is affecting every player in the AEC lifecycle from architects to owners to tenants. Despite technology advances in recent years, the Irish construction industry lags behind other industries in respect to Information Communications Technology (ICT) investments. Despite a pressing need for innovation, procurement and tendering procedures in Ireland largely discourages new ideas and puts further pressure on wafer-thin margins that characterise the construction sector. This paper will reflect on the deliverables of the Construction Information Technology Alliance (CITA) in Ireland, which was formed in partnership between the Technological …

Citax: A Collaborative Ict Standards Model For The Irish Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore, Roger West

Conference papers

The Irish construction industry is facing a series of fundamental challenges that is affecting every player in the AEC lifecycle, from architects to engineers to quantity surveyors to owners to tenants. Despite technological advances in recent years, the Irish construction industry lags behind other industries in respect to ICT investments. Although there is a pressing need for innovation, existing procurement and tendering procedures in Ireland largely discourage new ideas and put further pressure on thin margins that characterise the competitiveness of the construction sector. The low level of inter-company ICT connectivity reflects the general fragmented and adversarial nature of the …

Training Module In Regional And Municipal Governance Of Public Private Partnerships, Louis Gunnigan

Conference papers

This module concentrates on the issues important to those who will be setting up PPPs and who are involved in government at a regional or municipal level.

The module is centred on five tasks, namely:

• How to identify PPP opportunities and to find the best private sector partners for a PPP;
• How to organize a PPP programme within a government by enhancing cooperation amongst the relevant departments and ministries, local, regional and national authorities;
• How to be an effective manager and leader in a dynamic PPP unit;
• How to engage public support for PPPs;
• How to use international instruments to …

Realising Electronic Tendering In The Irish Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore

Conference papers

No abstract provided.

Efficiency Gains To Be Won Through The Introduction Of Electronic Tendering In The Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore, Roger West

Conference papers

The tendering process predominantly adopted in the Irish construction industry is largely paper-dependent. However, the increase in the availability of high speed Information Communications Technology (ICT) has meant that construction consultants can disseminate this information more cost effectively in an electronic format. The aim of this paper is to present a status report on an industry-led network project currently being undertaken by the Construction Information Technology Alliance (CITA) in Ireland. This project aims to demonstrate how greater effectiveness and efficiency can be applied to the tendering process by the application of ICT already used widely in other industries. The status …

Citax: Defining Xml Standards For Data Exchange In The Construction Industry Supply Chain, Alan V. Hore, Roger West

Conference papers

The current methods of ordering, delivering and invoicing of products in the construction industry is enormously inefficient, with vast quantities of paperwork, duplication of effort, scanning, re-keying and resolving mismatches between invoices, delivery dockets and purchase orders. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the Construction IT Alliance eXchange (CITAX) project and, in particular, to outline the work carried out-to-date by a special interest group within the project. They are seeking to define a universal set of eXtensible Mark-Up Language (XML) message standards that will allow suppliers and contractors to exchange information with each other in supply chain activity. …

Addressing The Challenges That Are Emerging In The Continued Increase In Ppp Use In The Republic Of Ireland, Louis Gunnigan, David Eaton

Conference papers

The Irish Government’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) programme of pilot projects is now reaching its conclusion and PPP has become established as a key element in the strategy for provision of public sector facilities. Compiled through a literature review as part of a PhD level research project, this paper examines organisational culture differences between the public and private sectors and assesses the potential affect of these differences on the future development of the Irish PPP programme. By relating organisational culture differences to the emerging challenges relating to risk, value and innovation, it is evident that the lack of a partnering environment …

A Critical Appraisal Of The Roles Of Public Sector Employees In The Provision Of Educational Buildings Under A Public Private Partnership (Ppp) In The Republic Of Ireland, Louis Gunnigan, David Eaton

Conference papers

Public-Private Partnership (PPP) has now become established as a key element in the Irish Government’s strategy in the provision of school buildings. Specific guidelines have been implemented to define the public sector role in a PPP in Ireland and these guidelines represent a significant change in role from those in the traditional schools procurement process. Through a literature review, this paper maps the PPP process and establishes the new tasks that public sector employees must carry out in the adoption of PPP. The new knowledge, skills and competence (KSC) required to carry out these tasks are noted. Whilst existing literature …

A Critical Appraisal Of The Roles Of Public Sector Employees In The Provision Of Educational Buildings Under A Public Private Partnership (Ppp) In The Republic Of Ireland, Louis Gunnigan, David Eaton

Conference papers

Public-Private Partnership (PPP) has now become established as a key element in the Irish Government’s strategy in the provision of school buildings. Specific guidelines have been implemented to define the public sector role in a PPP in Ireland and these guidelines represent a significant change in role from those in the traditional schools procurement process. Through a literature review, this paper maps the PPP process and establishes the new tasks that public sector employees must carry out in the adoption of PPP. The new knowledge, skills and competence (KSC) required to carry out these tasks are noted. Whilst existing literature …

Realising Electronic Purchasing In The Irish Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore, Roger West

Conference papers

The use of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in construction purchasing has been sporadic and piecemeal. Very significant inefficiencies and problems still exist in both paper transactions and non-integrated electronic solutions. At the simplest level, the electronic transmission of business documents offers savings in paper and postage. By going a step further, businesses can make strides in communicating with their partners, at relatively low cost, through direct links between their computers. Existing ICT such as the Internet, Bar-Coding, Radio Frequency Tagging, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Electronic catalogs and Enterprise Resource Planning Software (ERP) have facilitated electronic commerce (EC) functionality within many …

A Survey Of Electronic Purchasing Practice In Ireland: A Perspective For The Irish Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore, Roger West

Conference papers

There are many millions of trading documents (such as purchase orders, delivery notes and invoices) currently exchanged on paper in business to business (B2B) transactions, each having to be re-keyed as they pass between different locations and computer applications. Existing Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) such as the Internet, Bar-Coding, Radio Frequency Tagging, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Electronic catalogs and Enterprise Resource Planning Software (ERP) have facilitated electronic commerce (EC) functionality within many business sectors. However, the adoption of such technologies in the Irish construction industry has been very slow with only limited evidence of their application. The results of a …

The Benefits Of Deploying It In The Material Procurement In Ready Mix Concrete In The Irish Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore, Roger West

Conference papers

The current methods of processing orders, deliveries and invoices of concrete products in the construction industry is enormously inefficient, with vast quantities of paperwork, duplication of effort, scanning, re-keying and resolving mismatches between purchase orders, delivery dockets and invoices. This paper sets out results of a survey which reveals attitudes to Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in supporting the purchasing process in construction. The drivers and barriers to ICT use in construction purchasing is discussed from both the contractor‟s and supplier‟s perspective. The paper goes on to describe the outcome of a pilot study in which the efficiencies are investigated arising …

An Examination Of The Effect Of Organisational Culture Of The Implementation Of Public-Private Partnership (Ppp) In Ireland, Louis Gunnigan, David Eaton

Conference papers

This paper is concerned with identifying the organisational issues causing difficulty in the use of PPP and assessing the impact of PPP implementation on the organisational culture in the Irish public and private sectors. The authors address this issue by mapping the PPP process for one project type and comparing this process with that carried out in traditional procurement. Process differences through use of PPP are identified and organisational issues that have potential to impact on PPP success are assessed. Whilst the study undertaken is not extensive, it provides insight for initiators of PPP projects into the organisational issues that …

Attitudes Towards Electronic Purchasing In The Irish Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore, Roger West

Conference papers

It is well known that the adoption of information technology in materials procurement in the construction industry has been sporadic and piecemeal. Very significant inefficiencies and problems still exist in both paper transactions and non-integrated electronic solutions. There is a general lack of awareness and take-up of information communication technologies (ICT) within the Irish construction material purchasing supply chain. In order to verify this contention a methodology was adopted which involved the design and distribution of an on-line questionnaire to over 100 Irish construction companies. The survey was designed to ascertain the current level of technology take-up in business-to-business (B2B) …