It seems we all agree the digitisation of
construction and real estate is an imperative for buildings to be designed,
constructed and operated more cost-effectively and deliver the changing needs
of the building’s occupants.
There is much discussion about the benefits
of AI, MI, Digital Twins and not forgetting BIM to support the digital
transformation of the built environment.
Yet I’m unconvinced these technologies will deliver their promised
benefit without the whole supply chain addressing the underlying fundamental
need to deliver structured data, and I repeat the need for structured
data.
The delivery of structured data is the
bedrock it’s what AI, MI and digital twins consume to enable them to deliver
the promised benefits claimed. Without
structured data, data can’t be guaranteed it exists, it’s accurate and/or
reliable and therefore most importantly actionable. Actionable is the only real reason to capture
data during design, construction and handover for use during construction and
operations.
Where do we start to ensure the data is
actionable? The bedrock of structured
data is to ensure the correct classification of an asset/element – “if it looks
like a duck, it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck it’s a duck not an
eagle, swan etc”.
Why is classification critical in the
digital world? Because increasingly the
data generated will be consumed by different by downstream solutions for
estimating, scheduling and management etc.
These solutions can’t work effectively if there is the slightest
ambiguity in the data they are consuming and they can’t make decisions for
themselves let’s not forget they are only machines!
It still a surprise to me after all these
years since the introduction of BIM mandates across the world, the development of PAS 1192 in the UK and more
recently ISO11960 we are still having arguments in project meetings about why
it’s so important to structure data.
Once we overcome the sectors inertia to
embracing structured data then the construction and real estate world will finally
be able to embark on the successful digitisation journey delivering a more
predictable and actionable operational environment.