Sven Bertelsen

THE MOUSE'S OPINION

—on the building design documents

Illustrated by SteenAgger

NIRAS Consulting Engineers and Planners, Denmark

First printed 1992in Danish. C Sven Bertelsen 1992

E-mail: sven@hertelsen.org
INTRODUCTION
This essay looks at the form and content of the &sign (kruments for a traditional Danish
building project. In section I it startswith a review of the designd«uments in their traditional
form and demonstratesthat they to a very great extentare a resultof the traditional tools LBed
for the preparation combined with the working prcxess. The use of the design
ålring the building project'slife cycle is analysedin section2. Someof the main featuresof the
new tools ryovided by the information technology are outlined in section3 and finally a new
form of designdocunrnts are briefly outlined in section4.
Armand year I(X) B.C the Rotnan architect Vitruvius defined in his chief work: De
Architectura the threeprincipal characteristicto be usedin assessinga building's architectural
value: Utilitas —its Firmitus —its strengthand durability; aril Venustas—its grace
and beauty.
These three featureshave since then been the ideals Of the architecture.And today they are
reflected in the design document's three principal drawings: plans, Cross Sections and
Elevations.

These three main drawings are central tools during the design phase.-Ihey are guiding the
prcress,structuraldesignis madebasedon them,andthey endup asthemain drawingsin the
final project document. But the fact that thesedrawings are so central in the processdoes not
necessarilynran that —combined with a lot Of text and the many details as later tones have
found necessary—they, in the bestway, Rilfil the designdcx•ument'sreal purm»e:
The ommunication with the client, the users, the manufacturers, the suppliers, the
contractors and the craftsmen.

2
 THE TRADITIONAL DESIGN DOCUMENT

o 0

•me traditional designdcrunrnt found its form in a time where the tools were pencil and
ink pen, ruler and setsquarecombined with a typewriter. The reproduction
took place by meansof blueprints stencil.The form Ofthe&sign dcx•ument
aswell
as the design phasereflects thosetools
trulitional (ESign(bcumentconsistsof drawings—big drawings,becausea few big
drawings are easierto prepareand print than many srnall view is right-angled
which is the easiestto draw alongthe T-square—not theJ*rsFctive with its rmny odd
angles.Text in ink on drawings is time u.»nsuming.Therefore text is compiled into
which canemciently betyped and stencilled
The design processreflects thesetools, too. Drawings are preparedat the same time as
the contentOf infonnation is decided.As it is diffcult to undertakec€Mnprchensive
currectionson the many drawings the designprocessis normally startedwith scnneinitial
phaseswherethecreativesketchingtakesplace.Atierwardsthe moreSFCifying phases
follow wlwre the information is strcessively establishedand at the sarrw time
incorporatedin thedrawings.
After tlr drawing pluse tlw Of materials and work processesfollow
compikd in the specifications finally the contracttnl clausesare laid down in tlr

The åct that a building part or w•crkprocessis not completelyin one go is

partly a resultOf thetools —i is hardto drawand write at the sametime —partly dueto
the division Of work in the designoffices.The architectarul the engineereachprq'are
theirdrawingswhereastlw specificationis a joint effort. And finally single
preparesthe contractualconditions.
However, it is not the issueof this paper to 100kinto the designprocess. This has
already been done. The main issue of this paper is the result: the Design

3
The design document form
traditional design document consists Of drawings and text. The drawings are borne as
sketches and end up as plans, Cross sections and elevations combined with details and
diagrams.The text consistsof srrcifications,conditions,tenderd€x•uments
etc.
It is very exrxnsive to prepare drawings in the tradiuonal way so are at the sametime
aimedat nuny 'Ilie drawingsarenuinly right-angledprojections,from time to time
combined with isometricsto show e.g. Piping in 3-ditnensions.Realperspectivestake time and
are for this reasonusedvery seldom.The goes for colours and graphics.
•The&awings are big —as a matter Of fact as big as thedrawing table,which meansthat details
arc often shown on the samedrawings showing the while, or they are compiled in a large
arnou•lton speciallydetaileddrawings.
The text is compiled in tx»oksas big as it is practically pcNible to prepare,thus making the
printing easier.The specificationsarefurthermcrenormallydivi&d in accordancewith crafts,
but this division seki_ml reflects the actual contractual division Of the work because the
conditions are preparedat a later Stage.And for each cran the specification is divided into
materialsspecificationsand ofw«k mtxessescombined with
ments, this divisim is
seldom carried out 4
conseqwntly throumt
the whole book.

The contractual border

lines are laid down in the
conditicms — not in the
drawings or in the
sFcifications. However,
the divisim
what is designed and
what is comiitioned is

undertaken. Often divisions between crafts or contractors are shown on drawings in the
srrcifications althoughthey are contractualissues.
design prcress as undertakentcxlay will inevitably mistakes.The designers'aim is
therefore that information is only given in one place making corrections easier to

As it can be seen, the format of the traditional design document primarily aims at its
efficient preparation by means of the traditional tools, but not necessarily at its
practical use.

4
Design Proposal
designprocesstsually Startsby the client —in a dialoguewith the architect—formulating
his requestsfor the Ehlilding:
Basedon this the architectpreparesproposals.First showingthebuildingin principle,
later on more specific.
Normally it is saidthatat theendof theproposalphase(thebasicdesign)all decisionsrelevant
for the futureusersare The retnainingpartof the designryocessis only aiming at the
preparation Of specific documents, which are suited for the call for tenders, and the
undertaking of the constructionwork

Ihe main drawings of thw basic design: Plans, cross sectionsand elevations are difficult to
un&rstand for an unskilled clicrt. Ordinary Erople are only to a very limited extentcapableof
readingdrawingsand in particularunderstardingthe drawingsas a picture Of rcxjms to
mention rooms aspart of a greaterwhole.
At the sane time the basicdesignvery seldomgivesreal ewnples thebuildings usage—
but at it is furnishedwith sigmtures—making the cornnumicationwith the unprepared
client even difficult.

Theresult is that theclientfinds it verydifficult to understand—not to mentionapprove

the building based on the basic design documents. This causesuncertainty in the
subsequentphcwses.

5
Detailed design
When the basicdesignhasbeenapprovedthe detaileddesignis prepared,readyfor call for
tender and undertaking Of theconstructionwork.
ArchitectandengineersStarta closeco-operation.Sketchesandideasareexchangedin order
to establish a functional and beautiful building which can be constructed in wcxx.i, steel,
concrete, glass arul bricks, and which lus room for all necessary installations:piping fcy
heating, water, sewage,a/c,electricity, telephones,alarms etc.
It is a •v•aycomplicatedpuzzleto combineall the pieces,rwt leastbecauseartificial light,
&rylight, indcxr-clirnate and many more issues also must be taken into considerationand
(kcided finally in this
is partly a detailingof thebuilding'sfunction andsystenys,
partly a preparationof
the (kwumentation,which shall usedin the su•ceedingphiBe:s.This double task is very hard
to fulfil by of thetraditional mls.
The furwtionality and the systemsare tried illustratedby meansof different Of drawings.
But internal conflicts between e.g. piping and wirxlows are not an which is
sometimes not exposed before the construction phase.

At the same time a &tailing Of the building takes place and materials and are
choseruAll these facts shall ållfil client's wishes for quality and at the same time for a
harmonic unity. But the drawings' specification does not support a processwhere a number of
different parties eæh chose their comlMnentS,which shall all eventually end up in the sarne
room or suite of rooms.

Even though the &sign is divided into phases,the prCEessstill contains an

anumt of p(N1bilities for mistakesand misunderstandings
And although a lot of effort is laid down in the preparation of the design documents the
result doesnotform a suitable basisfor thefollowing processes.

6
Tendering
In the tendering phasea number of contractorseach study the building design prepare
cost estimates for their parl of the work. The contractor —or the quantity surveyor—hasto
calculatethe arnountof materialsandcomponentsandestimatetime consumptionandcoststo
e.g. colßtnrtion equiprnent. At the sametime prices of material supplies shall be called for
and a work prcress must be estimated in accordancewith standard agreementswith the
labour unions

Also the act-tul conditions of the construction site, risks for conflicts with other contractors'
operations,unforeseeneventsetc. must be estimated.
Only then the contractor is able to hß final tenckr.
In connectionwith the cost estimationthe traditional designdocumentfcy the first time shows
its weakness.The drawings show the hiilding, the *Reifications define materialsand work
operationswhereasthe contractualborderlinesare found in the conditions. Only a very careful
studywill showwho is going to undertakethe stmlementary work, whereit takeplace
in which content it can causeproblems for onesown contractualwork.
To this should bc that in Denmark the designdocumentsdo n€Mcomprise the detailed
quantity survey, that the specificationsoften use other product namesor comrx»nentnumbers
than the onestsed by the suppliers,that the work very seldomare
the sarnc those laid down in theagrecnrnts with tlw•lab€hlrunionsetc.

The result is that the tendering process to a great extent is a guesswork based on very
rough estimates and quantity surveys combined with experience concerning how
difficult a particular type Of building normally is to erect.

7
Construction
During the construction the contractorsshall buy materials and cornrX»nentS,
get theseto the
constructionsite and installthem.The manufacturers
arulsuppliersshallproducetlr building
materialsand take careof the transportto the constructionsite.
An efficient constructionpr«ess requiresa very specific of materials and
Componentsfor each part Of the building and that this specificationcombined with a detailed
work schedulecanbe usedas basisfor a rational logistic aml an efficient constructionprocess.

But here, too, the traditional design docunrnt shows its weakness. The division into drawilgs
and srrcification is 1Üt rational in the manumcturing and supplying of building materials neither
in un&ltaking ofthe work. Normally information on a comm»nent,a building
part or a constructionprocesshas to found in more than one place.The total is shown on the
drawings whereas quality, supplementary materials and work ryocesses are found in the
sErcifications. Iktails are found on drawings, but ru»tnecessarilyon those showing the total.
And contractualborderlinesare normally found in the conditions,where it on the otherhand is
very hard to see,who is undertaking the work not part of onesown contracL
The contractor thereforequite often loses his overview leading to that the orders for building
materials arrive randomly at the manufacturersand stQpliers, and normally far too late. •nuis
again leads to mistakes, and expressOrdersare the normal than the exception. In the
case where building materials arrive too early at the construction site there are no suitable
storageareasandthey areplacedrandomly,wherethey areOftenin the way for Othercrafts
and are broken or stolen.

craftsmanon the scaffold gets unhandydrawings and insufficient information. But instead
of climbing down to get nwre information in the site office wirre the specifications and the
8
remaining drawings are he tries to solve his problem by improvising.
The result of this process is delays. low quality and extra costs.
All in all it can be recognisedthat the traditional design doct111Er1 —althougha number of
eff01tshave Epenmadein systemising—is not suitablefor practicalusein the building process.
"Ihis is the case for both approval, tendering, preparation, supply and construction. Its form
reflects primarily preparation, even this is it ncfl particularly suitable. In particular not
considering the ms which are available in the design omce.
These IT-tools are —as an inspiration for a re-thinking of the design document —shortly
outlined in the following section.

9
THE NEW TOOLS
The Inforrnation Technology offers the Ellilding sector a set of new tools. Primarily 3-
dimensional CAD-systems to mockl the building and to prepare the drawings. But also
datatusesfor a systematicfiling of informationin relation to the design, electroniccornrxments'
cataloguesand standardsfor electronictrade.
ne information techmlogy is characterised by
separatingthe information from tie media, which
makes it visible: tlr m•trnentation. This rneans that
the establishmell of the inforrmtion tlle Imilding is
separated from the preparation of the
dcwumcntatim: The drawings,
conditions. Consequently the process must
divided into a design — where the
infonnation is prepared — and a documentatön
processwhere the &sign documentsare extracted
from database. In the age of the information
techmlcvy it is imp«tant to keep in mirxl that not
only compiling of inforrru•tion but also and
extraction will call for a work grocess. design
pmcesscreatesa lot of information.Only a small
amount of this is relevant for each single process
further down the line. But Often alrnost all the
information is carried over into the docunmtation —
as this is the easiest way to do it. However, the
*rplus infon_nationis ccmfusing blurs the real CAD

The total (ESign infimntion sh€*lldbe corrviled and

storedsystematically,but only extractedas required DATABAS
and in a format suitable for actual of the

With(llt this sorting each and everybody DIGITKAT

particirx•tingin tlr baikiing will losehis way
in erumnous amount of infonnation.

Consequentlythe information technologyshould peon

not only be used to creale and store information,
but just as much to establish a filter in order to
extract the information into suitable documents.

10
 CAD
CAD —ComputerAided Design—is Oftenlooked
upon as an electronicdrawing tool.
Most CAD-systems can also be used in this way.
But theimportantissuein CAD is ncNits capability
of assistingin the preparationOfdrawings,asthey
are known in the traditional forrn, These kinds of
drawingsare not very suitableanyway.
The CAD. system'sstrengthlies in its capability of
workingwith a building combinationof objects:
Building partsandcomponentsreflectingthereality
in whichthebuildingis constructed.
Whetherthe CAD-systemis 2 or 3-dinrnsionalall
modem CAD-systems work with symbols
expresing the Objecß Of which building is
constructed by in the real world. In the CAD-
system these objects can combined to still
biggerobjectsandfinally to thebiggestobject:
builülg
The CAD-system makes it easy to model and
thereby support the creative part Of the design

process.And it Offerscompletelynew BN1bilities Ofshowingthe thiildilg to theclientandthe

By nwansof the CAD-system it is easyto preparelxrspectivesof roomswith furniture —

shownasrealfurniture,andthesedrawingscanbe preparedin colours,lightsandshadows,
reflectionsand with all the issws which are found in a photograph,But the
11
CAD. systemis of this while thebuilding is still on tlk drawing
At the time CAD-systans are very efficient in tik prewation of drawings no matter
how complicated they are,or in which format they arerequired
Thereby the CAD-System removesthe time consumingdrawing processfrom the designwork
and up for completely new types of drawings.
Unfortunately only a few of the existing CAD—systems
are capable of managing the text
and the components' numbers which is necessary in order to specify the building in
details and to prepare an complete quantity survey. This calls for a real database

12
Data bases
The more advancedCAD-systemsof today have a two-qay 'Y)intingsystemto a relatioml
data base,and the remaining CAD- systemswill prd\lbly get this fæility in a few yeus time —
Orthey will disappearfrom the market.
databasecan be used for the storing of further information concerningthe CAD-model's
objects. For instance this information can be cataloguenumbers for doors, windows, radiators
or valves, it can be a specification of the work related to the construction work Of
the object in question,or it can the quality requirementsconcerningthis work
The pointer system is a two-
way feature. By pointing on
the drawing question can
for instance asked: Which
type of window is this? And
by asking thedatabase:Where
in building do we find
valve no. 32-599? All valves
Of this type can bc madc
on the screen.

The database makes a

systematic sFcificati0n of
building building
parts and building processes
possible at the same time as
the design process is
undertaken. The traditional
division intodrawingaruispecificationherebydisarvears.
At the sametime the databasemakesit vx»ssible to undertakeautomaticquantity surveysfor
the use in cost estimatesand tenderingand later for Of comm»nentS and their
survly in accordancewith the construction schedule.Last but least the databaseinspires
the usersto combine drawings and text in a new and rmre rational way.
However, the content Of the database does not come about by itself. A great part of this
information must comefrom suppliers' catalogues,and therefore thesetoo should be in
a digital format.

13
Digital catalogues
The components'catalogtrs
are very important tools in
daily in tix
(ksign office. From those
inf'mutim
cornr»nents is gathered:
Their tirir
measurements, their boks,
their price and the process
related to their irstalnrnt

Tcxlay rnore and rnore

sumliets and tmnufxturers
offer this kirxi of infcrnution
in format. Ih_is
rnakes it possible for
architects and engineers
from their CAD-screens to
look in the
and pinpoint the
component related to tlr
object they are in the processOf in the CAD-system.
Also the specificationsof the work prcxessesrelated to ccmsüuctionof tlr building part
can often be foumdin a digital kymat.
These tcx)ls are the basis for a very rational design building comWnents am] ttw
process specification can be related to the objects in the CAD-system- of trir
connection, mutual harmony or fianction can made and information required frr their
manumcturing,suvvlying and irstallation canbe conviled systematically.
But there are further possibilities in thesenew tools.

14
Individual manufacturing
In the manuE.cturers
in the building irdustry more and morermve away a
to storageinto an rmnufacturing.
The is a wish for lower capital biryling, but also the m«iern prodtrtion
tecHlogy enabling a Est change to another making the individual
prod'Etion possmleis ingx»rtantfxtor.
This nrans that tcxhybuildingcornpmentsareOftenmanufacturedfor a specificconstruction
jc±. This that alre4Klyat the productiontime knowswherethe component—e.g.a
cupboardor a window —will in tlr finalbiilding
to crder gives new — but not yet used — opportunitiesfor individual

Kmwing final læatim at the tinr nukes it rxÄ1ble to

fuNrr, e.g. by drilling mles fcy the fitting and undertakingsimilar
which n«mally take place on tlr constructionsite. Furthermoreall supplementarymaterialsto
used fcy the installation can be sLmlied with the acttnl compment. Finally the
fcy instanatim —in with a (Etailed drawing —can be printed out and
follow ccmponentto the cm.stnrtion site insteadOf forwardedseparatelyfrom the
'Bign This will that infimutim is available at the time as the
constnrtion work takes place.
Individual manufacturing has been possible for some years, bul has only been used
sporadically. The digital design document will spread its usage outside the factory

15
Electronic trade
The buildingpruess is urukllaken by a lot of partiesco-operatingin everclunging patterns.
The co-cveration in the building processrequiresexchangeOfa lot Of information. If all parties
shall betrfit from the information technolow it is that the computers can
conununicate.This featureis developingvery fast.
On a national well as an international level preparationof common electronicdocuments—
e.g. used in the trade between contractor and his suppliers —is being developed.
Suchelectronic tradewill improve theemcierw•yOfthebuilding processdramatically.
Electronic trade will be the final link tying together a lot Of different information
systemsusedin the total building process.

Hereby all the systemsare in place. CAD, data bases, digital catalog— irxlivüal
manufictuing and electronictrü make it pssible to establishthe designsystemof the future:
The digital building model.
The digital building rncxkl is a stnrtured, of data describing all
aspecs of the building Its design, its construction and its operation. For a number of years
work Eren undertakenwith the aim of &veloping for die digital building model,
but a rr%ijordevelopmenteffort is still left to undertaken.
However, time is mature 6r an introduction of a number of principles in the dayto-day
0Evation in theHiilding sector.Introductionof the new tools doesnot indicatethat thepaper
will disaprrar. But infomution for any specific mrpose —the —will easyto
This is a characteristic feature of the informatiCY1technology irrespective of its tse.
And with only little costs it will be BBsible to prepa_rea suitable design dcx•umentfor each
purposeof the thlilding somethingquite with he useof traditional

The design documentcan be electronicor paper-based,that dependson its use. But it is

that it is Imilt on a &finitim:

The product document must comprise the necessaryand sufficient information for its
specificpurpose.And itsform must be decided in accordance with its use.

16
THE NEW DESIGN DOCUMENTS
When information lxcomes cheapand ways of presentation , the issue is to chose —
and in panicular to reject.
In order to the design of the filttre one IMFt analysethe situation in
uhich design doctrnent is to be tsed. Only through this one can decide the trcessary
aml qaffwialt inf(MTrutkN1 ami most suitable form

TIE traditional design (krunrnt was prepared in design phasesreflecting the traditional
tools. The designdæument of the ålture must in the sameway in a number of
phasesand thesemust reflect the new tools' particular features.
In ces the mustreflect thecreativermxesswhich is inmrtant pan of the
&sign work.
In the division in N'..ses designbrief. basic design. detailed
design, tendering and construction. maturingof thoughtsandideas
will also whenthe new tools used.But thephaseswill getanothercontent
the result another form

following sectim matlinesa prom)salfor thesenew phases:Their contentand result

on theorvortunitiesgivenby the newtcx»ls.In orderto distinguishfrornthetradiicnal
phases,new namesare given to the designwork:
Concept. design, detailing, tendering, specification, manufacturing, supplying and
construction.

17
Concept
concq't formalisestheclientswishesfor thecomingbuildingandshowsthe
Of bringing the wishes into reality. At the same time the concept establishesa common
urulerstardingof in which directicn•lthe soluti(M1
shall be fourul. In the traditional terminology
the phaseswere named design brief and sketch design.
The processis a dialoguebetweentwo partieswhich quite often at the beginningarefar
from each Other. The client knows his own situation, his enterprise and its tnlilding
requirements,the architect knows and understandsthe building processand its Exssibilities.
In the conceptphascthesetwo shalltogetherestablishajoint understanding.
client'snatural way of expressionwill be text, tablesdescribingthe sin of the building,

for various functions, qt_nlity requirementsand demanck buikiing etc. Agairst

ülis the architectwill quite often expresshimself by meansof sketches,functional diagrarns
and picturesfrom other buildings inspiring him for the work. two parties must
understandand accepteach Other's Of information and u-y to co-operate in establishing
a conunm basis. The format of the cotrept is normally paper, but paper coming from a
prcxessundertakenby the inforrnationsystem.Picturesor vi&os illustratingthe architect's
th«.lghts cmcerning functions and solutions conbined with examplesfrom Otherbuildings
usedas can supplementthe concept.
In any circumstances it is imrxrtant that the concept and its conseqwnces are fully
understoodby both parties Therefore the processmay be ru»re important than the
d«xument forrmt.

18
Design
In tlr "sign the is givenits formam]mainfeatures. designis atopdown
prcxesswhere(mestartswith a wholeandsuccessively
worksone'sway throughto the

Towards clientandthe future mustin puticularillustratetlr building's

main feanresaml solutionsin combin«dwith examples its But design
shall also stiB11atethe cost of construction.operationand maintenance.For the building
techniciansthe (ESignshall traditionalor new solutionsin sucha way that it is
ensuredthat thesecan later bc realisedin practise. final designshall expressthe
twilding well that the clian and stull only consultedon cktails in the
R'llowülg
As the cksign is a basisfor
the client's approval in
principle of the tililding, it
is importantthatthedesign
is presented in a form
giving the client and users
a filll understandingof the
buüding they ar
accepting. Only very Ew
non- technicians
capable of trarsforming
plans, cross sections and
elevations to rooms — and
in particular to roorns en
suite. Consequently the
design must be presented
as natural-like as posible.
Ihe new mls will make
pictures a natural
These pictures
can extracted from the
digitalHJiHing they must give) a qlZlity nuking themalmost The
pictures must slww rumns with fumiture, inventory and people. Not to distract the view
fr«n æntml: tlr tililding itxlf, but to nuke it rnore realistic.
11k &sign mist stmlemented by examplesofthe materialsark] components,which are
to in the building Ihe digitalcataloguescansupplypicturesfor this purBße.
For the architectand engineer designis a basisfor thedigitalbuildingn»del's struture.
This callsfM a largerextentofclarification thanis known in tlr üadiuonalbasicdesign.But
establishmentof a digital buikling calls for a well-defined data base
Stnrttre which only at heavycosßcanbechangedat a laterStage.
By the design the building form is decided. Afterwards it has to be detailed in
preparation for its construction.

19
Detailing
Detailing is a through of the bulMing &sign with aim of speci&ing
details aml building processes.At t_lw time structuraVpipingsystenware dimensioned.
The purposeof the detailing is to Createsufficient basis for tendersfrom both suppliersand
contrætors. The detailing is Klithermorethe basisfor the final approvalofthe building by the
client, authorities and other panies to the extent that theseapprovals have not already been
obtained based upon the design.
At the end of tlr detailingthebuilding will in an almostconvlete digital building
model, which can the basis for the tenders.Partof the documentationwill be picturesOf
the sametype usedfor the in order to ensureawoval from different authorities.
However, for a very long time traditional drawings, specifications,conditions, tender
docurnents etc will probably be required in Orderto make the contractor understand
what building tasks the contractor is making an offer for and ensuring a prCF
un&rstanding Ofthejob at hand,
However, the main proportions of the design documentwill be in a digital form an
extraction from the digital building model suitedfor the electronic tenderingprocess.

20
Tendering
In the phasetenders for the construction work are called for and contractsare

Ihe tendering phase is normally a very formal where the bidders prepare their
tendersbasedon the design dcxument_
In future the prcxesswill Inore and more a kind of cc»operation.An increasednumber
of materials and components"ill be specifiedbasedon functional requirements.Therefore,
as part of tlr contractnegotiationsa furtherspecificationof the buildings detailsand the
building prcx:essmust take place.

Contrary to the traditional situation the new contractphasewill bc characterisedby a little

amount Of The main of the design document will be in an electronic

preparaticmOf the tenckrs will take place with the aid of digital catalogrs and standard
and a quantity survey will frorn the digital building
database.

In practice there will be a prc%letn.Altlx»ugh the digital information is cornplete in its

descriptionof thebuilding,it canbe very hardto overviewandunderstandthroughthevery
little wirxlow, which the computer forms. A numberOf illustrativedrawingsand
pictureswill necessary—possiblyin which in a new way showwhich
levelOfambition is behindthe tNilding design.
But the tender itself —and thereby the contract basis —will primarily be in a digital
format. comprising prices and offered components and materials.

21
Specification
mg-ing the *Reification desigrrrs and tlr contractorsjointly decide how the building
prcxess shall be through in
In this final cmceming which materials, and work
processesare nee&d in order to obtain the required result. At the same time the working
orErations relating to other contractors' operations and tlr whole building prcxess are
pkmned in &tails. Also logistics ami surage of building materialsare
this

TheresultOfthespecifying
is —in principle —
very much like the
üuiitional detailed design
irrltuiing its
&awings, schedules etc.
Its comprises all the
informaticm required for
the nunagement of
sumlies and the
urxlertaking Of the
construction work. But the
format will quite

The srrcification gives us

three fundanwntally
different kinds of
inf«mation: Infcmnation
caraning imlivichnl nuta•ials, infrmation c«waning the logisticsand
inmuticm curerning the working orrraticms.
A of this infonmtion shall later transferredto Othercomputer systemseither at
the cortracu.fs office or at the rnanufacturer'sarul supplieds facilities. Therefore the main
rycprtim of the informationmust be preparedin a digital forrnat.Then it can either
transferred as data disks or transferred via the data net.

Each Ofthesedree typesof information is discussedin thefollowing sub-sections.

22
Manufacturing
During themanufacturingphasetnailding andrnaterialsaremanufactured.
AS mentionedearlier more and manufacturersnowadaysdo work-to-order.This
means dnt an efficient communication between the digital building model and the
manufacturer'sinfonnation systemis very important. The basic information is found in the
digitalcatalogues.Ihese will showthetllilding componentand thekind of variatiors
acceptable.The &sign documentsspecifythe variationschosen.

The specificationsto be tsed in the manufacturingprocessare very on the

manufacturerssystem.To&y a formalised way of exchangingdata benveena digital
building rnodel and an automatic manufacturing system has not been established The
link is still the drawings. However, it must be expectedthat in a few years a
comrmn electroniclanguagewill be rnaking tlw maluficturing systemable to
understandthe specificationsin thedigital building rno&l.
And with this ir will hepossible to transfer the building data directly to theproduction
line's information system.

23
Supplying
logisticof buildingmaterialsis a very important alsoa very neglectedelenvntin the
building process.
The logistic Startsby the contractor's issuing stmly orders and it comprises the suppliers
planning andhis purchase.packingandpreparationof transport,thecontractor'srequestfor
delivery and the supplier'stransportmd unloaling and finally the internaltransporton the
construction site,

Efficient managenrntOf the materialssupplydemandsthat materialsand comm»nents

are
tied to the individual part Of the building prcwess.This will make it vxyssibleto prepare
plats dnt can form basisof an efficient day-to-chy logistic.
If dw building nutcrials arrive too early will be unloadedand lying in tlr way. will
be exposedto wind and weather,breakageaml possibly pilfering. If they arrive too late the
buildingprocs will cometo a haltresultingin a lossOfworkinghours.
If one looks at costs, the cost of materials' supply including package,breakage and loss
amount to up to 20 cent of the total constructioncosts.This is than the designfees
and it is pretty close to the sum Ofthe workers' salaries.

SL4»ly must convrise catalog.ænunbers and other information suitable

for the suppliers order systems.
An imcx"tant featurein the prcject is that it compiles all components,materialsand
supplernentary materials related to one specific working process in 'packages'. These
packagesform the basis Of the construction sites day-to-day requestfor materials from the
supplier. Conctrrently with the work's progress the systematicallyrequestsensurethat the
rwcesary and sufficient materialsat all times are availableon constructionsite giving the
craftsmenthe orportunity of an efficientundertakingof their craft. The day-to-daylogistic
also ensuresthat 10 extra materials are lying around the construction site which is the
world's worst storageplace.
Thesupply project is the tool from a 'just in time logistic.

Construction

24
 The constmction præes includes the
Inxildingsassemblyand erection.
IÄring c«Nruction all involved
parties must at anytime have an overview of
what is going to be madeand when.
But at the time the specificati01Bused
for each }yocess must be as directly suited
for the particular processaspossible.
On the constnrtion site, with its rain and
storms, offce facilities aml often
very messy work situations, it is
that the on the scaffolding has exactly
the right w«king instruction dut Üiis
instructioncomprisesthe right informaton in
the fonn of pictures,drawings and text.
(hly thencanheconcentrateon hiscraft!
The main part of the working operationsis
well kmw•n for the individual craftsman. It is
therefore only for the work
instnrtion to show and describe the details
be cannot know but which are necessaryin
to fulfil mulity
•lhe cmstnrtim will consist
Of a Of indivi(hnl instnrticms. Exh
will to — and only —
it will convrise all dr
infcrnution of in a
practical for-nat. The drawing does
have to be a traditimal it
can also a cartoon, a or an
•expkxl«r isotnetric.
will a
runntrr of situations an-We at the MONTAGE
cmsuuction site 'gluar to the building
cornr»rwnt, onen becatse it after all is the
nwwfacttreds the
correct irbtallaticm,

When chawing been uwd the VINDUEP

cransrmn can his signattre on tlr
lirr, signi$•ing that
tuxkrtüen tlr €Feration in the
Corrwt way.

A Of &awings will
protMbly required as an overall
stmlement to the detailed work
This give the foreman
md cmstructi«l management an
overview of tlr whole Illikiing
25
prwes is aiming at and not least: is working where—when?
In more complex situationsthe construction specificationscan take quite new forms. For
instance very complicated crane lifts can be delivered in the form ofsub-rnodels from the
digital model making it for the crane-cpator to the lift in virtual reality
before it is un&rtaken in 'real' reality
In the way construction srxcification can cunprise simulations of complicated
operatiors,in particularif thcseareto beuruienakenwithin in a narrowtime-window.
There are a lot Of possible forms and they must be tried out in practice in order to
find 'he right one. But they will definitely not be like the traditional design documents

26
CONCLUSION
The ideasmltlinedin theprevi(RLssectionsarenot a &sign manual.They areonly thoughts
aboutthe("»rtunities thatwe will getby a new techrOlogy,
Till now, they have only a matterOf hypothesesratherthan Of reality. Maybethe
indicatethe right direction,but future will probablyshow quite different
c'mortunities which are much betterthan the Outlinedin this paper.
However, it is clear that the information techrxilogy will fundanmtally changethe vay•we
work and co-work in the building process. orprtunities must thereforebe tried
and in a numberof experimentswhereall relevantpartiesaredirectlyinvolved.
Such experirnentswill inevitably lead to a lot of mistakes and dead ends,but in order to
increaseour overall it is very importantthatwe —no matterwhat—Startout as
soon as possible.
History showsus Out eachnew technologycalls for a Ofthinking in the related

introduction of the steam the reasonfor a total changeOf the craftsmanship

towarck manufacturing industry. Tcxlay information tcxhnology has a similar revolutionary
immMance to our daily work And today the information technology has reaclwd a level
where it bund a stablefonn and where no fundarnentallynew technologiesare in view.
This meansthat it is the tinw to startto ewiment in practicewith theuseof the technology.
Each of us hasto do this as a precondition for the developmentof our enterpriseand to the
benefit of our customers.

27