Mining Goes Digital – Mueller et al. (Eds)
© 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-367-33604-2
705
Development of optimized processes in construction management
supported by Building Information Modeling (BIM) with special
focus on procurement: Case study at HOCHTIEF Polska
Klaus Boede
HOCHTIEF Polska S.A., Poland
ABSTRACT: Construction is struggling with innovation, which is mainly due to intense
price competition and low margins. A next innovation wave seems to come with BIM. BIM,
which stands for Building Information Modeling, is a method where the building is constructed digitally first, thereby occurring problems like mistakes in the design and clashes at
the building site can be prevented. Further building sequences can be optimized, which, in
consequence saves time and money. Besides technical implementation working with BIM is
process driven, thereby standard processes on site for packaging and procurement, information management and works preparation must be developed and adopted by project staff to
apply BIM technology as efficiently as possible. This paper describes the standard processes
in construction and develops simplified adaptation of main processes for a large construction
site in Poland.
1 INTRODUCTION
The construction Industry is one of the most important industries of today and has a great
impact on the economy of any nation. In general, construction produces 5–10% of GDP in
western countries. Any piece of building, infrastructure or real estate erected is undertaken
by segments of the construction industry. However, as construction being a mature, highly
competitive industry with limited scope for knowledge externalities it has a comparatively
low level of investment in innovation. For instance, the productivity index of the production
industry in Germany increased within the last 25 years substantially, whereas the construction industry remained almost without any productivity increases
1 .
There is increasing pressure to become more innovative and deliver better value for money
for clients. However, certain characteristics of the industry—e.g. low margins leaving less
capital for innovation—appear to slow progress and make innovation difficult. Further, the
combination of individual procurement of heterogeneous products by clients and increasing
specialization and subcontracting (procuring) within the industry significantly limits the scope
and potential for positive knowledge externalities, as argued by Dubois and Gadde (2002)
2
. At
the same time the pressure on time and costs is substantially increasing, which can be seen in a
strongly growing number of low cost offers and increasing importance of claim-management.
To cope with this increasingly difficult environment good solutions are needed
3
.
Literature research as well as practical experiences in the industry show that the construction industry seems to change radically. The change in technology delivers new opportunities
to improve the execution of projects which become more and more complex. This is also valid
for the environment in which the projects are performed. The growing density of requirements
1. Statistisches Bundesamt, Fachserie 18, Reihe 1.5, 2013.
2. Dubois, A. and Gadde, L.-E. (2002) The construction industry as a loosely coupled system: implications for productivity and innovation, Construction Management and Economics, 20, 621–631.
3. Swiss Association of Consulting Engineers (USIC), Nr. 22, 03.062016.
© 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-367-33604-2
705
Development of optimized processes in construction management
supported by Building Information Modeling (BIM) with special
focus on procurement: Case study at HOCHTIEF Polska
Klaus Boede
HOCHTIEF Polska S.A., Poland
ABSTRACT: Construction is struggling with innovation, which is mainly due to intense
price competition and low margins. A next innovation wave seems to come with BIM. BIM,
which stands for Building Information Modeling, is a method where the building is constructed digitally first, thereby occurring problems like mistakes in the design and clashes at
the building site can be prevented. Further building sequences can be optimized, which, in
consequence saves time and money. Besides technical implementation working with BIM is
process driven, thereby standard processes on site for packaging and procurement, information management and works preparation must be developed and adopted by project staff to
apply BIM technology as efficiently as possible. This paper describes the standard processes
in construction and develops simplified adaptation of main processes for a large construction
site in Poland.
1 INTRODUCTION
The construction Industry is one of the most important industries of today and has a great
impact on the economy of any nation. In general, construction produces 5–10% of GDP in
western countries. Any piece of building, infrastructure or real estate erected is undertaken
by segments of the construction industry. However, as construction being a mature, highly
competitive industry with limited scope for knowledge externalities it has a comparatively
low level of investment in innovation. For instance, the productivity index of the production
industry in Germany increased within the last 25 years substantially, whereas the construction industry remained almost without any productivity increases
1 .
There is increasing pressure to become more innovative and deliver better value for money
for clients. However, certain characteristics of the industry—e.g. low margins leaving less
capital for innovation—appear to slow progress and make innovation difficult. Further, the
combination of individual procurement of heterogeneous products by clients and increasing
specialization and subcontracting (procuring) within the industry significantly limits the scope
and potential for positive knowledge externalities, as argued by Dubois and Gadde (2002)
2
. At
the same time the pressure on time and costs is substantially increasing, which can be seen in a
strongly growing number of low cost offers and increasing importance of claim-management.
To cope with this increasingly difficult environment good solutions are needed
3
.
Literature research as well as practical experiences in the industry show that the construction industry seems to change radically. The change in technology delivers new opportunities
to improve the execution of projects which become more and more complex. This is also valid
for the environment in which the projects are performed. The growing density of requirements
1. Statistisches Bundesamt, Fachserie 18, Reihe 1.5, 2013.
2. Dubois, A. and Gadde, L.-E. (2002) The construction industry as a loosely coupled system: implications for productivity and innovation, Construction Management and Economics, 20, 621–631.
3. Swiss Association of Consulting Engineers (USIC), Nr. 22, 03.062016.