#Virtual definition and history software#

Source: Building and Construction Authority of SingaporeĬonstruction teams create virtualized construction models and timelines to translate concepts, expectations, and performance goals into the most effective plan possible. The most straightforward, understandable framework to understand this process comes from the Building Construction Authority of Singapore: We’ve all heard the idiom, “measure twice, cut once.” VDC takes that concept and applies to the entire construction process, not just carpentry work. But instead of wasting time, it saves it. The diverse teams of owners, designers, contractors, and subcontractors involved in a project collaborate in a virtual environment, where they can evaluate various options for consequential decisions and processes, such as materials and sequencing, up front.Įssentially, projects are built twice. With VDC, planning and construction occurs digitally before ground is broken in the real world. CIFE has been at the forefront of addressing construction’s productivity problem, and VDC is among its most prominent innovations. Even before the creation of the CIFE, a Stanford professor had identified that the decisions made early in the construction process have an impact on the overall project costs. Since the late 1980s, CIFE has been dedicated to improving how the AEC industry organizes, conceptualizes, and executes design and construction. VDC was developed by researchers at Stanford University’s Center for Integrated Facility Engineering (CIFE) in 2001.

Virtual design and construction was created in response to this issue. As a result, projects move forward without critical decisions being made, and construction teams are forced to make changes and decisions as the project unfolds, at which point they have limited control over the ripple effects over those changes. But, out of eagerness to get the construction phase started quickly, time is often limited during the planning and design phases. This is why it’s so important to plan as much as possible, as early as possible. While these systems are a step up from Excel and paper documents, if there are issues with integrations and interoperability, that can jeopardize data integrity, making planning and decision-making more difficult.

#Virtual definition and history software#

Many are using point solutions, or software that is intended to perform a single function. These problems even plague stakeholders that have graduated beyond using paper and Excel. And if the construction phase of a project is already underway, labor productivity suffers as well. Days can be lost capturing these changes and assessing their impact, not to mention how they’ll impact the expected performance of the asset. One single change-such as the type of materials used-can impact the project’s schedule, labor needs, equipment, and costs. They also slow down decision-making and planning. Paper-based documents and spreadsheets aren’t just time-consuming to produce. And if erroneous information is entered into a spreadsheet, it can be hard to track down when it was entered, by whom, and why. It’s difficult to limit users’ rights while still providing them with the access they need. The spreadsheet is only as good as its programming, and errors may not be caught until they become a problem. Excel is a powerful tool, but considering the complexity and dynamism of large construction projects, it’s also highly fallible. According to the 2021 JB Knowledge ConTech Survey, 45% of project management workflows rely on spreadsheets. And far too many processes still rely on spreadsheets. Why does construction use virtual design and construction (VDC)?Ĭonstruction processes haven’t changed much in recent decades-paper documents are still commonplace. Keep reading to dive deeper into the basics of virtual design and construction:.In the simplest language, virtual design and construction means building the project once digitally and working out the big problems, then building it more efficiently in the physical world.Virtual design and construction (VDC) moves planning and decision-making to the beginning of the construction process, when it’s easier to reduce risk, assess performance, and mitigate cost and schedule overruns.Construction requires multi-disciplinary teams that traditionally don’t work together until construction begins and it’s time to hand off tasks to one another.

Randselva Bridge is the world's longest bridge built entirely without drawings or PDFs, using virtual design and construction methods.