This summary of the results of projects implementing virtual design and construction, building information modeling, integrated project delivery and a range of other applications of new technology and process, which were presented at the CIFE Summer Progam,Stanford, University, on June 20-21, was prepared by presenter Gregory Luth at ENR's request. Additional information on the presentations may be obtained by contacting CIFE.
The Presentations:
NCC, a large, vertically integrated, Swedish contractor and developer presented project P303, a vision of the future of housing that responds to the need for improved energy efficiency, higher quality, and lower cost housing in a market where costs of housing have risen 120% in 10 years.
The targets for this initiative were a 30% reduction in cost and a 50% reduction in construction schedule. The process was modularization, prefabrication, detailed design, down to the level of work-method to be used by the laborers, and integration and communication using Virtual Design and Construction tools.
NCC exceeded its targets. Future developments will focus on bringing the same sorts of efficiencies to the construction of custom homes.
Optima Inc. has been using similar strategies to cut the cost of a prefabricated custom steel and glass home by 60% and the schedule for construction down to 10 days.
2. Custom homes are the current focus of a small startup in Silicon Valley, Eco Offsite, run by Kathleen Liston, formerly a CIFE researcher and Ph.D. candidate, now a general contractor practicing what she used to preach. Applying principals of VDC and IPD, she has managed to cut the cost and schedule for delivering high-end custom homes by 20% to 50%. The upper end of the range is only attainable when design and construction are truly integrated from day one.
3. Peter Beck, CEO of The Beck Group, followed up his introduction with a case study of a hospital where the main utility-runs in the corridors and the bathroom pods were prefabricated. Reductions in labor and schedule of 22% to 48% were realized while waste was reduced by 56%.
4. Gregory Luth, of GPLA, a structural engineering firm, presented an alternative to moving the design team under the wing of the general contractor.
Over the three phases of the USC School of Cinema project, from 2006 to 2012, HiDef BIM and IPD were used to realize 30% schedule reductions and return the contingency to the owner.
