Industry 4.0 Solutions for Building Design and Construction

A Paradigm of New Opportunities

Farzad Pour Rahimian, Jack Steven Goulding, Sepehr Abrishami, Saleh Seyedzadeh, Faris Elghaish

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781000506365
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Conception architecturale

This book provides in-depth results and case studies in innovation from actual work undertaken in collaboration with industry partners in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC). Scientific advances and innovative technologies in the sector are key to shaping the changes emerging as a result of Industry 4.0. Mainstream Building Information Management (BIM) is seen as a vehicle for addressing issues such as industry fragmentation, value-driven solutions, decision-making, client engagement, and design/process flow; however, advanced simulation, computer vision, Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, machine learning, deep learning, and linked data all provide immense opportunities for dealing with these challenges and can provide evidenced-based innovative solutions not seen before. These technologies are perceived as the "true" enablers of future practice, but only recently has the AEC sector recognised terms such as "golden key" and "golden thread" as part of BIM processes and workflows.

This book builds on the success of a number of initiatives and projects by the authors, which include seminal findings from the literature, research and development, and practice-based solutions produced for industry. It presents these findings through real projects and case studies developed by the authors and reports on how these technologies made a real-world impact.

The chapters and cases in the book are developed around these overarching themes:

• BIM and AEC Design and Optimisation: Application of Artificial Intelligence in Design
• BIM and XR as Advanced Visualisation and Simulation Tools
• Design Informatics and Advancements in BIM Authoring
• Green Building Assessment: Emerging Design Support Tools
• Computer Vision and Image Processing for Expediting Project Management and Operations
• Blockchain, Big Data, and IoT for Facilitated Project Management
• BIM Strategies and Leveraged Solutions

This book is a timely and relevant synthesis of a number of cogent subjects underpinning the paradigm shift needed for the AEC industry and is essential reading for all involved in the sector. It is particularly suited for use in Masters-level programs in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction.

1 Industry 4.0 solutions for building design and construction

A paradigm of new opportunities

DOI: 10.1201/9781003106944-1

1.1. Introduction

One of the main reasons this book came to fruition was in part inspired by frustration and in part driven by a collective soliloquy of wanting to present readers with a rich picture of golden opportunities. Frustration in this sense relates to the way through which Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) has responded to change (particularly over the last 50 years), where, for example, several global reports have repeatedly mentioned that AEC needed to change. Key report recommendations have included several issues, from industry fragmentation through to the need for higher skills, improved quality, enhanced performance and productivity, better value, tangible progress in innovation, improved communication and integration, and the need for more meaningful collaborative relationships. Arguably, this list could be extended almost ad infinitum; however, an interesting point to note here is that several of these reports have attempted to compare the performance of the sector against others, such as automotive, aerospace, engineering, healthcare, and manufacturing – all of which seem to have performed significantly better than AEC. The question is why? Whilst this book does not seek to provide solutions to this specific question per se, it does open debate in several important areas, with a view of challenging the current perception and status quo (in the hope that this will inspire change). For example, the global AEC geospatial market is expected to reach US$12.26 trillion by 2023 (Narain, 2020). This is not only tangible and significant, but this also offers AEC a unique opportunity to step beyond introspection, to an industry that fervently aspires to continually evolve as new industry leaders and pioneers.

It is acknowledged from the outset that this journey may not be easy. Moreover, it would be rather naïve of the authors to focus on all issues and challenges facing the industry. That being said, we had to start somewhere; collectively, we decided to focus on some of the underpinning themes and challenges relating to design. In this respect, design-related issues have been seen as causal contributors to many of these high-level challenges. These issues include (but are not limited to): communication and information processing, technology adoption, collaboration, integration, automation, interoperability, labour, and skills (Egan, 1998; Peansupap & Walker, 2005; Goulding & Pour Rahimian, 2019; Fruchter et al., 2016; Day, 2019; Pour Rahimian et al., 2019; Elghaish et al., 2020; Leon & Laing, 2021). These factors are not only fundamental and integral (throughout the project lifecycle), but they also have a direct or indirect knock-on effect with many other support services.

To address some of these issues (particularly within the context of design), this book seeks to raise awareness by presenting several practice-based solutions, with the expressed aim of unlocking AEC’s digitalisation potential. For example, whilst client organisations are predominantly seen as the core initiators of the design process, they (arguably) often tend to lack knowledge and awareness needed to inform or shape the professional capability to deliver real value (CLC, 2018). This lack of understanding or wider appreciation of nuance influences the project lifecycle from day one – from conceptual design through to handover, maintenance, and deconstruction. This is a significant challenge to address, especially as projects seem to be increasingly more complex. Several solutions have started to enter the market, from advanced virtual reality–based collaborative technologies (Pour Rahimian et al., 2019)to artificial intelligence–based optimisation (Pilechiha et al., 2020) and data-driven decision support systems (Seyedzadeh et al., 2019). These solutions offer AEC significant opportunities – enabling (or empowering) them to not only unlock their digital potential to improve performance and capability, but also leverage better value throughout the whole process (McKinsey, 2017). In fact, significant markets have now started to leverage success by unlocking this digital potential (Herr & Fischer, 2019; Ahuja et al., 2020).

Part of the journey of unlocking AEC’s digital potential involves moving towards Industry 4.0. This may seem a little daunting to most; however, this is seen as the way forward – a real paradigm shift for the sector – a transformative journey which more purposefully engages new ways of thinking, where digital technologies converge to provide significant advantages. Whilst this transition to Industry 4.0 may not be easy, it is encouraging to note that many AEC entities have made significant progress to achieve this goal (Maskuriy et al., 2019; Alaloul et al., 2020). This paradigm shift is not only significant and transformative, but it is starting to open up many new revenue streams and divested services for AEC (Figure 1.1); however, a caveat of caution needs to be raised at this juncture. This transition is not free; it comes at a cost. This ‘cost’ requires conjoined thinking and a willingness (acceptance) to embrace change, not just at the individual or organisational level, but also at the macro level (involving the whole sector and supply chain). In this respect, fragmentation and siloed positioning needs to be replaced by conjoined processes and ‘digital coalition’.

Figure 1.1 AEC and industry 4.0 transformational opportunities

This not only highlights the need to become more connected, dynamic, and customer-centric, but more importantly, mechanisms through which future AEC business will need to operate. This includes the need to think about new business strategies and models – from design to procurement and delivery, even the way goods are produced and delivered. Successful companies will be those that unleash their true potential, using business models that drive innovation and deliver evidence-based value. Those that do not do this will (more than likely) fall by the wayside. Therefore, AEC organisations will need to be highly competitive (perhaps more so than they are already), using factories and warehouses (physical and virtual) to leverage economies of scale (and expertise) to become much more streamlined, agile, and efficient. In doing so, they will be able to establish several new services and opportunities, especially through the deployment of cloud computing, big data, visualisation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, the internet of things, blockchain, etc. Data will undoubtedly be seen as the main asset –not only to inform decision-making, but also to drive innovation and facilitate continuous improvement. This will also enhance customer-experience analytics, providing new end-to-end services and servitisation opportunities; where, for example, significant growth-driven potential has already been evidenced in other sectors. In summary, the inertia underpinning Industry 4.0 provides AEC with many powerful opportunities to explore, nurture, and exploit. Some of these opportunities are presented throughout the following chapters.

1.2. Thematic overview of chapters

Chapter 2: AI-based architectural design generative BIM workspace for architectural design automation

This chapter concerns the integration and automation of design. It presents and builds upon a theoretical foundation that supports process integration (particularly at the conceptual design stage), including design representation, cognition, translation, and design integrity. Building Information Model (BIM) applications supporting design automation are explored, including their use in whole design integration. The concept of advanced Generative Design (GD) is presented as a significant opportunity to enhance the design experience. Core BIM and GD facets are identified and mapped into a generative BIM (G-BIM) framework for prototype development. This prototype was evaluated through multiple projects and scenarios, the results from which culminate in a valuable set of rubrics for further exploitation (cf. supporting the conceptual design stage using GD). Specific contribution also highlights the capabilities and opportunities provided through this prototype, from advanced collaborative features to the generation of optimised (and more purposeful) design solutions.

Chapter 3: Towards intelligent structural design of buildings: a BIM solution

This chapter outlines the challenges of design coordination and integration, especially between architectural and structural engineering practices. These different design approaches are examined, along with different BIM solutions and collaborative platforms. The main concept presented here is the need to provide automated synergy (given that these two disciplines are co-dependent). In this respect, these two approaches are examined in detail, noting the requirements needed for linking architectural models with structural engineering models. In doing so, an automated procedure and proof of concept is presented for discussion. This explores an automated approach that engages computational systems and toolsets into a solution that ‘binds’ architectural and structural models (for tall buildings). This prototype automatically generates, updates, and produces alternatives for structural models based on inputs from the architectural model. Findings highlight that solution generation can provide much richer optimum designs to meet set criteria. This work is acknowledged as being one of the first of its kind to automatically generate optimised structural design solutions based on architectural models.

Chapter 4: BIM and design for manufacturing and assembly

This chapter discusses the current state of integration of Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) and BIM within AEC throughout the whole project lifecycle. The rationale of this chapter was to evaluate recurrent challenges such as low productivity and poor quality, high variances in predictability, along with greater building performance and energy use control. In doing so, a conceptual framework and BIM library for offsite manufactured components is presented for discussion. This work engaged a case study to demonstrate the implementation of BIM and DfMA. Findings present new and novel approaches for delivering synergy, highlighting the need to focus on the development of a new digital manufacturing–driven industry. This work also acknowledges the need for continuous improvement, highlighting a number of opportunities for exploitation, especially using a BIM-based DfMA approach to improve consistency and standardisation, reduce design discrepancies, reduce waste, improve safety, increase design flexibility, and maximise end-user value.

Chapter 5: Virtual reality–based cloud BIM platforms for integrated AEC projects

Chapter 5 reflects on the need to integrate collaborative design teams’ project data to help coordinate the design, engineering, fabrication, construction, and maintenance of various trades (to facilitate project integration and interchange). In doing so, it evaluates a number of opportunities, including the implementation of BIM Level 3 (Cloud) as an innovative way of further enhancing the design, management, and delivery processes. This work proffers the need for change from ‘traditional’ approaches to those aligned with Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). This chapter also acknowledges that web-based platforms are particularly beneficial, as these are able to visualise, integrate, and share building components (in real time) and through geographically dispersed locations. A cloud-based virtual reality (VR) Construction Site Simulator was presented as a potential solution. This engaged a game environment supported by a web-based virtual reality cloud platform. Findings presented new insight and understanding into the development of training programs of this nature, particularly the use of the Unified Software Development Process and iterative phases of Elaboration, Construction, and Transition. Finally, this work offers new understanding and insight into the causal drivers and influences associated with successful decision-making design in non-collocated design teams, providing a stepping-stone for developing new relationship models in collaborative environments.

Chapter 6: XR-openBIM integration for supporting whole-life management of offsite manufactured houses

Chapter 6 advocates the need to understand the importance of integration from a granular level. In doing so, it critiques project integration across the AEC supply chain using offsite manufactured housing as an exemplar. This analysis included tools, technologies, and proce...