Presentation by Duncan King of the Construction Products Association at the 2017 SPRA Conference at Eastwood Hall, Nottingham on 21st June 2017. More Information: http://www.spra.co.uk/event-news/906-spra-conference-2017-live-blog-actions-speak-louder-than-words-spraconference2017

1. SPRA National Conference 2017
Digitalisation of the UK Construction Industry & its Supply Chain
Duncan King
Technical Manager

2. … and the outcomes are still poor!

3. What is digitalization for the construction industry supply chain?
• Integration of digital technologies into everyday life
• Digital technologies – electronic tools, systems, devices and resources that
generate, store & process data
• BIM – Building Information Modelling

4. What is Building Information Modelling?
• A process of generating & managing accurate information about a
construction
• Collaborative process enabling all to use the same
information
• Uses 3-dimensional modelling – includes
components characteristics

5. Digitalisation
Digital provides quicker, less risk, better vfm

6. Digitalisation
Prospect of manufacturing led supply chain

7. What does this mean for construction product manufacturers?
• Structured product information
• Already available but in different formats
• BIM requires all information to be in a consistent format
• Enables interoperability – all using the same information

8. What is meant by structured information?
• Information readable between computers
• Structured information – information produced by different organisations in a
common format enabling all to immediately use it in their systems
• Same definitions of terminology – Plain language dictionary
• Allows use in open data exchange standards e.g. IFC4, COBie
• Enables the validity & quality of that information to be checked automatically by
computer
• Enables the BIM model to be built up using input from each stakeholder, while
at the same time automatically checking for any anomalies or inconsistencies

9. How is structured information provided by the manufacturer?
• Product Data Sheets (PDS)
• List information belonging to an
individual product
• Covers physical & performance
characteristics, environmental issues,
H&S etc
Classification System
Classification Value
Suitability for Use
Template Custodian CIBSE
Information Category Parameter Name Value Units Notes
Manufacturer Data
Specifications Manufacturer Text
Specifications Manufacturer Website URL
Specifications Product Range Text
Specifications Product Model Number Text Or Code
Specifications CE Approval Text Number, Yes, No
Specifications Product Literature URL
Specifications Features Text Free text to describe product
Construction Data
Specifications
Type Text
This is a COBie field, other fields will be
required in final PDTs
Specifications
Shape Text
This is a COBie field, other fields will be
required in final PDTs
Specifications
Material Text
This is a COBie field, other fields will be
required in final PDTs
Specifications
Colour Text
This is a COBie field, other fields will be
required in final PDTs
Specifications
Finish Text
This is a COBie field, other fields will be
required in final PDTs
Application Data
Specifications Reference Standard Text
Specifications
Power Source (if required) Text
e.g. Integral battery, System-powered,
Other, UserDefined
Dimensional Data
Specifications
Overall Length
mm
Or Diameter. Minimum and maximum
lengths available
Specifications
Overall Width
mm Minimum and maximum widths available
Specifications
Overall Height
mm Minimum and maximum heights available
Specifications Gross Weight kg Equates to Operating Weight
Specifications
Shipping Weight kg
Equates to dry weight of unit plus
packaging allowance
Specifications
Access Clearance Top mm
Access required for maintenance of this
item
Specifications
Access Clearance Bottom mm
Access required for maintenance of this
item
Specifications
Access Clearance Left mm
Access required for maintenance of this
item
Specifications
Access Clearance Right mm
Access required for maintenance of this
item
Specifications
Access Clearance Front mm
Access required for maintenance of this
item
Specifications
Access Clearance Rear mm
Access required for maintenance of this
item

10. How is the CPA involved with digitalisation/BIM?
• Leading the development & handling procedure for PDTs under the UK BIM Task
Group
• Established a joint initiative with CPA, CIBSE & NBS to provide consistent
product data parameters & templates for use by manufacturers
• Acting as the Lead Authority establishing Relevant Authorities for
each product industry
• Managing the development of a consistent & interoperable system for
information delivery (LEXiCON)

11. LEXiCON - A world first
• Enables manufacturers & other users to easily define information requirements
• Works with different sources of information enabling this to be read and used by different computers
• Product DNA
• Can be added to over the product life-cycle
• Users can select specific information if required
• Enables interrogation of product information
• Plain language dictionary is the key to LEXiCON
• Job of the Relevant Authorities

12. What does a Relevant Authority do?
• RA – organisation or individual to approve the proposed unique parameters,
information sets, PDTs and general sources of information for a product grouping
• RA ensures technical specification agrees with the plain language dictionary (uses
only structured information)
• RA for products likely to be Trade Associations
• Currently CPA is about to establish pilot RAs to test the process of establishing
PDTs containing structured data

13. What is the next step for manufacturers with regards to BIM?
• Provision of product information using industry agreed PDTs
• SPRA made application to establish a Relevant Authority
• RA will develop Product Data Template listing approved data required
• Each manufacturer provides their information in Product Data Sheets
• Decides which BIM library to place this information

14. What are the next steps for contractors?
• Gain access to the LEXiCON software
• Learn how to match a project specification with construction products data
• For product selection, learn how to compare products:
o From different manufacturers
o From same manufacturer

15. Organisations involved with LEXiCON
• Construction Products Association
• National Building Specification (NBS)
• Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)
• Building Engineers Services Association (BESA)
• Building Research Establishment (BRE)
• coBUILDER
• buildSMART
• BIM4M2
• BIM Task Group
• BIM Alliance

16. Thank You
Duncan King
Technical Manager
www.constructionproducts.org.uk
enquiries@constructionproducts.org.uk
tel: 0207 323 3770