Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

Information Technology in Specification Systems

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing AKIRA TAKAHASHI

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

Background

IIBH of Japan has surveyed the availability of IT tools in Specification Systems among ICIS participating countries in 2003-2004.

research for Japanese status

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

Revision for 2007

Asking all the members of ICIS

to update the data of 2004 into the latest one of 2007.

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

RespondentsAustralia NATSPEC / CIS_Au

New Zealand MasterSpec / CIL

Netherlands STABU systems / STABU Foundation

United Kingdom NBS / NBS

CANADA NMS/ Government of Canada

SpecSUITE / Digicon Information Inc

Switzerland NPK Normpositionen-Katalog / CRB

USA MASTERSPEC / ARCOM

Czech Republic CS URS / URS PRAHA

Germany STLB-Bau / GAEB

Finland RT-Building Specification System / RTS

Japan Standard Specification for public Building Construction Works / MLIT

Successive

Respondents

since 2004

New

Respondents

as of 2007

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

Summery of the revision The revisions of every responded countries in one spreadsheet

( to be circulated)

- latest data (2007) in yellow column

- the revised point in blue

letter

:in comparison with that of 2004 in grayish column

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

ObservationDifference from the 2004 version in terms of:

- System profile- Product variety- License- Delivery- Updating- Links

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

System ProfileLicenseReviewEditing softwareLinks

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

Product varietyFull versionShort versionSmall projectSegmentized: Engineering, Building service, Civil, Landscape, Historic preservation, Dwellings

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

LicenseLicensing: annual subscription 13/15

Annual fee: approx. $100~$3300

No. of subscribed licenses: 900~13000

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

Delivery

CD-ROM,DVD 10DL from website 7

planned 5Paper 3

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

UpdatingFull review: 2-5years Regular revision: once in three years 1 two years 2a year 3 six months 4four months 1 three months 3; continuously 1Announcement:

website 7 e-mail 5newsletter 7 direct mail 2

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

LinksTechnical standards: 7Terms of contract: 1Code or regulations: 2

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

Conclusion -1Various systems are provided, suitable to project type, scale etc.Some bodies issue a number of segmentized specifications.Mostly annual subscriptionSome systems can be acquired by part:

　　　　 gradually increased. Some system include cost information, schedule, and so on 　 leads to promotion of

Construction Management.

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

Conclusion -2The proportion of system delivered through websites increased, as foreseen in 2004.

Systems utilizing Information Technology have increased: in reference of manufacture, in estimating, and so on.

Institute of International-harmonization for Building and Housing

Prospect

Inter-operability of each standard can help developing their own each other.

Needs for international harmonization of standard