Using the Internet in Building Design, Construction and Management

Managers in the design and construction industry are increasingly in need of interoperability - the capacity to exchange information with other organizations in a seamless manner. New technology can provide many tools to aid interoperability, but professionals in the industry are often unclear about what short- and long-term commitments their company should be making to integrate this technology into their working environment. This work provides an explanation of technology such as the Internet, virtual reality, intelligent agents, groupware and visualization techniques in relation to the construction industry. The author goes on to outline ways in which the construction industry can take advantage of these resources to develop more effective and faster methods of intelligence gathering, communication and project management.