ADePT has been developed over the last 13 years by a team including Laing, Amec, Arup, Loughborough University, Sheppard Robson, BAA, Boots, the DETR and EPSRC. In the last two years it has been tested on a variety of projects, and it is estimated that 2.5% can be saved on construction costs and between 0.75% and 1.5% of the total project value.
The system works by deciding an optimum order to complete tasks for a project, through the use of a planning matrix. It also highlights any potential problem areas, and works to integrate the design and construction processes.
David Scott, head of design management at Laing said: "ADePT increases the efficiency in the design process by going someway to preventing repeat design. It also helps the project team concentrate on the key issues rather than getting distracted by commercial considerations."
"Making it available on the internet will improve collaborative working" he added, "as instead of one party owning it and the others feeling alienated, the whole team will have a equal share in it."
The BIW has also linked up with CnPlus. The alliance brings together the project collaboration tools of the BIW and the knowledge centre and partnerships with builders' merchants Wolseley and Travis Perkins, of CnPlus.
CnPlus' users will have access to the BIW's project information channel as part of the agreement. BIW users will get tailored content from CnPlus' news service, and will be able to access its materials database without leaving the BIW site.
The partnership continues the consolidation in the construction portals market, as forecast by David McAll in October's Construction Computing, following Bidcom and Cephren's merger last month.
Source
Construction Manager
