Leveraging data Across the Building Lifecycle

Architects, engineers and contractors have been working with data for ages. What is new are the myriad ways they have to capture, analyze and apply the data that has been made readily available. Some practitioners and their organizations have balked at adding data to their repertoire, citing that they are unprepared to deal with data on top of everything else they have to contend with, including new technologies, work-processes and workflows. Data-centric organizations, on the other hand, have come to realize that capturing, engaging with, analyzing, and applying sustainability data in their projects is not “one more thing,” and have learned that to have the greatest impact, data cannot be added on top of an organization's on-going practices, but rather integrated into their pre-existing mind-sets and processes. This paper explores firms’ approaches and relationships to data, determining whether organizations are data-enabled, data-informed or data driven, or a hybrid, and how their approach can have an enormous influence on outcomes, especially where they pertain to sustainability. Likewise, many organizations remain document-centric, and are missing out on opportunities and greater gains that come with becoming data-centric. Innovative tools and insights to make the most of the data are already readily available. What has been missing, up until now, is an understanding of how others – academics and industry practitioners – are innovating behind the scenes to exploit these resources to great impact. Big data and predictive analytics are currently being leveraged across the globe to address wicked – complex and poorly defined – problems endemic of design and construction in the 21st century. Innovative results in leveraging data throughout the building lifecycle are a result of original research for a new book, “Data Driven Design and Construction: Strategies for Capturing, Analyzing and Applying Building Data,” (John Wiley & Sons, 2015.) Methods of Research: Because data driven design impacts so many facets of the building lifecycle, the research for this paper attempted to be as inclusive as possible. Using practice-based research and in-depth interviews with industry and academic leaders, the author relied on many sources, including first-hand interviews with 40 thought leaders in industry and education in the AECO industry who work day-to-day with data; with firm leaders and other industry executives at companies that range in size from sole proprietorships to large multinational organizations. The interviewee's responses were recorded, transcribed by the author, and condensed for publication.