A series of eleven case studies were gathered from across Canada in the summer of 2002. These case studies define an initial compendium of Best Practice in the use of information technology (IT) in Canada. The professionals interviewed included architects, engineers, general contractors, and owners. Many of them are at the cutting edge in their use of IT. The documentation of their pioneering use of IT can demonstrate how useful these technologies can be and what potential pitfalls are of concern. The case studies cover architecture, engineering, construction management, and specialized contractors. The following technologies were demonstrated: 3D CAD; custom Web sites; commercial Web portals; and in-house software development. No case was found that used wireless communication or standardized data formats such as IFCs or CIMSteel. The following issues were identified: the electronic distribution of documents is more efficient and cheaper; the short time-line and the tight budgets make it difficult to introduce new technologies on projects; the industry is locked in one CAD system and it is difficult to introduce new ones; it is costly to maintain trained CAD and IT personnel; and companies that lag behind reduce the potential benefits of IT. Still, the industry could achieve substantial benefits from the adoption of IT if it would be more widespread.
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