The Electronic Plan Chest

In the framework of the International Conference on Electronic Trade in the Construction Sector, the International Building Center (Cibat) invited Mr. Dominique Dubuc, Founder and President of Archidata Inc., to present his Electronic Plan Chest.

Set up in 1985, Archidata Inc. has taken on the task of developing computer tools in the field of architecture and engineering, for the express purpose of improving the quality of projects at each step in the process of their production.

To explain simply what the Electronic Plan Chest is, one can say that it is a 'virtual filing cabinet', which allows all project specific information to be centralized - as work progresses. Drawings, memos, specifications, quantities etc. are all there and can be consulted by the different project participants as they require - while obviously protecting access privileges.

By bringing computer aided design and the information highway together, the Electronic Plan Chest allows efficient links between the participants to be set up; indeed, one can now speak of 'virtual' designing and building teams. All the exchanges of information between the professional participants are made easier and more effective. The Electronic Plan Chest also enables the stages of work on a project to be coordinated better and to cut down on delays. All the aspects of the Electronic Plan Chest have been designed for this purpose; experience shows that construction costs are reduced, quality is improved and time saved.

As the steps in carrying out a project move forward, the Electronic Plan Chest becomes the 'project archives', where all the information is filed and indexed for later use. In fact, this information becomes a tool for managing the building 'as built' and is available to the building owner, the client. All pertinent information (drawings, rental plans, fittings out etc.) is indexed and accessible through an extranet.

Thus, based on Internet technology, the Electronic Plan Chest is also of considerable use to building owners. Indeed, Archidata has developed some building management tools to help owners with managing their facilities.

In addition to contributing to reducing the costs of carrying out a project and improving the quality and availability of the information, the Electronic Plan Chest also contributes to reducing conflicts between the project participants by ensuring a coordinated exchange of information. According to Archidata's President, one of the significant characteristics of the Electronic Plan Chest lies in the fact that the system does not affect the traditional ways of working at all - thus removing an otherwise important psychological barrier to its adoption.