nD modelling–a driver or enabler for construction improvement

Abstract

The terms ‘nD modelling’and ‘nD CAD’are becoming escalating idioms associated with ICT-based (information communication technologies) building design; a concept which has been heightened by the£ 0.5 million funded 3D to nD modelling project at the University of Salford. An nD model is an extension of the building information model that incorporates multi-aspects of design information required at each stage of the lifecycle of a building facility. This paper will explore the concept of nD modelling, lay out the nD modelling opportunities and barriers for implementation within a business context, and conclude by examining whether it can be applied industry-wide or remain a PR tool for the big players in the industry. The issues surrounding nD-enabled construction are not just technological, but also and cultural, human and process related. The paper suggests that the nD modelling approach is ideal, but not achievable in the short term, largely due to the industry’s unwillingness to work together in an interdisciplinary way.

Keywords: nD modelling, Sustainability, Building’s acoustics,