ATELCOMA - Application of Teleworking in Construction Management

Conference

22 May 2001

Dorgelo Hall

The Traverse

Campus

Technical University of Eindhoven

The Netherlands

Program

9:00 - Welcome and Introduction to Atelcoma

9.15 - Johan Vreede and Ton Vissers - Hogeschool ´sHertogenbosch (The Netherlands) - Exchange Protocol

9:55 - Ilkka Loukkola - Seinajoki Polytechnic (Finland) - Feed back of use Project Bank in the Pilot Project

10.35 - Coffee break

11.00 - Joane Neville and Gerry O´Loughlin - Limerick Institute of Technology (Ireland) - LITMUS (Limerick Institute of Technology Materials Utilisation System)

11.40 - Parallel workshops (hands on) on each of the previous topics

12.30 - Lunch

13.30 - Ad den Otter - Technical University of Eindhoven (The Netherlands) - Web-communication in the Dutch Building Industry

14:10 - Anthony Westcott - University of the West of England Bristol (United Kingdom) – Electronic tendering and Web design to manage construction documentation

14:50 - Alfredo Soeiro and Heitor Ferro - U. Porto and Engil (PT) - Pilot Experiences with ICT in Construction Management

15.20 - Tea break

16.00 - Parallel workshops (hands on) on each of the previous topics

16.45 - General Debate - Conclusions

17.30 - Closing

17.30 -18.15 - Cocktail reception

Registration

Until 18 May 2001 (inclusive)

Internet registration - www.fe.up.pt/atelcoma

Fee - 100 Euro

Payment by bank transfer

Name - FEUP

Reference - Atelcoma

Bank - Caixa Geral de Depósitos

Address - Gonçalo Cristóvão, Porto, Portugal

Account number - 003501960000612573041

Participants should take a copy of their bank transfer to the conference

After 18 May 2001

Only Conference site registration

Fee is paid in cash

280 Dutch Guilders

Hotel Reservations

Hotel

Holiday Inn Eindhoven

Tel: +31402433222

Fax: +31402449235

www.eindhoven.holiday-inn.com

holiday-inn.eindhoven@worldonline.nl

Tulip Inn Eindhoven Centre

Markt 35

Eindhoven

phone: 0031-40-2454545

fax: 0031-40-2435645

www.goldentulip.com

Dorint Cocagne Eindhoven

Vestdijk 47

Eindhoven

The Netherlands

Tel. +31 (0)40 / 232 61 11

Fax +31 (0)40 / 244 01 48

Email:info@dhe.dorint.nl

www.dorint.nl

The Conference

This event takes place at the end of the project and intends to present the results of the two year involvement of the partners. It aims also at fostering discussion among construction professionals, trainers and educators about the results. It is a session composed by six presentations divided in half by the lunch break, After each group of three presentations the participants can choose in which they want to practice. The last session is a general debate about the experiences of the day. The target of this conference are construction managers, professional development trainers, educators and experts in ICT.

The Project

The project is concerned with a European partnership between Industry and Universities on Teleworking in Construction Management for a two year period of production and of administration of ODL courses from several European institutions of higher education and construction firms with expertise in the area.

The partners of ATELCOMA provide different levels of expertise in ICT (Information and communication Technolgies) and ODL (Open and Distance Learning) and all of them could gain experience in international projects.

The project tries to address several needs:

a) to exchange good national practices in Teleworking and in CM (Construction Management)

b) to overcome the costs of physical mobility and to ameliorate the busy schedules of construction professionals

c) to respond to the internationalisation of building projects within the EU

d) to create a richer pool of CM tele-courses with European level which are accredited by industry and universities

e) to increase the level of ICT and ODL use in the construction industry

The developments in the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have been increasing within the last few years. The Construction industry is by nature highly dependent on the adequate and proper flow of communication between the different sectors and the detailed planning of phases in the construction process. The efficiency of Construction Management (CM) activities is based, in particular, on the quality and on the timing of data used. On the other hand the universities, in general, have been very active in the acceptance and utilisation of ICT for research, teaching and training.

This pilot project on Tele-working Applications to Construction Management is a two year project of technology transfer and training in ICT provided by universities for construction companies. The co-operation is intended to provide assistance in the Information Management area of the construction companies by using the experiences from universities to address the changes of job profiles in the CM area.

In comparison to the construction industry, in particular with reference to the field of construction management universities are more advanced in applying ICT to their current training programmes. This project tries to address needs for training and transfer of research results while establishing co-operation between universities and companies.

The construction companies involved in the project stated the need for training in ICT in order to improve efficiency and productivity in CM. Training for staff of average and high qualification in CM requires

a) internationalisation of content in CM,

b) self-training tools of ICT that are easy to use,

c) protocol for information exchange.

Participating Organisations

UNIVERSIDADE DO PORTO - 25000 students at the University, 2100 staff, 400 academic staff at the Faculdade da Engenharia (FEUP), 3500 students, 22 people in the Department and several ODL and Continuing Education projects; expertise in Computer Based Learning module developments projects, in ODL research and in Continuing Education activities. It has an intensive international cooperation in most

EU programmes such as Erasmus, Tempus, Comett, Leonardo, Socrates, Force, Alfa and Lingua.

HOGESCHOOL 'S-HERTOGENBOSCH - 5 years experience in multimedia area, 13 years in computer graphics area. Professional experience with development of CDI and experience in international cooperation for 3 years in the area of Construction Management and Building Economics (CMBE).

UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND- 22000 students, 300 programme degrees, with half studying on half-time basis. The Faculty of Built Environment has 2300 students with 350 at postgraduate level. Faculty has 120 academic staff with about 30 currently developing and teaching with ODL projects. It is planned to

transform existing courses in Construction Project Management, Facilities Management and Real Estate to the ODL format in the next two years. It has extensive international experience in EU programmes like Erasmus, Tempus, Commett, European Social Fund and Leonardo.

SEINÄJOKI POLYTECHNIC - Has developed modules in Cost Construction Control and Building Codes and has participated in international programmes. Has facilities for videoconferencing and is equipped with all communication facilities. It is an advanced institution in the field of wood technology and in the use of ICT for teaching and training.

LIMERICK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY - It has state of the art computers and information technology together with highly qualified personnel. LIT has produced CBL and video products for the training of Airport managers. It has co-ordinated several EU programmes, like the Erasmus ICP-94 IRL-4011 (where five higher education institutions cooperated for three years) and participated in other cooperation programmes like Lingua, Erasmus, Commett and Force.

ENGIL - it is the number three of the Construction companies situated in Portugal. It comprises a group of companies that range from real estate to large public works. It is a company with international experience gained in several countries around the world.

NOVOPCA - It is rated as number eighteen of the Construction Companies in Portugal. It dedicates its work to public works and buildings and has a cooperates with FEUP since many years.

KEOHANE & CO LTD - it is a medium size company with experience of co-operation with the Limerick Institute of Technology.

HEIJMAN'S BOUW - It is a construction management company with large activities in the area and at international level.

TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF EINDHOVEN, Faculty of Technology Management

The TUE focuses on the development of functional technology. The faculty has broad expertise in Virtual reality tools (Calibre BV), ODL and Continuing Education projects and in computer Based Learning module developments projects, in ODL research and in Continuing Education activities. There is an intensive international cooperation within the framework of most EU programmes such as Erasmus, Tempus,Comett, Leonardo and Socrates.