1. Introduction

Although the construction industry has historically been slow to change, it has undergone significant evolution in recent years. With the integration of new technologies, its traditional landscape has been transformed. Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), one of the transformative concepts, emerged about two decades ago with the goal of promoting collaboration among various individuals and departments in construction [1]. Traditionally rooted in the principles of Building Information Model (BIM) and 3D coordination, VDC has evolved beyond its initial scope, integrating advanced digital tools and collaborative practices that have significantly reshaped project delivery methods [2]. This evolution reflects a broader shift in the construction industry, where the emphasis on digital integration has become important.

Despite its significant role, there is a scarcity of literature informing the evolution of VDC and the technologies that have been adopted to enhance or refine this framework. This short paper aims to provide valuable insights by offering essential background information for those beginning their careers or research in this field. To achieve this, a two-step research methodology was adopted: first, a literature review covering the past 20 years, and second, a case study analysis involving an in-depth interview with a VDC manager who has over 17 years of industry experience. The interview delved into the interviewee’s career path and insights into the development of the VDC works to meet the research objectives. It is important to recognize that individuals from different construction companies may have varying experiences with the evolution of VDC. In this paper, I will concentrate exclusively on the journey of our interviewee.

To guide this exploration, I designed to answer the following research questions: Research Question (RQ) 1. How has the implementation of VDC evolved over the past two decades? RQ2. What are the key technological advancements that have been integrated into the VDC framework? RQ3. What are the challenges and opportunities associated with the future development of VDC? By addressing these questions, a comprehensive understanding of the progression and impact of VDC in construction can be discovered.

This short paper is structured as follows: Section 2 presents a brief literature review on the background of VDC. Section 3 outlines the methodology used in our research, including the interview question and process design. Section 4 provides an analysis of the interview, highlighting key insights and practical experiences that illustrate the evolution of VDC. Finally, Section 5 discusses the implications of our findings and answers the research questions.

2. Literature Review

2.1 The Origin of VDC

The concept of VDC was introduced in 2001 by the Center for Integrated Facility Engineering (CIFE) at Stanford University [1]. At that time, the construction process was recognized as being highly fragmented [1]. Significant inefficiencies and communication gaps among project stakeholders resulted in increased costs and project delays [2], making the construction industry one of the largest waste-generating industries [3]. Additionally, there was a lack of trust in offsite fabrication due to fears that systems would not fit properly, leading to extensive on-site fabrication [2]. These challenges underscored the need for a more integrated and collaborative approach to construction project management, ultimately paving the way for the development and widespread adoption of VDC.

Just as the literal meaning of VDC, it is built virtually before actually being constructed. This approach enables the design and construction teams to collaborate more effectively, allowing them to identify and resolve potential issues early in the process. A key practice in VDC is model federation and clash detection, especially for Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) trades, because they have to fit their systems into a limited, crowded space without conflicting with others [2, 4]. More early applications of VDC were explored in [5], and they focus mainly on 3D and 4D modeling. Recent technological developments, such as advancements in LiDar scanning and Augmented Reality (AR), are bringing new opportunities to VDC, expanding its capabilities and enhancing its effectiveness in the construction industry.

2.2 The Definition of VDC

Unlike terms such as BIM and digital twins, the core concept of VDC is straightforward, even though it may be articulated differently. According to [5], VDC is “the use of multi-disciplinary performance models for design-and-construction projects, including their products (or facility), organization, and work processes, to meet the business objectives across the stakeholders” (p.293). Summarizing this definition reveals two key characteristics of VDC: (1) VDC is a coordination process involving all stakeholders, and (2) construction models are a core component of VDC work. However, because of the overlap in functionality and terminology with BIM, the first characteristic has often been overlooked, leading to confusion and blurring the scope of VDC’s work with that of BIM. One example of BIM and VDC being used interchangeably is found in [6].

3. Methodology

3.1 Research Design

This study employs a qualitative method to answer the research questions listed in the introduction section. To collect the data, I designed a semi-structured interview. This approach was chosen to gather in-depth insights and firsthand experiences from industry professionals who have implemented VDC in various projects for at least a decade.

3.2 Participant Selection

The interviewee is pre-selected by the course instructor with the following several criteria:

1. Extensive industry experience.
2. Specialized in the VDC area.
3. Willingness to participate in the study.

3.2 Interview Question Design

The interview is one of the most commonly applied techniques for obtaining first-hand knowledge from experts and practitioners in the field, especially when it is necessary to understand behavior, feelings, or how people interpret the world around them [7]. Structurally, it can be conducted in three ways: highly structured/Standardized, semi-structured, and unstructured/informal. Each type of interview structure is typically used in different scenarios. For example, highly structured interviews are often utilized in research to collect standardized sociodemographic information, such as age, income, and similar data [7]. Instead of referring to this method as an interview, I prefer to call it a face-to-face questionnaire, where questions are asked strictly in the designed sequence. While, the semi-structured interview offers greater flexibility for both the interviewees and the interviewer. The questions posed to interviewees do not need to be exactly as initially developed; they can be adjusted based on the interviewees’ responses. This flexibility allows for more open-ended questions and answers, fostering a deeper and more dynamic discussion [7]. Finally, the unstructured interview is also useful when the researcher lacks sufficient information to design a structured tool. This informal conversation helps gather the necessary information to better prepare for subsequent interviews [7].

In my research study, I decided to conduct a semi-structured interview. The interview tool was designed into three parts. Part I is about the interviewee’s career path, providing background information on their professional experiences and key milestones in their careers. Part II constitutes the core of the interview, focusing on the interviewees’ understanding of the evolution of VDC and its technology iterations. Part III is intended to conclude the interview, allowing interviewees the opportunity to ask questions from interviewers. The interview tool designed for this study is demonstrated in Table 1.

Table 1. Interview tool

3.3 Data Collection

To facilitate the conversation, a background investigation of the interviewee was conducted using LinkedIn. The interview, lasting about 45 minutes, was then carried out and recorded with the participant’s consent for review and analysis. Afterward, the recording was transcribed and saved in the same folder.

3.4 Data Analysis

To address the research question, the interview transcript was coded using specific keywords, which are outlined in Table 2.

Table 2. Coding keywords

4. Case Study

4.1 About the Interviewee

To protect confidential information, I will use the pseudonym Nick to represent the interviewee. His career journey can be divided into three distinct phases, which will be detailed in the subsequent sections.

4.1.1 Early Career and Education

Nick is passionate about 3D modeling and has been committed to this field since the start of his career. He began as a design technician at a top aerospace company and later at a boat manufacturing company. Before transitioning to the construction industry, he had gained 10 years of experience in modeling.

4.1.2 Transition to Construction

Around 2008, the global economic downturn forced companies to close some of their offices to decrease their operating costs. As a result, many people had to decide whether to find a new job or move to a new location. Nick was one of them. Although the company he worked for at the time offered him a position in the new location, he chose not to relocate and declined the offer. Then, he re-entered the job market, driven by his passion for 3D modeling, and applied for any related positions. At that time, the construction industry was beginning to adopt 3D modeling, so he decided to pursue a career in construction.

4.1.3 Career in the Construction Industry

Up until now, Nick has been working in the construction industry for over 17 years. Leveraging his early experience in the manufacturing sector, he has consistently taken on the role of an innovator, driving the companies he worked for toward advancement. Consequently, his roles have grown increasingly significant, progressing from integrated construction manager to innovation manager and now to VDC manager.

4.2 His Journey on VDC

4.2.1 Before 2010

From his first day in the industry, he witnessed a major evolutionary change in how people collaborate and view construction drawings. This transformation was driven by BIM and 3D modeling technologies. Initially, all work relied on 2D drawings. Engineers from various trades would print their drawings and bring them to coordination meetings. However, with the adoption of BIM and 3D modeling, the elements in the drawings were no longer just lines but became objects with dimensions. Engineers can now federate their individual models into a single file, enabling true clash detection for the first time. Around 2010, the integration of 4D scheduling further revolutionized the industry, or I can say his way of managing construction projects. This integration, which involves combining 3D models with the project timeline, allowed for better visualization and management of the construction process. The implementation of 4D scheduling software such as Syncro and Navisworks time-liner facilitated automatic updates to the models, enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of project planning and execution. Despite the initial complexity and resource demands, 4D modeling brought significant benefits, including improved coordination, reduced errors, and better project outcomes.

4.2.2 From 2010 to 2020

With the increasing size of model files, transmitting them became a barrier that impacted the efficiency of engineers’ collaboration. The internet, as the primary means of transmission, often struggled to handle the large file sizes effectively, significantly slowing down the workflow. As recalled by Nick, he usually notified each department to upload their model a day before the coordination meeting because uploading the documents might take six hours, and downloading them will take the same amount of time. Since 2010, the dramatic increase in internet speed and the adoption of new tools like Dropbox, replacing the previously used FTP, have greatly improved this process, bringing much more convenience to his work. Around 4 or 5 years later, laser scanning became available for him to use in projects involving retrofitting and updating existing structures. However, the cost at that time was still too high for widespread adoption.

4.2.3  Future VDC

Technology evolves quickly, and an increasing number of off-the-shelf techniques and technologies are becoming available for various industries to explore new use cases. To name a few, AR/VR, robots, the Internet of Things, and Digital Twins. Nick acknowledges that these technologies are impressive and hold great potential. However, from his perspective, the industry still has more urgent issues to address. Breaking the silos between design teams and construction teams is a top priority. Although BIM has provided a common data environment that enables all stakeholders to share and collaborate, it still hasn’t fully integrated them into a unified team with shared objectives.

5. Discussion

It’s been two decades since CIFE first proposed the concept of VDC, and the construction industry has shown improvements in efficiency and sustainability. However, from the interview, it is clear that VDC is not yet a standard practice or a widely adopted framework in the industry. Additionally, terms like BIM and VDC are often misused or used interchangeably. For example, Nick is always introduced as a BIM manager, but he is actually a VDC manager. To advance VDC work to the next phase of development, while innovation is important, addressing institutional barriers is even more critical. Specifically, one significant barrier is the silo between the design team and the construction team. Although BIM has made strides in bridging this gap, there is still a long way to go in fostering collaboration and communication between these groups. Due to the scope of our study, I do not delve into the specifics of this barrier and its underlying causes. Future research could focus on investigating how these barriers are formed.

Futuristic technologies such as AR/VR and Digital Twins are impressive, but we need to be cautious about their exaggerated promises and potential limitations. Software companies often shift the focus from concerns to flashy features to sell their products. However, they typically don’t invest much effort into ensuring that these technologies integrate seamlessly with your current needs and work practices once the purchase is made. This lack of post-sale support can leave companies struggling to adapt and fully utilize the new tools, ultimately hindering the development of VDC work. To effectively embrace the future, construction companies should adopt the framework of negotiating innovation. This relatively new concept views innovation as a holistic process encompassing three steps: 1) futuring work, 2) reconfiguring practices, and 3) rewriting institutions [8] rather than simply adopting new technologies.

6. Conclusion

The VDC concept is revolutionary in the construction industry. It addresses the significant challenge of fragmentation by integrating various phases of construction through advanced technologies, fostering improved collaboration, efficiency, and project outcomes. However, few articles systematically explore the evolution of VDC since its inception. Thus, I designed this case study analysis to support future exploration of this framework. It is acknowledged that the findings of this analysis may vary from those of other studies due to the different interview subjects. In this case study analysis, I selected Nick, my interviewee, to explore his journey with VDC work. Together, we traced his career from the early days as a modeler in manufacturing companies to his later experiences in the construction industry. We also identified several technological adoptions and work improvements in the VDC field, including 3D modeling and 4D scheduling. However, VDC recognition remains limited in the industry, and more effort is needed to break down the silos between stakeholders. Only in this way can newly emerging technologies be better integrated into VDC work.

References

[2] A. Khanzode, M. Fischer, and D. Reed, “Benefits and lessons learned of implementing building virtual design and construction (VDC) technologies for coordination of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems on a large healthcare project,” Journal of Information Technology in Construction (ITcon), vol. 12, pp. 324–342, 2008.

[3] A. Keys, A. Baldwinand S. Austin, “Designing to encourage waste minimisation in the construction industry”. Loughborough University, 01-Jan-2000 [Online]. Available: https://hdl.handle.net/2134/4945. [Accessed: 16-May-2024]

[4] Borjigin, Orgil, Dossick, Carrie Sturts, and Lingzi Wu. Virtual Design and Construction Time Study Schema Development. 2024.

[5] M. Fischer and R. Drogemuller, “Virtual design and construction,” in Technology, Design and Process Innovation in the Built Environment, 0 ed., Spon Press, 2009, pp. 293–318. doi: 10.4324/9780203928325.

[6] D. Russell, Y. K. Cho, and E. Cylwik, “Learning Opportunities and Career Implications of Experience with BIM/VDC,” Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 111–121, Feb. 2014, doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)SC.1943-5576.0000191.