Use of the Internet to enhance

construction communication:
Total Information Transfer System
C M Tam
Department of Building and Construction, City University of Hong Kong, 83, Tat Chee Avenue, The Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region, PRC
In the construction industry, the impact of Information Technology (IT) on the design process
has been acknowledged by designers for many years. However, construction management oper-
ations in Hong Kong do not enjoy the same share of computerization despite the recent great
advance in IT and the availability of a wide range of software. This paper studies the potentials
of IT in improving coordination between construction project participants or facilitating infor-
mation transfer in construction projects. A system called ``Total Information Transfer System''
was developed which comprises six major functions including: data exchange and remote log in,
Internet chat enhanced with on-screen drawings, live video-cam, search engine and e-mail sys-
tem. # 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd and IPMA. All rights reserved
Keywords: Internet, construction communication, information technology, live cam, data exchange
Introduction
Construction is one of the most information-dependent
industries, amongst others, with its diversity of forms
of information which include detailed drawings and
photos, cost analysis sheets, budget reports, risk analy-
sis charts, contract documents, planning schedules.
The amount of information generated and exchanged
during a project life-time is enormous even for a small-
sized construction project. Timely and accurate infor-
mation is important for all project participants as it
forms the basis on which decisions are made and
physical progress is achieved. The distance between
headquarters and construction sites further augments
the communication barrier. Wasting of time and cost
in construction projects can be traced back to poor co-
ordination caused by inadequate informationinsu-
cient, inappropriate, inaccurate, inconsistent, late or a
combination of them all. This occurs despite the
remarkable advancements in information management,
handling, storage and exchange techniques. Thus, com-
munication is always the key factor leading to the suc-
cess or failure of a construction project.
The use of the Internet as the communication plat-
form can help information transfer more eectively
during the construction process. Besides its speedy
transmission, it also saves money in communication
with overseas construction sites through the computer
network compared to the traditional information
handling methods.
Historical perspective of the Internet
The foundation of the Internet was laid when the U.S.
Department of Defense's Advanced Research Project
Agency initiated a project to link computers scattered
among diverse military, defense contractors, and uni-
versity sites in 1960. However, the handfuls of compu-
ters of interest to U.S. Department of Defense were
too far apart to connect directly and they ran under
dierent operating systems. Thus, one of the objectives
of the project was to produce the hardware, software
and protocols required to perform a range of activities
including remote terminal access, le exchange and
sharing resources like printers. In 1969, four computers
successfully exchanged data with each other on a net-
work that became the Advanced Research Project
Agency Network (ARPANET).
The network grew rapidly over the next decade and
adding a new computer every 20 days on average in
1994. In addition, technology was developed that pro-
vided the platform for a number of other networks. As
ARPANET and other networks grew, procedures were
set up to allocate addresses, dene standards for inter-
operability, and allow hosts to interact with local net-
works. In 1983, ARPANET ocially adopted a
comprehensive system of communication protocols
called TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Inter-
networking Protocol). As the network expanded and
evolved, the connection of small networks into a larger
entity became a priority. With the development of the
National Science Foundation backbone for supercom-
International Journal of Project Management Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 107111, 1999
# 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd and IPMA. All rights reserved
Printed in Great Britain
0263-7863/99 $ - see front matter
PII: S0263-7863(97)00077-X
107
puters in 1987, the ARPANET gradually became the
centre of a collection of networks, which is now
referred to as `Internet'.
A key to Internet's success is the open and coopera-
tive nature of its arrangements. There are many separ-
ately administered networks, belonging to educational
institutions, government and industry. All agree to co-
operate and follow standardized procedures. Under
the coordination of the Internet Architecture Board
(IAB) and other committees, the network supports a
wide range of tasks that its members agree to carry
out. The popularity of the Internet grows as more
computers are linked to the network. In the middle of
1991, the Internet was carrying about one trillion bites
of information per month; and in January 1994 it sur-
passed 10.2 trillion bytes.
In 1993, the introduction of the graphically-based
World Wide Web (WWW, W3 or Web) led to an ex-
plosion in Internet usage among non-scientists and
paved the way for commercial uses. It is because the
World Wide Web can provide the graphically-based
tool for sharing information (text, full-colour graphics
and photos, audio and video) through computers.
Information on the Web can range from presentations
to online publications to personal `home pages' and is
accessible 24 h a day, from any computer equipped
with a modem, special `browsing' software and an
Internet connection. So, the Web as an interactive
interface, provides a popular way to access infor-
mation and promote a company's products and ser-
vices.
Today, the Web is the fastest-growing segment of
the Internet and the most promising new medium for
associations. The Web enables users to share text,
graphics, audio and video through `pages' (like the
pages of a book) and `hypertext' links. With several
major online services oering Internet access, the num-
ber of associations and business professionals using
the Internet is rising. Hence, its application to the con-
struction industry of Hong Kong is a treasure-trove
waiting to be exposed.
Superiority of using Internet in construction
communication
In recent years, many construction projects managed
by Hong Kong construction rms are carried out over-
seas in countries such as Malaysia or Mainland China.
The physical distance apart generates communication
barriers. In addition, the variety of communication
media and modes in construction further augments its
communication diculties. Messages sometimes get
distorted or delayed. Further, using long distance calls
or overseas facsimile is very costly. Some international
construction companies nd that it is expensive to col-
lect, maintain and update the information for overseas
construction sites.
However, the cost of using the Internet services is
much lower than that of the IDD and express courier
services. Messages can reach the recipients more spee-
dily and accurately which can also be traceable. The
Internet is a global network which is not restricted by
locations, time or dierent computer operating sys-
tems. In summary, it is more eective in using Internet
networking systems for construction.
Proposed communication systemTotal
Information Transfer System
Having analyzed the existing communication problems
in the construction eld, the author has developed an
integrated communication system called ``Total
Information Transfer System (TITS)'' which connects
with the global network: the Internet Services. TITS
uses Linux (UNIX Platform) and Microsoft Windows
`95 (PC Platform) for setting up the information trans-
fer system. Linux can provide a multi-tasking environ-
ment to handle the complex construction information
while Microsoft Windows `95 provides a common and
user friendly computer operating system.
Objective
This study aims at developing a communication system
based upon the Internet to facilitate information trans-
fer in construction project management. The superior-
ity that the system can oer to the construction
industry is highlighted. Also, the system was tested.
The cost and time eectiveness of using TITS to
achieve eective information transfer in construction
projects are discussed. The system was built up based
on simple and commonly used hardware and software.
Hardware and software conguration of TITS
Accessing the TITS web site server requires a personal
computer (PC), preferably a Pentium CPU computer
with multi-media interface, 16 bit sound card and a
voice modem (preferably 33.6Kbps baud rate or
higher) connected to a local Internet access provider
(such as HKNET, SuperNet, StarNet etc.). The com-
puter hardware setup is shown in Table 1. A `brows-
ing' software (preferably Netscape or Internet
Explorer) with `CGI', `JAVA' and Visual Basic is
required to assist the Web browser for data capture.
In setting up the web site server, a PC of similar
conguration of the above plus 128 MB RAM are
necessary to provide enough memory for picture and
data transfer as well as the multi-tasking UNIX plat-
form. `Linux' is used to set up the Internet server
which oers a reasonable security system while com-
plying with the Netscape or Internet Explorer require-
ments.
Major functions of TITS
Data exchange formats for construction: FTP and
Telnet. During the life-cycle of a construction project,
Table 1 Hardware conguration required for TITS
Pentium 166 Mhz with:
256 KB pipelined burst cache
64 MB EDO RAM
Quantum 2.4 GB ATA Hard Disk Driver
Sound Blaster 32-bit PnP sound card
8speed CD-ROM driver
140 SVGA Monitor
Video Blaster RT300 16-bit video card
MP-600D 128-bit VGA card
Video Highway MPEG Card
33.6 Kbps Voice Modem
The Internet and construction communication: C. M. Tam
108
an integrated database can provide a central repository
system for the storage of data and processes required
by the various disciplines.
1
So, all parties including the
client, designers, contractors, suppliers and external
bodies can access to the same database for common
data. Every piece of information needs to be stored
only once in the database so as to ensure the consist-
ency of all information.
The major data exchange tools provided by the sys-
tem include Telnet and FTP. First, the Telnet protocol
allows an Internet user to log in to a remote host from
his local host computer. Once connected and logged in
to the remote host, he or she can enter data, run var-
ious programs which can be easily downloaded from
the Internet, or do any other operations just as if he
were logged in directly to the remote host. While run-
ning Telnet, the program eectively makes the local
computer invisible during the session on the remote
computer. Every keystroke the user types locally is
sent directly to the remote system. When the remote
log in session terminates, the application returns the
user to the local system. Telnet is a powerful tool in
resource sharing and multi-tasking. Similarly, due to
its direct connection to the remote system, the system
can provide a cheap and ecient method to get infor-
mation compared with fax, phone or post.
At the same time, the server supervisor can observe
from the Telnet remote control function the state of
the server, such as people who have logged into the
network, and the information retrieved including the
date, time and place for the le downloaded and
uploaded. The supervisor can assign authority and per-
mission in using any les to any users. Also, he can
send data to any unique person who requires the infor-
mation and communicate with any parties all over the
world via the Internet network.
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, a way of
sending les across the Internet. This function enables
le transfer from one computer to another, even if
each computer has a dierent operating system and
le storage format. Software like Netscape and
Internet Explorer can act as a web browser to locate
the web sites, directories or les for users. Users are,
however, not allowed to rename the les for the sake
of security. Once logged into the Internet FTP system,
les can be transferred to the directory of the user's
computer in a short time (a large le requires 1020
min usually).
Files that FTP can transfer include anything that
can be stored online, such as data, program, text or
image les. Transfer of non-text les such as images in
the format of GIF, JPG, ZIP, etc. uses the binary or
raw data option. Users can only access the directory in
which a password has been registered. This can ensure
the security of information. The server supervisor can
assign authority to dierent people. For example, top
management can be allowed exclusively to update,
change, and delete les in the server by remote log-in.
File transfer across the Internet is reliable because the
machines involved can communicate directly, without
relying on intermediate machines to make conversions.
To overcome the physical separation of construction
sites and headquarters, Telnet and FTP give a good
solution which enables construction sites to communi-
cate with the headquarters. Site sta can use a per-
sonal computer connected into a local Internet service
provider via a modem to remote log in and control the
information in the head oce. For example, users can
log in their Internet account in Beijing and get the
drawing les or view a CAD drawing through the
Web browser from the headquarters in Hong Kong
within minutes.
Internet Chat enhanced with on-screen images/pic-
tures/drawings. Construction project sta can commu-
nicate with overseas colleagues using ``Internet Chat''
which can simulate phone calls if microphones and
loudspeakers are installed or communicators can type
in words on the screens. The system is further
enhanced with on-screen images, pictures, photos or
drawings so that people can view and zoom in or out
the picture while talking with each other.
``Internet Chat'' can operate like an international
convention so that developers can remote control the
project. However, the fee for ``Internet Chat'' is much
cheaper than using IDD and it can handle pictures
and images transmission. The program can set a sound
warning or indication if there are calls from outside.
Live video-cam function for site based data capture.
This function enables live transmission of video cap-
tured at sites to the headquarters. Management can
view the construction site immediately by connecting a
video camera to a personal computer at site which
send the images through the Internet superhighway
back to the Internet server. Site sta can also take pic-
tures from the site with a digital camera and dispatch
the pictures through the Internet. Using this function,
the project team can get instant views on the construc-
tion site progress directly. The server can also store the
pictures for record purposes. The cost of this service is
much cheaper than sending project sta overseas to
collect site progress information such as progress
photos. If a number of live video cameras can be
installed at dierent essential locations of a construc-
tion site, every detail of the site can be recorded and
noted. However, the live video function of the system
cannot generate video-like quality images but the pic-
tures being updated at a time interval of 1020 s. Hav-
ing said that, this can provide a ``feeling of the work
place'' which forms an important component of using
the Internet to manage remote construction sites.
To set up the `Live Camera' in the TITS, it requires
a video camera connected to a personal computer
Pentium 166 Mhz with a Video Blaster Card as an
interface to capture the images and the system needs
to be operated under Windows NT Network to pro-
vide a 64 bit line. This system is much cheaper than
using a SUN SparcStation. It costs approximately
US$3360 including software and hardware.
The system has to acquire a 64-bit line from any
Internet provider. The line needs to be assigned purely
for live-cam usage.
The live-cam function can also be used for recording
site productivity data. Site shots can be sent back to
the server through the Internet at 20 s intervals.
Images and site productivity can then be analysed by a
fast play back.
Auxiliary services. Construction rms can use their
Web site presentation to recruit new sta and seek
feedback by setting questionnaires. Of course, con-
The Internet and construction communication: C. M. Tam
109
struction rms can advertise their services through
their home-pages or promote their company's image to
potential customers around the world.
Up-to-date data collection: link and search engine.
Users can use the same Web page platform to search
for other information to assist them in decision mak-
ing. They can see the changes of the international
property market, uctuating material prices and the
Hang Seng Index, Dow Jones Index etc. This can help
managers make decisions quickly and reliably.
Information exchange: e-mail. Electronic mail allows
users to send messages electronically to individuals or
groups of people by pressing a button. The system can
accept and store mail that come into users' host ser-
vers. E-mail programs can automatically recognize the
incoming electronic mail les and translate them into a
format compatible with the receiving mail program,
and direct the messages to the correct recipient.
Instead of relying on intermediate machines to relay
mail messages, Internet mail delivery operates by hav-
ing the sender's machine contacted by the receiver's
machine directly and thus avoiding any interruptions.
Electronic mail can provide two features: condenti-
ality and authentication. Condentiality means that
only the authorized recipient of a message can read it.
Authentication is a guarantee that a message is really
from its stated originator. Therefore, only the recipient
with the password can log into the company account
and send les with a secret-key. The le can be
recorded at the server which can be located by the ser-
ver manager. E-mail can almost reach every corner of
the world as coverage of the Internet expands. It is a
cheap, reliable and fast mailing system. In general, e-
mail is the most economical means to send and receive
overseas mail compared to IDD, ordinary mails and
courier services.
Apart from the above, there is a new service
enabling users to receive short overseas e-mail mess-
ages displayed on their pager.
2
Another service pro-
vided by Internet services providers is to alert the users
by paging when there is an e-mail coming in.
3
E-mail is popular form of information exchange and
may become one of the core technologies for data
exchange and sharing in the future.
4
E-mail can be
used for informal communications within and between
organizations. Companies can dene e-mail appli-
cations in the transition of data through an organiz-
ation and keep track of its progress.
5
At present, the
use of e-mail in construction has been dominated by
large construction organizations who have sought to
link personnel in their oces over local and wide area
networks.
6
However, its application in small rms still
has plenty of room to explore.
TITS provides an e-mail account to every member
of a company who would be assigned a password.
After entering the correct password, the user will go to
the advance page which is the internal e-mail system
and the electronic fax page for all employees. Unlike
other overseas fax services, the fax services in Internet
are free of charge. With the help of fax software, docu-
ment les can be delivered to any fax machine within
the coverage of the system.
However, communication in the construction indus-
try is complicated by its structural problems. For
example, design drawings are always amended. The
revised drawings or instructions need to be in a hard
copy form conrmed with the architect's chop or sig-
nature, and its receipt needs to be acknowledged by
the contractors in writing. Using e-mail, in fact, can
alleviate the problem of distribution to various parties
like quantity surveyors, suppliers, subcontractors, en-
gineers, site supervisory sta, etc. Nonetheless, sending
messages in an electronic form cannot complete these
endorsement procedures. For the time being, the de-
sign architect needs to deliver his mail electronically to
his representatives in sites who then convert the le
into a hard copy form for further distribution.
Implementation of TITS
After the installation and initial testing of the system
with the communication hardware and software are
completed, a pilot service was established to test the
reliability of the system and to establish the require-
ments of potential customers. Participants are oered
a free subscription to the system until the commercial
launch in order to identify faults or failures. They are
recruited from participants in the local construction
industry who have a close connection with the author.
Participants were registered and issued a username and
password so that they can log into the system. The test
has veried the reliability of the system.
Cost and time eective analysis
The major advantage of using TITS is its eciency in
communication, both in terms of time and accuracy.
Yet cost is also a factor to be considered in the appli-
cation of Internet services.
As the Internet becomes more popular and with the
evolution of more advanced information technology,
the competition among service providers is becoming
more severe. At present, the running cost of the
Internet services is much lower than that of the IDD.
The unit rate of the Internet service is about HK$6
(US$0.77) per hour, whereas the IDD services cost
about HK$8 (US$1.02) per minute on average.
Since it is costly to collect, maintain and update in-
formation constantly from construction sites; especially
when vast quantities of information need to be pro-
cessed at remote or overseas locations. Fixing a wide
area network by installing a dial-up line between over-
seas oces is expensive. Furthermore, when the con-
struction site is completed, the facilities need to be
removed.
As TITS works upon the global Internet, communi-
cation will not be restricted by location of sites. The
construction site sta can dial up to the network of
the TITS through the Internet Provider (ISP) by using
a modem which connects their personal computers on
site to a public telephone network, enabling them
access to the TITS services including up-to-the-minute
information on project planning, payments to subcon-
tractors, company announcements, etc. when they are
working in dierent places of the world. Financial and
management accounting information can be trans-
mitted by e-mail. This allows the user to communicate
with other project team members throughout the
world at a relatively low cost and a high accuracy. The
system also provides the employees access to valuable
The Internet and construction communication: C. M. Tam
110
data of other web sites such as libraries, market infor-
mation, indices and government departments.
In Hong Kong, the cost rate of the Internet is about
HK$300 (US$38) per month. It is about HK$6
(US$0.77) per h which includes all applications except
the live-cam function. However, it would cost at least
HK$20 000 (US$2560) per month to employ a person
to carry out the same job, which includes taking draw-
ings to the distant sites and helping resolve communi-
cation problems between parties. The costs of plane
tickets and other travel fees are still not included.
Further, the system provides fax transmission facilities
free of charge. Otherwise, about HK$30 000
(US$3850) needs to spent on this communication cost
per month. Detailed comparisons are shown in Table 2.
Conclusion
Although the construction industry has traditionally
been slow to accept new technology, many users have
now recognized the superiority of the Internet and are
prepared to invest in it. The Internet can facilitate
eective construction communication in the construc-
tion industry. Moreover, the cost is much cheaper than
traditional approaches.
From our experience in setting up the ``Total
Information Transfer System'' (TITS), it was found
that the system can handle information sharing e-
ciently between the various parties in a construction
project. The system oers many benets such as
improved eciency, better management and decision
making, and enhanced performance to construction
rms. Finally, but most importantly, the system can
save money.
References
1. Aouad, G., Managing construction information eectively
using integrated databases. The Organization and Management
of Construction: Shaping theory and practice, Vol. 3, pp. 1422,
(1996) E and FN Spon.
2. Star Paging, E-mail to Paging. Promotion Brochure (1996).
3. Star Internet, Home Page from Star Internet URL:http://
www.hkstar.com (1996).
4. Carroll, J., Electronic mail, workow and you. CMA Magazine,
1993, 67(5), IM9IM11.
5. Hales, K., Workow management: an overview of some appli-
cations. Information Management and Technology, 1996, 26(5),
203221.
6. Baldwin, A. N., Thrope, A. and Carter, C., The construction
alliance and electronic information exchange: a symbolic re-
lationship. The Organization and Management of Construction:
Shaping theory and practice, Vol. 3, pp. 2332, (1996) E and
FN Spon.
Dr C. M. Tam is an associated pro-
fessor in the Department of Building
and Construction, City University of
Hong Kong. He gained an MSc in
construction and a PhD in construc-
tion management at Loughborough
University, UK, in 1985 and 1993.
He worked as a contract administra-
tor from 1980 to 1984 and as a pro-
ject manager in 1985-86 before
becoming engaged in teaching and
research activities at the City
University of Hong Kong. He is now
the associated head of the Depart-
ment of Building and Construction.
Table 2 Cost comparison between TITS and the traditional communi-
cation system
Fee per month
Company without
TITS
Company with
TITS
Overseas fax fee About HK$2000 free
(US$256)
Project coordinator's salary About HK$20 000 free
(US$2,564)
Air mailing charges About HK$500 free
(US$64)
Plane tickets for coordinator
(depends on location)
About HK$4000 free
(US$513)
Sending drawings About HK$3000 free
(US$385)
IDD phone charges About HK$1000 free
(US$128)
Document transfer fee About HK$1000 free
(US$128)
Internet services fee About HK$300
(US$38)
Total: $31 500 HK$300
(US$4,038) (US$38)
Setting up cost: HK$30 000
(US$3846)
The Internet and construction communication: C. M. Tam
111