The AEC industry consists of separate players – architecture, engineering and construction – that work together to bring a project to fruition. By integrating these seemingly separate entities into a single industry, architects, engineers and contractors can work more efficiently to achieve a common goal. The AEC industry has several practical applications that facilitate the technology, outsourcing and exchange of information within the industry.
Three in One The fact that three different but related industries make up the AEC industry complicates industry standards. According to the book “The ABCs of the AEC Industry,” implementation of standards in the AEC industry is often particularly problematic. Each component of the building process individually covers an extensive area, so it is difficult to streamline the standards between these separate components. Each of these industries also uses different terminology. However, it is important for an architect, for example, to have a basic understanding of the terminology an engineer on the same project uses.
The Role of Technology Computer-aided design or drafting is a technology widely used in the AEC industry. CAD is a form of computer-assisted building modulation that architects, engineers and contractors use to create and view two- and three-dimensional models. The AEC industry also uses building information modeling, a newer computerized modeling system that can create four-dimensional models; this software can greatly increase productivity in the AEC industry, but it typically requires specialized training because of the complexity of the process.