The Construction Common Product Coding System and Auto Id Technology in Construction

Automatic data identification (Auto ID) technology such as bar code has grown rapidly in various industries. During the last couple of years, a small number of construction companies have also started to implement Auto ID technologies for a limited number of applications. The focus of these applications has primarily been limited to the internal operations of a few larger companies. One of the major barriers to adopt modern Auto ID technologies in the construction industry is the lack of Construction Common Product Code System (CCPCS). The main objective of this research is to investigate the problems created by inadequate CCPCS and to create a suggested framework for information transfer. This could result in improving the communication of information between different components of the construction process by using new Auto ID technologies in the construction industry. A key component to achieving a solution is the development of CCPCS of “external” data and which will have sufficient robustness to accommodate a wide variety of existing Auto ID technologies and to accommodate newer systems which appearing. The paper also used a construction material procurement situation to discuss the role of CCPCS in Auto ID technology based site-level materials management applications. Finally, the paper suggested possible Auto ID technologies with CCPCS applications in construction.