Inside AGC — November/December 2006

AGC Leads the Industry in Interoperability Software

AGCxml will save contractors time and money

Contractors today are faced with vast technology options, which is why AGC informs members about products and innovations that help run their businesses and connect them to the industry. AGC educates members about technology innovations-and creates them.

AGCxml Debuts

The building design and construction industry loses an estimated $15.8 billion annually from manual data re-entry and frequent reformatting of design and construction information. Much of this duplication could be avoided if A/E/C professionals could exchange construction management data among software applications.
AGC has teamed up with the National Institute of Building Sciences to address a key aspect of this costly problem through the creation of AGCxml, a data exchange format for the typical construction documents exchanged during construction.

The AGCxml schema will be offered to all architecture, engineering and construction software developers. If widely adopted by software companies, business partners could exchange information easily and reliably, whether or not they use the same project software. AGCxml will save members countless hours re-keying, increase the accuracy of the information exchanged, improve productivity and service delivery and enhance profits. A Review and Validation Committee is developing the XML schema to ensure that AGCxml meets the broad needs of the industry.

AGC's Michelle Bernard interviewed Michael Tardif, NIBS Information Technology project manager; and John Nabholz, chair of the AGCxml Task Force and Information Services Manager, Nabholz Construction, Conway, Ark.

AGC: How will AGCxml impact the industry?

John Nabholz: It isn't financially prudent for a contractor to use four or five different construction management software programs just so they are working with the same software as their business partners. With AGCxml, everyone will be able to use their favorite project management software and will have access to share the same information with their partner.

Michael Tardif: This technology could help change the business practices of the entire industry. It will streamline the exchange of information that is now sometimes exchanged via fax, hand delivered or re-keyed from another program. It will speed and improve the reliability of data exchange during the construction process, saving time and money while minimizing errors.

AGC: What types of documents will AGCxml cover?

JN: Owner/contractor agreements, contract/subcontractor agreements, schedule of value, requests for information, requests for proposals, architects supplemental instructions, construction change directives, submittals, change-order requests, applications for payment, addendum notifications, purchase orders, punchlists and daily reports.

AGC: When will AGCxml be completed?

MT: The schema will be completed on or before June 26, 2007. It will then be available to software companies, which will be able to integrate the standard into their software upon receipt.

AGC: What is the next step in implementation of AGCxml?

JN: Because AGCxml will be open, public and freely licensed to software companies, there are no obstacles to incorporating it into their software, and many have stepped forward to offer their expertise and assistance. Software companies and research institutions have expressed interest in helping to develop AGCxml.