Challenging the role of location in industry foundation classes

Location is a critical component of construction projects and yet it has received relatively little attention in mainstream digital systems. Efficient management of construction requires a more comprehensive and flexible breakdown of projects than is generally provided. Indeed, it is desirable to separate location as an expressed component of a work breakdown structure (WBS). This idea is not new, but previous definitions of the WBS have not paid any attention to the role of a location breakdown structure (LBS). Focusing on location enables flexibility in the WBS which also reduces data repetition, thereby supporting production efficiency in the management of construction projects. Achieving this requires a re-evaluation of the way location is handled in methods such as industry foundation classes (IFC). The IFC failure to build a comprehensive location definition model currently represents a significant opportunity cost to construction management globally.