Computerized Information Standards Enabling Innovation in Public Procurement of Buildings

Computerized and standardized information enables innovation in processes, products and services. Where early research on the impact of standards tended to focus on barriers, more recent research advocates standardisation as enabler of innovation albeit in a stakeholder-oriented, flexible manner. This paper asks whether computerized information standards enable or constrain innovation in public procurement of buildings. In architectural and engineering design of public buildings handling of information involves interoperability problems that hamper innovation. Moreover the project based product development tends be done in constellations of firms in interorganisational contracting, which do not provide stability or room for innovation. A large hospital project was investigated through interviews, documents and observations. The effects of implementing building information standards are both inter- and intraorganisational. The building client claims to have saved money, through better structured building component data that gave considerable positive effects during tendering. The IT-suppliers develop IT-tools, preparing for new markets.