Strategic and operational construction logistics control tower

Abstract

Construction companies have issues meeting building demands, and supply chain management promises are only sometimes fully utilized in practice. This paper investigates an IT artefact called the Construction Logistics Control Tower (CLCT). A CLCT is a control tower artefact specifically focusing on optimizing construction logistics activities across the supply chain. We distinguish four potential construction logistics application fields and, therefore, describe four potential variants of the CLCT. We design and narrow down these alternatives by applying a form of co-creation in which stakeholders design and set requirements for the artefact of interest. Our goal is to develop a reference architecture for the strategic and operational form in Enterprise Architecture. We focus on a transportation-based CLCT, which has a strategic component, i.e., it predicts and manages long-term logistics activities regarding construction, and an operational one, i.e., it operationalizes and executes daily transportation processes to support construction activities. Our work provides a core enterprise architecture diagram describing this CLCT variant’s main functionalities. Next, we find that three key technologies need to be combined to realize such a system: Building Information Modelling, Geographic Information System and Transportation Management System. We discuss potential hurdles in the integration process and reflect on potential solutions. In the end, we envision that the construction of such a CLCT takes both a bottom-up and top-down approach but at least should be supported by a large consortium of stakeholders, constructing and supporting the system from their interests.