Product Variant Master in the Construction Industry

The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is increasingly exploring the potential of mass customization and its impact on digitalization. However, developing digital tools can be challenging in terms of defining, delimiting, and structuring a construction product platform. To address this, a suitable information model is crucial to translate the information from the real world into a subset of data that a configurator can handle. This research aims to identify the common characteristics of construction product platforms to enhance their deployment into an information model, the so called product variant master (PVM) model. The study adopts a case methodology approach, typifying product platforms in three construction companies, and evaluates the applicability of the PVM model. Based on the findings, a systemic framework is proposed for depicting construction product platforms within the PVM model. he research concludes that by adopting this framework, the industry can streamline the modeling process, facilitate collaboration, and pave the way for effective digitalization in the AEC sector.