What is a Common Data Environment (CDE)?

A common data environment (CDE) is a cloud-based, digital environment where construction teams can store and host their documents and data from live and historic projects. A CDE helps construction professionals keep all project data accessible to everyone who needs it and ensures that the team has a single source of the truth. This means that the documents that teams access are the most up-to-date and accurate versions and makes sure that everybody is working from the same, correct version of a document. 

Types of Documents in a CDE

Construction teams store all the documents for every phase of a project, from pre-construction to post-construction, in a CDE. These include, but are not limited to:

+ Drawings
+ Method statements
+ Project specifications
+ Contracts
+ Technical submittals
+ Meeting minutes
+ Reports
+ Programmes and schedules

It is also important that teams store all the data from historic projects in their CDE, not just live projects. Keeping previous project data within the CDE makes processes such as handovers and identifying lessons learned quicker and easier, as the team or manager can find all the relevant information in one place rather than hunting around for data in different locations. 

Key Features of a CDE

CDEs have many features that help make the storage and access of data more streamlined and efficient. These features include:

Centralised Data Storage

CDEs allow construction professionals to store all their data in a single, unified space that the owner can manage from a central location. This centralised approach ensures that all stakeholders in a project are working from the same data. This reduces the risk of differences in data or mistakes because users are accessing accurate information. Having a single location also speeds up access to documents as they are stored efficiently in clear,simple folders. That means users don’t need to search in different systems for the documents they need. 

Real-Time Data Access

The CDE is hosted in the cloud, which means it is always live and updates happen in real time. There is no need to wait for new versions of documents, edits are made without any delay for all parties to access. All stakeholders benefit from the access and transparency of real-time data access. It helps to improve data-driven decision making, as stakeholders can base their decisions on up-to-date information within the CDE. The ability to be agile and make decisions quickly is crucial in the fast-paced construction environment, as any delays can lead to schedule overruns and increased costs. 

Version Control

Version control is a very important feature of using a CDE. Version control is a system that helps document controllers to name and label documents to keep a record of their status and revisions. This helps to ensure access to the right documents and reduces the risks that could occur if people worked with the wrong version. It also makes it easy to track the changes that take place between different documents, and who made the changes, which can be helpful for compliance and reporting. 

Role-Based Access Control

Role-based access control is the process the CDE manager uses to grant permissions that allow specific people to access and edit documents. This is an important feature for a few reasons. Firstly, it ensures that everyone who needs the document can access it. It also means that the CDE manager can limit access to sensitive documents so that only the authorised users can view or edit them. This is particularly useful when there is confidential information that needs to be protected. It also means that people don’t need to manually request access to documents — they will already have access based on their role and permissions, which saves time by reducing extra admin.

Integration

Integration means that the CDE can connect and interact with other tools and software to allow accurate, up-to-date data to flow between separate systems. This helps to maintain a single source of truth no matter where the data is held. It can be useful for sharing data between systems including computer-aided design (CAD) software, Business Information Modelling (BIM), and project management tools. The integration the reduces time and effort that manually entering the data into different systems would take.

Benefits of a CDE

Many of the features listed above are benefits in themselves, but there are even more advantages that construction teams can enjoy using a CDE. Here are three top benefits of using a common data environment:

1. Better Collaboration

Having real-time access to data held in a CDE means that anyone working on the project is working from the same documents. That means that they can stay co-ordinated and all use the same information. As a result, teams and workers don’t need to spend time checking that they are all using the right data — it’s guaranteed by using the version held in the CDE. The clarity this provides reduces any potential confusion and means workers have a common understanding.

Cloud-based access to the CDE also means that workers on site can access any documents remotely with a mobile device, so they can check details together, right in the moment they need it. The ability to check documents on site means they don’t have to check with other team members or return to the office to ask the construction project manager, further streamlining their work. Increased collaboration means increased productivity, as teams can work efficiently without the need to resolve issues that could result from differences of information or understanding. 

2. Risk Reduction

CDEs help to reduce risk across multiple points and processes in a construction project. Version control is one of the ways CDEs help to reduce risk. The risk of working from the wrong document — leading to rework and wasting materials — is minimised, as the version control protocol ensures workers are always using the most up-to-date, accurate information. Role-based access also reduces the risk of unauthorised users editing documents and introducing errors, as only authorised users can make changes. A CDE can even limit who can view certain documents. 

3. Enhanced Compliance and Security

Compliance is an important aspect of construction processes of all kinds. A CDE can help construction businesses prove their compliance by keeping a record of any changes made that could impact compliance with, for example, Building Regulations and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The organisation of the CDE’s filing system makes it easy to quickly locate documents that are needed in audits and inspections. CDE systems are also secure by design and offer encryption tools that make sure all documents are protected against data breaches. The user-based access controls also prevent unauthorised access that could threaten the privacy of sensitive information. 

Compliance with the ISO 19650 Standards

The ISO 19650 standard is a global framework that dictates how construction companies should manage information about their projects, including when using BIM. The standard sets out guidelines for how companies must manage information from preconstruction all the way through to decommissioning. It is also part of the UK’s BIM Framework. Following the standard ensures that companies are compliant with the UK’s new standard. 

The standard has several parts that focus on different aspects of information management in construction. These include asset and project information, the information delivery cycle, and managing information security risks. 

A key part of ISO 19650 related to using a CDE is the use of metadata to organise files. Metadata is descriptive information that adds context to what other data is — it’s essentially data about data. Metadata provides clarification to documents, with factors including the file name, the author, version numbers, creation dates, document types, and more. The standard emphasises that companies should use metadata effectively to ensure that all documents are easily accessible and clear to all parties involved in the project. 

Common Challenges of Using a CDE

While there are many benefits to using a CDE, they can also come with challenges. Here are some of the challenges that organisations may face when using a CDE:

Adoption and understanding

For construction workers who haven’t used one before, it can be difficult to know how to effectively navigate a CDE at first. This can be addressed with user training specific to each role, teaching users how they need to interact with the CDE. Many companies also conduct weekly sessions to go through any problems and cover any new features or processes that users need to learn and use. Education and communication are key to getting everyone on board with using the CDE appropriately.

Interoperability

Interoperability can be a challenge that companies need to face. This is especially relevant when you have multiple companies that use different systems. You might even have different business units or subsidiaries in the same company using different systems. A CDE helps get over that hurdle as standardising information is a natural part of using a CDE and helps to tackle this problem. Companies can also use bridge solutions or application programming interfaces (APIs) — software that allows two applications to talk to each other — that help data flow between separate systems securely. 

Security breaches

There are always security risks to hosting data online or in the cloud. The CDE’s built-in security features, such as encryption and permissions, can help address this issue. Cybersecurity solutions and training are other important factors that help to keep information, systems, and networks safe. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) also helps to block unauthorised users attempting to get access to information stored in the CDE. MFA is a common security method in which the user verifies their identity with another factor, such as a code sent to their email address, and should be a standard part of a construction company’s cybersecurity practices. 

Future Trends for CDEs

CDE solutions continue to evolve and benefit from new technological advancements. Here are some of the areas we can expect to see positive changes to the features and usage of CDEs:

Advanced Analytics and Artificial Intelligence

Analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) rely on having lots of data, and the CDE is a perfect example of an environment that can provide this data. Companies are starting to use generative AI (GenAI) tools, such as ChatGPT, to find specific information and to help with decision making. Applying advanced analytics to the data held in CDEs can also help data-driven decision making and support predictive analytics. 

Managing Sustainability Data

As more environmental regulations, such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, come into play, the ability to store and provide data on sustainable practices is becoming ever more important. The ability to tag files with metadata, and manage and organise files, is already proving useful in creating sustainability reports. We may see even more sustainability-related features or systems cropping up in CDEs that further streamline the ability to track and manage sustainability data and reports.

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