Integrating applications for the construction industryusing a step-based.integratlon platform (sip)-seeking a life-cycle-oriented modelling -

International building industry has not still achieved a high degree of integration and automation in the past years. Up to now, the use of Information Technology (IT) in outdoor applications, specially in the building industry and automated construction, should have more attention. For that reason existing architectures and modules from other industrial areas can be adapted to the special requirements of the building industry. Because the use of standards in the modelling process can help the integration task, a STEP (IS010303) based platform for integration of applications (SIP toolkit), created by UNINOVA in the ambit of an European project, was developed. Several managerial and engineering applications were already integrated in industrial environments using SIP, including the construction one. Demonstrations are available showing achieved results. The paper mainly concentrates on the following aspects: -Discussion about integration of software tools in industrial environments, under standardisation of information modelling. -Presentation of the internal architecture of the platform, and the global information system architecture implemented. -Comments about the results and experience acquired during the implementation of SIP in R and D projects and in industrial companies, specially in the European Project for road construction - RoadRobot.