The role of digital
construction in driving social change was in the spotlight last week, as over
400 delegates and 50 speakers from around the world attended BIM Show Live on
26-27 February.

This year’s event was based
on a theme of ‘BIM For Good’, designed to lead the debate around ways in which
Building Information Modelling (BIM) can respond to topical challenges such as
environmental management of carbon emissions, poverty reduction and an ageing
population.

Delegates heard from
keynote speakers and Stuart Maggs (CEO of Scaled Robotics), Timandra Harkness
(BBC presenter, author, comedian and data expert), Oliver Heath (TV presenter
and sustainable architect and designer), Nic Palmarini (Director of the UK
National Innovation Centre for Ageing).

Topics covered by the full
programme of speakers included ways in which the UK’s expertise in BIM is now
being shared around the world to improve outcomes in countries as far afield as
Vietnam and Peru; the implications of designing for changing demographics and
how robotics and machine learning can be used to deliver more value on
construction sites.

Rob Charlton, CEO of Space
Group and co-founder of BIM Show Live, said: “This year’s event shows just how
far digital construction has come in the UK and how our collective expertise
and experience is driving the adoption of BIM not just in the UK but on a
global scale. The programme for this year was more outward-looking than ever
before and our fantastic panel of speakers over the two days reflected this.
It’s clear we’re now on a path to realising that the true value of BIM has can,
and should, go far beyond how we manage the design and delivery of buildings.
We all have a responsibility to use digital construction and data to drive
better outcomes for communities and society as a whole.

“It is genuinely inspiring
to see how BIM can be a real game-changer. However, what was also very clear
from the talks and discussions at BIM Show Live this year is that we still have
a lot of work to do to get our own house in order. Many of the people I spoke
to, like me, are following the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2. It’s extremely
concerning to see how much urgently still needs to change in the way the sector
operates. We now have the tools and the expertise to work more effectively
together and ensure the issues emerging on a daily basis around Grenfell are
never repeated. A consistent theme of the event was the need for construction
to wake up and do better. We can’t wait for legislation to drive process and
culture change, we need to be the ones making it happen now.�

As part of BIM Show Live’s
theme, a new category was created this year for its national BIM Awards. The
BIM for Good Award championed pioneers working to help others and the
environment. The winner of the inaugural award was David Miller Architects.
Other winners on the night included NBS Chorus (Best New BIM Product), TwinView
(Most Innovative BIM Solution) and Auriens Chelsea Project (BIM Project of the
Year).

Sustainability was at the
heart of this year’s BIM Show Live. Food was all locally sourced and vegetarian
and vegan, the printed delegate programme was replaced by a digital app, all
drinks cups were reusable, with delegates encouraged to bring their own, and
the BIM Awards trophies were made from sustainable source of wood.

Rob Charlton concluded:
“BIM Show Live was a real showcase for the expertise, passion and ambition
around digital construction in the UK. We are rightly acknowledged as leaders
in this field and have much to be proud of. But it also highlights that the
challenges we face in moving forward are significant. There’s no doubt we have
the capability as construction professionals to take these on, but we need to
focus on the big picture, roll our sleeves up and get on with it.�