For the first time, visitors to Ecobuild can access formal CPD opportunities by attending any official Ecobuild seminar session at the 2015 event, including a brand new Building Information Modelling (BIM) stream
Led by the NBS, Ecobuild (03-05 March, ExCeL London) will host sessions to help every professional implement BIM within their business – from services engineers, facilities managers and surveyors, to designers and architects from practices large and small. The NBS has identified some key themes as a result of its latest BIM report which will be covered in a variety of interactive seminars, panel sessions and debates at Ecobuild. They will also be engaging with other leading bodies in the fields of FM, engineering and construction to inform the wider programme.
The first topic will go back to basics and take attendees through the principles of each level of BIM and how these apply directly to different stakeholders within the supply chain. Ian Chapman, director of National BIM Library, said:
“While some parts of the industry have good understanding of BIM, there is still a lack of confidence particularly around what level 2 BIM means. As well as some more advanced topics we also want to cover back to the drawing board approach and look at BIM through new eyes. While there is a lot of enthusiastic industry discussion around BIM, it is time to take a step back and appreciate the building blocks that must be learnt to take this forward.”
Pan-industry understanding of BIM from the private sector client, through to the designers and constructors, and then the facilities managers and operators responsible for managing the buildings is the next hot topic to be addressed. “There is still a large gap in knowledge at the manufacturer and FM level which desperately needs addressing”, said Chapman.
“There are many critical elements of an FM’s role for example which should be fed into the initial project outlines. For collaboration to happen we must close the loop – from cradle to cradle the whole industry should be brought on board.”
Adoption of BIM by small architectural practices will also be headed up by the Nation Building Specification and will take the form of real life case studies of small practices who have made the investment in BIM and made it pay for itself. Covering the significant commercial benefits to adopting BIM, the session will give architects and designers access to technology, support and solid advice about ways of managing their investment in BIM.
The final piece of the jigsaw to be covered at Ecobuild is standardisation of BIM. One common approach in terms of the levels of detail and legalities required at set points in a project. This will be a key area that Government will focus on over the next six to 12 months so Ecobuild is in a great position to disseminate this information and help the wider BIM community understand how it applies to them. Separate to the main conference which is set to stimulate debate around construction’s macro issues, Ecobuild’s seminar programme delivers practical and applied information focusing on the key issues for sustainability professionals. Set to cover a plethora of important topics in an interactive and engaging format, Ecobuild also reveals today a selection of its sessions.
Here is a snapshot of some of the case study-led sessions you’ll want to check out:
• Government Soft Landings implementation – Case study on the Ministry of Justice headquarters refurbishment project
• A retailer’s perspective on health, productivity and wellbeing from Marks and Spencer
• Lighting design for wellbeing – healing environments for short-term and long-term care from Philips Lighting University
Ever popular sessions on the likes of Passivhaus will also feature including an overview from the University of Leicester Centre for Medicine on scaling up Passivhaus to deliver the university’s low-carbon ambitions.
In other show news…
The Big Innovation Pitch
Check out the very latest solutions at The Big Innovation Pitch; a joint initiative between M&S and Ecobuild aiming to unearth a true sustainable innovation across Ecobuild’s 800+ exhibitors. The final heat culminates on Ecobuild’s show floor as finalists participate in a live pitch to an expert judging panel including senior representation from M&S and other leading industry voices. M&S will work with the winning company to investigate applying the winning product or service in its buildings. Ecobuild has built its reputation upon world-class learning and development offered free to its growing community of 43,000+ professionals from across the sustainable built environment.
Product Innovation
Immerse yourself in innovation at Ecobuild 2015 – the show is split conveniently into two main sections; Sustainable Design & Construction and Energy. In Sustainable Design & Construction, you will discover hundreds of new products, from magnetic plaster, heat reflective paint and vertical forests, to the very latest vacuum insulation panels and LEDs producing eight different lighting effects. In Energy, check out the latest biomass boilers which can burn up to three different fuel types simultaneously, a solar carport, brine-water ground source heat pumps and the first commercially available micro fuel cell for domestic use.
Get your complimentary ticket today by visiting www.ecobuild.co.uk