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BIM 2050 Group sets out “call to arms” for young professionals to change industry

Recent Edge Commission Report “Collaboration for Change” presents the industry’s future talent with “direct challenge” to lead from the front and create professions capable of creating sustainable future.

Young construction professionals this week set out a clear plan of action to help radically improve the industry and create a profession capable of meeting the needs of the 2st century.

Reacting to the conclusions of former chief construction adviser Paul Morrell’s recent report on the future of professionalism, the Construction Industry Council backed BIM 2050 Group has put forward a vision for a new shared culture embracing collaboration, technology, improved procurement and skills.

“It is evident to all of us that the future lies in effective collaboration. It is a human imperative that we drastically improve the performance of our built environment to support a sustainable future," BIM 2050 Group

“We are forward thinking modern professionals, we’re ambitious, we’re driven and we’re adaptable,” explains the BIM 2050 Group in an open response to the challenge set out by Paul Morrell in his recent “Collaboration for Change” report for the Edge Commission. 

“It is evident to all of us that the future lies in effective collaboration. It is a human imperative that we drastically improve the performance of our built environment to support a sustainable future, and it is obvious to BIM2050 members that the only way to do this is to work together: to collaborate,” the group concludes.

In is commitment, this week, the BIM 2050 Group set out a number of actions that it was taking to address Morrell’s recommendations in its bid to lead real change in the industry. These actions are based around developing simple, practical messages and tools to move the industry forward in areas such as process, procurement, education, skills, and market structure.

Crucially these ideas will be shared for “open-source use, comment, trial and improvement” across the industry in the hope of greater adoption, says the group

The BIM 2050 Group was set up in September 2012 by the Construction Industry Council and its 15 individual members each represent a different institution member of the CIC. Its vision is to look ahead to the construction industry of the future and positively shape that future by researching and reporting on what an interdisciplinary scope of work may look like as construction technology develops to BIM Level 3 and beyond, towards 2050.

“We’ve each made a commitment to work with each other to share ideas and data. We communicate frankly, openly and in an environment of trust. We’re resolved to make some real measurable progress" BIM 2050 Group

The Collaboration for Change report, published in May by Morrell, highlighted the need for the built environment professions to step outside their historic silos, think big and collaborate to tackle critical issues facing the 21st society.

In particular, it said that the professions should develop a shared vision of how the built environment industry must respond to the climate change – both to mitigate and to adapt to the threat - and establish cross-institutional policy and recommended behaviours for members to lead on the major issue facing society.

“The recommendations of the report excite us,” said the Group. “We read “Collaboration for Change” as a call to arms; a direct challenge to cross-institutional groups such as ourselves to embrace our cross-disciplinary nature, join forces and lead from the front. We’re energised, we’re animated, and even better, we’re doing it already.”

The Group added: “We’ve each made a commitment to work with each other to share ideas and data. We communicate frankly, openly and in an environment of trust. We’re resolved to make some real measurable progress, leading to outcomes with real value and impact, and share the results freely around our professions, the industry, and beyond. The enthusiasm, and the depth and pace of our exchanges, has I think taken us all by surprise!

The BIM2050 Group plans to explore its proposals live, interactively, with visitors at Digital Construction Week on 21-22 October, demonstrating live BIM processes, sharing experiences and showcase training innovations. 

Follow the BIM 2050 Group on twitter @BIM2050

The BIM 2050 Group is: Tom Bartley (ICE); Sarah Birchall (BSRIA); Bobby Chakravarthy (APS); Henry Fenby-Taylor (LI); Adam Golden (ICES); Will Hackney (CIOB); David Knight (IStructE); Alex Lubbock (CIOB); Alex MacLaren (RIBA); Mac Muzvimwe (RICS); Charlie Murray (CIBSE); Daniel Rossiter (BRE); Neil Thompson (CIOB); Ryan Tennyson (CIAT) and Dwight Wilson (CIBSE). 

 

If you would like to contact Antony Oliver about this, or any other story, please email antony.oliver@infrastructure-intelligence.com.