Preparation for the future: modelling, testing, trialling, planning, educating, informing, regulating, designing, delivering are all required to be progressed in a coordinated and joined up way to allow us to accelerate.. Our Accelerate programme brings together competitors and key players to debate and discuss the future trajectory of a sector and how to collectively overcome barriers to technology acceleration.
She also believes academics and researchers could generate enthusiasm by sharing what attracted them to this stimulating, fascinating space, and discussing what motivates them to stay.. We also need to take stock of what competencies are needed in the construction industry, and acknowledge that digital skills must be made a priority.The UK government's decision to bring coding into the national curriculum means we now have digitally enabled young people coming through with these important skills.
In principle, upon graduation that new workforce is just as available to the construction industry as to any other sector, but we need to attract them into construction at the right time, or they’ll go elsewhere.Similarly, while it is certainly important to maintain a focus on bringing apprentices and young people into the industry, we also need to prioritise graduates and master’s degree students.These are the people with the higher level skills who can land straight into management roles of organisations and really make significant shifts in how things are done.
Moreover, organisations need to create space for people with these skills, because this isn’t always the case at the moment.. It’s also important to acknowledge the work that is already being done in this area.Bryden Wood’s digital configurator apps are deliberately aimed at lowering the barrier to entry, while Professor Glass notes that at UCL there’s a part of the faculty entirely composed of data scientists looking at the built environment.
There’s work for everybody to do on this, we just need to make a home for people in the sector.
On a somewhat similar note, the industry also needs to start making better use of its existing data.Our PRiSM and SEiSMIC design apps are already in use for housing and school design, respectively.
We have also created an algorithmic, computational design system called Rapid Engineering Model (REM) for Highways England.REM enables the early design stages of Smart Motorways Programme (SMP) schemes to be designed automatically.
In addition, we’ve devised a similar, digital framework for Network Rail.This variety of uses demonstrates the broad capabilities of these digital design tools, which are beneficial not only for buildings, but also for linear infrastructure on a greater, geospatial, country-wide level.. Our experience here tells us that rather than designing things from scratch in the future, more and more work will be done using algorithmic design.
(Editor: Eco Grills)