COMIT & IADD4UK - Earthworks challenge

by Iain Miskimmin

We have a challenge, a big challenge and we need a few good engineers to help tackle it!

COMIT members are also by default members of the “Infrastructure Asset Data Dictionary for the UK” group. This group is here to help the UK BIM alliance and the major clients work out how to deliver the biggest and most difficult building block for BIM - the AIR or Asset Data Dictionary.

In short, what information do we need to know about our assets to make good decisions?

Here is a brief (15 minutes, sorry for the dodgy voice over) explanation video of the challenge:

I will be starting on an example asset breakdown structure and critical questions gathering exercise for an Earthwork.

So what do I need from you?

I am looking for your Earthworks experts. From those who design them to those who build them and maintain them. Whether it’s a motorway embankment, an environment agency dam, a railway cutting or some sort of sound bund.

If you can assist, please get in touch!

(P.S. If you are not a COMIT member but believe you can help with this challenge then we would still like to hear from you)

Conference Update #comit2016

By Jason Scott

Online booking for our conference in September (28th & 29th) is now open. The draft agenda is on the conference page and we have a number of great speakers already confirmed. We are also breaking with tradition and can announce that we will have joint Chairs on both days of the conference. We are lucky enough to have four very talented and well-known faces from the construction community bringing their unique insights and rigour to our proceedings.

Day one of the conference will be chaired by Anne Kemp, Director at Atkins for BIM Strategy & Development and Neill Pawsey, Head of Information Management at EDF Energy NNB.

Day two will be jointly chaired by Jennifer Whyte, Professor at Imperial College London and Phil Jackson, Royal Academy Visiting Teaching Fellow at University of Surrey and a regular chair at our conferences.

Among the confirmed speakers we have keynotes from David Wood, Chair at London Futurists and from Alexander König of VW - who brings a very interesting angle from another industry which has more relevance to construction than may at first meet the eye. For more speakers please see the draft agenda. Day 1 is essentially confirmed, but there may still be some minor changes to Day 2.

You may notice that we have not quite managed to separate the two days between CAPEX and OPEX as originally intended.  However, Day 1 is still more owner/operator focused and on Day 2 we will be hearing more from construction organisation.  Even better is that on both days we will be hearing from Fran Rabuck - a regular presenter at COMIT conferences and a firm favourite among those who love their gadgets.

As promised we have built in more opportunities for networking this time around. There will be a pre-conference dinner at the Union Jack Club on the 27th from 19.30 until 23.00. This is an exclusive venue with private bar BUT numbers are strictly limited. When you book online you can express your interest in attending the dinner and we will contact you separately. Priority will be given to COMIT members and conference sponsors and exhibitors - so book early!

There will also be a networking soirée immediately after the conference close on Day 1 until 19.30. This will be held on CH2M's premises and alcoholic drinks and light refreshments will be served. This event is FREE for all delegates attending the conference.

If you are interesting in sponsoring or exhibiting at the conference then at the time of writing some spaces are still available - but we are limited to 7 exhibition spaces this year and some are already taken, so don't delay. Details of the Sponsorship and Exhibitor packages can be downloaded from the conference page.

More updates will be posted as the details emerge. I look forward to seeing you all at a great conference!

The State of Construction e-Business in the UK

By Jason Scott

This report from Construct I.T. gives a fascinating insight into the current state of construction e-business in the UK.

Reproduced here, with the kind permission of Construct I.T. and the authors (Dr Robert Eadie, University of Ulster and Professor Srinath Perera, Northumbria University) it is based on a survey of 513 construction organisations.

Of those, only 55 responded in detail but the results are very interesting and the report draws a number of conclusions. Among the points that jump out at me are:

• The Positive effect of BIM on e-Business
• A lack of IT investment & IT knowledge on choosing the right products 
• Problems with staff e-skills training
• Concerns about cyber-security

Altogether a very interesting read and thoroughly recommended.