Submitted by Simone Castello on Mon, 07/02/2022 - 17:20
The Global BIM Network’s inaugural General Assembly (GA) was held online on 2 December 2021. Adam Matthews, Head of International, Centre for Digital Built Britain, welcomed more than 300 public sector and multilateral representatives from 71 countries who joined to hear how the digital construction sector is benefitting people and places globally – helping to build back better from COVID-19 and meet net-zero targets.
The event saw the launch of the Global BIM Network Roadmap for the Global Built Environment 2021-2025. The Roadmap references the Network’s ambition – to increase the global public sector’s digital capabilities and capacity and be a strong partner to the global construction industry – and identifies activities that the Network will work on collectively.
Adam Mathews said: “Our goal is to increase skills and experience in the public sector when introducing BIM into public infrastructure projects and programmes. To create scale and impact in this digital landscape we, as a leadership network, must reach a wider audience.”
The General Assembly: lessons learned across the world
Members of the Global BIM Network participated in three knowledge exchange panel sessions. In-country experience of regional and national digital construction initiatives gave insights on implementing BIM-based digital transformation strategies in public sector-funded projects.
Speakers and panellists included representatives for several countries and regions: Ngoc-Binh TA, Head of BIM Team, Institute of Construction Economics, Ministry of Construction, Vietnam; Jaroslav Nechyba, Director of BIM Strategy Department, Czech Agency for Standardization; Milena Feustel, Co-Chair, EU BIM Task Group; Claudia Suaznabar, Lead Specialist, Inter-American Development Bank; Luke Belfield, Acting Chief Engineer, Office of Projects Victoria, Department of Treasury and Finance, Australia; Matthew Kehoe, Director, Digital Build Program, Office of Projects Victoria, Australia; Fergus Harradence, Deputy Director, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, UK; Daniel Gómez, Deputy Director, National Planning Department, Colombia; Roger Grant, Executive Director, Building Information Management at the National Institute of Building Sciences, USA; Jonathan Bernal, Director of Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy, Colombia and Sebastián Manriquez, Subdirector, PlanBIM of CORFO, Chile.
Adam Matthews closed the General Assembly with a call to action. “We are working together to achieve a long-term effort and there is no single recipe for success. However, there are ingredients we can share. The public sector needs confidence that digital transformation will help address policy goals. We must share best practice about how to get there, and the Network is a significant source of information and support for the public sector’s journey towards digital transformation."
Next steps
- A report has been published to reflect on the Network’s activities and achievements, including an overview of the event, which was recorded. Read the GA's report and click here to watch the recordings.
- Register to keep in touch about the work of the Global BIM Network here.
- Keep an eye on the news page for the announcement of the next Global BIM Network event.