BIM is a process of creating and managing information for a built asset throughout its entire lifecycle, from planning and design to construction and operations. Despite the increasing importance of BIM to the construction sector, it is still a complicated issue for many construction professionals.

Glider aims to underpin and accelerate the industry’s transition to data driven, intelligent built assets, and is powering the digitalisation of the built environment with its data driven Common Data Environment (CDE), gliderbim®.

In the webinar, Glider’s handover documentation and information management consultants imparted their knowledge, educating attendees on how to tackle complex BIM projects. Glider’s John Adams, Robert Wood and Sian Butcher MCIAT and Kier Group’s James Franklin BIM-CP addressed the processes, approaches and technologies required across the technical design, construction and handover phases.

John Adams, Head of Product at Glider, commented: “I thoroughly enjoyed chairing this session with my Glider Technology colleagues and the always insightful James Franklin BIM-CP from Kier Group.”

“This wasn’t just a webinar for the BIM troubadours out there; it offered insight and advice for clients, designers, contractors, consultants and facility managers, and anyone else who wanted to know more about the digital direction of our industry.”

Glider also discussed the impact that evolving information requirements are having on the asset lifecycle and the knock-on-effect this is having across supply chains.  John Adams continued: “Some of these changes are a result of client-side adoption of information management technologies, some by smart building technology availability and maturity, and others by the growing maturity of the industry more generally.”

John discussed how the practices set out by the government’s BIM mandate (2016) have shifted from creating models of built assets, to creating comprehensive information requirements and looking closely at the purpose of the information. Glider also highlighted the significance of the process of collecting and verifying data throughout the supply chain, which is essential if clients wish to integrate with other systems. The consultants discussed that this is an exciting time for the industry, as there are technologies facilitating extensive data gathering, creating many exceptional possibilities for construction design, such as the HMP Five Wells project which Glider recently worked on.

The webinar was a success, helping to enlighten contractors, clients and more on how to approach complex BIM projects and what the evolution of information management means for the industry as a whole.

To find out how to approach complex BIM projects, Glider’s webinar is available to watch online now.

To find out more about Glider and gliderbim® call 0203 8268 001 or email info@glidertech.com.

Digital Construction Week, which took place on 18-19 May 2022 at ExCeL London, featured more than 300 expert speakers. The line-up included specialists from Glider, who held several exciting and insightful seminars on a variety of digital construction topics across two days. These sparked an engaging discourse on how digital methods are driving modern construction.

Glider is a reputable information management specialist. It is particularly known for powering the digitalisation of the built environment with its data driven Common Data Environment (CDE), gliderbim®.  “We are delighted to have participated at Digital Construction Week 2022. This was an excellent opportunity to discuss how digital is revolutionising construction.  And to educate others on how information management is playing a fundamental role in this,” commented Nick Hutchinson, Managing Director at Glider.

Glider was enthusiastic to impart its knowledge of building information management.  This included a variety of related topics including: BIM, CDE/IM software, digital twins, smart buildings, digital handover, asset information management, open standards and interoperability, information security, and procurement approaches including  the Government Digital marketplace and G-Cloud framework.

John Adams, Head of Products at Glider, presented on the Information Management Stage. He delivered a presentation titled: ‘A Spotter’s Guide to Smart Buildings, Asset Management and Digital Twins.’ In this talk, John discussed the key characteristics that smart building beginners can look out for when managing information.

John also joined panellists on the Information Management Stage to debate the issue of sustainability. The discussion was titled: ‘The importance of change to future generations? Exploring what it means for the next generation for a business to put sustainability and carbon reduction at the top of the agenda.’

Following on from the Women In BIM Panel Session, Glider hosted a Women in BIM Networking Session. This introduced female construction professionals to industry experts with the objective of creating more diversity within the field.

Both John Adams, and Nick Hutchinson participated in the ‘Ask the Expert’ session for members of the UKBIMA Technology Group. They shared their expertise on building information management.

Jane Dudson, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) Deputy Head of Asset Information Management (AIM), gave a presentation titled: ‘The Opportunities for Digitalisation of the Defence State’. In this session she outlined how the Defence State is continuously elevating its AIM strategy. As DIO’s secure asset information management platform provider, Glider was pleased to extend its support.

Glider’s team thoroughly enjoyed presenting to, and networking with the forward-thinking professionals at DCW 2022. We would like to express our gratitude to all those who visited the Glider stand, or attended one of our live events or talks. We look forward to attending DCW and connecting with attendees again next year.

Get in touch

To find out more about Glider and gliderbim® call 0203 8268 001 or email us.

Digital Delivery Manager, Ziyad, says working digitally has allowed him to be in total sync with people, projects and systems, while shifting between projects effortlessly and all in one place. As part of our new Meet the Team series, Ziyad shares his journey with the business so far and his thoughts on digital transformation.

What does digital transformation mean to you?

Digital transformation is the future key aspect of how architectural projects integrate a shell of data rich information by adding value and efficiency. As we become intertwined from traditional analogue methods of retaining project data, we in essence, transform a standalone project into an enhanced data rich digital asset – being able to liberate our users needs and requirements.

How is the construction industry modernising, and where do you see Glider in this movement?

The construction industry is forever evolving in the digital world – being able to cater the vital needs and wants for many businesses assets, which is becoming a huge important requirement. At Glider, we can drive and excel the motions of digital involvements by meeting our client needs. The great benefits of modern digital methods have proven successful by various means of digital collaboration, for example: clash detection – being able to depict problematic issues before a structure is built on site.

Being able to utilise and control a digital asset has forever changed, with new digital tools and systems being developed. One of the many key areas which Glider can create an expansion of services on is Computer Aided Facilities Management (CAFM). CAFM allows the asset holder/owner to be able to manage and monitor the assets future lifespan cycle – for example ‘Plant Room 1/Boiler warranty expires on 01/01/20XX’, or the external walls will require a new weatherproof coating after five years with daily cyclical reminders and so on.

Digital twinning has been a recent growing trend, further enhanced by mixed/virtual reality and photogrammetry. This could be a future digital goal which prescribes clients needs with visualisation aids, being immersed with their digital asset in a digital environment.

If someone asked you, what would be the core reasons to go digital?

One of the many advantages of being able to go digital is that everything can be in sync, especially when a digital asset is being worked on ‘over the cloud’. The added benefits of being able to go digital outweigh traditional methods, with quick turnarounds and better productivity.

As building structures become more complex, with the reliance of digital platforms for designers and builders, it becomes of paramount importance to continue a digital journey for the rest of our construction industry. Going digital, especially with larger businesses allows the formation of an organised union.

Digital transformations can be complex. How can we simplify the process?

Being able to have a common strategy for applying digital transformation to projects is a key principle in simplifying the process. The strategy itself should be clear enough for all key members involved in the transformation process. We can simplify the process by having an organised sequence for each workflow, which follows suit for varying projects.

Instructions and manuals can sometimes contain too much information on intricate processes, whereby visual references may be necessary. Creating a video-recorded reference portal would allow users and third parties to engage/train and upskill in a complicated process by watching step-by-step actions involved in a transformation process.

What stage in the transformation journey would you find most businesses today?

Information management for old businesses that have not yet adopted BIM standards will be in the process of developing a long-term plan to standardise their way of transforming projects digitally. Automation may be the beginning stages for some companies’ transformation processes. In recent years, one of the many methods of modern transformation techniques are companies which deal with phase planning, animation and visualisation to produce photorealistic renders.

Some companies require various forms of automation to handle data and design simultaneously, whilst other businesses may specialise in using advanced software’s like Dynamo/scripting to produce transformation outputs.

What is your favourite part of your role at Glider?

My favourite part of my role as a Digital Delivery Manager at Glider is being able to work efficiently in a digitised environment, working together in a thriving dynamic team. Working digitally allows me to be in synchronisation with people, projects, systems, tools, software’s and all other aspects to further aid complete solutions for our end clients.

Being connected digitally means I can work in an ad-hoc way, being able to shift into any project, anytime, anywhere. One of many powerful key aspects of working digitally, is being able to share and exchange our knowledge base with one another, expanding on our digital ethos.

To learn more about Glider and how to join our team of digital experts visit our dedicated careers page now.

During 18-19 May 2022 at Excel London, Digital Construction Week will feature more than 300 expert speakers and over 150 brands and brings together thousands of the brightest minds in digital construction who will learn, innovate and connect in-person.

Glider is powering the digitalisation of the built environment with its data driven Common Data Environment (CDE), gliderbim®. This is just one of the innovative technological solutions for powering the virtual built environment that the Glider team looks forward to discussing at DCW.

“We are delighted to be included in a fantastic line-up of speakers at Digital Construction Week 2022. This will be an excellent opportunity to network with forward-thinking professionals within the sector and discuss how digital is revolutionising construction,” commented Nick Hutchinson, Managing Director at Glider.

Visit us on stand DC41

Attendees can find Glider at Stand DC41, where the team will be exhibiting on BIM/information management, CDE/IM software, digital twins, smart buildings, digital handover, digital asset management, software development/support/maintenance, SaaS, information security, G-Cloud framework. Attendees may contact Glider’s sales team to book a free 30-minute one-to-one talk with one of the team.

Glider will be holding several exciting seminars on a variety of digital construction topics across two days, which will encourage an exciting discourse on how digital methods are driving modern construction.

The Opportunities for Digitalisation of the Defence State

• Speaker: Jane Dudson – Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) Deputy Head Asset Information Management
• Date: 18 May 2022
• Time: 2:00pm-2.30pm
• Stage: Information Management Stage

Smart Buildings, Asset Information Models and Digital Twins: A Spotters Guide

• Speaker: John Adams, Head of Product, Glider
• Date: 18 May 2022
• Time: 3.30pm-4pm
• Stage: Information Management Stage

The importance of change to future generations? Exploring what it means for the next generation for a business to put sustainability and carbon reduction at the top of the agenda.

• Date: 18 May 2022
• Time: 11:40am-12:30pm
• Host: David Mitchel, CEO XYZ Reality
• Panel: Burcak Turan, University of Greenwich; Tasha Greenfield, Natural Building Systems; John Adams, Glider
• Stage: Information Management Stage

Participation in Ask the Expert session for members of the UKBIMA Technology Group

• Date: 18 May 2022
• Time: 1.30pm-2:15pm
• Participants from Glider: John Adams – Head of Product; Nick Hutchinson – CoFounder and Managing Director
• Glider will be sharing a table with Scott White and Hookins (SWH).

In addition to seminars, Glider will also be holding panel discussions at Digital Construction Week on the ZERO Stage. Likewise, if attendees wish for more in-depth information on digital construction, Glider will also be at the Genius Bar for drop-in sessions on information management.

Get in touch

To find out more about Glider and gliderbim® call 0203 8268 001 or email us.

Held at London’s ExCel Centre from 1st – 3rd March, the three-day exhibition attracted more than 300 exhibitors and 350 speakers. It provided the perfect platform for Glider to demonstrate its range of data management software solutions.

Hosting 22 seminars across three days, the Glider-sponsored Digital Impact Stage brought together leading experts in digital technology. They provoked fascinating conversations and enable industry professionals to better understand “digital construction” and the purpose it serves.

John Adams, Head of Product for Glider, chaired a seminar entitled Why the future of construction is digital. It explored the positive influence of digital and how the pandemic has challenged us to embrace digital beyond what we thought was possible.

“We were delighted to sponsor the Digital Impact Stage at Futurebuild 2022 and there was a fantastic line up of speakers ensuring a high level of debate,” commented Nick Hutchinson, Managing Director at Glider. “Futurebuild provided us with the ideal platform with which to showcase, engage and influence with key professionals within the sector and highlight why digital is the driving force behind modern construction.”

At the Glider exhibition stand, team members were able to demonstrate some of their flagship digital solutions. This included gliderbim® – an intelligent information management platform which supports the whole asset data lifecycle.

“Our exhibition stand at this year’s Futurebuild was also a great success with visitors overwhelmingly positive,” commented Nick Hutchinson. “There was a high level of interaction with our consulting and technical team. This gave us the perfect opportunity to meet up with existing clients, as well as discover new customers and contacts.”

Glider will also be hosting a webinar event on the Futurebuild virtual platform from 15:00-16:00 on Thursday 17th March with Jon Adams of Glider chairing a talk entitled: The sustainable actions we need to take to build a better world. It will see speakers from the live event discussing highlights from the show and what is driving healthy buildings and healthy environments. It will also look at sustainable architecture and what we mean by making our cities ‘smart’.

To register for the free event, visit the Futurebuild digital platform.

To find out more about Glider and gliderbim® call 0203 8268 001 or email us.

img: @FuturebuildNow

Digital Construction Week 2021 was monumental for us in many ways. Not just the start of live engagements, but we also launched the new Glider Information Value Chain.

• Launching the Glider Information Value Chain

The Glider Information Value Chain is a key mechanism that is applied to the whole lifecycle of an asset. From design through to operation, it builds better building performance at every stage of the project. This is 5-step process – Define & Communicate, Collect & Verify, Connect & Share, Analyse & Evaluate and Exploit & Act. Each stage ensures that the flow of information is not only connected, but also creates information that has value.

• Working with Defence

DCW was also the perfect opportunity to showcase our latest work. In particular, we shared our work with the Ministry and Defence’s (MOD) and Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO).

The (DIO) manages around 1.8% of the UK’s landmass. This includes 115,000 non-residential buildings and 50,000 houses on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. For several months we have been supporting the MOD and DIO in the set-up of a new common data environment through our gliderbim® platform. We invited Jane Dudson, Asset Information Manager at the DIO, to give a presentation on our stand about managing the MOD estate. This presentation drew in quite a crowd, all interested in how this works and what outcomes have been achieved so far.

Post-pandemic success

Over the two days at DCW, it was clear that people wanted to be back at industry events. Engagement was almost back to levels we experienced pre-pandemic. In this new world, building relationships is important now more than ever. And we look forward to 2022 and future live events.

To find out more about the Glider Information Value Chain and the work we are doing with the MOD, get in touch.

Gender equality in the workplace remains a challenge for the construction industry, trailing behind many other sectors. Glider recognises the significance of addressing this disparity, viewing it as pivotal for advancing digital construction innovation and fostering a more impartial industry.

Women In BIM

To find out more about gender equality, Glider turned to Women In BIM. Women in BIM is committed to driving change in gender equality for the construction sector. They seek to support, empower and celebrate female BIM and digital construction professionals through networking events and mentorship schemes amongst other activities. WIB is successful in empowering women across the globe in making game-changing contributions to the digital development of the built environment.

Nick Hutchinson, Glider Managing Director and Co-Founder, recently sat down for a conversation with Women in BIM about why the construction industry needs a more inclusive workforce. Nick said: “Currently women make up only 13% of the workforce across the industry, and improving this statistic is crucial to a successful future. If we do not approach it head on collectively as an industry we will be left behind, and our work will not be reflective of society.

“Collaboration is essential in the construction industry. It is a method and a value that our whole supply chain and working systems are based upon – on any given project, we must work cohesively and considerately to achieve shared goals.”

Within this context, equality and inclusion are necessary to ensure a fluid and healthy working ecosystem, which ultimately reflects upon the resulting built environment. Nick added that at Glider, every person is valued equally, it’s all about the skills, knowledge and proficiency that are brought to the table.

Why now?

Over the last 20 years there has been a huge digital transformation of the construction industry, for example, with the growth of BIM and emergence of digital twins. We need new skills, ideas and knowledge to support and capitalise on this shift. As an industry we need to show people the imaginative potential of the built environment and how they can take part.

You can read the full interview with Nick here: Women in BIM talks to Nick Hutchinson about gender equality in the construction industry

I had the privilege of recently chairing a virtual round table for Futurebuild on the subject of Setting a course for net-zero construction, but who is really responsible for effective delivery? I was fully prepared to hear a cross section of views on how, as an industry, we are planning to meet UK Government targets for net zero carbon in construction, and I wasn’t disappointed. I was blown away by the unanimous stance that as an industry collaboration is more important now than ever before. If there was ever a time when we need to become unified, it is now.

Climate change is a global emergency that goes beyond national borders. Investing in net-zero climate solutions creates universal value and reward.

Buildings account for more than one-third of global carbon emissions, it is therefore vital we prioritise net-zero buildings today to protect our planet and future generations.

So, what part does the construction industry have to play in this? As an industry we are placing our focus on building resilient buildings and infrastructure, adapting techniques and materials through greener construction methods and tapping into the renewable energy sector.

In this virtual session, it became very apparent that we must first educate on what net zero really means before we can take impactful actions. The government targets are a good start, but more effort is needed to clarify what, when and how.

Dr Vicky Hutchinson, Director of the Environment Practice at Atkins, made a strong case for the government having an important leadership role, and why we need stricter regulation. Clear government direction is more likely to attract the funding needed to drive innovation from private investors and developers and I fully agree. Buy-in from all parties is needed and funding is essential.

Collectively we discussed climate emergency problems and solutions, what’s coming next and who should be taking the lead.

You can read the full findings of the round table discussion on the Futurebuild website.

I’d like to say a big thank you to the wonderful contributors on our round table line up:

Leigh Hughes, CSR Director, Bouygues UK
Dr Vicky Hutchinson, Director of the Environment Practice, Atkins
Dr Oliver Jones, Research Director, Ryder Architecture
Elaine Lewis, Managing Director, Cadventure
David Mason, Environment Technical Director, Skanska
Colin Nicholson, Commercial Director, Airey Miller
Richard Twinn, Principal Consultant, Cundall

The Digital Outcomes and Specialists 5 Framework will run for 12 months, but the duration may be extended up to a further 12 months from the initial expiry date. This Framework will replace the current Digital Outcomes and Specialists 4, which is due to expire at the end of June.

We have been approved to supply on the following two lots:

Lot 1:          Digital outcomes – finding a team to deliver a digital outcome
Lot 2:          Digital specialists – finding an individual to deliver a digital outcome

At Glider, we believe in building a better world together, and supporting public sector clients in this way affords us the opportunity to shape a sustainable, digitally enabled built environment.

Our digital solutions empower our client’s teams to learn, connect and take control of their data, overcoming any complex information management challenges.

gliderbim®, our pioneering Common Data Environment platform, is a smart, simple and powerful SaaS tool to control project and asset data. The advanced technology within the gliderbim® solution is ISO 27001 compliant and can integrate with any single sign-on solution.

We will be supporting all new clients onboarded through Digital Outcomes and Specialists 5 in all their digital solution project needs.

Find out more about gliderbim®

There is no accepted industry definition of a digital twin, although there is increasing study in this area. In ‘Gemini Principles’ the Centre for Digital Built Britain (CDBB) suggests what differentiates a digital twin is its ‘connection to the physical twin’. Rather than creating a replica of a built asset, the purpose is to obtain new insights and improve outcomes by using the unique properties of a digital model, in ways not possible with a built asset. New ways of understanding how people use our built environment can be uncovered by connecting, dissecting and analysing these digital twins.

The real-world benefits of digital twins will be best uncovered through collaborative research and innovation, but themes are already starting to emerge.

Building Performance

There is a performance gap between how built assets are designed to perform and the actual performance. Closing this gap will help build a better image of our industry. The tricky issue here is understanding how the gaps form because buildings are increasingly complicated and diagnosing issues is costly. The ability to understand these performance gaps has been greatly improved by the recent proliferation of sensor technology. The Internet of Things (IoT) will allow this enhanced monitoring capability to inform the digital twin to create unprecedented insight into building performance. Expect a new wave of sustainable building solutions to emerge.

Improved Maintenance

Preventative maintenance, the idea that components can be replaced before the end of their expected life when convenient, is significantly better than waiting for things to break. However, preventative and reactive maintenance are no longer the only options. Predictive maintenance combines machine learning and sensors to allow components to notify the facilities management team that they are reaching the end of their lifespan based on actual usage data. As ideal as this sounds, buildings and infrastructure can’t always be closed off at the will of a failing component. Proper planning which considers the health and safety of all must be considered fully, and by using the digital twin these maintenance plans can be devised and rehearsed with no need for site visits.

Strategic Alternation

Buildings, especially offices, are being designed with an unprecedented amount of flexibility. Open plan is giving way to co-working, board rooms are becoming scrum command centres, and all those noughties ball pits are being viewed as an unhygienic alternative to biophilia strewn mental wellness zones.

Whilst the flip-flopping between home working and office-based human interaction is set to continue for some time, the requirement to adjust our workspaces to further support wellness and productivity is becoming more complex, and more frequent.

Design planning of this depth can only be achieved through internal climate studies and habit analysis. This increased level of workplace understanding will be based not just on the data from the current layout, but from previously saved iterations and data from other similar spaces. Digital twinning may eventually lead to the reprogrammable workplace in which new layouts can be achieved with minimal manual effort and zero demolition. New paradigms of responsive and automated interior solutions may be just around the corner.

The Big Picture

The National Digital Twin (NDT) initiative, being led by CDBB is not a master model of the entire UK. And not only because it would be wildly unachievable and would generate disproportionate risk. NDT is creating the framework for securely sharing data across an ecosystem of digital twins. Combining the ecosystem with information like social data, weather forecasting and any other datasets can deliver societal, economic and environmental benefits. One outcome of this convergence is the idea of Smart Cities, where travelling and using a city will become a more predictable, improved and data-rich experience.

Although the UK is looking to take a leading role in the field of digital twins, there is an unhelpful buzz around the terminology. With flatlining productivity and wafer-thin profit margins, we have undertaken a massive project in adopting BIM. The rush to talk about digital twins before fully adopting the principles of standardised information management is proving a distraction.

Without the baseline digital consistency provided by achieving what was previously referred to as BIM Level 2 as business as usual, selling digital twins to our clients lacks wisdom.

The team at CDBB are inviting others across the industry to join them at the start of the UK’s journey to define how we use digital twins for the public good. Before jumping into this exciting subject, it is perhaps sensible to ensure that your business is genuinely delivering BIM properly, and converting the benefits this brings.

If we’ve learnt anything from MMCs, BIM, VR, IoT, AR, and blockchain, it is above all else, we must stop selling things to our clients before we’ve made them work for us.