Company Updates:
2022: A year of growth for Glider

Following a highly successful 2021 Glider has continued our work with key public and private sector customers. We welcomed a number of new customers. These include ISG PLC, Tilbury Douglas, Ingleton Wood, Mace Interiors and Lovell.

Glider’s growth continues to be underpinned by the maturing of asset information needs in industry, and the drive and adoption of digital delivery approaches to meet compliance and regulatory drivers like the Building Safety Bill.  One of the most transformative and progressive clients we are actively working with is the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). We are supporting them as they ramp up their Major Programmes and Projects (MPP) and Future Infrastructure Defence Services (FDIS) contracts. We also continue to support significant projects like KGX1 (Google), 21 Moorfield (Deutsche Bank) and 40 Leadenhall (Mace & Nuveen). Additionally, HMP Full Sutton (Kier), The Forge (SRM), Midland Metropolitan Hospital and Stratford Waterfront (Mace & London Legacy Development Corporation). It’s through innovative projects like these that the boundaries of technical service delivery are developed and the business case for digital is realised.

• New recruits

The past year has also seen us add eight new talented recruits to the Glider team. These are in our Product, Support, Development, Marketing and Digital Delivery teams. As a fully remote team, these new additions come from up and down the UK. Also, more new team members confirmed to join us in 2023.

• Bringing the Industry Together

As a thought leader in the IM space, we welcomed nearly 50 attendees to our inaugural user conference. We hosted ‘Glider Gathering’ on 2 November in Birmingham. The Glider team and many of our key users met to share in its upcoming plans for the business. We also  discussed a variety of topical points like Smart Buildings, Net Zero, The Building Safety Bill.

Having worked closely with Coventry University on the digitalisation of its built estate, Glider held its user group meeting at Coventry University’s Techno Centre. Attendees from across the sector listened to a line-up of industry speakers from Coventry University, Kier, Arcadis, Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and the Government Industry Interoperability Group (GIIG). This user conference was an excellent opportunity for industry collaboration, allowing attendees to share a variety of industry insights, as well as allowing us to educate our users on developments on the platform.

• Supporting an industry to embrace Smart!

Smart buildings (otherwise known as intelligent buildings) and supporting technology are becoming more established. Awareness is becoming more common in the property and construction industry.  Although the term ‘smart building’ has been around for a few years, it is not clearly defined and the underpinning technology is rapidly evolving.  There is also very little in the way of guidance. Particularly for those who are not practitioners but may want smart technology in their buildings, project manage schemes with smart technology in them, or incorporate it into their design.

Therefore, this year a consortium including Hoare Lea, Glider, Kier, and ScanTech Digital have collaborated with RIBA to provide a Smart Buildings overlay to the Plan of Work. The guidance is from a range of perspectives – that of a specifier, integrator, contractor, and enabler. This is to provide holistic guidance throughout the process of identifying the need, defining the brief, developing the design, installing it on-site, commissioning, and then operating it.  The RIBA Plan of Work is an ideal platform that is used by designers, contractors, project and cost managers, developers, and estate owners. Its application across a range of project sizes and complexity. Its focus on outcomes and timely decisions allows the guidance for Smart Buildings to be aligned with other disciplines, particularly through the specification and design stage.

The Smart Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work has now reached the final draft stage. It is requiring a review from peers including clients, manufacturers, trade contractors, and wider designers, with plans to be released in Q1-23.  This peer review will refine the guidance and test the principle that those involved in requiring, designing, installing, and using smart technology can understand what they need to do and when.

• Recognition in our Field

This was a year of great recognition for Glider. We were shortlisted for 11 industry awards, and took home two accolades. At the CABE Built Environment Awards, we were awarded this year’s CABE Digital Transformation Award.  At the Construction Computing Awards, we also received the Collaboration Project of the Year 2022 award. This was for our contribution to HMP Five Wells. We are delighted that our team is being recognised for the breakthroughs we are making. And for the spotlight that is being shone on what can be achieved through effective information management.

• Supporting Women in BIM

Presented by Rebecca de Cicco, the Women in BIM podcast is a not-for-profit initiative aimed at supporting and growing the number of women in BIM and digital related roles. The podcast aims to enable a future construction industry where diversity is no longer an issue. Glider’s Managing Director Nick Hutchinson has been one of the podcast’s earliest supporters. Glider became a Gold Sponsor of the podcast this year, to support their important message.  In October, Glider’s own Sarah Marshall and John Adams were invited on the podcast. They shared their thoughts on BIM. In 2023, we will continue to show our support for Women in BIM through our sponsorship.

Every year at Glider we aim to develop our gliderbim® platform and organisation further. 2022 was a year of continued achievement and success. The company plans to keep building on thanks to the hard work of our dedicated team.

To find out more about Glider and gliderbim® call 0203 8268 001 or get in touch by email.