Blog:
A round up of Digital Construction Week 2025

Over two packed days at this year’s Digital Construction Week, the Glider team took to the stage, led discussions, shared knowledge and reconnected with our peers across the sector.

Day 1

First up for Glider on the Digital Operations stage was Lucas Cusack who chaired a panel on Digital Soft Landings. This approach to closing the gap between construction and operations ensures information isn’t just collected but it’s contextual, structured and usable.

The panel, featured:

• Alan Williamson, Senior Services Manager, Multiplex
• Edward Riby, Real Estate Director, JLL
• Andrew Victory, Global Digital Transformation Leader, Arcadis
• Steven Boyd MBE, former Chief Executive of Government Property Agency

This session delivered an honest and forward-looking discussion on how to make handover processes smarter and more effective. One of the standout quotes came from Ed Riby: “You can have all the data in the world but if you don’t understand it, it’s pointless.”

This was shortly followed by a session on the RIBA Smart Buildings Overlay Version 2.0. Chaired by Executive Officer of the Digital Buildings Council (DBC), Justin Kirby, and with Glider’s John Adams, the discussion explored how the next version of the overlay can support better integration of smart technology across the full asset lifecycle

Cheers to collaboration

We finished day 1 with post-show drinks at Canary Wharf. Hosted in partnership with the DBC, it was a fantastic evening catching up with familiar faces and meeting new ones – all in the spirit of collaboration and shared ambition for smarter, better-connected buildings.

Day 2

First up on the second day on the Digital Operations stage Steven Boyd MBE delivered an insightful talk on the pressing need for better, more consistent use of data across the built environment. Drawing on his vast experience, Steven challenged attendees to think differently about how information is managed, structured and applied. His message was clear: data should inform strategy, investment and procurement not sit idle in a forgotten folder.

Next up was a session on the Information Management stage where John Adams returned with a session focused on AI, machine learning and their role in regulatory compliance under the UK Building Safety Act. With compliance risks growing for asset owners, John explored how digital tools can not only ensure safety and compliance but also unlock efficiency and long-term value.

Then we saw Glider’s CTO, Dr Jamie Dupée, deliver a talk on how Glider’s technology can act as a search engine for your building or estate. Forget trawling through documents, with structured data, you can simply ask your building questions and get instant, intelligent responses. This wasn’t blue-sky thinking. It highlighted real-world use cases, challenges, and the exciting potential of AI-powered data interrogation in operational environments.

Throughout both days, our team was busy at the Glider stand meeting both new and familiar faces, answering questions and sharing how we help clients future-proof their asset information. Thank you to everyone who stopped by!

Until next year!

DCW 2025 was a brilliant reminder of the momentum building around better information management, smarter buildings and connected digital processes. Until next year, let’s keep pushing for clarity, consistency and smarter outcomes in the built environment.