Blog:
What makes Digital Construction Week the most exciting event in Glider’s calendar?
Digital Construction Week (DCW) takes place at London ExCeL every year. It is the industry’s go-to event for digital design, construction and engineering and those looking to use technology to build and operate their built assets more efficiently.
Glider has exhibited at DCW for three years and this year proved to be the biggest and best yet! Stuart Bell, Director of Sales and Marketing at Glider, shares his thoughts and experience of Digital Construction Week 2023.
DCW hosts more than 5,000 industry professionals and 300 incredible expert speakers sharing their insights on digital methods of construction.
In the construction industry, we tend to be so focused on our own industry niches, but by expanding our understanding of how other sectors operate we can collaborate to build smarter.
Our presence at DCW not only gives us the opportunity to showcase our expertise and services with prospective clients but also we get to meet up with our existing clients and other industry professionals. This year was no exception.
Off to a great start
We kicked off the two-day event, by hosting an exclusive breakfast event onboard the Sunborn Yacht. Guests had the opportunity to hear from a panel of speakers. These included Matthew Marsden from JLL, James Franklin from Kier and Stewart Bailey from Virtual Viewing. They discussed the exciting possibilities for technology in construction and its potential to transform the industry, which served as a taster for what they could expect to see and hear at DCW.
Putting the spotlight on BIM
As well as having a prominent stand, Glider also had the privilege of sponsoring the brand-new Asset Management stage. This new stage helps us to shine a spotlight on the world of asset management and Building Information Management (BIM) and help introduce its revolutionary benefits to a wider audience. We also had two speaker sessions where we had the opportunity to share our insights.
Lucas Cusack, Glider’s Strategic Lead for Asset Management, shared his secrets to how asset owners can build the foundations to their smart building strategy. His session titled ‘Asset information models: Unlocking the value of BIM for asset owners’ explained the ways asset owners can realise their BIM investment’s true potential by enabling compliance, optimised maintenance, operation, less downtime, shorter periods between tenants.
More insights on day 2
On the second day, John Adams, Head of Product Glider, also shared his expertise. His session, titled ‘The Case for Information Management’, made a persuasive argument for the importance of information management in the efficient operation of buildings. Attendees gained a deeper understanding of how robust information management practices can contribute to improved building performance, maintenance, and overall operational efficiency.
John also delivered a presentation on the tech stage. Here he discussed the immense benefits of adopting a data-driven Common Data Environment (CDE) before highlighting the capabilities of gliderbim®. He demonstrated how gliderbim® can effectively support all stages of the asset lifecycle, enabling efficient management and utilisation of valuable data throughout the entire process.
For many, the main stage was the place to be to hear from industry experts about popular topics such as the Building Safety Act and digital twins. Glider secured a speaker session as part of the panel session for the soft-launch of the Smart Building Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work. This overlay is intended to aid anyone involved in the design of new-build, retro-fit or refurbishment of buildings making Smart Building Technology a key consideration.
Until next year…
In summary, DCW proved to be another triumph. The team at Glider had a fantastic experience engaging with the visionary professionals at DCW 2023 through presentations and networking opportunities. We were also able to gain valuable knowledge about the latest trends and advancements in the industry, as well as meet up with new and existing contacts. Gilder will definitely be back in 2024!
We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who visited the Glider stand or took part in our live events and talks, and we hope that our participation at DCW this year has helped to foster an interest in BIM and its continued role in shaping the built environment.
To find out more about Glider and gliderbim® call 0203 8268 001 or email info@glidertech.com.