EDUCATION
PAUL McCORMACK, INNOVATION MANAGER FOR BELFAST METROPOLITAN COLLEGE, BEGINS A MAJOR NEW SERIES FOR NI BUILDER INTO HOW THE INDUSTRY CAN DEVELOP AND LEVERAGE DIGITAL SKILLS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENT CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVED COMPETITIVENESS... Digitalisation in the built environment
D igitalisation is a game- sector to thrive and deliver the expertise for sustainable energy skills. There is a direct correlation between digitalisation and energy efficiency and Belfast Met along with our construction industry partners want to ensure the built environment is best placed to changing strategy that will empower the construction achieve this digital efficient success. Barry Neilson (CE of CITB NI) said, “It is vital that all parties within the built environment either start, or continue their journey into developing their digital skills and knowledge to ensure the digital competitiveness of the NI sector in an environment where energy efficiency and sustainability will become a significant factor in what we build and how we build it. CITB NI and Belfast Met have become, and will remain, close partners to
help industry achieve their digital potential.” As we all recognise, the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated digitalisation in the workplace and the operational/implementation ‘gap’ within the construction sector is widening. Belfast Met, as part of our digital transformation work in this area (BIMcert project, BIM- Energy Performance Alliance (BIM- EPA), aim to address this gap to inform and enable a new ‘division’ of labour to stimulate demand for energy efficiency skills and impact on the sector. The construction sector has always operated in a remote-work environment. Covid restrictions
forced other sectors to work remotely also so there are lessons and opportunities for both. Our digital transformation skills - especially BIM - are specific remote working tools that allow the workforce to thrive. Designed to provide the right digital infrastructure, stimulate the demand and deliver the energy efficiency skills needed for green construction, BIM uses technology to decentralise and redistribute
worker tasks to the workplace, enabling and equipping workers with the skills to achieve energy efficient construction. Today’s pandemic restrictions imposed on organisations where
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“TheCovid-19pandemic has accelerateddigitalisation in the workplace and the operational/implementation ‘gap’ within the construction sector iswidening.”
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