Current Students and Staff

// University News

16 Feb 2015

Seminar links students and construction industry experts

Civil and Building seminar

Students from the School of Civil and Building Engineering heard from top construction industry experts in a valuable extra-curricular seminar held recently.

Government targets strongly encourage the use of BIM (Building Information Modelling) in the industry and the students were able to hear from speakers from AluK and The B1M, who explained how to overcome the challenges of introducing and understanding this new technology.

The seminar was the third of a series of ground-breaking classes about BIM which is transforming the way that buildings are designed, built and managed.  The students heard about a series of practical steps that businesses are taking.

Keynote speaker, Jordan Kingman from aluminium building product manufacturer AluK, explored how collaboration, understanding the market and investment were all key to overcoming the barriers to BIM adoption and delivering good quality, useable information on building products. He emphasised how BIM can create better buildings, through more accessible sources of 'ready-designed' virtual doors, windows and other products.

The students also heard from Fred Mills, a graduate of the Loughborough degree programme Architectural Engineering and Design Management and founder of The B1M.  The award-winning social enterprise business was established in response to the need for a mass uptake of BIM and a degree of confusion across the industry.  The B1M is a free online video resource that's reaching out to a wider audience with easily digestible content.

The event formed part of their 'B1M University' series, which shares industry BIM expertise with students around the world through filmed classes. More are planned in this academic year with attendance open to both students and industry personnel alike.

Commenting about the event Fred said: "BIM is really improving the way we deliver and operate our built environment, and it is clear from Loughborough's approach to the curriculum that their students are being well prepared to work in this way."

As part of the seminar Dr Zulfikar Adamu, who is leading the teaching of BIM, in the School of Civil and Building Engineering, explained that all students in the School have access to extensive online training for industry-standard software packages, and most courses include specialist modules on BIM to prepare them for placements and graduate employment.

Further information about The B1M is available here.