6 Jul 2015
Professor Andrew Dainty and Dr Scott Fernie awarded Best Paper
Professor Andrew Dainty and Dr Scott Fernie, from the School of Civil and Building Engineering, have been awarded Best Paper at the Engineering Project Organization Conference 2016 in Edinburgh.
Along with co-authors Dr Roine Leiringer and Prof Chris Harty, their paper, entitled “Don’t believe the (BIM) hype: the unexpected corollaries of the UK ‘BIM revolution’”, was commended for provoking an important debate about the role of digital technology in the construction reform agenda. It focuses specifically on the differential effects that it might have on the smaller firms that make up the vast majority of those operating in the sector.
Speaking of his award and the paper, Professor Dainty commented: “We are delighted to have won this prestigious award from the Engineering Project Organization Society. In developing the paper we wanted to draw attention to the potential unintended consequences of the current policy trajectory.
While the potential of Building Information Modelling to transform architecture, engineering and construction practice is undeniable, there remain concerns that its introduction across public sector projects might open up a digital divide between larger firms and those without the capabilities to fully engage with such technology.”