IES Blog

Today we’re pinching our blog from our MD’s own site…

Speaking at a recent Autodesk BIM conference Paul Morrell, the UK Government’s chief construction adviser said “We have commissioned a team drawn from BIM users across the industry, both clients and suppliers, and software developers, to prepare a route map that shows how we can make a progressive move to the routine use of BIM. I am convinced that this is the way to unlock new ways of working that will reduce cost and add long-term value to the development and management of built assets in the public sector”.

Mr. Morrell said that the findings of this team will be available in March next year and that he “hopes and believes it will mark the beginning of a commitment to a timed programme of transformation”.

It is great that not only the UK government but many governments such as Singapore and Government Agencies such as the GSA in the US strongly promote BIM.

Consequently, I think it is time for Governments throughout the world to push BIM to accelerate the need for transformation in the construction industry.  I believe a number of governments should fully fund the research and develop of their own BIM products.  These BIM products should be made free to the construction industry to facilitate the required transformation.

Furthermore these new BIM product should be made mandatory for all government projects which will encourage their uptake in the industry.

The cost of the development of these BIM systems will pale into insignificance compared to the benefits of providing free BIM to the industry.

I strongly suggest you petition your local government officials to fund your national free BIM tool to be developed ASAP.

And we concur! (and not just because he is our boss!)

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Tags:Autodesk, BIM, Morrell, UK Government

There’s just 2 days to go until approx 7,000 events across 200 countries get underway as part of www.350.org’s 10/10/10 Global Work Party for action on energy efficiency and climate change. It looks to be the biggest day of positive action on climate change in history so, what will you be doing?

Here at IES we’re supporting 10/10/10 by hosting a series of events including:

• Switch off stickers
• Sourcing even more ethical suppliers
• Thermostat settings on radiators
• To urn or not to urn!!
• Water waste awareness
• Supplier check up – utilities, shredding etc.
• Composting feasibility
• IT ideas
• Setting up electricity / energy monitoring

There are some fantastic events happening all over the world and I wanted to share some of the highlights with you:

• Sumo wrestlers cycling to practice in downtown Tokyo.
• An education center in the Namib Desert in Namibia installing six solar panels.
• Divers on the smallest island nation of the world, Nauru (8.1 square miles) will plunge into their coral reefs for an underwater clean-up.
• President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives is installing solar panels on his roof.
• Partiers in Edinburgh will be throwing a “Joycott” (a reverse boycott) at a local bar that agreed to put 20% of its extra revenues on 10/10/10 to making the bar more energy efficient. Attendees will try and drink as much as possible to raise money. Cheers!
• In San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico, students will hand out solar-powered lights to families, who are still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Alex this June, 2010.
• Over 100 cyclists from Jordan, Israel and Palestine taking part in a 3-day bicycle relay to carry water from the Yarmouk River and the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea to symbolize the need for cooperation to stop climate change and save precious water resources.
• On 10/10/10 the Mayor of Mexico City will sign a commitment to reduce the city’s emissions 10% in a single year. The city government will be directly responsible for 5% of the reductions and lead a public campaign to get citizens to cut the remaining 5%.
• Young people in Barbados will be demonstrating the viability of fuel cell technology in a hovercraft they have built themselves.

I must say the “Joycott” in Edinburgh is my personal favourite!

Fancy being a part of it? You can Find a local event near you to see what weird and wonderful events are being held in your neighbourhood. Plus, there’s still time to register your own event so why not join in and celebrate climate change solutions? You can register your event at http://www.350.org/oct10 and if you’re looking for inspiration why not check out the 350 Action Gallery showing some amazing examples of actions that have happened already from all across the globe.

We’ll post a Blog (with photos of course!) of our very own 10.10.10 events very soon!

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Tags:10:10, climate, IES, reduce