Aiming for a smooth flow of data: From July 4 to 6, 2023, software companies, planners, architects, engineers and tradespeople will come together at digitalBAU conference & networking in Munich to drive forward digitalization in the construction industry. Johannes Reischböck, Chairman of the German Construction Software Association, comments on challenges and opportunities.
Mr. Reischböck, what are the current central challenges in the field of construction software?
Digitalization is also one of the hottest topics in the construction industry. Especially since the government, society, and the construction industry expect answers and solutions from the new developments and improved efficiency in construction processes to the biggest challenges of new construction, infrastructure expansion, renovation and modernization. These are primarily getting a grip on exploding costs, and cushioning the shortage of skilled workers at the construction site through new tools.
Which innovations help meet the challenges?
While it was mostly about tools aimed at facilitating and accelerating the isolated work steps of individual architects, engineers and workers involved in the construction 20 to 30 years ago in the software industry, the much more important task today is optimizing the processes and ensuring a smooth flow of data and digital information in the collaboration between the parties involved in the office and at the construction site.
An example: Reading out data and information directly from the building model created by the architect using BIM software and importing it into the tender package saves a lot of time and money; it especially prevents transmission errors, and allows faster and better adjustment to any planning changes. The digital data about the building produced during the construction phase is becoming increasingly important, hence also giving it a corresponding real economic value. Everyone’s talking about the key buzzword here, “the digital twin”.
How significant is digitalBAU conference & networking against this backdrop?
Solving the task is not just a development task for the construction software industry. It’s primarily about the know-how transfer and the training that entails for all the parties involved. Solutions and ideas with a bubble of experts do not help get a grip on the challenges in the foreseeable future; the initiatives need to reach the wider community of decision-makers and players from all areas of construction.
digitalBAU conference & networking with its top-level conference program and practically all the players in the construction software industry is a great opportunity to learn firsthand about innovations in this area, and an excellent place to meet and network. Messe München’s decision to hold the trade fair annually in the future fits in with the speed of innovation in the software industry and is certain to increase the learning curve for users.