The Innovation Stage, co-sponsored by Enterprise Ireland and Sir Robert McAlpine, is where you can learn about exciting technological advancements and see live demos of brand new products. 

In the lead up to DCW 2022, we caught up with John Hunt, Global Construction Lead for Enterprise Ireland, to see what he’s looking forward to at the show…

Tell us more about what Enterprise Ireland offers…

Within the past decade, Enterprise Ireland has become one of the world’s most prolific investors in technology companies.

Over this period, our global construction team have aimed to be as successful in supporting entrepreneurs develop new digital solutions as we have in helping mature technology companies diversify their core business offer into the construction industry.

We now have a portfolio of construction and property tech SMEs and start-ups that continue to drive productivity, enhanced customer experience and greater collaboration across markets.

 

 

Can you pick a few highlights from the Innovation Stage programme?

Firstly, we’re delighted to sponsor this important industry platform and yes, there are two panel sessions that I’m particularly interested in.

The first is the session on The technological advances being driven by the construction of mission critical facilities. As we know, not all sectors in construction are equal in terms of developing or adopting best practice. The healthcare sector and the delivery of hyperscale datacentres, driven by necessity during the pandemic, progressed more quickly than most. The increased importance and priority for a ‘digital twin hospital’ that improves patient outcomes post-construction is a clear example of this, as was the increasingly granular use of 4D programming and information management to minimise the need for direct supervision and site attendances.

The second session, A step change In CX and Collaborative Innovation, reflects on what we see as the next ‘big’ opportunity for our sector – technology improving site performance. In many respects, the benefits of digital design tools and processes are becoming quite established with the next big wave of efficiencies coming directly from site, but also from some unanticipated areas.

Tell us about a recent innovation or technology that you’ve been most impressed by.

It’s always difficult to choose a favourite but have been really impressed with the investment and developmental approach of I3PT’s ‘Obi’ platform that leverages Ireland’s current approach to Building Regulations and Independent Quality Assessment to satisfy the new information requirements of ‘digital golden thread’.

I should also give Fexillon a shout out. They are presenting on the main stage with Microsoft’s IOT and Sustainability team. Fexillon offers a cloud-based solution that takes building information into a usable digital twin system and format for asset owners and offers further integration with IoT devices.

What are the most exciting future applications for digital technology in construction?

The Metaverse concept is a lot closer than many people think and presents a radical opportunity to re-shape the relationship between the physical and the digital in a mixed reality environment that further blurs the lines between our business, social and personal lives.

The pandemic has moved our acceptance and interoperability with digital to a new level as we leap over some of the last barriers of cultural resistance to technology.

In construction and on construction sites, the connection of live information with structured data and BIM models has the potential to drive new efficiencies and even circumvent traditional procurement through better knowledge, benchmarking and capture of what ‘good’ service delivery should look like.

We see clients of construction and investors pursuing this type of opportunity through companies like Evercam that drive better performance with mixed-mode virtual environments or Strata Project Solutions that leverage technology to enable a more precise understanding of programme and project risk.

© Stewart Attwood Photography 2018

John is the overseas lead for construction at Enterprise Ireland, overseeing investment and trade in construction services and technologies across 40 overseas offices. Over the past decade, he has placed the greatest emphasis on improving productivity and outcomes through digital, offsite manufacturing and low carbon solutions across verticals as diverse as high-tech manufacturing and ultra-low energy housing. Visit the Enterprise Ireland website.