The challenges facing the architectural technologist profession

This paper is based on a seminar considering the key challenges facing the construction industry from a designer’s perspective. The chosen topics: BIM and health and safety – both significant and changing rapidly. BIM has been around in some form a long time. Getting industry to see the benefits and realise these has been the challenge. The construction industry is notoriously fragmented, argumentative and risk-borne. BIM brings the opportunity for that to be cast away in a move that both Eagan and Latham failed to do. The industry has in many areas taken up the challenge. Most importantly this is supported by government. This continues today and the push towards adoption by everyone in the industry at some level is still on. How this will change the role and influence of the designer is the key question. Equally we have come a long way in the industry’s approach to health and safety. While statistics show significant progress has been made, the situation is still far from perfect; widening the scope to look at health and constructions impact means there is still much to be accomplished. Designers have a significant role to play in briefing the client and guiding them through the project. There is no reason why the construction process should injure or harm anyone – that should be our goal. All designers have an ethical and professional duty to see that is the case.