Lee Mullin says BIM plays a large part in making our industry sustainable
The BIM Show Live in-conversation-with series caught up with Lee Mullin, Construction Technical Specialist at Autodesk to ask him what makes BIM an essential tool on construction projects and what it brings to his role at Autodesk.
What is your current role?
My current role is in supporting companies, particularly contractors to understand the best ways to digitise their workflow, allowing them to gain more value from the digital data.
What does BIM mean to you and how do you use/implement digital construction methodology on your projects.
BIM is a large part of the improvements needed within the industry to be more sustainable. For many BIM is a process, for others it’s a 3D model. Those who now see it as a process used to see it as a 3D model, it doesn’t mean either is wrong, for me it’s a catch-all term that can be used as a methodology to drive the necessary changes needed for the industry.
When did you first start working with BIM?
I was there early, as one of the original Navisworks team nearly 15 years ago, BIM was the driver that improved delivery of Heathrow Terminal 5, motorways, oil rigs and ships.
Why should BIM Show Live visitors attend your talk?
Simply, it’s to give 18,458 reasons for you to take back to your boss to back up you and your BIM/digital strategy! The more we get into the details of standards and mandates, the more difficult it is to zoom out and actually sell your ideas to project teams, clients, and those who pay the bills.
What technologies in the AEC industry currently impress you the most?
There’s so much going on right now in the physical side of construction and the data side. I’m a big fan of Scaled Robotics, and Pointfuse, they’re both bridging the link between physical inspections of site in an automated way, and the office based reporting of progress which addresses many challenges around inefficiency, accuracy and safety on site.
What do you think will be the next big thing in BIM and digital construction?
I’ve seen a big shift over the last 12 months to move away from the stitching together of multiple software point solutions and the pain points that causes, towards a platform approach. I see the potential of linking the technology used between design, construction and handover, the office and site, and the commercial teams with the project teams as the biggest disruption to how projects and companies can really move the needle on their KPI’s.
Lee will be presenting at BIM Show Live on Thursday 28 February at 15:45: 18,458 Reasons to Throw Away BIM Level 2
