This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our and .
The Building Information Modelling Summit is proud to announce Australia’s first ever BIM Awards. Architectural firms, BIM Managers, Project Managers, Construction and Engineering firms are invited to submit their work for a chance to win in the following categories:
- Innovation – new ideas, visual art performance
- Collaboration – amongst various the various teams
- Sustainability – sustainable BIM design
We are pleased to introduce you to our expert panel of judges and their selection criteria for the BIM Awards.
Dominik Holzer, Partner, AEC Connect
As one of the leading BIM experts in Australia, Dr. Dominik Holzer established his consultancy AEC Connect after working as Design Technology Director at BVN Architecture for almost three years. Dominik holds a position as Senior Lecturer in Digital Architecture at the University of Melbourne and he is a member (and previous chair) of the BIM and IPD Steering Group of the Australian Institute of Architecture and Consult Australia.
Dominik’s interests lie in Information Management across design, construction and operation, Building Information Modelling (BIM), building performance optimisation, design collaboration, and the legal aspect of sharing project information across disciplines. Dominik frequently publishes on Design Technology related matters and he is a regular speaker/host at high level industry functions on the topic of BIM and computational design overall.
Dominik’s selection criteria for BIM Awards:
Category Best BIM Innovation: To me this would encompass an organisation or an individual who has a demonstrated ability to push the boundaries of what can be achieved through BIM. This could either be accomplished by introducing novel BIM-related processes and workflows, or by developing new (software) applications for creating/coordinating/sharing BIM data in an unprecedented way.
Category Best BIM Collaboration: The quality of BIM collaboration could either be judged base on a well-structured concept that the collaborators jointly sign off on and work towards. In that case, the quality of such a collaborative effort could be judged based on the clarity of the initial concept and the management of the collaborative process by an individual or a working party. On the other hand, I’d prefer to see novel approaches to collaboration where the team worked around traditionally applied forms of collaboration in order to achieve a better outcome through BIM. At times this may involve going beyond contractually required deliverables, thereby exposing the team to (a managed level of) risk of failure or potential add-on benefits in case the alternative approach paid off.
Category Best BIM Sustainability: Links between BIM and sustainable design are evident, yet at times difficult to quantify. Sustainable design has been around for a while and there are established measurements for assessing its quality (Green Start etc.). By introducing more transparent processes for sharing information, supply chain integration through lifecycle BIM, design teams who consider the sustainability of the entire design and delivery process from conception to operation and beyond can reduce waste throughout the planning and construction process. The most likely aspects in achieving this is the sharing of models across architects and engineers, as well as early subcontractor involvement to establish close links between design intent and construction BIM. Early performance feedback from engineers to the architect’s design process can increase sustainability and reduce cost of a project. Those who push this agenda would likely search for automated ways to provide such feedback on the fly. If subcontractors can be involved early on to streamline the delivery process (while looking at quality as much as looking at cost reductions), this would push the sustainability agenda even further.
Bob Baird, AM, Executive Director Construction Contracts, Capital Facilities and Infrastructure Branch, Department of Defence
Bob Baird migrated to Australia in March 1967 and after a period in the private and public sector he was commissioned in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1970 and served in various Section Head positions and as Director Works Policy in the RAAF Facilities Branch.
In 1995 he transferred to the RAAF General Reserve as a Wing Commander and joined the Australian Public Service. He assumed his current appointment in the Defence Infrastructure Division in January 2004 as the Director of Construction Contracts responsible for the provision of contractual and procurement advice to all Branches of the Division. His job title was recently changed to Executive Director Capital Facilities Processes and Compliance.
He was a member of the original working group which developed the initial processes and contracts used by Defence for the provision of capital construction services in 1992.
The current suite of Defence construction contracts was introduced by Bob in 2003. These contracts are now considered to be “standard” contracts within Australia and are now used extensively by various Commonwealth Government Agencies.
Bob was appointed as a Member in the Order of Australia (Military Division) in the Australia Day Honours List 1984.
Co – judge Ms Jolanta Skawinski, Deputy Director, Capital Facilities and Infrastructure Branch, Department of Defence
Jolanta migrated to Australia to Canberra from Poland in August 1987 after completing her atchelor of Engineering (Structural/Civil) and a masters of science in civil engineering at the Technical University of Lublin.
She initially commenced employment with Northrope Consultant as a design structural engineer and then with ACT Building Control. In 1995 she moved to Perth and worked with the City of Perth, Approval Service Unit as a building surveyor/structural engineer. During this time she also completed a Graduate Diploma in Fire Engineering and achieved national accreditation in Building Surveying.
In 2000 she relocated to Canberra and after various periods in the private sector she moved to the public sector, initially with the Murray Darling Basin Commission, involved in managing civil engineering projects which had a significant environmental focus.
In 2008 she transferred to the Department of Defence as a Project Director in the Hardened Network Army Directorate of the Infrastructure Division. In this role she was responsible for the delivery of numerous Head Contracts with a total value of $623 million in South Australia. The project was completed on time and under budget in 2012 and provided the facilities to relocate the 7th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment from Darwin.
In 2012 she assumed her current appointment in the Defence Infrastructure Division as the Deputy Director of Capital Facilities Processes and Compliance. She is responsible for the implementation of BIM technology by the Capital Facilities Infrastructure Branch and assist in the development of the related government policy. An important part of this role is to develop Integrated Project Delivery contracts.
Bob and Jolanta’s selection criteria for BIM Awards:
Category Best BIM Innovation: New ideas which address the whole life cycle, i.e. Integration at every level of the planning, design, construction, FM, am, disposal addressing processes, procurement and contracting, object libraries, data management and open software development.
Category Best BIM Collaboration: The use of open, new innovative collaboration/communication platforms, which are fast, exact and reliable, to share models and associated data, including giving directions to all BIM team members and stakeholders.
Category Best BIM Sustainability: Innovative approaches to managing Ecologically Sustainability Development using software’s which can measure building performance, in terms of star rating, over extended periods of time and allow optional environmental design in terms of orientation, materials used and engineering systems.
Professor David Philp, Head of BIM Implementation, Cabinet Office, UK
David graduated in the early nineties and straight away joined Balfour Beatty as a Graduate Engineer; he advanced through the company becoming Director of Technical Services and latterly BIM Programme Director. David is now Head of BIM at Mace.
David’s enthusiasm lies in highlighting the potential of new technologies and how we interact with them to bring added value to our customers and unlock new ways of working throughout the entire life-cycle. David is passionate about our industry and perceives BIM as being a catalyst for reform.
An early adopter of practical change and purposeful collaboration, David is currently seconded to the Cabinet Office’s Efficiency and Reform Group where is “Head of BIM Implementation”. He is also chair of the BIM2050 and various BIM4 working groups.
He still lives in Scotland and his hobbies include photography and collecting air miles. He is a Professor at Glasgow Caledonian University.
David’s selection criteria for BIM Awards:
Category Best BIM Innovation: Demonstrates how BIM is being used to solve a current industry problem and influences a new more positive way of working.
Category Best BIM Collaboration: Evidences better outcomes through working in a common data environment and incorporates use of open data formats.
Category Best BIM Sustainability: Determines how BIM is being used to be more altruistic in the creation and care of our built environment especially more effective carbon solutions.
John Hainsworth, Associate, Buildings Modelling Leader, Aurecon
I am a structural engineer with 25 years of experience, the last 13 years specialising in 3D and BIM delivery. I have sat on steering committees for the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA), Consult Australia (CA), the Air Conditioning and Mechanical Contractors’ Association (AMCA) and Australian Steel Institute (ASI). As a past Secretary of the Revit User Group Sydney (RUGSyd), I was honoured to have recently contributed to the August 2012 National BIM Initiative for the Australian Federal Government.
After a 10 year solid grounding with JLC, a specialised UK design consultancy, I developed close ties to the fabrication industry, and its particular strain of NC based fabrication. I supplemented that Tekla biased delivery as an early adopter of Revit (2002), Navisworks (2003). On arrival in Australia in 2004, I sought to network with likeminded professionals and practices, joining Arup immediately as a lonely and self-styled Virtual Construction Co-ordinator – linking with Bentley Structural and all manner of other software to deliver some amazing and complex multidisciplinary projects. Some 9 years later I held global responsibilities, and a handle on Arup’s first dedicated BIM Consultancy Group.
Today, I am leading Aurecon’s Building Group’s BIM initiative extending across 25 global offices. My measure is to craft and respond to a strategic BIM position for Aurecon, and see us trained and up-skilled to consistently and efficiently create, deliver, store and manipulate data, that is organised, and trustworthy. I’m proud to say that the resulting One Aurecon BIM Product approach is looking solid, and is providing clients with an intimacy of our design, backed by muscle behind its delivery.
John’s selection criteria for BIM Awards:
Category Best BIM Innovation: The definition of innovation is as difficult to nail as BIM itself. I’ll be looking for an entry that demonstrates a novel, BIM enabled solution to a real life challenge, and demonstration of tangible value to others perhaps not expecting it!
Category Best BIM Collaboration: I hope to see entries demonstrating a ‘whole of project’ approach, highlighting the beneficiaries outside the proverbial black box of BIM.
Category Best BIM Sustainability: I’ll applaud BIM used in pre-order for just in time delivery, demonstration of carbon and waste reduction metrics, or even ideas to organise data to support intelligent, sustainable building management, operations and maintenance.