On the 21st and 22nd of October, ALLPLAN hosted their first ever virtual industry conference, Build the Future – ALLPLAN Global Summit. Open to all AECO industry professionals, the online event provided attendees with valuable learning opportunities covering how to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the industry. Across the two days, 40 keynote sessions and expert-led presentations were held across four streams – Design, Engineering, Fabricate and Build, and Steel. More than 5,000 professionals registered and attended the event, with excellent feedback being received from attendees. Here is a brief overview of the sessions.
A Focus on Digital Tools and Data
The event opened with a keynote session by ALLPLAN’s CEO, Dr. Detlef Schneider. He described how the industry can benefit from the latest digital tools and discussed how these can help overcome current AEC industry challenges across the entire design to build process. He also emphasized the importance of data, and how critical it is to effective decision-making during the project.
This was further highlighted during Viktor Varkonyi’s (CDO of the Planning & Design Division of the Nemetschek Group) session on Building Lifecycle Intelligence. Mr. Varkonyi gave several examples of projects that benefited from a data-driven approach across the building’s lifecycle. Renowned Professor of Informatics at Munich University of Applied Sciences, Chairman of buildingSMART Germany, and Deputy Chairman of buildingSMART International, Professor Rasso Steinmann followed this with a session about the developments that have led to essential openBIM standards, and how consistent data can lead to improved systems integration.
Buildability is a core focus at ALLPLAN, which was discussed by Kevin Lea, SVP of Product Management at ALLPLAN. In his presentation, Kevin Lea noted that how we build is increasingly becoming part of the design philosophy in order to fulfil objectives such as sustainability goals or efficiency requirements. Across several case studies, the benefits of the design to build approach were demonstrated.
With the split into the different streams on the second day, the sessions were more tailored to particular interests and went into more detail about specific techniques and tools. For example, other sessions introduced the latest updates to ALLPLAN 2022, how the cloud can support greater collaboration, the integration of bridge design into the BIM process, making the most of the trend towards prefabrication, how to efficiently design steel connections or reinforced concrete, and even how to customize and automate workflows with Visual Scripting and PythonParts.
Real-life Examples with ALLPLAN Users
In addition to the ALLPLAN team, customers who use ALLPLAN were invited to share their projects and how they have benefitted from the unique tools that ALLPLAN offers. Benjamin Blocher gave the first of the ALLPLAN customer presentations with an insight into responsibly shaping the built environment of our cities. Our cities leave a legacy behind after they are constructed, which is a huge responsibility for those who design them, like blocher partners. Benjamin Blocher explained how the lessons of the past help transform blocher partners’ design approaches and gave practical examples of how sustainable redevelopment can be achieved.
Another ALLPLAN customer, Manuel Sigrist from Emch+Berger WSB AG, shared their experience of using ALLPLAN to deliver the Lake Zug East rail infrastructure project – which was the biggest construction site in Switzerland until recently – in just 20 months. Manuel Sigrist discussed how integrating all the project data into ALLPLAN and using it for the entire works resulted in significant efficiencies for the design as well as the construction phase.
Wolfgang Gigelleitner from OBERNDORFER Betonfertigteile, Austria’s leading precast manufacturer, gave a presentation on how digital tools have been one their key success factors. With Planbar, OBERNDORFER has been able to create precise data for their precast production process, significantly boosting their productivity while also ensuring high-quality, safe precast products.
An Opportunity to Learn and Connect
Finally, the event provided delegates with an opportunity to question members of the ALLPLAN team about any of the information that had been presented through an online Q&A session with Dr. Schneider, Mr. Lea, and Professor Steinmann. There was also an online networking area provided where contacts could be made with other like-minded professionals and discussions about the sessions could take place.
Overall, the event was a huge success, with attendees commenting on the wealth of knowledge shared and usefulness of the sessions and networking opportunities. Pietro Massai, architect from Florence, Italy said: "First of all, congrats for the amazing event. Great to see such a wide variety of subjects covered. My Italian followers were extremely impressed by the presentations." For ALLPLAN, the Global Summit was an inspiring and exciting event which hopefully provided a significant amount of value for all our customers.
If you did not attend our virtual ALLPLAN Global Summit event live, do not fear! We have recorded all 40 of the inspiring sessions for you. Just register now and watch videos here: Build the Future – ALLPLAN Global Summit Watch Videos On-Demand
