Changing face of specification
24th January 2012

CAB launches the first of its 2012 Regional Meetings and mini-conferences in Bradford on 23 February looking at ‘The Changing Face of Specification’.

The series moves away from looking at main contractors and their supply chains towards understanding the issues around working and communicating with architects, which includes understanding Building Information Modelling (BIM).

Up to 150 members and guests are expected for the event, with the meeting and conference hosted at the Marriott Hollins Hall Hotel, Bradford followed by a dinner at the nearby Salts Mill – a Unesco world heritage site which is also home to one of the largest collections of David Hockney’s art.

Su Butcher of Just Practising will be looking at what architects do and how to communicate better with them, while Richard Blakesley from Howitt Consulting, will be focusing on design and specification, and will be joined by Nick Allen and James Blood of MetzArchitects, who are at the leading edge of BIM implementation. Recently Paul Morrell, the government’s construction adviser, said BIM will be mandatory on public buildings over £5m in capital value.

BIM is the process of generating and managing building data during its life cycle. The key to BIM is that the project is drawn just once and forms a complex computer model. All specialist trades then have access to the BIM and can offer detailed design within the model. This method of design offers huge savings and eliminates the possibility of design problems on site.

The mini-conference, which is preceded by a CAB marketing and technical update, will give members and their guests the opportunity to discuss and question upcoming routes to specification and how BIM is going to affect the building industry in the UK.

Members are welcome to bring guests. Should you wish to attend as a guest of CAB please contact the CAB offices.

www.c-a-b.org.uk
01453 828851