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Type
Webinar

Capitalising on digitalisation to boost productivity

Event organised by ICE

Date
06 December 2023
Time

This event has now ended

Overview

The engineering and construction sector has long been said to be suffering from low productivity and failing to learn lessons from other sectors on how digitalisation can boost its efficiency and effectiveness by saving time, money, improving safety, and ultimately delivering better outcomes for society.

The problem

Most infrastructure projects do not start with good quality data, it must be collected, organised, and shared effectively, requiring a common data model to be established at the very beginning. There must be a golden thread – a digital thread – of data that chains together each lifecycle phase.

But how can this be achieved? How could we be organising our people, information, technology, and processes, in a way which allows our infrastructure assets to be designed, constructed, and managed more efficiently, and effectively?

Demonstrating good practice

This webinar, sponsored by Bluebeam, will demonstrate some of the good practice which currently exists within the engineering and construction sector to capitalise on digitalisation within projects. Using case studies from Australia, Europe, and the United States of America, it will also explore some of the challenges and resistance experienced in doing so, and how this can be overcome.

Our speakers will summarise their experiences, to help delegates answer these questions:

  • How can we use data to improve productivity in the engineering and construction sector?
  • How do we overcome the obstacles in simply trying to collect and collate it?
  • What can be done to help our people better understand data, which is a real challenge for our sector?
  • How do we convince people and industry that increased digitalisation of our processes will be a major boost to not only productivity but also the ongoing management and outcomes of our infrastructure assets?

Delegates at the webinar will be able to ask questions of speakers on each of these questions and help inform what ICE should be doing to upskill civil engineers to best adapt to the digitalisation of infrastructure assets throughout their life-cycle.

Bluebeam

Bluebeam

Bluebeam helps architecture, engineering and construction teams connect office and field with a reliable, easily accessible single source of truth.

Programme

13:00 - 13:10

Chair’s introduction and summary of issues raised at a recent roundtable on a similar theme discussing ‘embedding digital to boost productivity’
Darren James, CEO, Keltbray

13:10 - 13:30

Case study 1:
Australian transport infrastructure – client-led digital transformation
Simon Vaux, CEO and co-founder, DEOS Digital

13:30 - 13:50

Case study 2:
Costain – Adoption of digital process, capabilities and technology in the UK water utility industry
Garie Warne, enterprise architect, Costain

13:50 - 14:10

Case study 3:
The role of technology in digitalising processes
James Chambers, director global industry development - Build & Construct Division, Nemetschek

14:10 - 14:25

Q&A session

14:25 - 14:30

Chair’s closing remarks

14:30

Event close

Speakers

Simon Vaux

Simon Vaux

DEOS Digital

chief executive officer and co-founder

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Simon Vaux

Simon is an industry pioneer, who is well-regarded for successfully driving digital transformation throughout the infrastructure sector.

From 2014-2021, Simon led all aspects of the acclaimed Transport for NSW Digital Engineering Framework program, from its initial vision through to industry-wide implementation.

This program has been a significant catalyst for change, transforming public sector digital capability and driving a step change in overall industry productivity. Simon demonstrates a unique blend of strategic leadership and technical capability, refined over 20 years of project experience in the infrastructure sector.

He is a regular speaker at public events, a mentor to young professionals and a keen promoter of civil and digital engineering.

James Chambers

James Chambers

Nemetschek

director - global Industry development, build & construct division

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James Chambers

James has a unique background in software, technology and the AECO vertical markets spanning nearly 3 decades, all with a focus on growing and advancing our astonishing industry through digital adoption.

Currently, as Dir. Global Industry Development, for the Build & Construct division of Nemetschek, James is responsible for ensuring the global alignment and synergy of technology solutions, with the needs and values of the industry.

Previously, James was Bluebeam’s UKI+ Regional Director, where he drove commercial growth through the positioning and utilization of technology. James is an active member and participant with numerous industry affiliations and strategy advisory boards. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in 3D Design with Applied Mechanical Engineering from Sheffield Hallam University, UK. 

Darren James

Darren James

Keltbray Group

chief executive officer

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Darren James

Darren James was appointed CEO of Aureos (formerly Keltbray Infrastructure Services) in August 2024 having led the purchase by EMK of the infrastructure arm of the Keltbray group where he served as CEO from April 2020. Prior to this, he spent 30 Years at Costain Group PLC, starting as an industrial placement student, progressing through the organisation to the Executive Board, latterly as chief operating officer.

He has a wealth of experience in leading high-profile programmes for both public and private sector customers, often in highly regulated infrastructure sectors, both in the UK and internationally.

Previously, Darren served as non-executive director at the Port of London Authority and was appointed in January 2025 as the chair of the Performance and Safety Committee for Welsh Water.  

A civil engineering graduate of the University of Surrey, he has undertaken further postgraduate executive programmes at Harvard, Wharton and London Business Schools. Darren is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and was the inaugural winner of the James Rennie Medal in 1996Surrey, Darren has undertaken further postgraduate executive programmes at Harvard, Wharton and London Business Schools.

Darren is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and was the inaugural winner of the James Rennie Medal in 1996.  

Garie Warne

Garie Warne

Costain

Enterprise Architect

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Garie Warne

Garie is a transformation professional with over 25 years of experience in IT and business-facing roles. He is currently the product owner for the delivery of a leading-edge digital twin and regional SCADA solution for the UK Water Utility Industry. His key skills and achievements include:

  • Developing digital transformation strategies at a pan-European level
  • Working with multiple UK water organisations to influence their strategy around asset data management;
  • Designing an innovative and award-winning digital twin project for a key strategic pipeline for water transmission, which will make the East of England resilient to the risks of drought and secure water supplies for future generations.

Garie is passionate about using data and technology in conjunction with cultural and behavioural changes to improve the performance and sustainability of the water industry. He believes that the effective use of data will unlock significant value by enabling improved insights and better decisions.