Academic Roundtable February 2023

The Centre for Smart Modern Construction (c4SMC) is proud to announce the successful conclusion of the “c4SMC Industry - Academic Roundtable” held on 28 February 2023 at the Peter Shergold Building (1PSQ), Western Sydney University. The event was graced by the presence of Professor Kevin Dunn, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research, Professor Mike Kagioglou, Dean, School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment, and Professor Srinath Perera, Director, c4SMC.

The theme of the Roundtable was ‘Digital Imperatives for Net Zero Built Environment’. Digital technologies are essential in all modern economies, playing a central role in achieving a net zero future. Their integration into various industries and everyday life underscores their growing importance. However, it is important to note that technology alone cannot single-handedly facilitate the transition to a low-carbon economy. While digital technologies have the potential to drive change, broader policies, particularly those focused on sustainability, are crucial in guiding the shift toward low-emission practices and shaping technology development to ensure positive environmental outcomes. It is also necessary to implement the right policies to establish inclusive digital infrastructures that support the net-zero agenda for all. Matt Press, Executive Director of Compliance at the NSW Department of Customer Service, delivered a keynote address titled “Delivering NSW a more capable & productive industry” emphasising the importance of having a digital environment in the construction industry to make it more efficient and productive. This was followed by two industry presentations on digital solutions to enhance compliance in the industry. Alexandra Shaw, Market Development Leader – iCIRT spoke on the iCIRT rating tool by Equifax. iCIRT gives developers, builders, sub-contractors, certifiers and consultants a rating of between 1 and 5 stars. The more stars, the more confidence your construction industry professional is likely to deliver a more reliable outcome. Luke Harvey-Palmer, Director, and Chief Commercial Officer - KPMG Origins and Ulises D. Demeneghi, Manager, Sustainability - KPMG Origins demonstrated the Building Trustworthy Indicator (BTI) and Asset Impact modules on the KPMG Origins platform. KPMG has introduces this market-driven technological solution to distinguish between reliable and unreliable buildings. This indicator combines data on participants involved in the construction process, the materials used, and relevant certificates to demonstrate assurance in the construction quality throughout the design, construction, and commissioning stages of Class 2 residential buildings. It evaluates each building based on a trustworthiness index to provide an assessment of its reliability.

The keynote presentations by Meriton International Academic Fellows, Professor Patrizia Lombardi, Full Professor in Decision Making for Sustainable Development Goals and Deputy Rector of Politecnico di Torino, Italy, and Assistant Professor Sara Torabi, from the Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST), Politecnico di Torino were focused on the European context of sustainable urban development and digitalisation. They highlighted how they are using digitalised urban energy map to optimise energy consumption in urban planning using several case studies in the Italian context.

A highlight of the Roundtable was the panel discussion with Professor Patrizia Lombardi and Asst. Professor Sara Torabi, Professor Greg Morrison (Lang Walker Chair in Urban Transformation, Western Sydney University), Dr Kevin Yee, PhD Yee (Acting Team Leader – BASIX, Planning Policy, NSW Department of Planning and Environment), Gina Yazbek (Founder and CEO, Commnia). The discussion was moderated by Professor Srinath Perera (Director, c4SMC), and revolved around net-zero built environment, digitalisation of the construction sector, and the importance of compliance.

Further, three PhD Candidate presentations by De-Graft Joe Opoku, Prasad Perera, and Thilini Weerasuriya demonstrated the continuous innovation and research efforts of c4SMC researchers. Joe presented how to optimise energy consumption in buildings using digital technologies such as Digital Twins and IoT while Prasad explained how AI can ensure construction compliance. Additionally, Thlini discussed blockchain-based post-contract work and payment certification.

The event concluded with a roundtable interaction session using storytelling methodology on the topics of sustainability, digitalization, and compliance. The event was truly insightful, as it created the ecosystem for participants to understand the importance of digital imperatives for a net zero built environment. Finally, Associate Professor Mary Hardie presented a vote of thanks to conclude the event.