In the fourth episode of our wellbeing in the workplace series, host Dr Graham Kelly talks to the renowned Professor Sir Cary Cooper CBE, 50th Anniversary Prof of Organisational Psychology & Health at Manchester Business School, University of Manchester.Professor Sir Cary Cooper is a world leading expert on workplace wellbeing, occupational health psychology, women at work, and occupational stress. He has authored more than 250 books, a frequent media commentator on workplace issues and is currently Chair of the National Forum for Health and Wellbeing at Work.Listen to an engaging and unmissable conversation on Strategic Wellbeing within the construction industry, and how this may differ from other industries. Plus, what is meant by the term “accidental manager”, and why having the right management team is critical to a successful wellbeing strategy in any workplace.

Welcome to episode three of the latest Digital Climate podcast series, where host Dr Graham Kelly talks to world record breaker Hugo Metcalfe. Hugo is the Co-Founder and Chief Psychologist at The Happy Mind Tribe - Mental Health, Wellbeing and Workplace Culture Specialists.Hugo has designed and delivered evidence based programs across the globe to support organisations in cultivating sustainable workplace wellbeing cultures. He has worked with organisations such as the UK Foreign Office, Disney, Amazon, Viacom and the British Military to help them develop effective leaders, lasting wellbeing strategies and consciously cultivate culture.A multiple world record holder and mountain guide, Hugo talks to Graham about his recommendations for workplace wellbeing, as well as how he puts his own resilience to the test leading solo and group expeditions.

In this episode of the Digital Climate podcast, host, Dr Graham Kelly invited BIM Academy Associate Andrew Johnson and Walking With the Wounded’s Head Start Programme Manager, Alie Salford to talk about the support available to ex service men and women suffering with mental ill health.As a former member of the Corps of Royal Engineers, Andrew discusses his own mental health journey, how Walking With the Wounded has supported him, and why he is now sharing his experiences to help others.Andrew and Alie talk openly about key stress triggers, why is it difficult for people to talk about their mental health and what can we do to encourage people to be more open about this.

Welcome to Series 7 of the BIM Academy Digital Climate Podcast with host and BIM Academy Managing Director, Dr Graham Kelly. In this series Graham uncovers the connection between mental health and wellbeing, and their role in high performing workplaces within the construction industry.Our goal at BIM Academy is to empower everyone facing life's challenges with the knowledge that help is always available. In this episode Graham talks with two guests who are mental health champions and the driving force behind the “Get Construction Talking” campaign to destigmatise mental health: Fred Mills, Founder of The B1M and Sasha Reed, Senior Director for Strategic Business Development at Procore Technologies. Fred and Sasha explain more about the need to get construction talking and what mental health means to them, as well as their own personal experiences. They look at the rising suicide rates in construction workers, and why we need to understand that humans are non renewable resources!

In this fifth and final episode of our "Don’t fear the future" series, host Dr Graham Kelly talks to Indy Johar, founding Director of 00 and Dark Matters Labs. An architect by training, Indy is a Senior Innovation Associate with the Young Foundation and a visiting Professor at the University of Sheffield. He co-funded Impact Hub Birmingham and Open Systems Lab and was a member of the RSA’s Inclusive Growth Commission. He is a thought leader in system change, the future of urban infrastructure finance, outcome based investment and the future of governance.Graham tells Indy that we’re here to talk about the future – what is your view on the use of AI in construction and how long do you think it will take for machine assisted design to become the norm in the industry?Tune in to the full podcast to hear what Indy had to say about AI and its role within construction.

In this episode of the Digital Climate podcast, host and BIM Academy Managing Director, Dr Graham Kelly invited Sam Stacey to talk about construction transformation, sustainability actions and what comes next.CEO of Stacx International, Chairman of SustainCRE and former Challenge Director of Transforming Construction at Innovate UK, Sam is an industry leader on construction innovation and with an MBA from Henley Business School and degrees in Civil Engineering, Architecture and Philosophy from Imperial College and Cambridge University.Graham begins by asking Sam about his successful background in sustainability practices and climate change action, asking him to give us a brief introduction to his fascinating career history and expertise, particularly in his previous role as Challenge Director in UK Research and Innovation.

In this third instalment of this Digital Climate podcast series, host, Dr Graham Kelly invited Tuomas Syrjänen of Futurice to talk all things AI.Tuomas is a co-founder and former CEO of Futurice, and is now heading Futurice's data & AI powered knowledge work transformation program that is transforming how Futurice and Futurice's clients operate. He also helped shape Futurice’s non hierarchical culture of trust, transparency, freedom and responsibility.Graham opens the discussion by asking Tuomas about his work that challenges convention in construction and how he achieved a true shift of mindset on how we build through the use of data. Plus how AI is currently being applied to real time projects to achieve project success.Listen now to hear key lessons learned on data management techniques, with an emphasis on reducing waste for both materials and time.

In our second episode of the Digital Climate podcast series 6, Dr Graham Kelly invites entrepreneur, business advisor, author of “Unlearn”, and “Lean Enterprise”, cofounder of Nobody Studios, founder of ExecCamp, and faculty at Singularity University, Barry O’Reilly to talk about his theory of “think big, start small, learn fast”.As a trusted advisor, Barry has pioneered the intersection of business model innovation, product development, organisational design, and culture transformation. He has help many of the world’s most ambitious companies – from disruptive start-ups to Fortune 500 giants – break through to better ways of working and achieve higher performance and growth.In this podcast, Barry discusses some of these success stories and the concepts, and key learnings people can take away from the process of unlearning. Graham begins by asking Barry what he means by unlearning and why is it important?

Welcome to Series 6 of the BIM Academy Digital Climate Podcast with new series host and BIM Academy Managing Director, Dr Graham Kelly. Graham leads on the strategic implementation of digital transformation for global clients, and is known for his expertise in combining technology, digital thinking and innovation for maximum business performance. In this podcast series, Graham has invited guests who are also innovators and pioneers in their field. With a series title, “Don’t fear the future”, Graham and his guests will focus on future thinking, and looking ahead to technology solutions that will help fight climate change. Without taking away from the human element - people are driving the future of technology, not the other way round! Graham’s first guest is Mark Shayler, thinker, doer, creator, speaker, author and owner of Ape, helping big companies think small and small companies think big.In this episode Graham and Mark discuss the challenges faced in the construction industry from climate change and what a utopian future of sustainable construction could really look like!

BIM Academy Director, Paul Thorpe hosts another AI themed podcast with guest, René Morkos Ph.D, CEO of ALICE Technologies.René is an inventor, founder, adjunct professor at Stanford University and the inventor of the world’s first Generative Construction Simulator and Optimizer. He is a Leavell Fellow at Stanford University, where he currently serves as an adjunct professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department.As a second-generation civil engineer, René has over 20 years experience in construction, divided between industry and academia. In this podcast, René talks about what led him to follow in his father’s footsteps into engineering, what fuels his passion for technology and as a researcher and adventurer he is continuously exploring and teaching the theoretical boundaries of construction management and the evolution of future industries in order to better the world.

Podcast host Paul Thorpe invites ChatGPT to be his podcast guest, together with BIM Academy Digital Consultant and trained architect, Murillo Piazzi.In this short and engaging interview, the three talk about artificial intelligence and what it means for the construction industry. When asked what AI can do for construction, ChatGPT responded: “Excellent question Paul. AI is set to have a transformative impact on the construction industry. It will optimise project management, enhance safety, improve quality through automated inspections, and introduce robotics for various tasks. However, challenges like workforce reskilling and ensuring transparent AI systems need to be addressed for a successful integration.”Listen to the full podcast to hear more from ChatGPT and Murillo’s response on what it has to say!

Listen as BIM Academy Director, Paul Thorpe talks to Multiplex’s Head of Sustainability, Maria Fernandez Cachafeiro about the enormous pressure on the construction industry to reduce its carbon emissions.Maria has over 10 years’ experience driving social and environmental sustainability within the built environment, both in the UK and internationally and at Multiplex she is responsible for all aspects of ESG. As a member of the World Green Building Council’s Corporate Advisory Board, the BCO (British Council for Offices) ESG Committee and co-chair of the Supply Chain Sustainability School’s Modern Slavery group, she is a passionate sustainability champion.Paul asks Maria, we know there is an urgency to decarbonise construction, and in the UK, construction accounts for around 30% of total annual carbon emissions, so how do we reduce this number? Can digital construction methods help us to reduce carbon emission and if so, how? Listen to the podcast now to hear Maria’s response!

In the second episode of the BIM Academy Digital Climate podcast series 5, Paul Thorpe talks to Andrew Gamblen, Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Specialist at Dalux, about the advancing technologies shaping the construction industry.As an experienced digital manager, Andrew is responsible for the implementation of building information modelling (BIM) and digital construction, and is an advocate for collaborative working practices, leveraging the power of technology, standards and processes to upskill the construction industry.Paul and Andrew discuss how digital technologies are advancing at an extraordinary speed, more so in recent years with the widespread adoption of BIM for example. Paul says, as a result, we know the construction industry is now becoming more open to digital change, and asks Andrew, what is he thinking when it comes to using technology from a sustainability perspective, to help us not only build faster and with greater efficiencies, but to allow us to actually build greener and cleaner?Listen to the full episode to hear Andrew’s insights into how to utilise technology for a sustainable advantage.

Welcome to Series 5 of the BIM Academy Digital Climate Podcast with new series host, Paul Thorpe, a digital pioneer, future thinker and active researcher into new technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things.In this podcast series, BIM Academy Director, Paul has invited guests from across the construction industry to talk about the innovative ways we are using digital technologies to combat climate change.Here, Paul talks to James Bowles, Founder of Freeform 3D and Mia Dibe, Senior Product Manager of Arup. James is also the Founder of ZERO – a global community that raises awareness, shares knowledge and empowers its members to meet zero carbon emission targets in the construction industry. Mia is Co-Founder of ZERO Next, a fast-growing group of young professionals and future leaders within ZERO, working together to change the industry from high carbon emissions to becoming part of the decarbonisation solution, creating an industry we can all be proud of.Listen to the podcast as Paul puts to James and Mia that there is enormous pressure on the construction industry to reduce carbon emissions released through the building and operational phases of our built assets. As we, as an industry, transition to a digital first approach, could technology be the answer to construction winning the fight against climate change and achieving global net zero emissions targets or do we need to look at a culture shift and put in place a people first approach before introducing tech?

In this third and final podcast of this series, where BIM Academy Digital Director, Bola Abisogun OBE, has been exploring the implications of new regulations under the Building Safety Act for high-rise building owners, Bola speaks to former Grenfell Tower resident Gill Kernick about her view on the pace of change in terms of building safety in the construction industry since the Grenfell tragedy.Gill is the author of Catastrophe and Systemic Change: Learning from the Grenfell Tower Fire and Other Disasters, which combines her decades of experience consulting organisations in high hazard industries to build the leadership and culture to prevent catastrophic events, with a deeply personal connection to the 2017 fire.From 2011 to 2014, Gill lived on the 21st floor of Grenfell, seven of her immediate neighbours were among the 72 deaths that occurred due to the fire.  In April 2022, Gill joined Arup as Transformation Director working to shape an organisation that enables Arup and its clients to create a sustainable world.In this podcast, Bola and Gill discuss the need for a culture change when it comes to building safety, what lessons we have learned from Grenfell and what are Gill’s hopes for the future of residents in high rise buildings.

In this latest Digital Climate podcast episode, host Bola Abisogun OBE talks to Chris Blythe OBE, who not only helped establish the discipline of construction management as a Chartered profession, but was one of the longest-serving chief executives at a professional body in the UK. For almost 20 years, Chris led the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), until his retirement in May 2019.Chris admits that leading a 184-year-old organisation and keeping it relevant was no easy feat. Chris transformed the CIOB into the modern international institute we see today, able to adapt to the changing needs of its members  in an industry undergoing a digital revolution.The topic of this podcast series is Building Safety and The Golden Thread: how do we turn these ambitious requirements into a reality for the built environment by October 2023, and during this podcast Bola asked Chris, as Chief Executive of CIOB, what were the major challenges you saw that our industry faced when it came to building safety? And do you believe these challenges are still faced today?Listen to the full podcast to hear Chris’ response and what other recommendations he has for building owners in relation to the Building Safety Act.

Welcome to Series 4 of the BIM Academy Digital Climate Podcast. In this episode our new podcast host, Bola Abisogun OBE, Digital Director at BIM Academy, is joined by Paul Nash, Director of Paul Nash Consultancy and Past-President and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).In a career spanning nearly 40 years, Paul has worked with some of the world’s leading international construction companies and built environment consultancies. Today, Paul can be found providing advice to developers, contractors and investors in the property and construction sector on large, multi-million dollar projects.Paul is actively engaged in raising awareness of key issues affecting the construction sector – in particular Building Safety. In 2017, Paul chaired a working group on procurement as part of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety led by Dame Judith Hackitt, and is currently a member of the Industry Safety Steering Group that was established to drive culture change in the industry in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.In this podcast, Bola and Paul discuss the requirements of the new Building Safety Act in the UK and what new regulations building owners need to put in place before October 2023.

In this fourth instalment of the BIM Academy Digital Climate podcast Series 3, Andrew Johnson speaks to MOBIE’s Head of Education, Gerry Ruffles.Gerry is responsible for MOBIE's range of Advanced Home Futures training programmes, their delivery and educational development. He joined MOBIE after 25 years in Higher Education lecturing and running courses in Construction, Design and Architecture, with a passion to excite, motivate and prepare young people for careers in the built environment.He recently completed a five year role as External Examiner at Liverpool John Moores University, for their BA Hons Product Design, Spatial Design and 3-D Digital Design courses, and for a number of years he has been a writer for Pearson contributing to their BTEC and HN Level 3 and 4 Construction and Built Environment programmes as well as the new MOBIE/Pearson Future Home Design and Construction HNC and HND.Andrew and Gerry discuss about how all training has the same common, business critical objective: to equip learners with the skills necessary to be successful and, therefore, to enable organisations to reach their full potential. Andrew says that for some time, as an industry, we have discussed “skills gaps” and how there is clear lack of skill in the application of digital construction methodologies. But the time has come to take direct action to eliminate these gaps.Listen as Andrew and Gerry talk about how to bring about critical change to the way we teach digital skills.

Andrew Johnson, BIM Academy Digital Climate podcast Series 3 host,  talks with Dr Noha Saleeb, Associate Professor in Creative Technologies & Construction at Middlesex University. Continuing our theme for this series on digital skills and the need to bridge skills gaps through education and training, Andrew and Noha discuss the provision of qualifications at higher and further education level that cover the digital knowledge and skills required to enable construction industry professionals to function effectively within an environment that is now operating with a digital first perspective.Initially an architect, Noha worked for many years in industry in design, construction and onsite project coordination. She is currently providing consultancy on BIM implementation and management, as well as teaching at Middlesex University. Listen as Andrew and Noha discuss what is happening right now in the education space for digital construction skills, and what needs to happen in the future.

In this episode of our Digital Climate podcast series, host Andrew Johnson talks to John Messner of Penn State University about digital skills education and where the skills gaps are in industry today within the digital built environment.John is the Charles and Elinor Matts Professor of Architectural Engineering and the Director of the Computer Integrated Construction Research Program at Penn State University. John specialises in BIM, digital twin, lean construction and automation in construction research. His research team developed several core BIM planning guidelines incorporated into the US. National BIM Standard. John currently chairs the US National BIM Standard initiative and he is a Board member of the Lean Construction Institute.Listen as Andrew and John discuss BIM adoption in US and the importance of incorporating digital skills training into education for all ages.