“Our mission [at Modelizer.ai] is to digitally empower legacy asset owners with the help of AI, transforming traditional documents and drawings into structured digital data, digital models, and digital twins…”
Credit: Modelizer.ai
At Modelizer, we are focused on detecting, understanding and interpreting what is “seen” in a 2D Construction Drawing. Most of us have used this technology before, perhaps without realising it. When you use the photo search feature on your mobile and ask for pictures of dogs, beaches, or Christmas, the technology being used to deliver the results is a combination of Machine Learning (ML) and a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). We are building and training a CNN to detect and interpret CAD symbology and other annotations found on a 2D engineering drawing. We can’t look for cats or dogs but can detect walls, wall types, windows, doors, stairwells, voids, title blocks, and other drawing annotations.
The emergence of AI and tools like ChatGPT, during the last two years, has only exacerbated the challenge for a sector that has successfully been crowned ‘a technology laggard’. That being the case, at the Digital Twin Skills Academy ‘DTSA’ we are intentional in our desire to support the propulsion of the UK construction industry into a world leading supplier of innovative, data-driven, technology-led solutions. To achieve that goal, we are unapologetic in our approach towards professional CPD and our desire to instill a higher level of proficiency and understanding, into every client, key stakeholder(s) and persona, in the construction process.
As a collaborative, socio-economic, vehicle for change, the Digital Twin Skills Academy ‘DTSA’ was created to capture and evidence the ‘social value’ and ‘resident engagement’ deliverables within and required by the (UK) public sector contract procurement process. Our targeted support towards the public sector in a post-Grenfell environment, is to inspire the wide scale adoption of digital twins amongst ‘legacy’ asset owners [i.e. the Accountable Person(s)]. In many cases, the reference to an ‘in-scope’ building now requires the Accountable Person to become solely responsible for producing, submitting and maintaining their ‘asset-specific’ Building Safety Case Reports; a ‘new’ legal requirement (that is potentially), required to be updated every five (5) years.
Credit: Grenfell Tower Inquiry
“As part of a ‘use-case’ for digital twins in social housing, developed by Dr Bola Abisogun OBE, at the University of Cambridge / Centre for Digital Built Britain ‘CDBB’ and supported by Tech UK [February 2021] the new regulatory regime for ‘higher-risk’ residential buildings akin to Grenfell Tower _ came into force on 1 October 2023. Since that date the Building Safety Regulator [part of HSE] became the building control authority for ‘higher-risk’ residential buildings, and allowed a period of transition for asset owners and the wider construction sector.
Moreover, under the Building Safety Act, the significant point was that of the 6 April 2024, whereupon the transitional period (of six months) towards the new regime, came to an end. In fact, the 6 April also established the implementation of the new building control regime, with the introduction of registered building control approvers (a material change to the role ‘approved inspector’), supported by the presence of registered building inspectors. The 6th April 2024, was the ‘official’ date when the new duty-holder requirements become fully operational and it is this ‘new’ legislative landscape that we [the DTSA, working with our commercial partners] are keen to bring to life, using digital twins and BIM enabled, information management workflows” _ Digital Twin Skills Academy CIC
Credit: Ryder Architecture [Okana / Building Safety Team]
The stark reality (in May 2024) is that the industry and specifically, many ‘legacy’ asset owners are struggling to establish, deliver and/or maintain the ‘Golden Thread’ of information management, of each building within their portfolio; particularly where there is little or no digital footprint.
Credit: Dr Bola Abisogun OBE via X
At the DTSA, we adopt a solution focussed approach to helping clients deliver their legal requirements, whilst maintaining a laser vision focus on ‘outreach and engagement’ towards local young people and simultaneously, helping career changers navigate this new landscape of career opportunity. Recognising the growing opportunity to clients [asset owners] to establish and deliver their technology-led solutions, we have partnered with Modelizer.ai an emerging software solution who have established themselves as an enabler of the ‘minimum viable digital twin’. With a focus on people and/or workforce development, together we aspire to reduce the ‘heavy-lift’ and up-front cost to the asset owner, as we continue to focus on value creation from the outset.
Statement from Dr Bola Abisogun OBE, CEO Digital Twin Skills Academy CIC
“Having returned from presenting the Digital Twin Skills Academy to interested parties and stakeholders over at the British Embassy in Washington DC (in my capacity as a Board Member at the London Chamber of Commerce & Industry, through kind invitation from Hadiza Bamgbose, Department for Business & Trade) I returned to the UK, in May 2023, looking for partners that shared our values, with a similar international outlook. My attendance at the inaugural Connected Digital Twin Summit in June 2023, (hosted by Connected Places Catapult) was an attempt to make some solid connections many of whom, fully understood the urgent need for ‘affordable’ and professional, upskilling and reskilling provision. Richard Scott, stood out to me as an ‘early adopter’ of our Social Value offer, recognising our wider ambition at the DTSA, to ‘educate, empower and equip’ the next generation of Digital Construction professionals, with a focus on digital engineering. During the last twelve months Richard and I have come together to develop a unique ‘go-to-market’ strategy to support their solution, one that will specifically enable young people to better understand ‘the traditional’ construction process, in a digital environment. With a focus on legacy assets, most if not all projects will involve an element of decarbonisation, ultimately requiring the use of a digital twin. I’m excited by the potential of our joint-venture partnership with Modelizer.ai – which will go some way towards achieving our mutually beneficial and collective ambitions”.
Statement from Richard Scott, CEO Modelizer.ai
“My working relationship with Dr Bola Abisogun OBE and the Digital Twin Skills Academy ‘DTSA’ began last year at the inaugural Digital Twin Hub Summit last year [June 2023]. Since then, we have committed to developing a unique ‘go-to-market’ strategy that allows our products and services to touch every element of the construction process, whether directly or indirectly. Our primary offer, an AI solution producing the MVDT [minimum viable digital twin], lends itself well to the core deliverables and value proposition of the DTSA. Starting with the end in mind, we are joining forces with the DTSA to transform the Built Environment and deliver safer, more sustainable and compliant buildings. By coming together we maintain a joint (and exciting!) desire to “empower and educate the next generation of digital engineers”, equipping them with the requisite skills including the use of AI and MR technologies.”
Credit: Richard Scott / Modelizer.ai
END _ 31.05.24
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