The Building Products Industry Council (BPIC) and Lendlease hosted a two-day event, focused on current and expected technological, regulatory and economic disruptions. It uncovered new opportunities and most importantly, fostered the development of effective strategies. It showcased automation and emerging new tech applications in the building sector while providing excellent networking opportunities for attendees.

The summit aimed to answer the fundamental questions of:
•    Where is the building industry in Australia heading?
•    What are the critical issues and how can they be addressed?
•    How do we escape the political short term focus and plan for the long term?

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PRESENTATIONS

The Future – Closer Than You Think

AI, robots, 3D printing and virtual reality are being used in real-world construction applications across the globe. This theme will tease out how these technologies are likely to evolve and what traditional construction processes they are likely to influence or even replace.

NICK ABRAHAMS – Futurist and Partner, Global Head of Technology & Innovation at Norton Rose Fulbright
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickabrahams/

Outlook for Local and Global Trends Shaping the Building Industry

  • Where is the building industry in Australia heading?
  • What are the critical issues and how can they be addressed?
  • How to navigate these changing times and return the industry to prosperity?

ROBERT MELLOR – Managing Director of BIS Oxford Economics
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-mellor-38a75021/

Shaping Tomorrow: Robots, 3D Printing and Augmentation

Google, Amazon and other tech giants are establishing themselves in the construction sector with the aim of disrupting traditional construction supply chains. This theme will showcase real-world examples of this, as well as address how Australian companies can pre-empt this change to compete with, or become a part of these new supply chains.

PROFESSOR ANDREW HARRIS – Director Technical Futures & Engineering Excellence Group at Laing O’Rourke

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-t-harris-14152164/

Tackling Diminishing Public Confidence in the Building Industry

Recent apartment building fires (Lacrosse and Grenfell) as well as asbestos contamination, severe crack-downs on combustible cladding and other building non-compliance related issues are leading to public mistrust in the building sector. Steven will present the Trust Barometer 2019 and discuss steps or strategies the industry might consider to restore public confidence.

STEVEN SPURR – CEO, Australia at Edelman
https://au.linkedin.com/in/steven-spurr-9958417

Are You Ready to Leverage Disruption?

All attendees at the Summit will participate in a Disruption Ready Organisation (DRO) diagnostic survey to draw out the themes and issues that must be considered when dealing with disruption in the building industry. Now that disruption is the new norm, we’ll look beyond technology to changing business models, social / economic / political forces, environmental concerns, etc. to develop effective strategic thinking, action and leadership.

LARRY QUICK – CEO of Resilient Futures
https://www.linkedin.com/in/larryquick/

Charting the Future of the NCC and Standards

Australia has had a performance-based building code since 1996. This session provides an opportunity to understand how the National Construction Code (NCC) works in practice and how it is evolving along with Standards to meet rapidly changing industry conditions, lift national productivity and improve building compliance.

NEIL SAVERY – CEO of the Australian Building Codes Board

Tackling Building Non-Conformance – Regulatory Lessons

It has been more than 12 months since Queensland enacted new product conformity legislation (Chain of Responsibility). This session will outline how the legislative changes are being managed and the effect on the industry and consumers.

PHILIP HALTON – Deputy Commissioner of the Queensland Building and Construction Commission

Improving the Evidence Base Relating to Non-Conforming Building Products

As part of the Western Australian Government’s contribution to efforts to curb the incidence of Non-Conforming Building Products, the WA Building Commission is funding a major project to improve the evidence base relating to NCBPs to help better determine the scale and prevalence of the problem.

PROFESSOR RUSSELL KENLY – Professor of Management – Swinburne Business School
https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-kenley-297b2b3/

Getting Products Specified in a Digital World

Manufacturers have increasingly begun to understand the need to digitise product information in order to sell their wares in a digital marketplace. But there is significant confusion about how to do this in a way that is cost-effective, timely and resource-frugal yet will be easy for specifiers and purchasers to access. This session will showcase real-world examples of products that have been successfully digitised for use across multiple BIM platforms, and the technologies used to enable product digitisation.

LUKE JOHNSTON – Managing Director, Innovative Growth Solutions
https://au.linkedin.com/in/lukejohnston

Pragmatic Sustainability and Your Supply Chain

Leveraging procurement contracts, the National Construction Code (NCC), EPDs, rating tools, LCA and supply chains to achieve benefits for the future. This session explores the idea that “whole of building/precinct – whole of life” is what matters rather than the attributes of individual elements.

ROBIN MELLON – Former CEO of the Supply Chain Sustainability School
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bettersydney/