BIRGIT – training on Building Information models integrated with Geographical Information

To set buildings (BIM) into surrounding environment (GIS) has a huge potential to provide holistic perspective and improve efficiency in all steps of community planning. It helps e.g. to select most suitable site, optimise logistics, count energy flows, assess risks, among many other applications. Altogether, BIM-GIS integration reduces both costs and environmental impacts of new constructions as well as of existing buildings. Since it is a relatively new approach, it is still limited by knowledge gaps and lack of skills.

Goals

BIRGIT aims to develop interdisciplinary learning materials that will provide students with competences for successful BIM-GIS integration.
The project will:

• focus on BIM-GIS data interoperability and real-world applications
• update vocational programs (VET) to up-to-date knowledge
• bridge the gap between skills supply and demand on the job market

Four work-packages will help the consortium to reach the goals.

Project timeline is February 2022 – January 2025.

State of the art

BIM (Building Information Modelling) and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) technologies are increasingly used both in urban, facility and infrastructure planning. The best improvement of the processes is though achieved when the BIM and GIS approaches are used simultaneously; in other words, when the buildings and constructions are visualised and analysed together with their surroundings. It results in higher effectivity and sustainability by reducing time, costs and carbon footprints.

Objectives

Integration of BIM and GIS sectors requires high expertise from professionals of both domains. Lack of skilled personnel is probably the main constraint as to why the integration does not proceed faster. The main goal of the BIRGIT project is thus to train specialists able to unify the approaches and to solve problems connected with this unification.

Expected results

More specifically, we aim to carefully plan and develop new learning materials that will subsequently upgrade VET programs within the consortium. First, we will map the needs of different stakeholders, in order to focus on the right skills most crucial on the labour market. Then, we will specify desired learning objectives and analyse existing BIM-GIS training materials. Next step will be to adapt these materials to different languages and national needs, as well as to harmonise datasets for hands-on exercises.

However, the core activity will be the development of the new courses, fulfilling the required learning objectives. Creation of these materials will be based on the SCRUM methodology that helps teams to work together. Different profiles of the consortium members guarantee the expertise in both BIM and GIS domains. Finally, we will test the new courses in the real training context to get feedback directly from the trainees. Their insights will help us to further improve the learning materials.

Outputs

The new courses will cover the latest advancements in both BIM and GIS technologies and focus on competencies for their successful integration. Video-lectures, data sets, assignments, reading suggestions and test questionnaires will be combined in each of the courses to cover diverse learning styles. Project results will be provided under open licences and we plan several dissemination events.