# Conference: Next Generation Construction in Ireland



## Brendan Burgess (26 Oct 2022)

Next Generation Construction in Ireland
					

One-day conference exploring how education, research, training and industry can enable the success of next-generation construction.




					www.eventbrite.ie
				




​Thu, 24 November 2022, 09:30 – 17:00 GMT
*Royal Irish Academy* 19 Dawson St D2 Dublin


Construction Industry Transformation​Hear from thought leaders in the sector including those from leading construction companies, outstanding researchers, representatives of the national Construction Technology Centre and the Build Digital Project, along with a keynote address from Minister Simon Harris. See the full list of speakers here. Worldwide, the construction industry has evolved significantly in recent years with a re‐organisation of traditional teams, the arrival of disruptive technologies, a more complex regulatory environment and the requirement for a wide variety of new competencies. The dramatic evolution in the sector is being driven by the need to improve competitiveness, whilst meeting the challenges of accelerating climate change, environmental issues and the need for a vast improvement in sustainability.

The success of the construction sector over the next decade and beyond is dependent on the adoption of a wide range of recent developments which include: Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) such as off-site construction and robotics, Digital Adoption for construction such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), augmented reality and robotics and New Technologies and Policies for Sustainability.

To meet these challenges, the Irish construction sector must continue to evolve through the adoption of new methods of construction; the digitisation of the construction process from beginning to end and with an increased emphasis on research and development.

The Challenge for Education, Research and Training​The transformation of the construction sector in Ireland is critically dependent on the provision of a sustainable and diverse human capital pipeline. Individual employees will need to possess a wide variety of new skills, talents and knowledge, in particular the ability to contribute effectively to multi-disciplinarity teams of construction professionals made up individuals coming from a diverse range of disciplines and skill set backgrounds. The Education, Training and Research sector in Ireland needs to evolve in collaboration with the Construction sector to help deliver this human capital pipeline.

Why should I attend?
This conference will give you the opportunity to contribute to:


Identification of the key skills, knowledge and research needed to underpin the successful evolution of the Irish construction industry over the coming decade and beyond.
A sharing of knowledge and practice amongst professionals from across education and industry.
The development of a series of suggestions on how best the education, research and training sector in Ireland can support the emergence of a vibrant Next-Generation Construction sector in Ireland.
*Who should attend?*
This conference is aimed at wide audience that includes companies in the construction industry, higher education, training and research organisations; along with state entities involved in policy development and coordination for the construction sector and construction related industry representative organisations and professional bodies.

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## Brendan Burgess (26 Oct 2022)

11.00–12.30     SESSION I: MODERN METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION (MMC)
Chair: Professor Aoife Ahern, Dean of Engineering University College Dublin

Speaker 1
Professor Richard Buswell, Professor of Building Systems and Engineering and Hybrid Concrete
Printing Group lead, Loughborough University

Speaker 2
Martin Searson, Founder and CEO Quality Positive Ltd

Panel discussion with above speakers plus panellists
• Claire Lane,Associate Director, LMC Group Ltd
• Professor Gerry Byrne, UCD
• Marchant van den Heever,Technical Director, Harcourt Technologies Ltd

LUNCH

13.30–15.00     SESSION II: DIGITAL ADOPTION FOR CONSTRUCTION
Chair: Dr Avril Behan, Project Director for Build Digital,TU Dublin

Speaker 1
Dr Tara Brooks, School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen’s University Belfast

Speaker 2
Joseph Mady, CEO, Digital Construction Technologies Group

Panel discussion with above speakers plus panellists
• Dr Elisabeth O’Brien, Digital Academy for the Sustainable Built Environment,Technological
University of the Shannon: Midwest
• Emma Hayes, Managing Director, Digital Built Consultants
• Sarah-Jane Pisciotti, Head of Design, SISK Group

BREAK

15.15–16.35     SESSION III: NEW  TECHNOLOGIES AND  POLICIES FOR ENHANCED SUSTAINABILITY
Chair: Brian Norton MRIA

Speaker 1
Orla Coyle, Programme Manager, Public Sector and Regulatory Programmes, SEAI

Speaker 2
Sarah Miley, Apprenticeship and Public Policy Partnering, Department of Further and
Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Panel discussion with above speakers plus panellists
• Professor Jamie Goggins, Co-director, Construction Technology Centre, Established Professor, University of Galway
• Lorraine Fitzgerald, Head of Sustainability, Glenveagh Properties PLC
•  Mark Courtney, Managing Director, House2Home Refit Ltd


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