The Launch Conference “Towards a European digital platform for construction” was held in Bologna on 22nd November, within the larger framework of Digital & BIM Italia, involving the Italian order of engineers and architects.
The event gathered close to two hundred attendees, including 25 students watching the live-streaming feed provided by ANCE for Brescia's "ITS Cantieri dell'Arte Milano".
The conference started with a welcome speech from Federcostruzioni President Federica Brancaccio and from President of ANCE Gabriele Buia, who highlighted the importance of digitalisation for SME and introduced the EU policy perspective, discussing the challenges of the connection between national and international platforms.
CECE Secretary General Riccardo Viaggi moderated the event and welcomed on stage Ilektra Papadaki, Policy Officer for digital construction and sustainable built environment at the European Commission. Papadaki reminded the audience about the new Commission's priority for a “Europe fit for the Digital Age”.
The event welcomed also a panel of experts and project partners from the academic world, the technology sector, the manufacturers and the architects: Paul Surin from IBM, Nicolas Naville from CSTB, Fabrizio Bassetta from MCA, Žiga Turk from the University of Ljubljana and Alain Zarli from ECTP.
The Launch Conference represented an opportunity to gather all project members and stakeholders of the sector to discuss the latest digital innovations and to raise European competitiveness in the market.
It was also an opportunity to gather interest in joining the project Community of Stakeholders, which will contribute to create communities of practice in Member states focused on enhancing and accelerating the take up of digitisation by the construction sector.