The delivery of construction projects is undergoing a major shift internationally with increasing utilisation of advanced information technologies. Increasingly in practice, immersive technology is being utilised to blur the lines between the physical world and the virtual world to design, visualise, simulate, deliver and manage the built environment.

A necessary part of this ‘smarter’ world is the creation, use and management of Building Information Models (BIMs). A Building Information Model is a virtual model of the proposed facility (building/asset) which has data and information on the physical properties (materials, components, systems) and the nonphysical properties (where to procure, when to maintain, relationships to other elements etc). This integrated data repository (‘Model’) allows virtual analysis and simulations of the proposed design and associated construction methodologies prior to and during physical construction.

The use of building information modelling is spreading rapidly through the global design and construction industry and architects, engineers and contractors in Australia are no exception. Therefore, our property, construction and project management graduates are potentially entering an ever changing workforce that will in the future require a ‘smarter’ way of working.