Cristina Sánchez Jiménez, BIM Manager, speaks to Grant Powell MBCS to explain how the construction and housing industry can be transformed using data and AI.
Cristina Sánchez Jiménez has a vision; to create a more efficient construction industry empowered by digital technology and data strategy. Bringing together architecture, construction, building information modelling (BIM) and data analytics, Cristina advocates for a culture change in the way that buildings are designed and assembled. Cristina believes that learning from the tech disruption which has positively impacted other industries will result in a built environment that truly meets the user need, particularly when it comes to the smarter and greener development of housing.
What do you see as the main causes of the current UK housing crisis?
I don't think there's a straightforward answer. Housing is not necessarily regarded as a commodity, but more as an asset that attracts investment. Recently we've seen a lot of foreign investment raising the price of housing and consequently reducing the amount of available dwellings. So that's one of the issues. There is also concern around the productivity of construction in the digital age. Construction is still very traditional, so we haven't really cracked disruption like other industries have. Hopefully market conditions will improve, and we will see a boost in productivity. It’s a very challenging time, but we must be optimistic.
How are data analytics and AI being used to improve housing design and construction processes?
I might be a bit biased due to my role, but I’m a data analyst myself, and I love working with AI. It's just too good a tool to leave aside. You cannot yet get AI to deliver the whole building because it’s a very complicated process with so many factors to consider. But what you can do is implement AI tools for the management of the processes around it. A great example is for rolling out passive fire protection — essentially the measures that need to be put in place to minimise the risk of fire damage. There are a lot of data insights around this because it's something that we really need to have control over, especially after the Grenfell disaster. Passive fire protection is non-negotiable and so it makes perfect sense to enlist AI tools to ensure that such protection is put in place across the built environment. From a data perspective, insights and analytics are an essential part of our work. Without data, you're effectively doing things blindfolded, which is not a smart move when trying to create safe and sustainable housing, while also building trust among communities. Data is so fundamental to everything that we do. It’s how we constantly learn, improve and evaluate at every step of the design, approve and build process.
Is digital transformation something that has been welcomed by the industry, or have you seen any reluctance or hesitation?
It really depends on who you ask. It can be quite polarising. There's very heavy enthusiasm, certainly, but there are also many people who either don't trust the technology, or don't feel ready to use it effectively. Leaving aside the design/architecture side for a moment and focusing on those involved directly in building and handling materials, the average age of the construction worker is over 50 years old. While this is great from an experience perspective, it raises some issues when it comes to wanting to implement new methods of working. You’re going to meet resistance and be very swiftly told, ‘this is not the way we do things’. Of course, it’s natural to be somewhat fearful of change, but we need people to come in with fresh ideas who possess those digital skills that are now so important; to encourage this transition towards digital transformation and its benefits.
I was at an event recently about data and AI being applied to project development and construction. I was there with an older executive, and one of the things that really resonated with him was a story about Google Maps, and its ability to use real-time data for guidance. If you need to take a shortcut, you need to change the route that you normally take — so doing things the way you've always done in that situation is not enough. You need to be ready to change, and you need real data for that. This example illustrates that embracing change is necessary to move forward and evolve the way we do things. We want to inspire people with technology, and though it might take some time, we'll get there.
How do you see the role of the architect evolving in the next decade?
There's a lot of hype around AI, and while it's not going to magically solve everything, it certainly enables the move towards better processes and the use of more sophisticated designs. AI has fantastic potential to transform the architect’s role, and indeed the whole industry. We are currently looking at using AI to analyse how we have worked before and to find ways to save time, money and effort. Ultimately AI will progressively replace more and more of the legacy processes, removing unnecessary repetition while enabling developments in parametric and generative design, using iterative and algorithm driven processes.
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There are some very interesting companies in the market who are already working with these methods, and if we are smart about it, we'll reach a point where we are building so much more efficiently. Traditionally, when it comes to building, there is knowledge that is sometimes just passed on from person to person via human networks. By putting together a central base of knowledge we’ll see builds that are faster, safer, smarter and of far better quality, all thanks to technological innovation and the use of accumulated construction data.
How can the requirement for more affordable housing be balanced against increasing demand for sustainability and energy efficiency?
I’m personally interested in the potential of modular housing. It should be the answer from both a sustainability and affordability perspective, but unfortunately it’s not always that simple. Construction can be a challenging industry when it comes to innovation, and this often comes back to the envisioning of the ‘output as an asset’. A housing development is a very expensive asset. You can't afford to have a lot of design and development cycles, as you might do with a piece of software, for example. When it comes to building houses, the construction industry is reluctant to experiment because it is simply not willing to take a risk with something so big and expensive. There is progress, like the National House Building Council (NHBC) accepting warranty for innovation, but we perhaps need the government to support further research, building more confidence in modular housing. This would really help it take off. From a sustainability perspective, modular houses are incredibly efficient to run, as well as simple to assemble. But it comes down to having the opportunity to really experiment with them to unlock their full potential.
Does sustainable design also involve a degree of future proofing against both predictable and unpredictable climate events?
Yes, we don't really have an alternative. We must make sure that we are protected against, for example, floods. We need to include this as a fundamental part of our focus when designing housing, but there need to be discussions about how exactly this is applied and the processes involved. Sometimes incorporating additional factors can feel like an extra layer of bureaucracy, so it’s essential to go about it in a smart way that ensures that our main goals are unhindered. But we absolutely need to include it.
Looking at the recent floods in Spain, the response management wasn't great because this hasn't happened before. We have to be ready for the unexpected. It's not enough to compare with the past, and that has to be part of our design — to focus on sustainable building while also future proofing against climate disasters, and having protocols that enable fast and swift responses now and in the future.
