- Stanford University’s Center for Integrated Facility Engineering is sponsoring a Summer Program.
- One session will be in DC at the GSA next week and a repeat at Stanford in September.
- The focus will be on changing the culture of the industry as much as technology.
Stanford University has developed the Center for Integrated Facility Engineering – CIFE. Coming up with a name for something like this is a real challenge. In this case it is not obvious to me what this group is up to, but from a quick look at their Summer Program 2009 conference it is clear that they are all about high performance buildings and changing the culture in the AEC and building Facility Management worlds. They are change agents.
“VDC/BIM Use Today: Building Both Projects and a VDC/BIM Culture quickly and well,” is the stated topic for the 2 day session. It is being offered in DC next week, June 9 and 10 at the GSA Auditorium, and at Stanford, September 8 – 10.
What intrigues me from the title is the “both projects” reference. I assume this has to come from the idea of creating both a virtual model and a physical building. By the way VDC stands for virtual design and construction. Of course, from my jaded view of the world, it seems to me that 3D laser scanning should be one of the core enabling technologies discussed in this conference, but from a look at the agenda, it is not specifically referenced.
It appears that the organizers have chosen to focus less on technology on more on organizational change, but the Center’s mission is how to “obtain benefits from strategic information technology”. I am fine with that, and have written about the importance of the change part of the equation, as well as focusing on user benefits rather than technology.
I hope to attend the September session. If anyone is going next week, it would be great if you could share a few thoughts on your experience.
