Digitisation building sector well on track with DigiDealGO program

The challenge of the digitisation program | Picture: DigiDealGO

KOMO ambassador of DigiDealGO

The first DigiDinner took place in Harderwijk in the Netherlands on 5 February 2020. Members of the new platform for the national digitisation program of the built environment, the Building Digitisation Council, hereinafter BDC (in Dutch: Bouw Digitaliserings Raad/BDR), assembled there with around 40 DigiDealGO ambassadors.

Digitisation and the exchange of relevant data are vital if the tasks of the Building Agenda are to be achieved. To that end, a much higher level of effectiveness and increased productivity are required. For example, to achieve goals such as 100% energy-neutral new-build homes and utilities in 2020 –and in 2050 a fully circular building sector.

Digitisation ambitions

“The new BDR platform is important for the realisation of this digitisation assignment,” said Joseph Kuling, BDC chairman. The digitisation ambitions and goals are becoming more relevant every day. Individual organisations are increasingly noticing that digitisation is something that we need to tackle coherently and jointly. At present ten concrete so-called Acceleration Projects are up and running. This number must be greatly increased. This year, the flywheel must kick into gear and create momentum.”

Data quality is at the top of the list

One of the DigiDealGO ambassadors is KOMO director Ton Jans. He emphasizes the importance of data quality: “The angle KOMO takes is that it concerns the quality of that product data. There is a difference between claimed product characteristics and validated product characteristics – characteristics of which the qualitative specifications have been objectively and repeatedly established by third party experts. Whether or not through the application of the products concerned. KOMO is aware of this – as are the other organisations involved with DigiDealGO – and devotes optimal attention to it for everyone’s benefit.”

Bundling of initiatives

The essence of the DigiDealGO approach is for existing and future digitisation initiatives in the sector to be bundled. “KOMO is currently developing two digitisation initiatives: for residential and non-residential building and for civil engineering, says DigiDealGO ambassador Ton Jans. “Another prominent initiative is KOMO-online which provides access to all digitised KOMO Assessment Guidelines. KOMO online also makes texts for contract documents and all KOMO certificates available! Everything is free and directly accessible both in KOMO online and in “Bouwbesluit Online” (building decree online) with some 60,000 visitors per month, and in the future this will also be offered via the STABU specifications system. Each assessment guideline immediately discloses all relevant KOMO certificate holders so that market parties know right from the start exactly who works according to these standards.”

DigiCafe: acceleration projects accelerate

Before the dinner, the first edition of the so-called DigiCafe took place for BIM professionals from the building sector. Goal: to discuss a number of acceleration projects and seek connections between these projects. The DigiCafe takes place quarterly.

More information DigiDealGO

DigiDealGO, the Dutch abbreviation of DigiDeal voor de Gebouwde Omgeving means DigiDeal for the Built Environment (DigiDealBE). It is an agreement between the government, the building associations, the installation sector and the supply industry, supported by the BIR (Building Information Council), the government Building Information Helpdesk (Dutch: bouwloket) and the DSBI (Digital System for Building and Installation).

Building Digitisation Council (BDC) members

The BDC consists of members, each one representing one of the clusters in the sector:

• Joseph Kuling, chair (Building)
• Ronald van Aggelen – director of Root BV (Advisers)
• Jan van Beuningen – manager General Policy and Energy Transition, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
• Dorien Jongeneel – Director Operational Management and Project Management for Directorate-General for Rijkswaterstaat, Major Projects and Maintenance at Rijkswaterstaat (clients/users)
• Pieter Litjens – director CROW (Knowledge Institutes)
• Claudia Reiner – vice-president of Techniek Nederland (Technology Netherlands)
• Titia Siertsema – chair NVTB (Dutch Association for Building Supplies) Suppliers
• Terry Heemskerk, secretary
• Richard Tieskens by invitation on behalf of Digiteam