by Ahmed Hagras, Senior Lecturer in Building Information Modelling, Co-programme leader MSc BIM
In 2024, we brought people together from across the built environment to ask a big question: “Are We There Yet?” It was a moment to pause and reflect on our collective progress in using digital technologies to meet the demands of the climate crisis. The conversation was open and honest.
What became clear was that while there has been real progress, we’re still a long way from fully connecting our digital capabilities with meaningful climate outcomes. So, for 2025, we’re not asking the question again. We’re taking the next step.
Digital Construction Climate Nexus 2025, hosted at UWE, is built around a new theme: From Asking to Acting. This year is all about moving the conversation forward, focusing less on where we stand and more on what we’re doing. The event brings together a rich mix of academics, industry professionals, researchers, and students to explore how digital construction can become a genuine driver of climate action. It’s not about repeating the same talking points. It’s about sharing what’s working, what’s scalable, and where the most significant challenges still lie.
One of the real strengths of this event is the diversity of its voices. You’ll hear from those working on the ground with retrofit projects, those pushing innovation in monitoring and data capture, and those developing strategies to embed carbon thinking into the earliest design stages. The breakout sessions, particularly the one led in partnership with buildingSMART UK & Ireland and nima, offer a space where technical experts, standards organisations, and academics can come together to explore real solutions.
Another exciting addition this year is the UWE & RBI Breakout Room, which will shine a spotlight on Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) opportunities and success stories. This space focuses on building stronger bridges between academia and industry through collaboration and co-creation. Attendees can expect presentations of impactful KTPs, talks from CABER members on how their research aligns with digital construction and climate goals, and a dedicated poster session, especially encouraging PhD students to showcase their work. It’s an essential reminder that research doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and when paired with practical applications, it can drive real innovation in practice.
The event is supported by CABER (Centre for Advanced Built Environment Research) here at UWE, whose generous funding helps make it possible. Events like this work because of people. They succeed because individuals are willing to share, challenge, and collaborate. And they matter because they remind us that meaningful progress only happens when we connect knowledge with action.
As Professor Alice Moncaster, Co-Director of CABER, puts it:
“In the construction sector, ‘digital innovation’ is often spoken of in the same breath as ‘climate action’. But exactly how do our rapidly growing digital tools and skills support the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the mitigation of climate change? The Digital Construction Climate Nexus on 20th June will provide much-needed clarity on this issue, by bringing together academic and industry experts to present, debate and discuss the hottest topics.”
There’s something powerful about bringing together students, academics, software developers, and industry leaders in one space. It creates the kind of energy where ideas spark into something more tangible.
From Asking to Acting isn’t just a theme. It’s a reminder that every project, every piece of data, and every conversation can either move us closer to change or keep us where we are.
This year, we choose to move.