Michael Gates

Pushing back and questioning why things are happening has become a key part of her process in her current role as Impact Director at the Construction Innovation Hub, a UK government funded programme established in response to the many and varied challenges currently impacting the construction industry..

Sustainable construction increases the lifespan of buildings through flexible and adaptable design.When designing new or refurbished buildings we must plan for the unexpected.

Buildings need to be able to adapt for future uses and by designing this in from the start we will use fewer materials in the future..The façade has a shorter life expectancy than the rest of a building due to the nature of the materials used, exposure to the elements and the impact of UV light.To prolong the life of the building, the façade should be replaceable without affecting the structure of the building.. Each component of the façade should be replaceable individually, to allow panels to be swapped in or out to respond to changes in building use.

For example, if an occupied space were to be replaced with a non-occupied space, the glazed component could be swapped for an opaque component, improving the energy efficiency of the façade.The replaced glazed component can be stored for use elsewhere on the building or on another similar local building.. Internal wall positions should be moveable to enable internal spaces to be modified easily.

Being able to create new spaces means the building will have a longer lifespan with fewer major changes.. Having the ability to add or remove services to suit internal layout changes or adapt to a changing climate will allow the building to be used for longer.

Services (heating, cooling, lifts, sprinklers, plumbing, etc) have one of the shortest life expectancies of all elements of the building, due to their moving parts.Ionut’ s expertise in BIM allows him to identify and resolve potential issues early in the design process, minimising the risk of costly mistakes during construction.

With his extensive knowledge of DfMA, BIM and Engineering, Ionut is well-equipped to take on even the most complex building projects with confidence and efficiency.Adam joined Bryden Wood in 2006 having previously worked for architectural firms in Australia..Initially at Bryden Wood he worked on a range of projects across the office before focusing on the delivery of Phase 6 and 7 of the Igus Factory in Cologne.

After assisting in the development of a pre-fabricated node module for Heathrow Terminal 5, he took on a new role in the company developing innovative design solutions utilising BIM and.Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA).