Welcome to the BIBM Congress 2023

The 2023 BIBM Congress, scheduled for September 27-29 in Amsterdam, is fast approaching. "This is the 7th BIBM Congress that I attend and help organize since I joined the association in 2004," says Alessio Rimoldi, Secretay General at BIBM. "I am still very excited about it because each event is unique and brings memories of great people, rewarding ideas and great souvenirs."

"Despite being primarily a local industry, the precast sector faces European and global challenges in terms of transforming the built environment. If we simplify it somewhat, we can say that in 2000 began the decade of energy efficiency and in 2010 that of sustainability. In 2020 began the decade of decarbonization: all the other challenges fade into the background when the sector does not have a good strategy to address climate change."

"Pressure from the pandemic crisis in recent years has also accelerated enabling activities (digitalization) and increased the need to address the challenges of climate change adaptation (resilience). Under the slogan 'Green | Digital | Resilient | Solutions from precast concrete,' all these topics will be addressed by high-level speakers and with the precast industry in mind."

"Whether you are primarily interested in long-term developments or immediately actionable solutions: the congress offers you both in exciting parallel sessions. If you want to be part of this stimulating event, Amsterdam is the place-to-be in September!"

GREEN | DIGITAL | SECURE
Solutions for precast concrete
TEXT: Magdalena Herbik, Ebru Akgün

In recent years, there has been a paradigm shift in the construction industry toward sustainable practices, driven by a growing awareness of the environmental impact of traditional construction methods. The European Union aims to accelerate this transition by promoting a holistic approach that integrates green building techniques, digital innovation and resilience in construction projects across member states. 

The European Green Deal, adopted in 2020, is the EU's new growth strategy, aiming to transform the EU into a more prosperous society, with a resource-efficient and competitive net-zero economy. Since the announcement of the Green Deal, a series of European initiatives have set the tone for the transformation of the construction ecosystem: the new Circular Economy Action Plan, the Fit for 55 package, the renovation wave, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, the Construction Products Regulation, the EU Industrial Strategy, the new European Bauhaus, the construction transition path, and so on. 

To accelerate efforts for a more sustainable construction ecosystem, the Commission has established the Construction Forum at an overarching level as a valuable platform to collaborate on a wide range of topics relevant to the industry and set the path for a green | digital | resilient transition. Therefore, the focus for this year's BIBM Congress will be on "Green | Digital | Resilient | Precast Concrete Solutions" to showcase not only the sustainable benefits of precast concrete, but also the industry's commitment to providing more sustainable, circular and low-carbon solutions for the built environment.

GREEN. Green building refers to the practice of designing, constructing and operating buildings and infrastructure in an environmentally responsible and resource-efficient manner. The goal of green building is to minimize the negative impact on the environment and maximize the use of sustainable materials and energy-efficient technologies. In the "GREEN" session of the conference, you can attend lectures on the development of carbon-neutral binders, a methodology to evaluate the life span of concrete or efforts to reduce carbon emissions throughout the concrete value chain.

DIGITAL. Digitization is another crucial aspect of the construction ecosystem. Digital technologies have enormous potential to drive sustainable and efficient construction processes. From Building Information Modeling (BIM) to Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital tools enable real-time data collection, analysis and optimization. This will lead to improved energy efficiency, streamlined project management and enhanced stakeholder collaboration. The topics of the "DIGITAL" session include: library with prefab BIM objects, end-to-end BIM integration, and the opportunities and challenges of digitization from an engineering perspective. 

RESILIENT. The EU is committed to securing its buildings and infrastructure against the growing risk of natural disasters and extreme weather events. Resilient construction practices, such as reinforced structures, flood-resistant designs and disaster response plans, are essential to ensure the longevity and safety of built environments. Precast concrete, with its durable and fire-resistant properties, provides an excellent solution to these challenges. "By integrating these three pillars, we can envision a precast concrete sector that embodies sustainability, harnesses the power of digital innovation and resists the challenges of an increasingly unpredictable world. The green, digital and resilient construction ecosystem is poised to revolutionize the way buildings and infrastructure are conceived, designed, built and maintained and set a new standard for the global construction industry." ■