Episode 2: Advancing BIM and AI in Built Environments with Alex Braun
Episode 2 of Smart Twins - the Nemetschek dTwin podcast - has been released. The guest of this episode is Alexander Braun, SVP for Digital Transformation and CIO at the Technische Universität München. Dr. Braun oversees digital transformation for a university with 52,000 students and 12,000 employees.
In this episode of Smart Twins, Jimmy Abualdenien is joined by Dr. Alex Braun, Senior Vice President for Digital Transformation and CIO at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Together, they explore the evolving landscape of digital technologies in construction and facility management.
Dr. Braun shares his journey from studying civil engineering to specializing in construction informatics, detailing his pioneering work in construction progress monitoring using drones and photogrammetry. He highlights the challenges and advancements in data collection methods over the years, emphasizing how technology has dramatically improved the ability to assess construction sites.
Listeners will gain insights into Dr. Braun's innovative approach to construction progress tracking, which combines Building Information Modeling (BIM) with drone-captured imagery and AI-powered detection methods. He elaborates on the concept of digital twins in construction and facility management, offering his perspective on their definition and applications.
The conversation shifts to Dr. Braun's current role at TUM, where he oversees digital transformation for a university with 52,000 students and 12,000 employees. He details the challenges of managing IT infrastructure for such a large institution and discusses ongoing projects to digitize and create 3D models of TUM's extensive campus facilities.
Dr. Braun also touches on TUM's sustainability strategy, focusing on efforts to assess and improve energy efficiency across more than 450 buildings. He emphasizes the importance of data aggregation and visualization in understanding and optimizing facility performance.
Throughout the episode, Dr. Braun stresses the significance of embracing digital transformation, even through small initial steps. He advises organizations to start by assessing their current assets and data as a foundation for improvement, highlighting the "80-20" approach to project implementation.
This episode offers valuable insights into the practical applications of digital technologies in large-scale facility management and the challenges of implementing digital transformation in complex organizations. It's a must-listen for professionals interested in the future of smart buildings, digital twins, and sustainable facility management.
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