2016 was dominated by the publication of my book, BIM for Construction Clients, in February. Several conference appearances followed, with the book being a finalist in the Building Magazine Awards for ‘BIM Initiative of the Year’. The book also did good work in creating opportunities for consultancy. Through my work at ‘Deploi: BIM Strategies’ a developer client is into a series of training workshops to develop their capability as a client using BIM. Others are in view. I was invited to judge the BIM category of the Construction News awards in 2016 and again in 2017.

I was also invited to become a member of the advisory board of Ecodomus Inc. This is a US software company which provides Common Data Environments for owner-occupier clients, including Disney, Google and Sydney Opera House. Ecodomus is unusual in focussing on occupiers and in offering data integration across all relevant streams, from asset information models through building automation to occupier enterprise resource planning. Building performance can thus be optimised for occupier effectiveness, not just project performance and operating economy. I am assisting Ecodomus to serve the market which is following the UK Level 2 BIM standards, shortly to become the European and ISO standards.

JCT has published its 2016 edition over a twelve-month period to cover all families of contract and associated guidance. The new edition is designed to suit BIM usage as well as to pick up regulation and best practice changes since 2011. JCT is now considering creating the first standard form contracts for facility management. I invited Tony Giddings, lately chief of construction at developer Argent, to give the 2016 Povey Lecture, which he did with insight and humour. Argent’s success has rested to a good degree on their persistent use of the same designers and contractors over 20 years. Collaboration has paid handsomely.

I have joined the advisory board of Construction Manager magazine, the CIOB publication. I’m also assisting lawyers Pinsent Masons to develop their recommendations for a more collaborative industry, expected in mid-2017.

Inevitably, some things must be put down to make space for others. I retired from the University of Cambridge Building Committee in December 2016, after 12 years’ service. I also handed over the chair of the City Architecture Forum to Andrew Reynolds of WR Berkley, after 11 years there too.

During 2016 the RIBA decided to revive the Fellowship class of membership, for those in my sort of position. I am glad to report that I was duly elected FRIBA in November.