Birmingham City University (BCU) has secured a £1.2m AI research project in partnership with London South Bank University and Leeds Beckett University to save billions in construction costs
The new AI research will utilise emerging technologies to redefine cost planning and management.
Funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the AI research project will involve a host of local and multinational construction, consultancy, accountancy, and IT organisations.
The UK economy loses £24bn annually from cost overruns
That figure is expected to rise by 15% before 2030, according to CITB.
However, using Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Generative AI (GAI) to more accurately estimate how much construction projects will cost can boost productivity by 25%.
Professor Hanifa Shah, pro-vice-chancellor and executive dean of the Faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment at BCU, said: “The university’s commitment to excellence and forward-thinking research underscores its role as a catalyst for change within the construction landscape.
“By fostering collaboration between academia and industry stakeholders, the project aims to drive tangible outcomes.”
The project will support SME’s and stimulate economic growth
Experts from BCU’s Computing and the Built Environment colleges will collaborate with researchers from LSBU and LBU to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the development of an existing BIM-GAI cost prototype into a fully-fledged product for market.
The research will also transform the curriculum of BCU’s MSc Quantity Surveying conversion course and create future-ready graduates equipped with the AI expertise the industry needs.
The prestigious UKRI grant is part of a government initiative to stimulate economic growth by connecting SMEs with leading academic experts to innovate and drive productivity in a range of sectors.
Dr Damilola Ekundayo, principal investigator and project lead as well as associate professor in built environment at BCU, said: “Cost and time overrun is a common phenomenon. It costs the industry billions of pounds.
“This research will shape the future of construction cost planning by leveraging the pros of generative AI as a force for good, to improve what we do.”
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