Digital Construction Awards 2024: iDEA and King’s College London win Best Use of Data on a Project

iDEA and KCL felt that existing tech solutions fell short of addressing their demands effectively, so they decided to build a custom software tool from the ground up.  

One of the primary digital technologies that iDEA and KCL have been working with is Vantage, an estates visualisation platform that aggregates core campus data. Vantage is a multi-layered and 360-degree ‘command centre’ from which millions of combinations of data analysis can be achieved, in one place, at one time. Using Vantage, iDEA developed a digital campus platform, built in the Unity game engine. 

This provides an interactive means of storytelling and data analysis, incorporating information including the relative locations of campuses and buildings; building condition; functional suitability; construction date; tenure type; and 3D representations of buildings.  

iDEA has also developed a bespoke open-source API that allows data from associated tools such as Register (a timetable analysis tool) and Forecast (a spatial scenario planning tool) to connect with the Planon data, creating a single source digital twin of the whole campus. 

With a complete 3D build of KCL campuses, iDEA has provided access to all the relevant occupier, work settings and occupancy data for the entire university. The model is used by the KCL estates team as an engagement and communication tool and to analyse the estate and scenario plan. Longer term, there is the possibility that KCL’s architecture and construction students could use iDEA’s tools to understand how carbon emissions from the built environment can be reduced. 

Chris Ager, MD of iDEA, said: "This award represents the best part of about seven years’ worth of work. If it hadn't been for our clients at King's College seeing the value in the project, supporting it, and giving us a platform to actually develop it, then we would not be here collecting this award. We’re proud to be supporting the university to improve education around real estate."

Best Use of Data on a Project shortlist

• AtkinsRéalis | Digital design at Sizewell C
• Disperse/Canary Wharf Group | Wood Wharf Development
• DMRC | Allo on HS2
• GMI Construction | ProjectData
• iDEA | King’s College London Vantage Model
• Integrated Health Projects/Buildots | Royal Bournemouth Hospital
• Skanska/National Highways | Delivering data-driven construction digital twins in highways

Read about the rest of the winners.

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