As an experienced BIM manager, Sangcheol has introduced BIM to many organisations in South Korea, encouraging them to adopt new digital practices and presented new digital strategies to implement on their projects. Currently studying a Masters in BIM and Construction Management at Northumbria University, Sangcheol intends to technically and strategically inspire people to transform the AEC ecosystem through realistic steps.
What inspires you?
I am passionate about discovering value and motivating people to do something for it. I always deeply think about what is most valuable. I also find and solve problems to achieve that value. So I have been primarily attempting to improve productivity through digital transformation within the construction industry.
What do you believe are the current challenges in our industry and how can we overcome them?
Collaboration has been a challenge for the construction industry for generations and is still an unconquerable task. Numerous digital solutions are being developed to improve collaboration, but there is still a person using them. Sadly, people always lag behind technology. Thus, digital technology can only play its proper role if it is developed and applied around the person who uses it. Clearer communication, better data exchange and a greater willingness of the participants will eventually lead to proper collaboration.
What’s going to be the next big thing for the digital built environment?
The construction process and the building itself will be data-isation – the building-, city-, or beyond-scale digital twin. Just like the Internet world, which has caused the flood of information, building information also will be grown exponentially. This will eventually make the key point of how to manage the enormous amount of data. The ability to identify what data is essential, define appropriate forms and methods to store and extract it, and interpret and utilise it properly will be required.
What advice would you give to your 20-year-old self?
No matter what advice I give, 20-year-old me might never listen to it. But if there is anything I want to say to my past self, probably much like to study at the university a bit harder, marry my wife at least three years earlier, go abroad faster and buy Apple stocks right away.
What would people be surprised to know about you?
I walked a 900 km-long ‘Camino de Santiago’ route in Spain in 2009. It was the best trip of my life –better than anywhere else I’ve ever been since. One more thing, my wife and I went out with each other for nearly ten years before marriage. So even now, I often give people around me relationship counselling. Of course, I don’t major in it.
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