Last Monday, Fundación Laboral presented the project 'Icons. Innovation in the construction sector' to around thirty workers in the sector, at the Training Centre that the organisation has in Vicálvaro. During the informative day, the attendees were able to learn about the results developed by this European initiative and test the introductory application to the Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodology.

It is an app available for mobile and tablet, Android and IOS, (through Google Play and Apple Store) in English, Spanish, German, Slovenian and Italian, which allows the user to practice BIM in three trades of the sector: electricity, plumbing and air conditioning. Through the BIMx (developed by Grafisoft) and A360 (developed by Autodesk) visualisers, the programme allows students to see and try out real examples of how this technology is applied on construction sites.

In addition, the Icons app includes a series of basic and introductory training contents to BIM, so that professionals in the sector can understand the technical and structural aspects of this work methodology.

Training workshops

To validate this software programme, the project partners carried out, in October and November 2021, nine pilot experiences with 171 students from the sector in Germany, Spain, Slovenia, Italy and the United Kingdom, who were able to test the tool and take their first steps in BIM. In the case of Spain, the Foundation held three training workshops with 50 students and construction professionals:

• The first workshop was held on 14 and 15 October, with students of Vocational Training of the intermediate level of Technician in Interior Works, Decoration and Rehabilitation, from IES Antonio Machado in Alcalá de Henares.
• The second workshop was held on 10 November, with students from the level II certificate of professionalism in plasterboard and false ceilings, at the Foundation's Vicálvaro Training Centre.
• The third workshop was held on 17 November, with students from the Electricity professional certificate, at the Foundation's Vicálvaro Training Centre.

Together with the Icons application, the consortium has published a user manual to facilitate the use and make the most of the digital tool.

Improving digitisation on construction sites

The Andrea Palladio School of Construction of Vicenza in Italy has been in charge of leading and coordinating the work developed by the consortium, formed by six European entities: Fundación Laboral de la Construcción and Universidad de Valencia in Spain; the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia; the University of Coventry in the United Kingdom; and the German training centre Bildungszentren des Baugewerbes e.V. (BZB) and the West German Chamber of Crafts and Skilled Trades.

The main objective of Icons is to reduce the skills gap between the different professionals involved in the building process, with the aim of improving the digitalisation of construction sites, increasing the quality of work and promoting the productivity and sustainability of the construction industry in Europe.