Festival Agenda
MAIN FESTIVAL STAGE
08:55
WELCOME
Mark Hansford, editor, New Civil Engineer
09:00
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION:
Purpose driven innovation: Technologies of the Future
Shivvy Jervis, Award-winning Futurist, Europe’s Top 30 Women in Digital
09:40
DISCUSSION
Collaboration, culture and change – How are major industry bodies driving the innovation agenda? Bringing together a panel of major industry organisations on stage, that are driving the innovation agenda, the session will delve into their respective priorities and explore how they are working together to bring about change and innovation across the industry.
Shashi Verma, chief technology officer & director customer experience, Transport for London
Dale Evans, director, One Alliance
Professor David Fisk, commissioner, National Infrastructure Commission
Roger Bailey, asset management director, Tideway London
11:00 - 12:00
PECHAKUCHA
The Start-up session
Back by popular demand, the Start-up session brings five shortlisted entries from the Start-up of the Year Award category to the spotlight, to pitch their innovations live to the audience in PechaKucha style. Following the pitches and a Q&A session, delegates will have the opportunity to rate the pitches, with results being combined with judges’ scoring to determine the winning Start-up, which will be announced at the Festival gala dinner in the evening.
Start-up shortlist:
3D Repo, Aphex, Converge, Basestone, The Square Construction
15:30
KEYNOTE TALK, FOLLOWED BY Q&A
Fostering innovation, embracing technology – a view from outside
One of the biggest blockers to fostering innovation in the built environment is cultural. Are organisations prepared and able to adopt behavioural changes and embrace technologies such as AI, automation, data and beyond?
The opening keynote will challenge us to think differently about innovation and technology, how it will shape the construction industry and the skills that will be required in the future.
Hamid Mughal, director of global manufacturing, Rolls Royce
16:00- 17:00
NCE’s Accelerator – powered by Costain
Civil engineering is an industry defined by innovators who frequently choose to pursue their creative vision through small companies. These are companies with big ideas and who could change the industry for the better. New Civil Engineer and Costain are delighted to announce the launch of NCE Accelerator to create opportunities for small innovative firms to pitch and be heard by major industry clients.
16:00- 16:10
Costain’s approach to driving technology-led innovation
Darren James, managing director, infrastructure, Costain
16:10
NCE Accelerator Pitches
An opportunity to hear from ten of the most innovative small firms in the UK competing in this year’s Accelerator.
16:50
Question and answer session
17:00 Closing remarks
Mark Hansford, editor, New Civil Engineer
FRINGE CAFÉS
(pre-registration only)
13:15- 14:45
FRINGE CAFÉS
Join one of the Festival fringe cafés to debate the industry’s biggest challenges to adoption of innovation and technology with your peers. Each café will have a facilitator to introduce and lead the discussion, rounding up with key conclusions at the end. To guarantee your place, pre-book your place on one of the follow cafés.
Session A: What are the blockers to…
- Rolling out drones and robotics across construction sites
- Navigating regulation, mitigating risks onsite
- The adoption of AI in construction Cultures, behaviours and skills to develop and manage artificial intelligence, managing human and artificial intelligence
- Building offsite factories? Accelerating the offsite journey in construction – learnings from other industries
Facilitators:
Mike Moseley, knowledge transfer manager, Construction, KTN
Maggie Brown, innovation manager, EDF Energy-Hinkley Point C
Duncan Evans, head of digital, Crossrail 2
Phil Williams, knowledge transfer manager robotics and autonomous systems, KTN
Adam Locke, partnership and innovation lead, Engineering Excellence Group, Laing O’Rourke
Session B: What are the blockers to…
- Embracing big data? Collecting, managing and keeping data secure
- Enabling smart infrastructure? Designing, building and managing smarter cities
- A better whole life approach? Designing assets for 30-year vs 100-year life spans
Facilitators:
Mark Wray, knowledge transfer manager, buildings and infrastructure, KTN
Casey Rutland, UK digital director, Royal HaskoningDHV
Steve Cockerell, industry marketing director, road and rail, Bentley Systems
Jonathan Abra, knowledge transfer manager, Water, KTN
Malcolm Taylor, head of technical information, CrossrailOGRAMME
LIVE JUDGING HUBS
Five key categories, the Best Use of Technology awards, will be judged live at the Festival, as part of the daytime programme of activities. These awards recognise companies, projects or teams that are developing innovations, technologies, apps or technology led-products that are driving best practice in infrastructure design, delivery and operation with each category focusing on a specific industry change initiative.
10.45– 12:15 and 13:15 – 15:05
Live-judged awards:
- Best Use of Technology: Carbon Reduction
- Best Use of Technology: Driving Efficiency through Design
- Best Use of Technology: Enabling Smart Infrastructure
- Best Use of Technology: Health, Safety & Wellbeing
- Best Use of Technology: Productivity in Delivery
GRADUATE CHALLENGE
08:00 – 08:10
Graduate challenge welcome
08:10 – 12:45
Graduate challenge part 1
13:45 – 15:45
Graduate challenge part 2
16:00 – 17:00
Pitches and judging
17:00 – 17:10
Winners announced
17:15 – 18:30
TechFest networking drinks
19:00 – 22:30
TechFest Awards
22.30 – 01:30
TechFest After Party