The HUB@NHH welcomes Asplan Viak!
`We believe that the most innovative and sustainable solutions arise through interdisciplinarity and not by working with each individual subject in isolation´, says Elisabeth Heggelund Tørstad, CEO of Asplan Viak
Asplan Viak is one of Norway's leading consulting companies in planning, architecture, and engineering. The company recently became a member of the Digital Transformation HUB (The HUB) at NHH Norwegian school of Economics.
About The HUB@NHH
The Digital Transformation HUB@NHH (The HUB) is the dissemination, networking and training arena for the research center DIG - Digital Innovation for sustainable Growth. The HUB’s purpose is to assist leaders in their strategic decision making on how to create, deliver, communicate, and capture value in a digital era.
A societal responsibility
The engineering, planning and architecture industry is changing, from conventional methods to automation through digital technology. Technology such as machine learning and fabrication technologies, Big Data, and artificial intelligence, are becoming more and more available and pervasive.
`We believe that the most innovative and sustainable solutions arise through interdisciplinarity and not by working with each individual subject in isolation. To be at the forefront, we must constantly evolve and acquire the latest knowledge. This is where The Hub comes in to play; to develop, learn, and share new knowledge across industries´, says Elisabeth Heggelund Tørstad, CEO of Asplan Viak.
`I totally agree! Nothing is as practical as an excellent theory – tested in various contexts´, echo professor and director of The HUB, Tor W Andreassen.
Digitalisation has had a major impact on the industry due to the benefits to project stakeholders, such as enhanced visualization, better data sharing, reduction in building waste, and increased productivity and sustainability.
`Our industry has a responsibility to find the best solutions to sustainable societal development, which requires both innovation and the adoption of new technology. For Asplan Viak this means that we cultivate a culture where employees across disciplines come together to solve the most complex problems and find the best solutions to our societal challenges´, Tørstad explains.
The HUB has three objectives: disseminate research from the DIG-center to members and partners, facilitate networking among members for mutual learning, and training of leaders at partners and members based on the latest from DIG research through NHH Executive.
`This is why I think that The HUB will be a thriving arena for Asplan Viak and the other members´, states Andreassen.
Still in the early days
About Asplan Viak
Asplan Viak - Asplan Viak is one of Norway's leading consulting companies in planning, architecture and engineering. The company has a holistic approach, with a business model that is based on expertise in all phases of a project. Asplan Viak's expertise can be found from Tromsø in the north to Kristiansand in the south. Their 1200 employees are present all over Norway, spread over 32 offices.
AI is gaining traction in the industry, providing tools to automate aspects of urban planning, modular construction, interior layout, and more. Consultants, engineers and architects already use past construction data, design, and building data to tackle new projects, and the ability to utilize tons of previous data in a millisecond to enhance the architecture design process could have a major impact.
`Increased use of artificial intelligence, big data and machine learning will change our work processes. We are still only in the early days of artificial intelligence. As the technology becomes more sophisticated, it will become more dominant and applied in more areas of our business´, says Tørstad.
Andreassen sees great potential in the increased application of digital innovations in the industry that Asplan Viak operates in.
`Blending AI/ML, IoT, censors, and 5G in new constructions will offer unique insight into the “life of the construction”, provide early signals for preventive maintenance, and rich data for efficient use of buildings´, he states.
`The pace of digital disruption will be exponential, and it is becoming increasingly important to pick up and adopt new technology and knowledge. The digital shift in this industry has tremendous potential. Not only to augment practice and replacing mundane tasks, but to transform the entire planning and design process. Virtual reality and augmented reality – elements of the new metaverse - have the potential to fundamentally reshape the way we live, work, and interact´, the professor concludes.