Ahead of UK Construction Week, Build in Digital spoke to the BRE’s Mike Tofton about the importance of information management
The brave new world of digital technology is coming the construction industry’s way sooner or later, ready or not, but the transformation doesn’t have to be as scary as that sounds.
Sure, it can be bewildering, especially given all the widgets and gadgets, software packages and apps, that keep buzzing for our attention. But much as the technology has transformed our everyday lives these past couple of decades, it also promises to work wonders for the built environment too.
This month, technology will be a big theme at UK Construction Week (UKCW) at London’s ExCel, courtesy of the Digital Construction Hub. There, through its packed three-day session of panel discussions and presentations, some of the sting will be taken out of the buzzwords.
One of the industry experts shining a light on the way ahead is Mike Tofton, BIM and digital construction manager at the BRE Group. He’s taking part in the panel discussion: Enhancing the Built Environment – Harnessing the power of information management.
Ahead of the event, Tofton spoke to Build in Digital about the challenges the sector faces, and how the seemingly complex array of hardware and software options essentially boils down to one ‘simple’ element – managing information.
As the session blurb says: “Effective information management is essential for creating well-structured and resilient buildings while meeting industry standards … The discussion will explore the challenges and provide key insights into the value of building data (Golden Thread).”
But let’s not give too much away; we need to leave Tofton – and his fellow panellists – something to say on the day.
What’s the gist?
“Data is the massively important aspect,” Tofton says. “That’s what my talk is going to discuss. We’re talking about Golden Thread, the Building Safety Act, we’ve got fire safety, we’ve got BIM – it all comes down to information and data … We’re talking about better information management, really.”
Of course, it’s not quite so simple as it sounds, which is where his role at the BRE comes in. You might say Tofton is at the sharp end of the issue, helping the construction and built environment sector navigate the hurdles, and translate the potentially unfamiliar language of tech.
In essence, his is an advisory and advocacy role, bridging the worlds of building technology and the built environment sector.
“I oversee all of the strategy here in terms of training, certification, and consultancy services with regards to information management, golden threads, digital twins, and how that enables our other areas of business,” he adds.
“[My role] is part research, part adviser, but also delivering to clients. We’re in the Academy, so we are that extra arm to what we [the BRE] is traditionally, which is very research and innovation-based.”
Walking the talk
Naturally, the BRE needs to be on top of its game in this arena; if it’s to lead by example and practise what it preaches, as it were.
“We have a huge science, research, and innovation park, where you could say we are walking the talk,” Tofton explains. “We’ve got asset management plans in place that look at our buildings as digital assets.”
This involves the kind of information management approach he’ll be talking about at UKCW, including smart building sensors, BIM, Golden Thread and so on; it’s not just about harvesting data on a building’s whole-lifecycle performance, but structuring it, storing it in an accessible format, so that people can actually make use of it, and then being able to interrogate the data for insights.
“Formatting and correct structure come down to training,” he says. “We train people in ISO 19650, which is an information management standard. It’s the basis of everything. It is certainly what ties it all together.”
The BRE, and Tofton’s role within it, is very much product and software-agnostic, he points out; it’s the information standards they are more focused on.
“We are more looking at the principles of implementation on the data side of things,” Tofton says. “Data gathering, analysis, what insights we can get from that, and how we can give companies a more competitive edge, and be a bit more sustainable as well.
“When it comes to standards, you’ll not find any specific product listed. When it comes to training, we teach the workflows and the principles that comply with the international standards, rather than [recommending any specific software].”
As Tofton explains, digital information management is quite new, with much of the information relating to our built environment existing in paper documents in filing cabinets, or as older digital formats that are not so readily accessible, such as PDFs.
What are the challenges?
Unlocking all that pre-existing information is certainly a challenge, which emphasises the importance of ensuring the data is effectively gathered, stored, and made accessible for all future buildings. The potential power and value of such information are almost incalculable.
But perhaps the biggest challenge, as Tofton points out, is the willingness to accept change and embrace the possibilities. Again, that will form a crucial message when he speaks at UKCW’s Digital Construction Hub.
“The biggest challenge to digital transformation, regardless of the size of the company, is resistance to change,” he says. “For some reason, in construction, we are scared to change the way we do things. I don’t see that in other industries. I’d think that’s the biggest barrier.
“There’s also competencies, perhaps, on digital skills. That’s something we work with a lot at BRE; we work with committees, and different organisations [like the CITB] on understanding and addressing the digital skills gaps.”
For Tofton, then, the main call to action for the industry is this: “Emphasising the need for continuous learning, continuous adaptation, and trying to stay ahead in what is an always evolving construction industry.”
Hear them speak
You can hear Mike Tofton and his fellow panellists speak on the topic of data and information management during their panel session at UK Construction.
Enhancing the Built Environment – Harnessing the power of information management.
Thursday, 8 May 2025 at 1.30pm to 2.15pm Digital Construction Hub
Chaired by Alison Nicholl, Head of Constructing Excellence, BRE
Panellists: Mike Tofton, BIM & Digital Construction Lead, BRE; Virginia Cinquemani, BREEAM Trainer, BRE; Mohammad Shana’a, Chief Executive & Co-Founder, Morta; and Lilian Ho, Senior BIM Manager/Digital Lead, AECOM Engineering UK&I
UK Construction Week is taking place from 7 to 9 May at London’s ExCel.
Find out more about UK Construction Week and the Digital Construction Hub sessions here.
Main image: Mike Tofton, BIM & Digital Construction Lead, BRE, heps train the industry on sound information management
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