This lecture will explore the current context for construction informatics research by highlighting a number of local and global trends in the construction industry and beyond. Some of these include the move towards more integrated and collaborative project delivery methods, the global energy crisis and the role that buildings have to play in addressing it, the growth in applications enabled by cyber-infrastructure, and the increasing adoption of informatics in healthcare delivery. Drawing on examples from his recent and ongoing research projects, Professor Anumba will discuss how research in construction informatics is addressing the new challenges and opportunities.

About Professor Anumba

Chimay J. Anumba is Professor and Head of the Department of Architectural Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University.  He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Leeds, UK; a higher doctorate – DSc (Doctor of Science) - from Loughborough University, UK; and an Honorary Doctorate from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Dr Anumba is a past Chair of the European Group for Intelligent Computing in Engineering (EG-ICE) and is Co-Editor of the Journal of IT in Construction (ITCon).  His research interests are in the fields of construction engineering, advanced engineering informatics, concurrent engineering, knowledge management, collaborative communications, and project management. Professor Anumba’s Department at Penn State leads the consortium recently awarded $129m by the DOE to set up an Energy Innovation Hub for Energy Efficient Buildings. Visiting professor/scholar appointments include MIT, Stanford University, University of Calgary, Hanyang University (Korea), Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, University of Florida, Loughborough University (UK), UTHM (Malaysia), Chongqing University (China), and Tsinghua University (China). Dr. Anumba is a Professional Engineer and a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers.