The College of Architecture and its PhD Program hosted "Adopting Building Information Modeling and Integrated Practice" in March, where more than 200 practitioners, consultants and academics discussed practical and cultural implications of the technology that is taking the industry by storm.

The three-hour symposium offered insight from multiple perspectives. An introduction by Iain Melville and Arol Wolford respresenting Reed Construction Data was followed by case studies and data regarding BIM users from the researchers who authored the newly released BIM Handbook. Charles Linn of Architectural Record and GreenSource magazines concluded by placing BIM within a larger context of architectural practice today.

"The symposium taught me that the possibilities of BIM are greater than I imagined," said Chad Spurlin, an architect at Gensler. "I was inspired by the presentations that showed how BIM is being used outside the architectural office; in collaboration with consultants and by the client. Seeing how the GSA uses BIM models to test the efficiency of their future buildings was when I realized how powerful this technology can truly be."

The event was made possible through the generous sponsorship of Reed Construction Data, the leading warehouser of construction project data, as part of its strategy to establish leadership in BIM technology.

"We were delighted to sponsor this symposium and see it as the first of many as we align ourselves closely with the need for education and good information sharing about the opportunities—and challenges—which BIM brings to the AEC community. We're very excited about the future and are absolutely committed to using our expertise and products, working as a trusted partner to help architects, contractors and building product manufacturers manage this transition and maximise its potential."

The symposium also was designed to launch BIM Handbook, which includes case studies and findings from top researchers on everything from the evolving capabilities of BIM, to the integration of BIM into traditional design processes. Authors include Chuck Eastman, director of the Georgia Tech College of Architecture PhD Program, Rafael Sacks of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Paul Teicholz, Professor emeritus of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University; and Kathleen Liston, BIM consultant and doctoral candidate at Stanford University.