BIMvoice

This is the fourth episode of The openBIM Practitioner. In this series, I talk with people who have passed the buildingSMART Practitioner certification and ask them what the process was really like, what changed for them, and what others should understand before going for it. My guest in this episode is Paul-Christian Max from Germany. Paul-Christian leads digitalization and BIM at Afry in Leipzig...

In the sixteenth episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Maarten Vroegindeweij from the Netherlands. Maarten is a structural engineer who became an entrepreneur. He runs several companies and now leads OpenAEC, an effort to make construction software open source, built on a long personal belief that the whole industry should run on open tools and open standards. Open source has been missing in our in...

In episode 15 of openBIMvoice, I talk with Elena Efremova about one of the hardest practical problems in openBIM: converting IFC models back into editable Revit models. Elena has a background in architecture, construction robotics, and software development. Her work focuses on making IFC models useful again when the original authoring model is missing, when the model was created in another tool, o...

This is the third episode of The openBIM Practitioner. In this series, I talk with people who have passed the buildingSMART Practitioner certification and ask them what the process was really like, what changed for them, and what others should understand before going for it. My guest in this episode is Anil Bhattarai from Finland. Anil works as an application specialist at Solibri, where his work...

This is the second episode of The openBIM Practitioner. In this series, I talk with people who have passed the buildingSMART Practitioner certification and ask them what the process was really like, what changed for them, and what others should understand before going for it. My guest in this episode is Lukas Gilbert from Germany. Lukas works as a BIM manager and coordinator. He has around 10 year...

In the fourteenth episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Elena Efremova. Elena has a background in architecture, construction robotics, and software development. She is working on one of the most difficult practical problems in openBIM: converting IFC models back into editable Revit models. IFC is often treated as a simple exchange format. But in real projects, things are rarely simple. Sometimes th...

This is the first episode of The openBIM Practitioner. In this series, I talk with people who have passed the buildingSMART Practitioner certification and ask them what the process was really like, what changed for them, and what others should understand before going for it. My guest in this episode is Karim Abulazm from Germany. Karim works with BIM consultation, BIM management, and BIM coordinat...

In the thirteenth episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Thor-Erik Johnsrud from Norway. Thor-Erik has a practical construction background and now works with BIM, IFC, data, internal tools, and openBIM workflows in a Norwegian contractor environment. Norway is one of the countries where openBIM, IFC, and model based delivery are already part of the industry. But that does not mean IFC delivery works...

In the twelfth episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Bruno Postle, a UK based creator and contributor around IfcOpenShell, BonsaiBIM, IFC Git, IFC merge, and related open source tools. This conversation is about IFCMCP and what happens when AI agents can work with IFC files through proper tools instead of treating them like plain text. We cover IFC query tools, IFC edit tools, Model Context Protoco...

In the eleventh episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Simon Dean, a BIM Lead working on major infrastructure delivery in the UK. Simon has worked on major infrastructure projects for many years, and in this conversation he shares what openBIM looks like when it is used on a large live project with thousands of IFC files, client requirements, validation workflows, and real delivery pressure. The cor...

In the tenth episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Michael Burij, a BIM and digital planning lead based in Berlin, about why IFC is becoming a practical necessity on German projects. Michael shares how public procurement rules, mixed software environments, and real coordination needs are pushing teams toward openBIM workflows. We talk about IFC exchange, agile coordination, model quality, client ex...

In the ninth episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Stefano Verugi, a quantity surveyor who took an unusual path into openBIM. Instead of starting with IFC models from designers, he began by converting 2D drawings into IFC models himself so he could extract quantities in a more structured and reliable way. Stefano works on railway and infrastructure projects in Ghana and has rebuilt his workflow aro...

In the eighth episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Agron Deralla about a different kind of openBIM story: what happens when an architecture office decides not to wait for clients to ask for it. Agron works in Vienna and has spent years helping push openBIM from inside the design side. We talk about architectural practice, internal BIM workflows, information exchange, buildingSMART, and why openBIM...

In the seventh episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Janis Berkis about one of the biggest problems in BIM right now: too many requirements, too much information, and too little value in return. Janis has more than 12 years of BIM consulting experience and works with public and infrastructure projects in Latvia. We talk about Rail Baltica, BIM mandates, openBIM adoption, and why many projects make...

openBIM Is Becoming Mandatory in the Netherlands with Jordan Schuit | openBIMvoice 06 In the sixth episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Jordan Schuit, Global Information Manager for Mobility and Infrastructure at Royal HaskoningDHV and buildingSMART Benelux board member. He leads information managers across Europe and Vietnam, sits on the buildingSMART International Awards jury, and spends roughly...

In the fifth episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Thomas Zwielehner, an architect who now manages BIM workflows on large railway infrastructure projects in Germany. On his current project there are more than 500 IFC files. His team asked one question that changed everything: why are designers the bottleneck for data that has nothing to do with their design? Most projects never ask which properties...

Stop Modeling for the Project. Start Modeling for the Asset Lifetime with Alexander Worp | openBIMvoice 04 In the fourth episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Alexander Worp, Asset Information Manager at Waternet, the department responsible for drinking water and sewage in the Amsterdam region. Alexander manages infrastructure that goes back to 1850. Some of those original drawings are still more u...

I Stopped Opening Revit. My Entire Workflow Is Now IFC with Jocelyn Sapin | openBIMvoice 03 In the third episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Jocelyn Sapin, a BIM consultant from Switzerland who made a decision most BIM professionals have not: he stopped opening Revit models entirely. His whole workflow runs on IFC. In this conversation he explains exactly how and why he got there. Jocelyn works e...

OpenBIM from the Contractor's Perspective with Daniel Phillips | openBIMvoice 02 In the second episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Daniel Phillips about how openBIM is actually being used on the ground by general contractors. We discuss his journey from 14 years of structural modeling to using Bonsai BIM and Python to fix model loopholes in 2026. Daniel shares his experience working on massive ho...

openBIM Needs an Open Mind with Menno Mekes | openBIMvoice 01 In the first episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with my friend Menno Mekes about why openBIM adoption is more about mindset than technology. We dig into how the industry is changing in 2026 and what's actually working. Menno shares how he moved away from proprietary silos toward workflows where data is the single source of truth. If you've...

🎙️Building with Data: Emma Hooper's Vision for Information Management in Construction Join me in a captivating conversation with Emma Hooper, associate director and head of R&D at Bond Bryan Digital an Information Management consultancy.  We delved deep into the world of information management in construction, discussing the pivotal role of open standards like IFC, the tools that are shaping t...

🎙️Pelle Meholm on BIM Challenges and Solutions BIM professional Pelle Meholm from Conclass showcases conVoid, a tool that revolutionizes building design. ConVoid is a valuable aid for architects and engineers, facilitating the design and coordination of areas where utilities like electricity and water are routed.  Conclass homepage: https://www.conclass.tech/ Disclaimer:  this interview is not a p...

🎙️Building Beyond Boundaries: Bruno Postle's Open-Source Approach   Meet Bruno Postle, a visionary who's blending art and technology to reshape the world of architecture. In this conversation, he takes us on a journey through his work with open-source tools like Homemaker and BlenderBIM.  It's not just about buildings and designs; it's about a philosophy that values collaboration, innovation, and...

🎙️Exploring the Digital Shift in Construction with Alexandru Patache In this video, I had the pleasure of interviewing Alexandru Patache, a civil engineer from Splendid Development, a Romanian company that is making strides in the use of advanced Building Information Modeling (BIM) techniques.  Alexandru shared his personal journey in the industry, his role as a BIM coordinator, and why having an...

Learn the hidden facts and common misunderstandings about openBIM in this engaging talk. Nando Mogollon, the director of Build Digital, uncovers the truths about openBIM, the difference between teamwork and swapping files, and why we really need to work together in the AEC business in this episode.   This chat will open up your mind about teamwork and openBIM, offering useful ideas about the chang...