BIBM Congress 2023 in Amsterdam – Providing Solutions for the Future

The 24th BIBM Congress 2023, held from 27th to 29th September at the renowned Okura Hotel in Amsterdam, was a resounding success, drawing over 450 participants and hosting 74 exhibitors. The Federation of the European Precast Concrete Industry (BIBM) joined forces again with the organizers of BCF - Building Congress Forum GmbH to invite interested industry representatives, this time to the Dutch capital, known as “the Venice of the North”. With the theme „Green | Digital | Resilient | Precast Concrete Solutions“, the Congress aimed to explore and promote sustainable, technologically advanced, and resilient approaches in the precast sector.

Greetings

The commencement of the congress took place on the evening of Wednesday, September 27th, featuring welcoming remarks from Bart van Melick, the departing BIBM President and CEO of BTE Holding B.V. in the Netherlands, along with Michiel Roelfsema, General Manager of Hotel Okura Amsterdam. Additionally, Philip Crampton, President of FIEC (European Construction Industry Federation) from Ireland, provided an introduction that delved into the theme of the future of construction within the framework of a society embracing both green and digital principles.

Introduction

On Thursday morning, the congress started with an introductory session, which included welcome speeches from Alessio Rimoldi, the Secretary-General of BIBM (Federation of the European Precast Concrete Industry) from Belgium, as well as Dr. Ulrich Lotz and Michael Voss, CEOs of the Building Congress Forum in Germany. Additionally, Seamus McKeague, CEO of Creagh Concrete Products Ltd. in Northern Ireland and President of IPHA (International Prestressed Hollowcore Association) – a BIBM Congress partner, gave a presentation about IPHA, highlighting the importance of promoting the precast industries together.

The agenda further featured presentations covering diverse topics such as the relationship between urban nature and health, delivered by Marco van Es, the Founder of Bac2nature in the Netherlands. Additionally, Oscar Nieto, Policy Officer at the European Commission DG GROW Unit H1 - Construction, shed light on navigating European Commission initiatives for construction products.

Green – A Sustainable Revolution

The construction sector has undergone a significant transformation towards sustainability, driven by a heightened awareness of the environmental impact associated with conventional methods. The „Green“ session, moderated by John-Erik Reiersen, Chairman of the BIBM Environment Commission and Chief Executive Officer of Concrete Norway, focused on various aspects of sustainable construction. These included discussions on CO₂-neutral binders, methodologies for evaluating the service life of concrete, and initiatives aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions across the concrete value chain.

Dr. Anja Buchwald, ASCEM Director/BTE Group in the Netherlands, presented on the development of CO₂-neutral binding materials. The Italian precast industry‘s progress towards meeting new Green Deal sustainability requirements, along with its strategic implications for manufacturing processes and final product improvements, was discussed by Ing. Marco Pecetti, IPHA Board member/Director Generale Prefabbricati in Italy. José Rodriguez Soalleiro, a Civil Engineer specializing in Roads, Canals, and Ports, from ANDECE (Spanish Precast Industry Association) presented a methodology for evaluating the service life of concrete elements.

Digital – Transformative Technologies in the Precast Sector

Digitalization has emerged as a critical aspect of the construction industry, with technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) driving efficiency and sustainability. In the „Digital“ session, moderated by Magdalena Herbik, Public Affairs & Communications Manager at BIBM, various topics related to digitalising the construction industry were explored. These included precast BIM objects libraries, end-to-end BIM integration, and the engineering perspective on the opportunities and challenges of digitalization.

Rémi Lannoy, Head of Digital Construction & BIM Department at CERIB (Centre d’études et de recherche de l’industrie du béton) in France, discussed the establishment of a database for the French Precast Concrete Industry‘s BIM objects library. Providing an engineering perspective on digitalisation, ir. Joseph Ickmans, Chair of Digitalisation, BIM Committee at EFCA (European Federation of Engineering Consultancy Associations) in Belgium, explored the opportunities and challenges posed by digitalisation. Mark Jäckel, Head of theBIM Department at Goldbeck GmbH in Germany, in turn, delved into the realm of Automated Industrialized Construction.

Resilient – Building for the Future

The EU‘s focus on resilience in the face of natural disasters and extreme weather events underscores the importance of construction practices that ensure longevity and safety. The „Resilient“ section of the Congress, moderated by Taco van den Broek, Chairman of BIBM Technical Commission/Technical Advisor for Dutch Concrete Association, explored precast solutions for flood management, fire protection, and the capacity of precast structures to withstand unexpected loads from seismic instability.

In this session, Ernesto Villalobos from Chile, the CEO of Holcim Modular Solutions in Central America situated in Costa Rica, discussed the subject of precast structures in areas susceptible to intense seismic activity. Oscar Ekefäll, a Development Engineer at S:T Eriks in Sweden, shared insights on concrete solutions tailored for flood management. Dr. Chiara Crosti, a Fire Structural Engineer and Consultant affiliated with Italian Research at Assobeton in Italy, scrutinized the findings of Italian research on the fire performance of masonry and the collaborative initiatives among a group of companies associated with Assobeton.

Greening the Value Chain

The process of decarbonising precast concrete works should involve all stakeholders in the value chain throughout the entire life cycle. On Friday morning, during the „Greening the Value Chain“ session moderated by Magdalena Herbik, speakers had a chance to showcase decarbonisation efforts in the concrete and cement industry, as well as the concrete admixtures market.

Thomas Guilot, Chief Executive of the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), based in the UK, started with an overview of decarbonising the cement & concrete Industry. Nihal Kinnersley, Chairperson of the Environmental Committee at the European Federation of Concrete Admixtures Associations (EFCA) in Belgium, discussed the role of admixtures in decarbonizing the (precast) concrete sector. Rob van der Meer, Industrial Policy Director at Cembureau, the European Cement Association in Belgium, presented advancements in carbon capture in the cement industry. Additionally, Wietse de Jong, Project Manager of Circular Bridges and Overpasses at Rijkswaterstaat, gave an inspiring presentation on the reuse of precast girders in the Netherlands.

Future perspective of precast

The final thematic session, moderated by Kjell-Ole Gjestemoen (Executive Director – IPHA), focused on future innovations and trends in the precast industry. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Johann Kollegger, Professor at TU Wien in Austria, discussed new methods for material and cost-efficient bridge construction using precast elements. Topi Paananen, IPHA Board member and CEO of Peikko Group in Finland, along with Fernando De los Rios, CEO of Hyperion Robotics in Spain, presented on the potential of 3D-printing technology for achieving 75% material savings in foundations, raising the question of whether this could be an additional business line for precasters. Terhi Rauhamaki, Quality and Environmental Manager at Rudus Oy in Finland, presented the Rudus Biodiversity Programme and shared experiences and opportunities for the precast concrete sector.

Following this, the closing session took place, featuring an inspiring address from the newly elected BIBM President, Stefan Van Buggenhout (Managing Director of CRH Structural Concrete Belgium), who spoke about the importance of looking to the future. During his speech, he invited all BIBM members to join him on stage, demonstrating the sense of unity within the association.

Innovation of the Supplier Industry

Advancements in the supplier industry were also highlighted during the Congress. Numerous participants actively engaged in the two „Innovation Workshop” sessions, where selected exhibitors provided concise presentations to demonstrate their technical solutions for daily production challenges. Additionally, representatives of the BIBM Brussels office - Alessio Rimoldi (Secretary General), Magdalena Herbik (Public Affairs & Communications Manager), and a new colleague, Ebru Akgün (Sustainability & Circular Economy Officer) - had the opportunity to present the launch of the BIBM Decarbonisation Pledge, a contribution of the precast industry to the sustainable built environment.

The congress was complemented by an exhibition that featured 74 companies from the global supplier, engineering, and software industries. This exhibition was spearheaded by the primary congress platinum sponsor, Master Builders Solutions, and the silver sponsor, Allplan.

Networking

The supporting programme for accompanying persons provided the opportunity to get to know the Dutch capital a little better, offering a Diamond tour and a city sightseeing tour. Moreover, some participants had the chance to take part in an Origami workshop at Hotel Okura. One of the highlights of the social events was the Gala Dinner held in the Rosarium in the beautiful greenery of Amstelpark, providing guests the opportunity to engage in discussions in a relaxed atmosphere.

The upcoming BIBM Congress is scheduled for 2026, and details about the venue will be disclosed in the following months.

Text: Magdalena Herbik