Social media mining for BIM skills and roles for energy efficiency

Information modelling for the construction industry can address the fragmentation, multitude of professions and companies that often require collaboration and data exchange. Construction projects involve various professions, including design teams, contractors, facility managers, product manufacturers and suppliers, user associations, clients and investors, and local/regional/national/international authorities. The increasing complexity of buildings is reflected in the continuous introduction of new procurement paths and methods, construction technologies, materials and construction methods to meet various economic, environmental and societal challenges. To address this level of complexity Building Information Modelling (BIM) can create synergies and support collaboration not only between traditional disciplines and roles (architecture, structure, mechanical and electrical), but also support many new professions and skills in areas such as energy, environment, waste and connected objects / Internet of Things.In this paper, we explore the dynamic nature of BIM with associated skills and roles and demonstrate how engagement and training can be informed by social media analysis to identify roles, skills and training needs. We conduct a data mining process by analysing the Twitter data of various companies and institutions involved in the BIM construction sector to discover new skills and roles for energy efficiency.