Lindsay Prichard-Fox becomes US Regional Lead Coordinator
Lindsay Prichard-Fox moves from her role as a Women in BIM Regional Lead to a new position in our Core Team as US and Canada Regional Lead Coordinator.
Lindsay has been an amazing Regional Lead for WIB in New York, and has now taken the elevated position of coordinating all of our USA and Canada Regional Leads.
Lindsay is the Founder and CEO of BuildHappy, a digital design and construction company based in Rochester, NY that provides single-source BIM and LiDAR Scan-to-BIM technology to the residential and small-scale commercial markets.
So that our WIB Members can get to know Lindsay a little better, like our other new Core Team Members, we asked her a few questions to tell us more about herself, what made her become interested in BIM and digital construction and why joining WIB was important to her…
What made you interested in joining Women in BIM?
My entry into the industry is unconventional. I grew up around construction and worked on small projects, eventually managing a large-scale renovation/addition project on my home. I enrolled in a design and construction program following the completion of my project. I had experienced all the pain points of the design and construction process keenly and needed to find solutions to the problems I faced. It soon became clear that BIM provides those solutions, and I’ve been committed to seeing broad and lasting adoption of the BIM processes ever since.
I see Women in BIM as an incredible resource for myself and to the industry. WIB is a group of like-minded professionals driving a shared passion and purpose for meaningful and impactful change in the AEC. The people involved are committed to the life-saving and environmental benefits connected to the BIM process. Being involved with the organization provides access to a group of professionals supporting BIM implementation and driving the methods and capabilities of BIM into the market and sharing these benefits with a new audience.
Why is Women in BIM an important initiative to you?
WIB encompasses professionals from architecture, engineering and construction and within the group, collectively we share many years of significant industry experience. WIB is a group that has seen the good, bad and ugly associated with the AEC industry, and, more importantly, has chosen to stay committed to the industry despite all they have seen.
Many of us who use BIM often run into resistance and hear phrases like, “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” What I’ve witnessed is that unless a solution is available, no-one wants to say something is “broken.” BIM is a solution to much that is broken. WIB provides a platform to strategize and inform successful BIM implementation.
BIM has been out there for years. However, outside the AEC industry, there is a lack of knowledge about the importance and impact BIM has on waste reduction and furthering sustainability goals for example. WIB represents a group of thought-leaders with the credibility and longevity within the industry to inspire and fast-track broad adaptation of BIM on issues such as this.
At BuildHappy, we currently work with local non-profits, building cost-effective housing for families. We provide BIM services to this organization to help create greater efficiency with the design and construction process. We are just beginning, but with the WIB network behind us, I am optimistic that we will reach our goals. We will reduce construction waste, and our homes and buildings will be safer and more sustainable.
In what direction do you see the future of BIM heading in the coming years?
What needs to happen next is for the industry to broadcast how incredible BIM capabilities are and help owners understand BIM and how to specify BIM requirements. With more owners understanding that BIM is not just a tool in the toolbox, but rather a superior method for designing and the construction process, owners will connect the use of BIM with the benefits of BIM.
For innovation with the BIM environment to continue expanding, we will need to attract a new and diverse group of professionals to the AEC. WIB is leading the charge on this front.
It is exciting to be a part of an organization focused on attracting new talent and perspectives to our industry.