Digitalisation within the architectural profession in Europe

Digitalisation within the architectural profession in Europe

Digitalisation

within the architectural profession in Europe

a

Extract from the ACE Sector Studies 2018-2022

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Digitalisation within the architectural profession in Europe

Contents 1. Foreword 2. Trends in the use of digital tools 3. The use of digital tools 4. The key drivers of digitalisation 5. Learning to use digital tools

3 4 5 7 8

Statistical tables

9

About this survey Data sourced from the ACE Sector Study. This is a survey of architects throughout Europe. The questions relating to digitalisation have developed since the survey started. Data for the years 2020 and 2022 are directly compatible with each other for all topics. Data for 2018 is based on different question wording. No data on this topic was collected before 2018.

Please note, not all countries participated every year. Therefore there may be gaps within a country’s historic data and the composition of the total (‘EUROPE’) will vary from year to year.

23/09/2023

Cover photograph: Visualisation by UNStudio, The Netherlands

SEPTEMBER 2023 © Mirza & Nacey Research Ltd

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors and the Commission cannot be held responsi­ble for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Research undertaken by:

Research commissioned by:

Mirza & Nacey Research Ltd Southdown House Ford Arundel West Sussex BN18 0DE United Kingdom

The Architects’ Council of Europe 29 Rue Paul Emile Janson B-1050 Brussels Belgium

www.mirza-nacey.com

MIRZA & NACEY RESEARCH

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Digitalisation within the architectural profession in Europe

1. Foreword Digitalisation of the various economic sectors (including the professional services sector and, therefore, also that of architects) is now seen as one of the main tools to ensure a rapid implementation of the EU Green Deal. This study is strategic as it is important to have knowledge of the level of digitalisation of European architects in order to make the political actions necessary for increasing the use of digital tools and for actively managing the transformations of the profession connected to these tools.

“Architects show that they are curious and open to innovation”

Significant data emerging from the research: • the use of digital tools had been growing but from 2020 to today there has been a decline (COVID effect?, economic uncertainty?)

• no more than 50 per cent of European architects use 3D modelling. Of these, only 33 per cent use rendering tools, 22 per cent use BIM, only 10 per cent use more innovative tools such as parametric design or environmental data • however, architects show that they are curious and open to innovation; in fact most digital users do so without specific client requests or obligations introduced by regulations • learning to use digital tools takes place through formal training (one third), informal training (one third) and self-learning (one third) • the use of digital tools is diversified in the various EU Countries and directly linked to the size of the professional structures. However the highest level of use is not found in the larger structures (>50 employees) but in the intermediate range.

This brief summary of the research suggests to ACE – and other Institutions responsible for the qualitative growth of the architectural profession – that efforts should be made to:

“Digitalisation is one of the main tools to ensure a rapid implementation of the EU Green Deal”

• •

• •

• •

increase and spread the use of digital tools more widely use current and future digital tools for a better integration of the different stages that make up the process of city transformation increase the focus of University and CPD programmes on Digital training achieve greater diffusion of big and small companies producing software to facilitate their use by young architects, SME practices and Public Administrations develop a policy of bringing together architects in different practice sizes for mutual support encourage architects in different practice sizes to come together for mutual support

Diego Zoppi ACE Executive Board Member Practice of the Profession Area Coordinator

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Digitalisation within the architectural profession in Europe

2. Trends in the use of digital tools Use of digitalisation in the profession has been monitored as part of the ACE Sector Study since 2020, although a question regarding the use of BIM was introduced in the 2018 Study questionnaire. This gives us a four year data series for this one indicator, which we could view as a proxy for architects’ use of digitalisation techniques in general.

The trend line shows growth in architects’ use of BIM since 2018, although use increased markedly between 2018 and 2020 but appears to have fallen since. Delving into the statistics reveals the fall is accounted entirely by less use of BIM by freelancers, other private and public sector architects. BIM use has been stable amongst architects in private practice over the two years.

The latest 2022 survey figures show that the highest use of BIM tends to be found among architects in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.

CHART 2 ARCHITECTS’ USE OF BIM BY COUNTRY, 2022

15 25 35 per cent of architects “frequently” using BIM

4

n/a

CHART 1 ARCHITECTS’ USE OF BIM, TRENDS 2018-22

50

per cent success rate

Architects’ use of digital tools has increased since 2018. Use remains geographically uneven.

40

30

20

10

0

2018

2020

2022

Digitalisation within the architectural profession in Europe

3. The Use of Digital Tools None of the listed digital tools is used by more than half of architects.

Almost half of architects use 3D modelling tools. This is the most commonly used digital tool. About one third of architects use rendering tools. BIM is used by 22 per cent of architects. These three are the most commonly used digital tools by architects.

Compared with the 2020 survey, the use of several digital tools appears to have declined, including 3D modelling, rendering tools and BIM. Closer analysis shows the decline has been amongst freelance, other private and public sector architects. Use of all tools has increased within private practice.

Around ten per cent of architects use digital tools to help with the common data environment, parametric design or last scanning or building performance.

CHART 3 ARCHITECTS’ USE OF DIGITAL TOOLS, 2020 AND 2022

2022

3D modelling tool

2020

CHART 4 PROPORTION OF ARCHITECTS USING DIGITAL TOOLS DUE TO A CLIENT OR REGULATORY REQUIREMENT, 2020 AND 2022

rendering tool

rendering tool

BIM

BIM

common data environment

common data environment

parametric design tool

parametric design tool

laser scanning survey tool

laser scanning survey tool

design coordination tool

design coordination tool

building performance tool

building performance tool

augmented/ virtual reality tool

augmented/ virtual reality tool

3D printing tool

3D printing tool 0

20 40 60 80 100 proportion of architects “frequently”using digital tools

2022

3D modelling tool

2020

0

20 40 60 80 proportion of architects using digital tools for client or regulatory reasons

100

In the charts and tables in this report, the names of some digital tools have been abbreviated from the full description in the survey questionnaire: BIM = BIM 3D modelling + information inside the model Design co-ordination = Design coordination tool (eg clash detection) Building performance = Building performance simulation and analysis tool

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Digitalisation within the architectural profession in Europe

CHART 5 USE OF DIGITAL TOOLS BY EMPLOYMENT FIELD, 2022

Architects’ employment field abbreviations: SP = Sole Principal D = Partner & Director S = Private Practice Salaried F = Freelance O = Other Private Sector P = Public Sector including local/regional/central government

rendering tool

3D modelling tool

common data environment

BIM

% 100

parametric design tool

80 60 40 20 0

SP D S

F

O

P

laser scanning survey tool

% 100

SP D S

F

O

P

SP D S

F

O

P

design coordination tool

building performance simulation & analysis

SP D S

SP D S

SP D S

F

O

P

SP D S

F

O

P

3D printing tool

augmented/ virtual reality tool

80 60 40 20 0

SP D S

F

O

P

F

O

P

CHART 6 USE OF TOOLS BY PRACTICE SIZE, 2022

O

P

SP D S

F

O

P

SP D S

F

O

P

Practice size abbreviations (number of architectural staff): 1 = 1 2=2 3 = 3 to 5 4 = 6 to 10 5 = 11 to 30 6 = 31 to 50 7 = over 50

rendering tool

3D modelling tool

F

parametric design tool

common data environment

BIM

% 100 80 60 40 20 0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

laser scanning survey tool

% 100

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

design coordination tool

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

building performance simulation & analysis

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

3D printing tool

augmented/ virtual reality tool

80 60 40 20 0

6

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1

2

3

4

5

6

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Digitalisation within the architectural profession in Europe

4. The key drivers of digitalisation Digital tools are mainly used because architects choose to use them, rather than being required to use them by clients or because of regulatory reasons.

More than 40 per cent of architects who use two digital tools - 3D modelling and rendering - say they use them because they are required to by their clients or by regulation. No other tools have this high level of external drivers. Among users of BIM, 26 per cent say they are required by their client or by regulations to use BIM. There is no significant difference in the reason why architects use these digital tools when the figures are examined by employment fields or between practice sizes.

CHART 7 PROPORTION OF ARCHITECTS USING DIGITAL TOOLS DUE TO A CLIENT OR REGULATORY REQUIREMENT, 2022 why architects use digital tools: client or regulatory reasons

other reasons

3D modelling tool

rendering tool

BIM

common data environment parametric design tool laser scanning survey tool design coordination tool building performance tool augmented/ virtual reality tool 3D printing tool 0

20

40 60 per cent architects

80

100

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Digitalisation within the architectural profession in Europe

5. Learning to Use Digital Tools Many more architects taught themselves to use the tool than received training.

Where training was given, more architects received informal training than formal training. The Sankey diagram below combines two sets of information - how many architects use a digital tool and how architects learned to use the tool. The full break-down is provided in statistical tables at the end of this document. The situation in the 2022 survey is broadly unchanged from the 2020 survey.

CHART 8 HOW ARCHITECTS LEARNED TO USE EACH DIGITAL TOOL, 2022

3D modelling tool

self learning rendering tool augmented/virtual reality tool common data environment laser scanning survey tool 3D printing tool

informal training

BIM

design coordination tool building performance tool parametric design tool

8

formal training

Digitalisation within the architectural profession in Europe

Statistical Tables TABLE 1 PROPORTION OF ARCHITECTS WHO “FREQUENTLY” USE DIGITAL TOOLS, ANALYSED BY COUNTRY - 2020

Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom EUROPE

3D modelling tool

Rendering tool

76 85 n/a 50 n/a 64 59 100 64 81 39 58 62 74 62 n/a 75 89 n/a 84 76 75 69 80 53 80 77 72 80 n/a n/a 74 62

65 50 n/a 87 n/a 60 31 70 40 63 23 23 46 45 50 n/a 25 71 n/a 52 49 56 50 58 80 57 56 53 38 n/a n/a 43 44

Design Common Laser Building Augmented/ Parametric co3D printing data scanning performance virtual design tool ordination tool environment survey tool tool reality tool tool

BIM

35 38 n/a 30 n/a 27 41 60 48 26 19 25 29 46 25 n/a 25 45 n/a 53 66 49 36 48 7 27 42 41 64 n/a n/a 50 31

32 17 n/a 18 n/a 61 34 40 46 7 21 26 21 27 9 n/a 11 14 n/a 35 23 13 8 16 29 17 6 11 2 n/a n/a 18 16

8 8 n/a 8 n/a 5 13 40 16 7 2 19 9 9 19 n/a 8 3 n/a 12 9 11 19 11 29 13 11 15 11 n/a n/a 9 12

3 4 n/a 6 n/a 2 7 10 10 2 2 33 11 9 15 n/a 17 3 n/a 14 6 5 16 8 0 6 2 3 5 n/a n/a 11 9

9 10 n/a 4 n/a 6 15 60 26 7 4 22 8 19 7 n/a 8 4 n/a 19 30 11 15 16 7 6 15 8 34 n/a n/a 18 10

6 12 n/a 5 n/a 2 8 0 4 10 3 7 3 13 19 n/a 25 21 n/a 10 13 4 7 14 0 3 2 27 9 n/a n/a 11 12

11 3 n/a 7 n/a 6 6 10 5 7 4 11 0 9 7 n/a 17 10 n/a 12 14 11 8 12 7 4 9 8 8 n/a n/a 12 7

18 3 n/a 4 n/a 11 8 0 5 7 3 11 6 6 6 n/a 8 9 n/a 14 11 5 8 8 0 5 6 5 10 n/a n/a 5 6

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Digitalisation within the architectural profession in Europe

TABLE 2 PROPORTION OF ARCHITECTS WHO “FREQUENTLY” USE DIGITAL TOOLS, ANALYSED BY COUNTRY - 2022

Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom EUROPE

10

3D modelling tool

Rendering tool

55 59 n/a 49 36 49 54 50 48 67 41 53 54 63 50 40 80 43 n/a n/a 66 55 49 69 n/a 56 58 49 55 n/a n/a 37 49

41 31 n/a 52 25 22 57 13 33 51 24 25 46 45 33 20 60 30 n/a n/a 63 38 35 50 n/a 37 30 36 33 n/a n/a 28 33

Design Common Laser Building Augmented/ Parametric co3D printing data scanning performance virtual design tool ordination tool environment survey tool tool reality tool tool

BIM

24 20 n/a 30 14 27 28 25 28 23 21 30 29 30 25 10 40 27 n/a n/a 28 28 23 36 n/a 27 25 23 42 n/a n/a 23 24

13 6 n/a 15 14 4 23 25 18 9 24 13 11 10 9 10 60 5 n/a n/a 22 13 6 11 n/a 19 16 9 5 n/a n/a 13 14

10 13 n/a 7 7 18 8 13 11 6 3 6 7 8 16 20 20 22 n/a n/a 6 8 26 9 n/a 7 7 14 11 n/a n/a 19 11

8 6 n/a 5 7 13 7 25 8 4 3 12 7 11 12 20 40 12 n/a n/a 13 6 14 5 n/a 3 9 8 8 n/a n/a 12 9

11 11 n/a 6 18 11 13 50 9 7 5 14 14 13 8 0 20 15 n/a n/a 16 7 13 11 n/a 9 10 10 22 n/a n/a 16 10

9 5 n/a 7 7 4 5 0 3 7 3 6 4 6 7 0 0 7 n/a n/a 3 5 8 8 n/a 5 7 7 7 n/a n/a 8 6

6 3 n/a 5 0 7 7 0 4 6 4 6 4 4 4 5 0 8 n/a n/a 6 4 5 6 n/a 5 6 3 5 n/a n/a 8 5

10 5 n/a 4 0 9 5 13 3 5 4 9 4 3 5 0 0 8 n/a n/a 3 3 6 8 n/a 3 7 4 5 n/a n/a 5 5

Digitalisation within the architectural profession in Europe

TABLE 3 PROPORTION OF ARCHITECTS WHO “FREQUENTLY” USE DIGITAL TOOLS, ANALYSED BY PRACTICE SIZE AND BY EMPLOYMENT FIELD - 2022

3D Rendering modelling tool tool 1 2 3 to 5 6 to 10 11 to 30 31 to 50 51+ EUROPE

50 55 58 63 61 58 54 49

Sole Principal Partner & Director Private Practice Salaried Freelance Other Private Sector Public Sector EUROPE

54 64 50 26 30 21 49

BIM

30 32 42 51 48 45 38 33

3D Rendering modelling tool tool 37 51 26 17 19 14 33

Design Common Laser Building Augmented/ Parametric co3D printing data scanning performance virtual design tool ordination tool environment survey tool tool reality tool tool 19 20 22 27 30 37 30 24

9 10 14 19 23 19 12 14

8 9 9 11 11 12 21 11

6 6 8 9 9 9 11 9

7 7 7 9 13 15 14 9

6 6 5 6 6 5 7 6

4 5 6 6 8 5 6 5

4 5 6 7 8 6 8 5

Design Common Laser Building Augmented/ Parametric co3D printing data scanning performance virtual design tool ordination tool environment survey tool tool reality tool tool

BIM

20 27 31 10 16 11 24

12 20 21 14 23 24 14

11 13 9 9 6 7 11

6 8 4 4 4 4 8

8 10 10 5 6 6 10

6 5 6 5 4 5 6

5 6 4 3 4 2 5

5 8 4 3 3 3 5

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Digitalisation within the architectural profession in Europe

TABLE 4 PROPORTION OF ARCHITECTS WHO LEARNED USING “FORMAL” METHODS, ANALYSED BY PRACTICE SIZE AND BY EMPLOYMENT FIELD - 2022

1 2 3 to 5 6 to 10 11 to 30 31 to 50 51+ EUROPE

3D modelling tool

Rendering tool

28 33 31 27 30 26 29 29

18 21 22 19 25 14 23 20

3D Rendering modelling tool tool Sole Principal Partner & Director Private Practice Salaried Freelance Other Private Sector Public Sector EUROPE

12

28 30 31 25 29 33 29

18 22 21 26 22 24 20

Design Common Laser Building Augmented/ Parametric co3D printing data scanning performance virtual design tool ordination tool environment survey tool tool reality tool tool

BIM

32 34 35 32 39 30 34 34

14 15 14 11 24 5 23 15

39 48 43 41 49 41 44 43

15 19 19 20 13 4 15 16

20 30 27 25 25 20 16 31

28 30 33 31 31 36 32 23

15 13 15 14 16 19 16 15

16 16 22 19 19 6 18 18

Design Common Laser Building Augmented/ Parametric co3D printing data scanning performance virtual design tool ordination tool environment survey tool tool reality tool tool

BIM

32 33 37 19 35 36 34

16 12 15 14 14 22 15

40 43 45 33 42 52 43

15 19 17 17 14 13 16

23 25 26 29 19 18 31

29 28 34 20 30 32 23

11 22 17 20 19 6 15

15 22 19 0 21 16 18

ACE Resources Architects for Innovation

https://www.ace-cae.eu/activities/events/2022/conference-on-ai-architects-for-innovation-24112022/ Artificial Intelligence Challenges & Opportunities in Architecture A one day conference held 24 November 2022

ACE Observatory https://aceobservatory.com/

All the data from the ACE Sector Studies presented as a Dashboard, ready to interrogate.

The Architectural Profession in Europe https://www.ace-cae.eu/activities/publications/ace-2022-sector-study/

Architects’ Council of Europe Conseil des Architectes d’Europe Digitalisation within the architectural profession in Europe

a c .eu MIRZA & NACEY RESEARCH