Welcome to the second in a series of interviews counting down to International Women’s Day on 8 March. A new interview with a member of Women in BIM will appear every Friday until 8 March.
Today, Lindsay Prichard-Fox shares her insights. She’s the founder and chief executive of BuildHappy, based in Rochester, New York, and is a Women in BIM regional lead.
BIMplus: How did you get into the world of digital construction and BIM?
Lindsay Prichard-Fox: I’ve always loved construction and dreamed of building my own home. In 2016, after years of planning, we started building. The experience taught me a lot. I learned that the tools used to design and manage residential construction have not evolved in the last 40 years. My journey to identify new tools and solutions to improve the home-building experience led me to discover digital construction and BIM.
“There is no career path for BIM adoption or use in the custom residential building sector. When I was new to the industry, I worked to build connections with people.”
When selecting your career path what was the biggest influence in the decision you made?
People! Looking back, as a homeowner taking on all of the risks and responsibilities for the outcome of building our family home, I know BIM tools and processes would have provided me with the solutions to problems I encountered in our building experience.
However, there is no career path for BIM adoption or use in the custom residential building sector. When I was new to the industry, I worked to build connections with people. These passionate BIM professionals provided me with validation, direction and resources to implement the career path I was building for myself.
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is #inspireInclusion. What does inclusion mean to you?
Inclusion means being open-minded and innovative. The power of inclusion comes from people within an existing system being open to new ideas and abilities. I feel that digital construction/BIM equals innovation: by its nature, it is inclusive and open-minded. I would not be where I am today were it not for the inclusive professionals who encouraged me every step of the way.
What do you think the future of construction looks like in terms of inclusion and diversity?
Construction is no easy task. As a result, the construction process can feel locked, closed, and unsustainable. The platforms and resources provided by the BIM process generate safe opportunities to unlock new ideas and for us to collaborate, communicate, and find unified paths forward in creating the built world. Digital construction and BIM are tools for innovation and inclusivity. They will allow us to push ourselves and our ideas to new levels and fuel a more sustainable future for the construction industry.
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