During the last months, ESSENSE has developed its Educational Philosophy and Joint Curriculum. You can find the full summary in here. 

The Joint Curriculum defines the necessary knowledge and skills components regarding key principles of BIM; Smart Housing and Ambient Assisted Living (AAL). It covers different aspects related to CAD Design, sensors architecture and BIM management with training tools, didactic materials and eLearning environment to address the different profiles of learners in a target-oriented way.

The Joint Curriculum is divided into 5 modules:

• Basic concepts on Building Information Modelling

The objective of the unit „Basic Concepts on BIM“ is to obtain an overview of the definition of BIM and the possible uses. What are the advantages of BIM or computer-aided design concerning the data associated with the 3D objects.

• The needs of the senior citizens and their caretakers

The unit “The needs of the senior citizens and their caretakers” aims to prepare building designers, construction workers, and related professionals to make design decisions that support healthy active ageing, and to implement those solutions in new buildings and refurbishments by focusing on user-centred design approaches.

• Smart Housing and AAL

This unit’s purpose is to introduce the concept of AAL and Smart Housing to the students. Furthermore, this unit will allow students to get insights into the basic principles of sensing, sensor data acquisition, signal processing and modelling based on data, to design and implement applications for assisting older adults.

• Interactions between BIM, Smart Housing and AAL

As a goal, this unit “Interactions between BIM, Smart Housing and AAL” aims to introduce the student to using AAL principles and Smart Housing technologies within the BIM method. How to combine the principles of Ambient Assisting Living with the concept of Building Information Modelling.

• Project Management, Innovation Management and collective competencies for optimum implementation of BIM principles and AAL concepts.

Module 5 comprises all the necessary knowledge for the implementation of BIM methodology from an Innovation Management approach. This module will provide learners with different concepts and methodologies to make the most of the implementation of BIM.

These modules will be freely available at the end of the project in 2021 on the ESSENSE Collaborative Platform with innovative quizzes, exercises and some extra lectures.

The building and construction industry are an important part of the EU economy and society. It contributes to about 9% of the EU´s GDP and provides around 18 million direct jobs. It also creates high-skill jobs and investment in other industries that leads to further social and economic benefits. 

There are two important challenges to address in the sector. One is related to the increasing implementation of ICT tools, while the other is associated with a greater requirement of managerial and collective skills brought by the changing profile of the sector. 

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is disrupting the sector. This tool provides all stakeholders with a digital representation of a building’s characteristics throughout its entire life-cycle and thereby holds out the promise of large efficiency gains. BIM is being rapidly adopted, so it is critical for public bodies and industries that the sector maximises its value to deliver improved efficiencies and increased innovation in the management, design, construct and operation phases of a built asset. Training the current and incoming workforce is necessary to ensure effective adoption of BIM. 

The demand of public and private environments adapted to the needs of older adults is expected to grow in the coming years. By 2050, the number of people in the EU aged 65 and above is expected to grow by 70% and the number of people over 80 by 170%. Despite living longer, EU citizens will spend too many years in old age in environments conceived for younger and healthier people, creating dependency, isolation and mental health problems. Being physical and social environments key determinants for people to remain healthy and autonomous into their old age. Ambient and assisted living (AAL), is a framework that aims to improve quality of life for older adults and to strengthen industry opportunities in the field of healthy ageing technology and innovation: “Ageing well in a digital world”. 

The Output 1 results are set out into two phases: 

The first section of this Output aims to analyse the current use of BIM in the design and construction of buildings for older adults and an overview on how Smart Housing and AAL technologies are being implemented in such environments. 

 The second section aims to identify the current practices in the field and what new knowledge, skills, and competences are needed to improve them.  

Both sections attempt to promote a training curriculum to future students paying special attention to the feedback that is provided by different stakeholders: enterprises and workers, students, public bodies, caretakers, relatives, etc. It provides the information needed to prepare more attractive learning content by identifying the challenges that current initiatives in the field have faced in terms of knowledge, skills, and competences at different levels: industry, pedagogy, legislation, etc. 

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