Case study: Teaching and theorising with BCIS

Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University (RGU) is among Scotland’s top-ranking educational institutions with an 18,000-strong student population and a history dating back more than 300 years.  

Recognised for its sustainability commitments, RGU has been involved with several major research programmes including the development of sustainable aviation fuel and exploring the best ways to integrate solar panels into historic buildings. 

Sustainable transport and built environment visualisation are also key investment areas for the university.  

But where does BCIS fit in?  

As an educational institution offering courses in surveying, architecture and construction, RGU employs BCIS to support and enhance teaching, learning and academic research.  

As RGU lecturer Dr Michele Victoria PhD outlines, the service provides the bridge between theoretical learning and practical application.

‘BCIS ensures our students are well-equipped with the data analytics skills crucial for good practice.’

~ Dr Michele Victoria PhD, lecturer in quantity surveying and commercial management, Robert Gordon University 

Uniting industry and academia

According to Dr Victoria, access to historical data is integral for training students in quantity surveying and similar disciplines.

The level of detail and wide array of datasets in BCIS gives students the opportunity to work with real-world construction data, before they step foot into their first profession.

Such access reinforces their understanding of cost planning and project evaluation, offering valuable hands-on experience.

‘The platform’s alignment with industry standards, particularly those set by RICS, makes it highly suitable for pedagogical use and academic research. It’s an invaluable resource for integrating real-world data into teaching and scholarly inquiry.’

The introduction of BCIS Life Cycle Evaluator, and ability to measure cost and carbon data in one place, has been beneficial for RGU students too.

Academics can incorporate dual-currency considerations (cost and carbon) into project briefs undertaken by students, such as getting students to produce cost and embodied carbon estimates for different RIBA Plan of Work stages to appraise alternative design choices.

This helps to foster carbon literacy among future construction professionals and align educational outcomes with sustainability goals, preparing students to contribute to global efforts of achieving a low-carbon economy.

An academic’s toolkit

For Dr Victoria, whose research interests include the cost and carbon management of built assets, BCIS has empowered RGU researchers’ work by improving the accuracy and validity of cost estimations and project evaluations.  

Holding a PhD in carbon management in the built environment, Dr Victoria has also co-authored numerous papers, covering everything from the development of a parametric embodied carbon prediction model to a comparison of milled and whole timber truss systems and insulation options for affordable housing.  

In Dr Victoria’s research, BCIS data was used to estimate the costs of different designs and building elements and the BCIS All-in Tender Price Index was used to update the costs for time and location. 

‘The platform’s ease of use, and the ability to filter data by building type, location, and specification are particularly beneficial for academic applications.’

 The introduction of individual BCIS logins has also supported flexible working.  

RGU offers extensive online learning opportunities and the ability to use BCIS on a singular level ensures all staff and students can benefit from remote access.  

Whether it’s life cycle costing or exploring cost analyses of completed projects, the service has and continues to be an essential part of the academic fabric at RGU.  

 ‘BCIS serves as a comprehensive database for academics and students. Its breadth and reliability make learning more applied, and research more robust.’