ZIGURAT sponsors the East Coast Industry Summit 2026 in Canada

ZIGURAT Institute of Technology has participated as an official sponsor of the East Coast Industry Summit 2026, held in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The event has brought together professionals and organisations from architecture, engineering, construction and operations to address some of the main challenges surrounding the digital transformation of Canada’s AECO sector.

Organised by Building Transformations in collaboration with buildingSMART Canada and the Construction Association of Nova Scotia (CANS), the Summit has been held under the theme “Rising Tides of Innovation: Embracing Digital Change in Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations”. ZIGURAT has joined a group of sponsoring organisations and companies from the technology, engineering, construction and research sectors.

The participation forms part of ZIGURAT’s commitment to strengthening its presence in North America and maintaining a direct connection with the discussions shaping the technological evolution of the construction sector.

BIM, industrialised construction and data management

The programme has combined technical site visits, workshops, presentations, executive panels, a technology exhibition and sessions showcasing innovation case studies, alongside networking opportunities. Key areas of discussion have included digital transformation and BIM, open standards and data management, Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), prefabrication, structural timber, productivity and the digitalisation of asset management.

A significant part of the programme has also focused on the practical application of these technologies. The technical visits have provided insights into projects where BIM and VDC have been used for 3D coordination, clash detection and prefabrication, alongside examples of mass timber construction and building-integrated solar energy solutions.

The Summit has also featured dedicated sessions on the integration of BIM, openBIM and GIS, reality capture, Common Data Environments and the implementation of digital workflows aligned with ISO 19650. Other discussions have explored how industrialised construction methods can help shorten project timelines, improve productivity and respond to Canada’s housing and infrastructure needs.

Digital transformation: from technology to people

Beyond the tools themselves, one of the central themes of the event has been the sector’s ability to translate innovation into real-world design, construction and operations processes. The programme has addressed issues such as interoperability, interdisciplinary collaboration, professional upskilling and the need for teams capable of integrating new methodologies throughout every stage of the project lifecycle.

“Being part of the East Coast Industry Summit has been an opportunity to strengthen our connection with Canada’s AECO sector and gain first-hand insight into the challenges driving its transformation. For ZIGURAT, taking part in these industry forums is particularly valuable because it allows us to keep our programmes aligned with the real needs of companies and professionals in the sector,” says Taisa Figueirôa, a member of the Institutional Relations team at ZIGURAT Institute of Technology.

This professional dimension is closely connected to ZIGURAT’s activity in areas including BIM, engineering, project management, artificial intelligence, sustainability and digital transformation, as well as its educational model aimed at professionals working on international projects.

Participation in the East Coast Industry Summit has therefore strengthened ZIGURAT’s ties with the Canadian AECO ecosystem and with a professional community advancing the adoption of new models for collaboration, information management and digital transformation in construction.