Karen Blay

Blockchain & Distributed Ledger Technology for the Built Environment         

Presenter

Dr Karen Blay

 

Your Current Institutional Affiliation

Loughborough University

 

Biography of Presenter

Karen Blay is currently a member of the NHS Digital Estate Group and Association for Computing Machinery. As a Lecturer at Loughborough University, her expertise includes digital information resilience and optimisation, 5D-BIM, blockchain, sustainable digitalised infrastructure, the adaptation of digital tools and Common Data Environments. She has closely collaborated with government departments, industry partners and academia as a PI/Co-I/ named researcher in developing digital solutions and strategies across projects such as Information Resilience (quality and security) for the Digital Built Britain Environments, socio-technical development of digital tools and space optimisation for vulnerable groups, BIM Dictionary for West Africa and BIM Africa report. She recently led a project on Information Resilience- IRDBB, funded by the Centre for Digital Built Britain (CDBB), which identified and modelled the socio-technical requirements and capabilities for optimising data and information in a digital environment.

 

Dr Blay graduated from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology with a First-Class Bachelor of Science degree in Building Technology. Before her degree, she completed a Hardware and Networking Professional (HNQP) and a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) certification program and studied various programming languages. She has a Master of Science degree (with Distinction) and a PhD in Construction Project Management from Loughborough University and is a Fellow of The Higher Education Academy.

 

Description of Recorded Lecture Presentation

Blockchain technology has evolved following the introduction of Nakamoto’s cryptocurrency and is being adopted within the Digital Built Environment to ensure immutability, privacy, security, auditability, transparency and facilitate trust during transactions. This presentation would provide an overview of the current state and future of Blockchain for the built environment.

 

Description of Workshop/Tutorial Presentation

This hands-on workshop will comprise:

  • A demonstration of Blockchain capabilities
  • Case study review

 

Learning Objectives

At the end of the session participants would:

  • Have knowledge and understanding of Blockchain for the Built Environment.
  • Understand the role and potential of Blockchain during asset delivery.
  • Be introduced to Blockchain platforms and their limitations.