Give Steel’s representation on the new European AI committee for steel structures

Managing Director for Give Steel BIM & Structural Design, Kasia Niechoj-Zaporowska, has been appointed to the new ECCS TC17 technical committee, which aims to strengthen the application of artificial intelligence in the design of steel structures.

Artificial intelligence is already playing an increasing role in the development of the structural design of the future. Its impact in this regard is expected to only increase. The European Convention for Constructional Steelwork (ECCS) has therefore established the new TC17 industry committee for the purpose of investigating how AI can be applied to steel structure design.

Give Steel will be represented in this European partnership by Kasia Niechoj-Zaporowska, Managing Director for Give Steel BIM & Structural Design, who is now a TC17 committee member.

The committee brings together experts from all over Europe for the common purpose of transforming new technological potentials into practical solutions that can support the everyday work of engineers and contribute to continued development in the steel industry.

Kasia believes that her participation is a natural extension of many years of focus on the digitalisation and optimisation of structural design processes, saying that

“Our industry has only just embarked on its AI journey. I hope to be able to help bridge the gaps between new technology and everyday engineering practice, ensuring that innovation is translated into actual value for engineers.”

AI should support engineers, not replace them

Kasia has worked for more than 10 years with Building Information Modelling (BIM) and steel structure digital workflows. Experience has shown her that the biggest gains from new technology are not just a matter of saving time.

It is very much a matter of freeing up time that can instead be spent on the tasks where engineers’ expertise creates the greatest value.

According to Kasia, “I see artificial intelligence as the next natural step in digital development. AI can support engineers through many parts of the design process and has the potential for both higher quality, greater uniformity and more efficient workflows.”

She also emphasises that the implementation of AI is a matter that requires careful consideration.

“This isn’t about replacing engineers or compromising quality. On the contrary, AI should be a tool that supports professionalism and gives engineers better opportunities to focus on the complex tasks where their expertise makes the biggest difference.”

A joint European development task

The new ECCS committee will facilitate knowledge sharing between engineers, researchers and technology experts across Europe. Its goal is to develop shared knowledge about the potential to translate AI into responsible, value-creating solutions in the design of future steel structures.

For Give Steel, this participation is an opportunity to both contribute practical experience and gain new knowledge from this international collaboration.

“I believe that collaboration between engineers, researchers and technology experts is a crucial component when translating ideas into solutions that will create value when put into practice. I look forward to contributing both my technical experience and my perspectives on digital development and management,” Kasia concludes.

Denmark has a total of four representatives on the new committee, which involves manufacturers and consulting environments alike in its work towards the use of AI in structural design. This is evidence of strong Danish participation in the field of digitalisation in construction and of the close European cooperation on the development of future solutions.

About ECCS

European Convention for Constructional Steelwork (ECCS) was founded in 1955 and has played a central role in the development of European standards and technical guidelines for steel structures. Experts from throughout Europe work via technical committees to develop solutions and come up with recommendations in a number of subject areas. One of these is the TC17 committee, which focuses on the application of artificial intelligence in structural design.