Meet today... Sebastian Ivan

As a passionate BIM manager, Sebastian Ivan believes in the digital future of Romania - and together with his colleagues, he has been successfully driving it forward for twelve years. Before joining Xella and moving to his favorite Romanian city, Cluj-Napoca, he learned about the construction industry in Qatar.

05 October, 2023

“Sometimes I see their eyes light up”

Sebastian, digital building design is not yet well known in Romania. How do you manage to convince business partners more than BIM-colleagues in other countries?

It's all about the willingness to work efficiently and quickly on ongoing projects. Of course, Romanians are attentive to these aspects. Now more than ever, developers want to keep a tight control on their investments - and BIM will give them this advantage. This, combined with our general desire to be good at what we do, I think will help us quickly learn from the countries that have already implemented this system and adopt their best practices. BIM is a process that is not specific to any country or region. The future is digital, and this concept must be accepted, understood, and implemented at an organizational level. This is how I see Xella’s future: transforming into a digital solutions provider.

What do you like about working at Xella?

When you’ve been working somewhere for 12 years, it says a lot about the company and your colleagues - and that's the case for me and many people in my team. We have known each other for a long time. And we are happy to have built up a large community of about 300 BIM-ready partners with whom we are constantly doing all kinds of projects. Having the opportunity to show them all the tools, all the details, all the materials, and how easy it is to modify – it all gives me great satisfaction. Sometimes I see their eyes light up just because I offer them a much simpler solution than they had thought of. For example, many buildings in Romania are facing condensation on their windows. When I tell architects about our solutions that can avoid such situations - about isotherms, thermal bridges, window tightness - I am sure they will call us for their next project.

How do you live safety in your job as a BIM manager?

Safety is not just important - it’s vital! Whenever I have a presentation on site, at universities or during demonstrations I provide safety introductions. I start by developing a comprehensive safety plan for the entire project. This plan includes specific risk assessments, accident prevention measures and procedures to follow in case of emergencies. And, of course, I always wear my safety equipment on construction sites.

Before joining Xella, you worked for another construction company on a project based in Qatar. What was the difference between that and your current job?

It was an extreme experience in every way: You can take an egg, put it on the car - and it immediately starts cooking! It was 50 degrees outside, 23 degrees inside. The scary thing for me was that you have unlimited resources there. Unfortunately, you don't tweak anything. Anything must be big, eye-catching, the best of the best. You get questions like: how many people do you need to do this in a month? If I would have said, I need 4000, the next day I would have had 4000 people waiting for me. Fortunately, in Europe people work differently, we are efficient here. We look at the steps of the eco bill, optimization and so on.

What does sustainability mean to you?

Sustainability in the building materials market means smartly using resources and minimizing environmental impact throughout production and use. To achieve this, we must collaborate: everyone in the construction industry, along with local authorities and communities. The construction sector, more than other industries, is essential to meeting the challenges the world will face in the coming decades. The sector’s actions and activities will have a huge impact on the environment, and in the process of creating and transforming the built environment, they will affect every aspect of people's lives. Therefore, we have a great responsibility.

You live and work in Cluj-Napoca, a large city in Romania. What do you like about living in Cluj?

It is one of the largest and most developed urban centers in the country and is known for its cultural diversity, rich history, academic environment, and vibrant atmosphere. It's the city that combines tradition with modernity.
In my opinion, it's the best city in Romania, no matter what you talk about: the construction potential, the job potential, the people. If you want to go to a good university in Cluj, you will find several.
The city has evolved into a technological and innovative hub with significant growth in the IT and technology industry, contributing to its development as a dynamic and attractive place to live for all generations. Cluj is a constantly changing city with many opportunities.

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