The nima Virtual Conference 2025 on Thursday 6 November is set to redefine how sector professionals come together to learn, collaborate and connect.
In line with nima’s aim to advance information management in the built environment, this year’s event moves beyond standard web conferencing and enters an immersive, avatar-driven 3D
environment.
nima senior vice chair and conference chair Fiona Moore says: “This is not merely a virtual substitute for an in-person event – it is a purpose-built digital venue offering the engagement, interaction and presence of a physical conference. It sets a new benchmark for how digital events can support professional communities across disciplines and borders.”
Unlike traditional webinars or video streams, each attendee at the nima Virtual Conference 2025 will enter the environment as a customisable avatar, with full spatial navigation, visibility of others in the ‘nima world’ and the ability to interact in real time. Attendee-controlled avatars will be able to engage using voice, video, chat, gestures and even emojis, creating a rich, dynamic and participatory atmosphere.
The conference’s main stage, networking rooms and informal break-out spaces in the café will all replicate the flow and feel of a real world event – within a seamless, browser-based environment that requires no installation or technical preparation. However, attendees will be encouraged to explore the platform functionality and create their avatars in advance of the event.
Critically, the platform has been designed for universal access. Whether participants are using a desktop, tablet or smartphone, the conference space will operate smoothly in a standard browser. This is central to nima’s mission to engage the broadest possible community, from clients and contractors to technologists, regulators and educators, from across the built and managed environment.
Reimagining professional connection
The platform enables authentic human connection in a virtual context. Attendees can:
- walk up to others for real-time conversations, mimicking in-person networking
- join or initiate private chats, group dialogues and live Q&A
- participate in interactive networking
- observe non-verbal cues like gestures, movement and presence, often absent in traditional digital formats, and
- watch live presentations, demonstrations and panel discussions in a shared virtual auditorium.
With these tools, the virtual event becomes more than a broadcast – it becomes a social and professional gathering, supporting real-time interaction, structured engagement and shared learning. Moore says:
“This year, we wanted to create a space that reflects the kind of digital future we advocate for the built environment. The immersive platform gives opportunities to interact more naturally, to network and learn in ways that are more engaging than simply watching a presentation on a screen. It is about enabling people to connect, challenge ideas, and take part in shaping the future of information management, wherever they are in the world.”
Beyond the main stage
The conference agenda – focused on the Information Management Initiative (IMI), launched at the 2024 edition of the event – includes keynote sessions, expert panels and case studies. Additionally, the nima world is also being used to foster more informal and collaborative moments. For example:
- attendees can move between networking rooms designed for focused discussion, and
- a virtual café will offer a more relaxed environment for conversation and spontaneous connection
This event model also creates inclusive access for those who may not have the budget, time or travel capacity to attend in-person conferences, but who are still key stakeholders in information transformation across the sector.
A platform for the future
The use of immersive, browser-based environments at this scale is relatively new in the built environment sector, but aligns with broader trends in digital workplace transformation and hybrid collaboration. As the sector increasingly engages with new technologies, the nima conference platform will demonstrate what is possible when immersive tools are thoughtfully applied, helping it operate differently and more inclusively.
