Taking TheLEED » Blog Archive » U.S. Green Building Council Facts and Figures

LEED...because it's the right thing to do. Revit...because it's the right way to do it...IESve.com...because it's the the right way to calculate it.

Taking TheLEED » Blog Archive » U.S. Green Building Council Facts and Figures: "U.S. Green Building Council Facts and Figures

Thanks to the U.S. Green Building Council, green building isn’t just a fly-by-night operation. With the development of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the Green Building Council created a set standard practices and the rating systems to certify that a building is, indeed, green.

Why green building?
Many companies in the sustainable building industry extol the virtues of their trade; environmentalists talk about the damage we’re doing to our world. Some of what they say may seem unbelievable, but statistics point out the truth.

According to the Green Building Council, U.S. buildings use:
• 72% of electricity
• 39% of energy
• 38% of carbon dioxide emissions
• 40% of raw materials used
• 30% of waste output
• 14% of potable water consumption"

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Keep Your Hands Dirty « RVIT - Revit Something I Something

...and another Revit blog is born....
http://rvit.wordpress.com/2009/01/31/keep-your-hands-dirty/

Keep Your Hands Dirty « RVIT - Revit Something I Something: "Posted January 31, 2009
Filed under: Miscellaneous | Tags: Revit, Soapbox, practice makes perfect |

I often find that folks in an IT/CADD/BIM support role often find themselves a step or two away from some of the actual issues production folks might end up with. It’s understandable, the economics of the situation forces us to spend time in crisis mode. However, this shell can keep us from identifying hidden issues and truly understanding the scope of problems that our end users might find and bring to us.

With Revit, I’ve decided to attempt to keep myself a little more “in the game”. Here and there, when I can sneak it in, I have been working on modelling our firm’s headquarters. You have to drop it anytime someone comes in, or you get a phone call, so finding a groove is tricky, but it is definitely beneficial to discovering potential pitfalls and little gems hidden in the software.

I’ll post some of the gems and issues along the way."

....I’m an IT director for a large east coast architecture/engineering firm. We are about two years into our Revit deployment. I thought I would find a nice spot to throw out some of what we’ve done with good old Revit. The highlights, the low points, everything that feels Revit-y.....

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The future of Architecture - It's Revit, Green and Modular - PS. This for all the students at University of Miami School of Architecture Revit class

Welcome to the future my children. Here is a Revit designed home that is modular, prefabricated, green and assembled in 3 days. By using Revit, all components, sizes, layouts are accurate, and thus, can be prebuilt in a quality controlled factory. Literally, as I write this, our top (Autodesk ranked #2) instructor, Mark Rothman is at the University of Miami School of Architecture teaching the future generation of architects how to use Revit. They are reading this post live and I want them and you to know that this is the future of architecture. It's Saturday morning at 10:00am and seeing this should keep them awake.

Written by Preston Koerner | January 30, 2009 | read more: Modern architecture, Prefab, Residential, Single-family

I thought it'd be fun to share some actual photos of the BUILDER LivingHome, since up until now, we've only been showing renderings. The home was designed by KieranTimberlake, built by LivingHomes, and assembled in about three days on the IBS exhibit floor. Can you imagine putting together an entire house in that time? I picture Steve Glenn running around with a megaphone, Ty Pennington style, shouting, "We only have four hours, people!" The modular modern home was designed to meet LEED Platinum certification and includes 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms comprising roughly 2,466 square feet.

The BUILDER LivingHome incorporated a ton of green materials, including EcoClad, an exterior cladding that we recently mentioned. And, as with all models by LivingHomes, the design centers on a Z6 paradigm -- all homes strive to reach Zero Water, Zero Energy, Zero Waste, Zero Emissions, Zero Carbon, and Zero Ignorance. The price of a home like this hovers in about the $300 psf area, which includes everything but the land ...

[+] Video: BUILDER LivingHome Opening by BUILDER
[+] Prefab Friday: KT1.5 from LivingHomes by Inhabitat
[+] BUILDER LivingHome 2009 by LIMElight

The BUILDER LivingHome will get a second life as it moves on to TED 2009 as the official Kohler LivingHome. After that, the home will be sold.

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Ten Best Green Jobs for the Next Decade

By Anya Kamenetz

"It's time to bail out the people and the planet," says Van Jones [1], author of The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems [2]. We agree, and this guide to to sustainability-focused career paths will help retrofit and solar-charge your work life.

Sustainability Systems Developer The green economy needs a cadre of specialized software developers and engineers who design, build, and maintain the networks of sensors and stochastic modeling that underpin wind farms, smart energy grids, congestion pricing and other systems substituting intelligence for natural resources. Coders with experience using large scale enterprise resource planning have an edge here, as well as developers familiar with open source and web 2.0 [14] applications.

Companies: IBM, V2Green, WindLogics

Solar Power Installer

Making and installing solar power systems already accounts for some 770,000 jobs globally. Installing solar-thermal water heaters and rooftop photovoltaic cells is a relatively high-paying job--$15 to $35 an hour--for those with construction skills. And opportunities are available all over the United States, wherever the sun shines. Currently over 3,400 companies in the solar energy sector employ 25,000 to 35,000 workers. The Solar Energy Industries Association predicts an increase to over 110,000 jobs by 2016â even more if anticipated tax credits are accelerated [4].

Companies: Akeena Solar; Sungevity; Sunpower; Full list at SEIA.org.

Energy Efficiency Builder Buildings account for up to 48 percent of US energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. LEED, the major green building certification, has over 43,000 accredited professionals [5]. But the cutting edge in efficient buildings goes far beyond LEED. Buildings constructed according to Passivhaus and MINERGIE-P standards in Germany and Switzerland, respectively, use between 75% and 95% less heat energy than a similar building constructed to the latest codes in the US. Greening the US building stock will take not only skilled architects and engineers, but a workforce of retrofitters who can use spray foam insulation and storm windows to massively improve the R-value (thermal resistance) of the draftiest old houses. A study by the Apollo Alliance recommended an $89.9 billion investment in financing to create 827,260 jobs in green buildings -- an initiative supported by the Obama stimulus package, which specifically mentions energy retrofits [6].

Schools: Arizona State University School of Architecture: Energy Performance Climate-Responsive Architecture; University of Michigan: Alfred A. Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning; The Earth Institute at Columbia University.

Urban Planner Urban and regional planning is a linchpin of the quest to lower America's carbon footprint. Strengthening mass transit systems, limiting sprawl, encouraging use of bicycles and deemphasizing cars is only part of the job. Equally important is contingency planning, as floods, heat waves and garbage creep become increasingly common problems for metropolises. Employment in this sector is projected to grow 15 percent by 2016, and the jobs are mainly in local governments, which make them a slightly safer bet for the downturn.

Schools: Penn Institute for Urban Research [15]; Harvard: Department of Urban Planning and Design; Portland State University: Nohad A Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning.

Green MBA and Entrepreneur

The concept of the triple bottom line [11] has migrated from the margins to the mainstream of the business world. A recent report by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Mayors Climate Protection Center found that business services like legal, research and consulting account for the majority of all green jobs -- over 400,000. This includes everything from marketing to the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) segment, to serving as a VP of sustainability within a large company, to piloting a green startup like Method or Recyclebank.

Schools: Stanford School of Business; San Francisco's Presidio School of Management; Leeds School of Business; University of Colorado at Boulder -- Deming Center for Entrepreneurship; the Bainbridge Graduate Institute in Wash.

Farmer
Forester
Wind Turbine Fabricator
Conservation Biologist
Recycler

Original: http://www.fastcompany.com/node/1129671/print
Ten Best Green Jobs for the Next Decade Read more...

Dave's Blog: His thoughts on Autodesk layoffs

From: http://skatterbrainz.blogspot.com/2009/01/my-thoughts-on-recent-autodesk-layoffs.html

I found out today from a good friend about the reductions announced at Autodesk. What I also learned was that someone I really respect and enjoyed working with was one of those unfortunate folks who were let go. I don't work for Autodesk, but I feel like sometimes I "did". For those that don't know much about me, I spent almost twenty years working with Autodesk products as a developer of add-on software. So when things get shaken up in San Rafael, or anywhere throughout their organization, I usually hear about it and I always pay attention. When I heard that some good people were let go, while some terrible people were kept, I was a bit upset.

I won't provide any names, but I will say that their choices of who to let go are being noticed by a huge community outside of their company. Customers are going to notice because some of them (like my company) are getting sick and tired of dealing with the shlock being put in our faces to deal with instead of the skilled folks they keep under lock and key. Instead of shuffling the deck, they threw out some Aces and kept some bad cards.

continue reading Dave's Blog
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The Bigger Picture | CADuzer

Scott's thoughts about "The Process"

The Bigger Picture | CADuzer Jan 28, 2009

...Revit is helping to move the class back to the architectural process and away from how do I do task A in software B, so I think that’s a good thing. I write all of this to remind us of the process and the fact that the software is a means to help us think better, design better and work better....
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Navisworks Demo - Tampa Bay Autodesk User Group: Upcoming Arch / Revit Meeting Update

 

I wanted to update everyone on the topics for the upcoming Tampa Bay Autodesk User Group: Architectural/Revit User Group Meeting;

Navisworks presentation highlights:

-Navigation of the Navisworks product with an emphasis on working in the first person "gaming style" interface.
-Demonstration of how to add notations and perform revisions
-Navisworks' interoperability with several design platforms and file formats
-how Navisworks' "Timeliner" feature can be used for time based building and scheduling - rendering and visualization in Navisworks
-clash detection functions for MEP


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Titleblock not centered while plotting - Revitize - Another Revit Blog:

While printing a sheet, Revit gets the print boundary from all the objects that are present in the sheet (including the title block). Usually the title block encompasses all other objects and so the TB outline defines the print boundary."

Read the whole tip: Revitize - Another Revit Blog: Titleblock not centered while plotting:
http://revitize.blogspot.com/2009/01/titleblock-not-centered-while-plotting.html
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Revit Structure Extensions - Full list

Here's the entire list of Revit Structure Extensions. Architects: Wouldn't you rather hire a structural engineer who can do their designs faster, more accurately and coordinated? F2D!

Structural Analysis

• Analysis Integration Enabler
• Static Analysis of Beams
• Static Analysis of Frames
• Statics analysis of trusses
• Analysis Integration Enabler (Autodesk® Concrete Building Structures)
• Static analysis of slabs

Import/Export

• CIS/2 Export
• CIS/2 Import

Reinforcement

• Automatic Reinforcement Generation
• Parapets
• Piles
• Retaining Walls
• Slab Corners
• Wall corners
• Walls
• Beams
• Columns
• Spread footings
• Continuous footings
• Slab openings
• Pile caps
• Drawings
• Reinforcement design

Modeling

• Bridge Modeling
• Excel based model generation
• Grids generator

Miscellaneous

• Text Generator
• Elements Positioning
• Freeze drawings
• Compare models

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Revit Reinforcement - Automatic Reinforcement Generation - extensions4revit -

For anyone who cares about coordination and construction. Revit Structure allows you to build your rebar cages live in the building. A contractor's dream come true for sleeve openings in slabs, beams and columns. Part of my "Design to Build" thinking.

Automatic Reinforcement Generation

This extension lets you automatically generate reinforcement for a complete building or a selection of elements in the current project. The reinforcement is generated using default values of parameters for each typical reinforced concrete element, based on templates previously stored in data files, or defined by the user on an ongoing basis.

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Revit Modeling - Bridge Modeling - extensions4revit -

Available for Revit Structure Subscription customers

Download FULL PACKAGE
of Revit® Extensions

Bridge Modeling

Using this Bridge Modeling Revit Extension, you can generate bridges based on user-defined criteria. Users can define basic parameters of the geometry of a bridge including: a road profile, a deck, abutments, piers, and railings. The road profile may also be imported from a LandXML format file. The bridge is generated based on user-defined families that are provided with these Revit Extensions.

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Building Performance Analysis White Paper « bldgsim

I already posted this, but there's a link to the white paper from Autodesk.
this is a must read for anyone doing LEED calculations.

Building Performance Analysis White Paper

January 26, 2009 in 3D Modelling, BIM, Building Performance Analysis
Tags: Ecotect, gbXML, IES VE-Ware

This white paper from Autodesk is the first in a series of papers exploring the usage of the Revit platform to facilitate faster, more accurate Building Performance Analysis (BPA). This paper covers the conceptual process of converting your Physical Revit Model to an Analytical Model for BPA, as well as the best practices for constructing the Physical Model in Revit for proper transfer to BPA applications.

If you are working with Revit models for Building Performance Analysis I strongly recommend that you download and read it - it’s a quick read, but full of good information! It is applicable for Ecotect, IES and as well for exporting to gbXMl.

Direct link for downloading

http://bldgsim.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/building-performance-analysis-white-paper/
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Backward Compatibilty (or rather the lack of it)-Revit OpEd:

Post about versions of Revit shared between architects & engineers.
Must read for Big BIM people - those working with other Revit firms:

Revit OpEd: Backward Compatibilty (or rather the lack of it):
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House Passes Obama’s Stimulus Package - NYTimes.com

Why am I even bothering to blog about this when it's all over the news? Because it means we're getting closer to getting out of the AEC mess we're in. BIM & LEED projects are almost here and we're doing national training for anyone who needs Revit Architecture, Revit Structure & Revit MEP Training. We also now have a class on Revit & LEED workflow, design & analysis and are about to roll out a class for Civil 3D LEED design. Woo Hoo!!! Break out the shovels and open the pipeline.

By DAVID STOUT

WASHINGTON — The House voted, 244-188, on Wednesday evening for President Obama’s package of federal tax cuts and spending worth $819 billion and meant to jump-start the economy out of its worst crisis in decades.

Although the president’s legislative victory was no surprise, given the Democrats’ 255-to-178 advantage in the House, the lack of any Republican support was a disappointment for Mr. Obama. The vote came hours after Mr. Obama declared that “we don’t have a moment to spare” just after conferring with business leaders at the White House.

Before voting on President Obama’s plan, the House rejected a stimulus measure offered by Republican members that focused more on tax cuts. The vote against that measure was 266 to 170, almost entirely on party lines.

The Senate, where the Democrats’ advantage was also increased by the November elections, is expected to debate economic stimulus measures next week. Considerable public debate and private negotiations could lie ahead, given differences between the White House and Congress, and Democrats and Republicans.

But for the moment, at least, the president could savor the House endorsement of his stimulus plan, which he promised earlier Wednesday would be not just enormous in scope but run with a transparency and accountability not always associated with huge Washington projects."

...continue reading....House Passes Obama’s Stimulus Package - NYTimes.com: "
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Dunham Associates - Revit BIM Experience Award

Firm Honored for Use of Building Information Modeling Process on Large-Scale and Sustainable Projects

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) has announced that Dunham Associates, a Minnesota-based mechanical and electrical consulting engineering firm, has been selected to receive a Revit BIM Experience Award. The firm is being recognized for its adoption of building information modeling (BIM) and the use of Revit MEP software for the design and documentation of large-scale projects. Dunham Associates is also being honored for supporting a collaborative, multi-discipline approach based on a shared Revit MEP model, and for the use of Revit MEP software for sustainable design.

"BIM has helped us significantly in the design coordination of mechanical and electrical equipment and systems within building structures," said Jay Rohkohl, executive vice president for Dunham Associates. "When we adopted Revit MEP with its 3D modeling environment we could fully visualize the emerging design. This allowed us to do a better job fitting piping, ductwork and equipment into tight spaces, which optimized space usage within the facility. And by sharing Revit-based design models with the project's architect and structural engineer, all of us could identify and resolve interferences and other design issues early in the design phase."

Founded in 1960, Minneapolis-based Dunham Associates is a mechanical and electrical consulting firm that provides engineering services to its clients across the country in aviation, commercial, education, healthcare, hospitality and retail sectors. With nearly 50 LEED-accredited professionals on staff, the firm offers extensive knowledge and experience in sustainable design. Notable examples include the Great River Energy Headquarters in Minnesota (a LEED Platinum building); the Wilder Center, St. Paul, MN, targeted for LEED Gold certification; and Dunham's own Commercial Interiors headquarters in Minneapolis (a LEED Silver-CI building). In addition to Revit MEP, the firm also uses AutoCAD software, AutoCAD MEP software and Autodesk Buzzsaw collaborative project management software. Minnesota-based CAD Technology Center provided Autodesk software and implementation support including Revit MEP content creation services to accelerate project delivery.

BIM Process Applied to Major Hospital and Green Building Projects

Dunham Associates has demonstrated successful use of the BIM process on multiple projects including the Maple Grove Hospital and the University of Minnesota Duluth's new Civil Engineering building. The Maple Grove Hospital is a new full-service, 300,000-square-foot hospital currently under construction and scheduled to open in December 2009. A collaborative, multi-discipline BIM process and Autodesk Revit MEP software were used to tackle a complex mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) design, including a particularly challenging, large equipment yard that houses three electrical service transformers, two emergency generators, the chiller system cooling towers and the bulk oxygen tank. Using Revit MEP, Dunham coordinated its design across disciplines by linking the plumbing and electrical system models to the HVAC model, and also by leveraging Revit Architecture models from BWBR Architects and Revit Structure models from the structural engineer. By sharing Revit-based models, the entire design team was better able to identify and resolve interferences and other issues early in the design phase -- issues that normally might not have been found until construction.

For the new Civil Engineering building at the University of Minnesota, Duluth a BIM process and Autodesk Revit MEP were applied to target a LEED Gold rating. Currently under construction, the new mixed-use classroom/lab facility will include sustainable elements such as a displacement ventilation heating and cooling system, rain water capture, low-consumption toilets with manual dual-flush valves, automatic urinal flush valves, lighting control systems and high-efficiency motors to reduce energy use. On this project, Revit MEP software's 3D modeling environment and design visualization capabilities gave Dunham's engineers - as well as SJA Architects (principal architect), Ross Barney Architects (design architect), the structural engineer, contractors and owner -- the ability to visualize the interaction among all building components and clarify the engineering design for installation.

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Autodesk wins Aussie piracy case: News - Business - ZDNet Australia

Please be careful. When you register a software license multiple times, it is being monitored. I know times are rough, but the alternatives are more expensive.

Alex Serpo, ZDNet.com.au

28 January 2009 02:57 PM

Technical software giant Autodesk has won a case against Adelaide-based firm Ginos Engineers, forcing the company to pay damages of $76,000 for pirated software.

The case, which commenced in August 2007, saw Autodesk allege that Ginos Engineers used 27 unlicensed copies of Autodesk software, including AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT. On 19 January, the Federal Court ruled in favour of Autodesk, and ordered Ginos Engineers to pay $76,000 in damages for unlicensed software use over 10 years.

"As the court pointed out in this case, an infringer gains an 'entirely undeserved profit' through the use of unlicensed software," said Hanspeter Eiselt, managing director of Autodesk Australia, in a statement.

"The software in question was necessary for Ginos to run its business ... clearly Autodesk was entitled to benefit through the purchase of additional licences," Eiselt said.

The company said that Autodesk made numerous attempts to resolve the matter before commencing legal action in August 2007, and Eiselt said that "taking legal action is always a last resort".

However, Zis Ginos, proprietor of Ginos Engineers said that "we did make a significant offer to settle the matter before any proceedings ... the offer was as much as they were awarded for damages, but they weren't even interested in responding."

"It was very strange that there was no response, and no intentions of settling in this case," Ginos said.

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Please ignore this post. Social Media Experiment

I was contacted by a "social media" expert, who apparently comes in at #1 on google for "coolest guy on internet".

I figure if I type in here "coolest revit blog on the internet" and "coolest revit expert on the internet" and "coolest bim expert on the internet" and "coolest ipd expert on the internet" and "coolest LEED expert on the internet" that maybe someday Mr. Google will rank me #1.

So, ignore this post. It's just an egotistical attempt at moving up the internet ladder. Read more...

Autodesk Architecture and Design Visualization Webcasts

Autodesk invites you to our Architecture and Design Visualization webcast series. This month we feature three new webcasts focused on Detailing in Revit Architecture, Implementing AutoCAD Architecture and Design Visualization Expert Tips.

Register Today >

Detailing in Revit Architecture Register Now > Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Pacific

Looking for a great tip or interesting trick for better detailing? Join Amy Fietkau, Autodesk Technical Specialist for Architecture Solutions, and learn:

• Some of the basic best practices for detailing • How to post content sheets • How easy it is to do details with Revit • The difference between 2D components vs 3D model • How to import DWG details and more

Design Visualization Expert Tips Webcast Register Now > Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Pacific

Join Design Visualization webcast host, Eddie Perlberg, to learn expert tips and tricks in Autodesk 3ds Max Design software. You'll learn how to:

• Better explore design options in the very early stages of a project • Validate design ideas using analysis features and processes • And communicate design intent to your clients through photo-realistic visualizations of your designs

Learn how to leverage Autodesk® 3ds Max® Design to gain advantage over your competition and win more projects.

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Reed SmartBIM Library v3.2 Coming Soon | Reed Construction Data

Reed Construction Data, a leading provider of building information modeling (BIM) solutions and construction information, has announced a February 2009 launch for SmartBIM Library (SBL) v3.2 www.reedconstructiondata.com/building-information-modeling/bim-library/., the leading BIM content management tool for architects and engineers.

The release of SBL v3.2 will add new features and enhancements including the drag-and-drop family publisher, allowing users to automatically publish and load Revit families into SmartBIM Library from a user’s file system, Autodesk® Revit project files or Autodesk® Seek.

Additional functionality will allow users to attach files, including text documents, spreadsheets and images, to SmartBIM Objects using the drag-and-drop feature, and to view them from the attachment pane.

“This release will give Revit users a way to significantly reduce the time spent looking for or creating BIM objects,” said Candice Dobra, director of BIM solutions, Reed Construction Data. “The high-quality SmartBIM objects delivered in SmartBIM Library combined with the ability to easily manage existing content, bring a new level of efficiency in the design process.”

Version 3.2 will come pre-loaded with over 16,000 high-quality Revit product types, including 200 new generic families. The SmartBIM Library will also publish content on a continual basis from a growing list of manufacturers including: Kolbe, Karona Inc., Hager Companies, LinEL Signature Skylights, Oldcastle Glass, Armstrong, Da-Lite Screen Company, Draper Inc., NanaWall Systems, ZeroFlush, Figueras International Seating, Next Door Company, Laticrete International, Skyco Shading Systems, Beta-Calco, Cornell Iron Works, Sun-Dome, GAF Materials Corp., PPG Industries and more.

SBL v3.2 will still include many of the current features including automatic content updates that deliver new Revit families directly to the users’ desktops, automatic software updates to ensure users have the most up-to-date software features and drag-and-drop functionality that allows users to drag objects from SmartBIM Library directly into Revit.

SmartBIM Library is sold through authorized SmartBIM solutions providers (that's me) at an affordable price of $500 per seat. For more information and a free demo, visit www.reedconstructiondata.com/building-information-modeling/bim-library/.

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Number of LEED green building projects doubled in 2008, says consultant CoStar - projects include Dell Children's Hospital, Austin, and AMD corporate campus- 1/26/2009 11:48:00 AM - Building Design & Construction

Building Design and Construction January 24, 2009
By Andrew C. Burr (aburr@costar.com)

Sustainable real estate projects that were set in motion last year or even two years ago are completing in bunches, a trend that is likely to accelerate as the year progresses despite trouble on other fronts.

The projects include prominent office towers, retail stores, hospitals and even a basketball arena and an FBI field office that have achieved LEED certification or the government’s Energy Star label, or implemented other green measures such as solar energy systems or green roofs.

Five large projects in Texas announced LEED certification this month. Two were in Austin, where the 470,000-square-foot Dell Children’s Hospital became the world’s first hospital to achieve LEED Platinum certification, and computer chip maker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) earned LEED Gold certification at its 870,000-square-foot corporate campus that opened last summer.

Continue reading: Number of LEED green building projects doubled in 2008, says consultant CoStar - projects include Dell Children's Hospital, Austin, and AMD corporate campus- 1/26/2009 11:48:00 AM - Building Design & Construction: "Number of LEED green building projects doubled in 2008, says consultant CoStar - projects include Dell Children's Hospital, Austin, and AMD corporate campus


Andrew C. Burr

January 26, 2009

Building Design and Construction

January 24, 2009


By Andrew C. Burr (aburr@costar.com)

Sustainable real estate projects that were set in motion last year or even two years ago are completing in bunches, a trend that is likely to accelerate as the year progresses despite trouble on other fronts.

The projects include prominent office towers, retail stores, hospitals and even a basketball arena and an FBI field office that have achieved LEED certification or the government’s Energy Star label, or implemented other green measures such as solar energy systems or green roofs.

Five large projects in Texas announced LEED certification this month. Two were in Austin, where the 470,000-square-foot Dell Children’s Hospital became the world’s first hospital to achieve LEED Platinum certification, and computer chip maker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) earned LEED Gold certification at its 870,000-square-foot corporate campus that opened last summer. Read more...

Download Your FREE license for Wright's Revit Keynote Database from Wright Engineers

I stumbled across this website completely by accident (I refuse to give Matt any credit for forwarding it to me and I'll take all the credit for it). They have a Keynote Database program for Revit for free for you to download.

...here's their website page....http://www.wrightengineers.com/BIM/

What is BIM?

BIM (the acronym for Building Information Modeling) is a method of creating a computer model that can aid in the design and construction of a building. The BIM model contains building components that can have architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, and other properties that interact with other building elements. BIM software such as Revit by Autodesk contain coordination and error checking tools that can be used to detect and correct construction issues before ever breaking ground. BIM has been around for a long time, and recent computer and software advancements have led to its increased adoption as a design tool.

Wright and BIM

Wright Engineers' core team of Structural and MEP engineers is a perfect match for projects using BIM software designed for multi-discipline coordination. With all disciplines in-house, engineering coordination at Wright can happen in real time during all phases of the design. We collaborate with architects to create a coordinated building information model enabling a more unified project design flow from start to finish.

Time-saving BIM tools Developed by Wright

Wright Engineers often develops tools and software to increase productivity, accuracy, and standardization and the world of BIM is no exception. After seeing client frustrations with a problem we have already solved, we have developed an architectural version of one of our proprietary design tools to share with the industry.

Editing and coordinating keynotes in AutoCAD has always been a chore, but Revit comes with the ability to number and coordinate keynotes automatically. This means keynotes can automatically renumber themselves if components are moved from one sheet to another or removed from the drawings entirely. Revit can make adding keynotes to objects as easy as selecting the correct keynote from an organized database list; that is, if you can figure out which text files to edit, how to format the text lines, how to link individual keynotes to categories in the text files, etc. Unfortunately, the complexity of setting up, maintaining, and adding to the Revit keynote text files has kept many designers from using these features. Wright's Revit Keynote Database program removes the complexity and enables you to focus on designing your project without having to become a text file coordinator and formatter.

Download Your FREE license for Wright's Revit Keynote Database Read more...

Revit ArchCenter: Rafter or Truss Roof Property - Revit Tip

Ever wonder what the difference was between selecting Rafter or Truss when doing a Roof by Footprint and utilizing Pick Walls? (Notice, I mentioned Roof by Footprint and Pick Walls...you have to use these tools/options to get the selection of Rafter or Truss.)

read the whole tip: Revit ArchCenter: Rafter or Truss Roof Property
http://revit-archcenter.blogspot.com/2009/01/rafter-or-truss-roof-property.html
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Autodesk Revit VSTA Case Study - Summit Software

Autodesk Revit VSTA Case Study

Filed under: VSTA, integration, Autodesk Revit

A case study outlining Autodesk Revit's integration of VSTA and the benefits derived from the integration of VSTA into Revit.

Download the case study

From: http://www.summsoft.com/media/p/1651.aspx


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BIM WITS: Curtainwall Magic

Finally, an actual Revit post...and you thought I'd never post one again. Sorry about all the diversion into LEED and the economy. I blame it on the vast amounts of information I'm getting from Twitter.

BIM WITS: Curtainwall Magic
http://bimwits.blogspot.com/2009/01/curtainwall-magic.html

Curved Mullions are no longer an issue in Revit!

They are easy - you simply select the 'curved mullion' checkbox on the Options Bar when you are placing curtain grids. Shape handles allow you to pull and push manually or you can enter the radius in the field. Floating Mullions (not attached to the curtain wall edges) must be selected PRIOR to adding them... meaning you can't convert one of the simple curved ones to a floating mullion.

Finally we can do anything we want in Revit!

If you need any help with this just email me here at BIM WITS!
Happy Curtainwalling....

Posted by miker the biker at 6:50 AM Read more...

Greenroofs.com: A Look Back at the 2008 Top 10 Hot Design Trends Survey, By Haven Kiers

By Haven Kiers, MLA, The Design Editor
January 17, 2009

The Chic Sustainability Column

Hello Greenroof Designers!

It’s time to start the New Year in green roofs with a look back at the one we just had. Remember in the early days of 2008 when Linda and I asked you to tell us about the latest trends in green roofs in our Survey? Well, we took the year to let them develop and grow and have now compiled them into a nifty summary of the past year’s biggest green roof trends.

First off, here's a a review on "How do we decide the final Top 10 List of Hot Trends in Greenroof Design?" Essentially, we decide from our own design and editorial experience, exposure to the media, and from you, our readers! How do we determine the number of projects in each category? That one's easy - time constraints for presenting an albeit fast-paced PowerPoint in about 20 minutes. In 2007 we were a bit over zealous and had 10 examples in each category (not to mention the intro), so for 2008 we limited ourselves to "just" six or seven to illustrate each trend.

continue reading:
Greenroofs.com: A Look Back at the 2008 Top 10 Hot Design Trends Survey, By Haven Kiers
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Carol Bartz: No Time To Change Others - Forbes.com

This is from an interview in 1997. It's spooky to read the comments about collaboration. She's talking about BIM 3 years before Revit was released and 10 years before adoption. Carol, I had no idea you were so far ahead of your time.

We're helping people do their work better, and we're helping to make it more fun. The first love of architects, one segment of our market, is the design of a building. The building also has to be functional--it needs heating ducts, a sound structure. Our programs help architects spend much less time doing the boring part of their job. It allows them to be creative. Certainly, people designed and built things before, but technology enables you to try before you buy. You can model almost anything. You can run stress tests and thermal tests and wind tests. You can actually walk into a building before one pier is drilled. We've changed the 'what if?' process. Once you build something, the 'what if?' process is difficult. You probably won't rip the top off and start over. But you can do that when you're working with a virtual model. You can change it again and again until it is exactly how you want it.

Technology changes the nature of collaboration. You can't make a building without collaboration. Everyone--the architect, the structural engineer, the heating engineer, the electrical engineer--comes together to build a building. In the old days, they had to communicate using FedEx and faxes, and it was very inefficient. Is this the last thing this guy sent me? Hmmm. I don't know. By the way, has everybody else been alerted? Now, lets say you're building an office building. You put up a project Web site on the Internet. Everyone involved can go there to find whatever they need--the status of every aspect of the building, the most current revision of the plans."

Read the whole article:
Carol Bartz: No Time To Change Others - Forbes.com
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Obama seeks green building advice from UK - Building

Obama seeks green building advice from UK - Building: "23 January 2009

By Dan Stewart

European initiatives could form template for US legislation

The Obama administration is to turn to the UK and Europe for advice on how to regulate green building in the US.

A steering group on climate change, energy and sustainability that will form environmental strategies for Barack Obama, who was inaugurated as president on Tuesday, is considering implementing UK initiatives such as the Climate Change Act and the Code for Sustainable Homes."

continue reading...
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The Stimulus Bill, Sector by Sector | ENR: Engineering News Record | McGraw-Hill Construction

Compiled by Tom Ichniowski

Construction-related spending in House Democrats' stimulus proposal, released Jan.15, could approach $160 billion. But a precise figure is hard to determine because some of the accounts that would receive funding under the plan can go for other types of capital spending besides infrastructure or buildings.

A look at the House Appropriations Committee's explanatory report on the bill shows substantial funding for a wide range of construction programs across many federal departments and agencies. Stimulus aid for buildings is especially widespread among agencies.

TRANSPORTATION [$43.75 billion]

• DOT Federal-aid highways, $30 billion


• DOT Airport improvement grants, $3 billion


• DOT Passenger rail, $1.1 billion, including $800 million for Amtrak capital spending, $300 million for state grants for intercity rail capital improvements


• DOT Transit capital assistance, $6 billion to buy buses, railcars; make facility improvements


• DOT Transit fixed-guideway infrastructure, $2 billion (includes modernizing, terminals, stations, structures, substations, etc., plus rolling stock


• DOT Transit capital investment grants, $1 billion, for light rail, heavy rail, commuter rail, HOV projects.


• U.S. Forest Service capital improvement, maintenance (roads, bridges, trails) $650 million

DEFENSE/VETERANS [$11.45 billion]

• Facilities improvements $4.5 billion (including $1.8 billion for energy-efficiency upgrades, $455 million for medical facilities, $154 million for barracks, $2.1 billion for facilities "sustainment" projects)


• DOD-wide, hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers, $3.75 billion


• Troop housing and child care centers, $1.55 billion, including: Army, $920 million; Navy and Marine Corps, $350 million; Air Force, $280 million


• Reserves and National Guard, $400 million


• Base Realignment and Closure, environmental cleanup $300 million


• VA Medical facilities, maintenance projects, $950 million

HOUSING/HUD [$13.29 billion]

• Public housing capital fund, repair and construction of public housing units, $5 billion


• Elderly, disabled, Section 8 housing, energy retrofits, $2.5 billion


• Native American housing block grants, repairs, rehabilitation, $500 million


• Community Development Block Grants, for housing, services, infrastructure, $1 billion


• Neighborhood stabilization fund (purchase, rehabilitate vacant housing), $4.19 billion


• Lead-based paint hazards, remediation, rehabilitation, $100 million

SCHOOLS [$20.1 billion]

• School modernization, renovation, repair, $20 billion, includes $14 billion for K-12 schools, $6 billion for higher education


• "Impact Aid" school construction (includes schools on federal land), $100 million

ENERGY [$36 billion]

• Grid Investment $11.0 billion, including $4.5 billion for Smart Grid investment program; $3.25 billion for Western Area Power Administration; $3.25 billion for Bonneville Power Administration


• Renewable energy and Transmission loan guarantees $8 billion


• Energy Efficient and Renewable Energy grants and loans $8.4 billion


• Home weatherization assistance $6.2 billion


• Carbon capture and sequestration demonstration projects $2.4 billion

OTHER BUILDINGS [$12.853 billion]

• GSA: federal buildings, $7.7 billion, including $6 billion for energy conservation, energy efficiency upgrades, $1 billion for border stations


• Fish and Wildlife Service, maintenance and construction, $300 million


• National Park Service infrastructure maintenance $1.7 billion


• National Mall (Wash, DC) revitalization (including Jefferson Memorial repairs) $200 million


• U.S. Geological Survey, facilities and equipment repair, restoration $200 million


• Bureau of Indian Affairs, infrastructure (schools, dams, roads, detention and law enforcement facilities) $500 million


• Indian Health Service, facilities $550 million


• Smithsonian Institution, facilities maintenance $150 million


• Homeland Security: Border patrol facilities, maintenance and repairs, modernization $150 million


• Agriculture Dept. facilities $253 million


• Agriculture Dept. Rural facilities $200 million (loans)


• Commerce Dept. aid for research science buildings $300 mill


• NASA facilities, hurricane damage repairs $50 mill


• National Science Foundation facilities repair grants (to academic institutions) $200 million


• NSF major research facilities and equipment $400 million

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPT. BUILDINGS [$4.05 billion]

• Community health centers, new or expanded sites $500 million


• Community Health Centers modernization $1 billion


• Public Health Service HQ building replacement, $88 million


• Centers for Disease Control modernization $462 million


• National Institutes of Health, university research facilities renovation, construction, $1.5 billion


• NIH campus modernization, $500 million

WATER AND ENVIRONMENT [$17.124 billion]

• EPA Superfund $800 million


• EPA Leaking underground storage tank cleanup, enforcement $200 million


• EPA Clean Water SRF $6 billion


• EPA Drinking Water SRF $2 billion


• EPA Brownfields assessments, cleanup $100 million


• Corps of Engineers (civil works) $4.5 billion (includes $2 billion for construction, $2.25 billion for operation and maintenance).


• Bureau of Reclamation drinking water projects $500 million


• International Boundary and Water Commission (U.S.-Mexico), water projects $224 million


• Agriculture Dept, rural water and waste disposal (grants and loans ) $1.5 billion


• Agriculture Dept., watershed rehab,/flood prevention $400 million


• NOAA habitat restoration, $400 million


• DOE defense environmental management (accelerate nuclear waste cleanup) $500 million

OTHER [$575 million]

• Bureau of Land Management, infrastructure maintenance (roads, trails, buildings, bridges, habitat, hazardous-fuels reduction), $325 million


• Commerce Dept., Economic Development Administration, public works aid, $250 million

Read more...

Infrastructure Advocates Pan House Democrats' Stimulus Plan | ENR: Engineering News Record | McGraw-Hill Construction

01/15/2009 By By Tom Ichniowski and Pam Hunter

The $825-billion economic stimulus proposal that House Democrats unveiled on Jan. 15 provides the first firm numbers for construction industry executives who for months have been searching anxiously for hints about the plan. Infrastructure advocates panned the proposal as far short of what is needed.

But with House of Representatives committee and floor votes and Senate action still to come, the package is far from the last word on the stimulus.

As drafted, the plan would have a major impact on construction. By ENR’s calculation, the package has about $135 billion in construction spending, or about one-fourth of the proposal’s $550-billion in total spending.

In addition, construction firms would benefit from some of the plan’s $275 billion in tax incentives, including an extension of a provision that allows small companies to write off the costs of equipment and other capital purchases in the year those items are bought.

President-elect Brack Obama, whose advisors worked with key lawmakers in designing the proposal, welcomed the House Democrats’ bill, calling it “a significant down payment on our most urgent challenges.”

continue reading....
Infrastructure Advocates Pan House Democrats' Stimulus Plan | ENR: Engineering News Record | McGraw-Hill Construction Read more...

Realizing the Future of Sustainable Design through BIM and Analysis – White Paper

Release Date: 2008-12-17

Discover how building information modeling (BIM) and BIM-based design tools enable mechanical engineers to more efficiently and accurately simulate, analyze, and document their designs—and ultimately deliver greener building systems and healthier, more resource-efficient buildings.

Content is currently available in English only.

Realizing the Future of Sustainable Design through BIM and Analysis (pdf - 309Kb)

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Bridge Toolkit for Revit Structure 2009

So now we've literally bridged the gap. Civil Engineers can now work with Revit Structure engineers. Perfect timing for all those new federal projects about to be released.

Release Date: 2009-01-21

The Bridge Toolkit for Revit® Structure 2009 software provides information, tools, content, and datasets that will better enable structural engineers and drafters to address infrastructure build-out as it relates to bridges. Specific components include:

• Box Girder Methodology and Datasets
• Precast Girder Methodology and Datasets
• Bridge Components .rfa Content
• Bridge Modeling Using Revit Structure 2009 Software (Tips and Tricks)

Better design and model your bridge using this toolkit along with Revit Structure 2009, a powerful and parametric structural software solution from Autodesk, Inc.

Download

English (zip - 132205Kb)

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Revit MEP Space Naming Utility is Now Available on Subscription - Inside the System:

From Kyle Bernhardt - Inside the System
http://inside-the-system.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/01/revit-mep-space-naming-utility-is-now-available-on-subscription.html

I am happy to announce that a new add-in is available for the 32- and 64-bit versions of Revit MEP 2009. The Space Naming Utility software is an intuitive tool that automatically assigns the names and numbers from architectural rooms to Revit MEP spaces.

By downloading the Space Naming Utility software, you can eliminate the need to manually assign names to the spaces helping save a tremendous amount of time and simplify your workflow.

Specifically, it does the following:

1. Can both name and number the spaces similar to the enclosed architectural rooms.
2. Can automatically name/number all spaces in a model, or by specific level.

Please click the link below and sign into Autodesk Subscription to retrieve this utility:

http://subscription.autodesk.com/

Space Naming Utility for Revit MEP 2009

Release Date: 2009-01-21

The Space Naming Utility for Revit® MEP 2009 software is an intuitive tool that automatically assigns the names and numbers from architectural rooms to Revit MEP spaces. By downloading the Space Naming Utility for Revit MEP 2009 software, you can eliminate the need to manually assign names to the spaces, helping save time and simplifying your workflow.

Content is currently available in English only.

Download

Download (32-bit) English (msi - 835Kb)

Download (64-bit) English (msi - 835Kb)

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Construction $$$ - House Stimulus Bill (FULL TEXT)

The 647-page House stimulus package scored the coveted designation of H.R. 1, which the Speaker reserves for her highest legislative or symbolic priority. The bill is a combination of legislation that moved this week through the Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Appropriations Committees. It is scheduled to be introduced Monday.

Below is a copy, obtained by the Huffington Post (we've uploaded the pdf here) and posted on the House Rules Committee website.

House Stimulus Bill (FULL TEXT)

I did a search and the word construction comes up 101 times. So many government construction projects listed. You know the GSA requires BIM on all of their work. Yup, Revit Revit Revit!!!

We're gearing up for massive amounts of training and implementation services for architecture, structure and MEP.
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TheDay.com - New 'green' rules drafted for state buildings

I know....you don't need another post about how everyone's starting to require Green Building..blah, blah, blah, you can't do LEED calcs in AutoCAD and need to get Revit...blah, blah, blah...and need IES's Sustainability toolkit, Ecotect and Green Building Studio...blah blah blah...instead I'll just give you more data for those of you needing help convincing your company to switch now before the Stimulus money shows up at your front door and you're caught unprepared for government projects requiring BIM.

TheDay.com - New 'green' rules drafted for state buildings: "The governor's staff has drafted new “green” regulations for the construction and renovation of state-owned buildings and public schools.

The proposed regulations are designed to reduce energy consumption and costs and enhance a growing work force of “green collar” jobs, according to Adam Liegeot, a spokesman in the governor's office.

The green building standards, part of recently approved broad-based energy legislation, would apply to new construction of $5 million or more and renovations of $2 million or more, Gov. M. Jodi Rell said in a prepared statement.

”We are building a cleaner, greener future for all of Connecticut,” Rell stated.

”These strict standards will lead to a new generation of energy efficient 'green' buildings, and ultimately reduce our carbon footprint on the environment. Our children, grandchildren and generations beyond will benefit from the stewardship that we commit to today,” she added."

Some of the requirements in the proposed rules include:

■ Designing buildings to be 21 percent more energy efficient than current state building code;

■ Using low-flow fixtures to consume 20 percent less water;

■ Installing appliances that comply with Energy Star standards;

■ Using indoor adhesives and paints low in volatile organic compound emissions.

The regulations were written in accordance with the “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” or “LEED” rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The rating system encourages environmental integrity, energy efficiency, healthy work spaces and sustainable building practices.

Now that the proposed regulations are completed, they will be forwarded to the state Office of Policy & Management, which will submit them to Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's office for review, Liegeot said. Final approval of the regulations must come from the Legislature's Regulations and Review Committee.

P.DADDONA@THEDAY.COM
http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=2e625873-2644-4431-ad4a-a193a9c995bd

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YouTube - Lost Generation - Our past or our future?

In the future, what will we say of our past? What can we do now to change our future?



Video Link - YouTube - Lost Generation Read more...

Jobs That Obama's Stimulus Program Will Create

Here's a great article (thanks www.twitter.com/melanieperry) about new jobs. The good news is there's lots of business for the AEC industry. The bad news, and I'm not sure if it's bad news, is the verbage.
1. The GSA requires all new federal work to be done in BIM.
2. Some of you will disagree and say it can be done in AutoCAD, but I'll always contest that and say that it's going to require Revit or equal software.
3. The article states that "computer-aided drafting specialist" is one of the jobs created by the stimulus.
4. Revit requires someone with construction knowledge who knows how to "design" not "draft".
5. Since all of this is going to incorporate green design, Revit + IESve.com + Ecotect + Green Building Studio + Civil 3D + Intelisolve is really the only solution.
6. I've said it before and I'll say it again, BIM is the answer and it will help you make more money. We're ready to roll out our Revit/LEED workflow training class that helps you use the technology to do green design and LEED calculations in-house and save money on engineering & consulting fees. Help me help you.

by Tara Weiss Tuesday, January 20, 2009

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/106459/Jobs-That-Obama%27s-Stimulus-Program-Will-Create

They'll mostly fall within five main areas and 22 specific job titles.

© Stanislav Komogorov/iStockphoto

In his weekly radio address on Jan. 10, 2009, Barack Obama said the No. 1 goal of his economic stimulus plan is to create 3 million new jobs in the next two years. Less than 20% of them will be government jobs.

What exactly, then, will these jobs be?

Career Web site Jobfox has analyzed Obama's plan and come up with five areas of likely job growth over the next two years, with 22 specific job titles among them. Engineering, accounting, nursing and information technology will all fare particularly well, Jobfox predicts.

"One initiative Obama has discussed repeatedly is the 'rebuilding of our crumbling roads, bridges and schools.' Likely positions that will come out of that effort include construction manager, project manager, civil engineer, computer-aided drafting specialist and telecommunications engineer, says Rob McGovern, Jobfox's chief executive and founder and former CEO of CareerBuilder."
...continue reading....

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How is Newport distinct from the rendering technology in Revit Architecture? - It is Alive in the Lab: FAQ:

FAQ: How is Newport distinct from the rendering technology in Revit Architecture?

Q. How is Newport distinct from the rendering technology in Revit Architecture?

A. Project Newport shares mental ray rendering technology with Revit Architecture and 3ds Max Design. Scenes rendered in Revit should look very similar when rendered with mental ray and 3ds Max Design with the materials and rendering settings. In addition to mental ray, Project Newport offers real-time in-viewport rendering and will also include interactive ray-tracing. All three of Project Newport's renderers are based on Autodesk Pro Materials.

http://labs.blogs.com/its_alive_in_the_lab/2009/01/faq-how-is-newport-distinct-from-the-rendering-technology-in-revit-architecture.html

Technology Preview
Coming soon - Project Newport

Autodesk® Project Newport - real-time 3D story building technology for architectural visualization and presentation. With game-engine technology and breakthrough ease-of-use, Project Newport enables architects to show their design in context, rapidly explore design options, and create vivid and immersive 3D presentations. Newport brings architectural designs to life by expressing design intent at every stage of a project.

http://labs.autodesk.com/technologies/newport/

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CADflak

Lying in bed at 6:53am and "CADflak" just popped into my head.

Apparently this post is nothing more than me having a creative imagination, an iTOUCH, and an inability to sleep because my 360 day old child likes to bang on my head early in the morning.

Despite all that, say "CADflak" out loud three times and tell me that doesn't sound like something you want to randomly say around the office today. Read more...

I can't believe an architect said that....

I was talking to one of my General Contractor BIM clients today. First of all, I love saying that GC & BIM in the same sentence. Finally!

They've purchased Revit Architecture, Revit MEP and Navisworks Simulate. They had a Design/Build presentation last week against 4 other teams. My client took the AutoCAD drawings and created a Revit model of the building. They exported it to Navisworks and created an animation of the schedule and cost of the building as it was being built. Everyone was blown away with their presentation.

Want to know who was the most in awe? The architect who designed the building....
and I quote..."Wow, I was amazed to see the building in 3D. I had no idea it would look like that".

I ask you, how can you design a building in 2D in AutoCAD and have no idea what the completed building will look like? All in all, another successful client for my company. There's buy-in at every level of the construction company and they've asked me to help them get to the next level of Revit and BIM. Looks like our MEP modeling services are about to go into high gear.

They're also exploring LEED so IES is on the way! Every single contractor I've talked to and converted to BIM is 100% committed to BIM as the only way to their future success.
If you haven't already, please read the McGraw Hill report here. Read more...

Green Buildings and The Obama Effect - Green Building : Jetson Green

As I have been writing about for the past few months, it's official. Black man. White House. Green building. I'm so thrilled that Green Building is finally being mandated. My favorite part. Green Building thermal, daylighting, site and energy calculations can't be done in AutoCAD. Now everyone has to get Revit. My other favorite part is that I'm the exclusive Florida Reseller for Integrated Environmental Solutions, the only software that does Energy, Carbon and 2030 Challenge Assessment, ASHRAE/CIBSE Loads Calculations, Daylight Assessments, Solar Shading Animations with the click of a button. (more on all this shortly) www.iesve.com.

Written by Preston Koerner | January 20, 2009 |
http://www.jetsongreen.com/2009/01/president-obama-impact-on-green-buildings.html
(I usually hate to copy entire blog posts, but this is just waayyyy too important. Full credit goes to www.jetsongreen.com for the post and I thank them profoundly for posting it)



Video link here

Noted green building expert Jerry Yudelson explains how the Obama administration will impact green buildings. In short, according to Mr. Yudelson, the Obama administration will make green buildings a permanent part of the economic, cultural, and financial landscape. Every new, large federal building will be LEED certified, and at least 25 (if not 35) states will mandate green certification for all new buildings. We'll see green measures for hundreds of local, state, and federal buildings, and a lot of money will be going into this area. And because of this, people will gravitate towards the green building industry -- we'll see green jobs and a boom of sorts.

The fact that green buildings will benefit from the Obama administration is not only one of our trends to watch in 2009, but it's also one of Mr. Yudelson's Top Ten Trends. It's number two. Here's that list, in shortened form:

1. Green building will continue to grow more than 60% in 2009
2. Green building wil benefit from the new Obama presidency
3. The focus of green buildings will begin to switch from new to existing buildings
4. Awareness of the coming global crisis in fresh water supply will increase
5. LEED Platinum projects will become more commonplace
6. Solar power use in buildings will accelerate
7. Local governments will increasingly mandate public and private green buildings
8. Zero net energy designs for new buildings gain increasing acceptance
9. Green homes will come to dominate new home home developments
10. European green building technologies will become better known and adopted in U.S. and Canada

So, as you can tell, we can always count on the consultant in Mr. Yudelson to give us high quality information. We've certainly enjoyed some of his books, even given a few away, and listed a couple on our green books page. If you're in the industry, his Yudelson Associates Blog is a must read, too.

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Archinect : Features : Checking the Pulse of the Architecture Industry

Like anyone needs to tell you about this....If you know any unemployed architects, I'm working on a plan for getting them Revit training. Have them contact me. Revit firms are hiring, AutoCAD firms are not. I'm trying to do my part to help architects make the transistion.

"Jan 14, 2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. Introduction
2. SURVEY RESULTS ~ Working Architects
3. SURVEY RESULTS ~ Unemployed Architects
4. SURVEY RESULTS ~ Architecture Students
5. Career Remorse
6. The Bad, the Ugly and Finally...the Good
7. Will the Economic Recession Reinvent Architecture?

We hate to be the bad news bears, but, as one survey respondent stated, 'unless one is happy and married to money this is going to be painful.' We are, obviously, talking about the economic crisis the entire world is experiencing. The architecture industry gets hit pretty quickly in a downward economy. Diane Georgopulis, President of the Boston Society of Architects said, 'architects at some level are kind of the canaries in the mine. When development dries up, architects are probably the first people to know.' Unemployment rates are on the rise and almost all of us know at least a few people are on a job hunt. 'The nation's unemployment rate bolted to 7.2 percent in December, the highest level in 16 years, as nervous employers slashed 524,000 jobs, capping one of the worst years in modern history for American workers.' - Huffington Post, January 9, 2009"

...continue reading...Archinect : Features : Checking the Pulse of the Architecture Industry:
http://archinect.com/features/article.php?id=84596_0_23_0_C Read more...

Revit Structural Engineering Webcast Series

Revit Structural Engineering Webcast Series

View the schedule

Technical Marketing Manager Scott Hammond hosts this highly informative series. Through concise product demonstrations, Scott will show you how to explore and create views, control object visibility and work in 3D. You'll also get an insider's look in to what's new in Revit Structure 2009, get invaluable tips and tricks, and much more!

Join these live, one-hour webcasts and learn how Revit® Structure, based on the most advanced technology for building information modeling (BIM), integrates a physical model with an analytical model for more efficient analysis, design, and documentation.

Register for a webcast today! Attendance is FREE.
Civil Structures with Revit Structure 2009 Tuesday, January 27, 2009 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. PST
Getting Up and Going with Revit Structure 2009: From Pilot to Production Tuesday, August 26, 2008 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. PDT
Revit Structure Best Practices: Concrete Structures Tuesday, September 16, 2008 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. PDT
Revit Structure Best Practices: Steel Structures Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. PDT
Revit Structure and AutoCAD: Which tool is right for you? Tuesday, November 18, 2008 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. PST
Revit Structure: Analysis Showcase Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. PST
View Past Revit Structure Webcasts

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