BIM + Lean + Green

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) today announced the release of the new C191™-2009, Standard Form Multi-Party Agreement for Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), which provides for a collaborative working relationship among parties involved in a design and construction project and utilizing the IPD delivery model. With this new agreement the parties execute one coordinated and integrated agreement that clearly sets forth the parties’ roles and responsibilities in delivering a project consistent with the principles of IPD. Unlike the C195™-2008, the parties do not form an LLC under the C191-2009 framework. In addition, the AIA released B108™-2009, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect for a Federally Funded or Federally Insured Project, and a new document, B202™-2009, Standard Form of Architect’s Services: Programming. Collectively called the “4.2 Release,” these three documents expand the extensive library of AIA Contract Documents and build on more than 100 ye...

I am not a Tekla executive or any sort of associate with the company but this news is interesting as this mentions one of the important platforms for AEC techs to show their talent and do some business obviously. It looks like a platform similar to Autodesk annual event in Vegas, but a different market. Event information follows: The largest trade show for the construction industry in the Arabian Gulf. One of the most commercially successful trade fairs in Dubai, The Big 5 features National Pavilions from all the major exporting of the world, alongside important local developers, contractors, importers, manufacturers and distributors The Big 5 is held at the Dubai World Trade Centre a state of the art venue in the business district on the Sheikh Zayed Road. Disability access has been considered throughout the venue. Location Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre Sheikh Zayed Road PO Box 9292 Dubai United Arab Emirates Website: www.dicec.ae Contact: Muneer Abdel Abdel.M...

To go along with the nice imagery update yesterday, Google has done a few things to help improve the 3D models found in Google Earth Update to SketchUp 7.1: This update consists entirely of bug fixes, with no new features present. It fixes some measurement and precision errors, among other things. Here are the full release notes if you're interested. SketchUp 7.1 added a lot of great features, so this update should make modelers very happy. 3D models with detailed facades: Using StreetView imagery, in a way similar to what you can do in SketchUp 7.1, Google has added high-res facades to buildings in five California cities: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Franciso, Berkeley and Stockton. By using StreetView imagery to detail the 3D models, zoomed in areas of the downtown streets look stunning. Here's a quick video showing some of these new buildings:. I'd expect we'll see this technology find its way over to Building Maker eventually. Having that kind of imagery available in...

The Dow Chemical Co. has developed a new roof shingle that doubles as a solar panel. The shingles, which can be incorporated into rooftops alongside traditional asphalt shingles, use low-cost thin-film cells of copper indium gallium diselenide. While Dow expects to profit greatly from the Powerhouse Solar Shingle — the company predicts it will bring in as much as $10 billion in revenue by 2020 — there will be significant benefits for consumers too. The innovative shingle is expected to cost 10% to 15% less than traditional solar panels and will be cheaper and quicker to install. Read more here at TIME

Venice, Italy is sinking. To save it, Rachel Armstrong says we need to outgrow architecture made of inert materials and, well, make architecture that grows itself. She proposes a not-quite-alive material that does its own repairs and sequesters carbon, too.

For the class "Special Topics in BIM" that I am taking this semester, I designed the BIM of a commercial building using Revit 2010. Designing a building in 3D was not that easy ever. Getting 3D views, sections, plans and elevations were the matter of seconds using Revit Architecture 2010. Revit's parametric modeling capabilities helped me improve my design very early in the project. I am planning to use Revit's parametric capabilities to map the operations phase of the project. For this I will be using export and import of Revit data and project operations data respectively. The idea is to make planning and scheduling more predictable by mapping very minute details of the operations phase and using it to make the system more effective and efficient. This project is a pilot for future developments on this idea. I will be updating the progress as I move ahead with the project. Following are some renderings of the current model. Exterior Interior

William McDonough, founder of design firm William McDonough + Partners and author of Cradle to Cradle, discusses environmentally friendly design. Insightful thoughts on sustainability and design.

Austin - The Texas Facilities Commission (TFC), the agency within the State of Texas that oversees the state’s real estate development as owners and operators of state facilities, today announces its adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM) for state design and construction projects. For over a year, the Facilities Design and Construction (FDC) division within TFC has diligently worked to standardize the use of BIM for its future projects. FDC is responsible for overseeing the design and construction of state facilities throughout Texas. Currently, FDC manages 125 projects valued over $500 million, in addition to maintaining the Facilities Master Plan. In an effort to promote workflow efficiency, streamline productivity and increase the return on investment for the State of Texas, FDC has adopted and encourages the use of BIM’s digital design technology. more

"Danish architect Bjarke Ingels rockets through photo/video-mingled stories of his eco-flashy designs. His buildings not only look like nature -- they act like nature: blocking the wind, collecting solar energy -- and creating stunning views."-TED

Building Design + Construction published 2009 Giant 300 Survey. List includes: • Top 50 Architects • Top 50 Architect/Engineers • Top 50 Engineers • Top 50 Engineer/Architects • Top 80 Contractors • Top 20 Construction Managers Access it here

( source ) Video ATLANTA -- Reed Construction Data, a leading provider of construction information, has launched SmartBIM solutions for the architecture, engineering and construction communities. This first phase of SmartBIM will include SmartBIM Library™, SmartBIM Objects™ and RSMeans™ Quick Cost Estimator. With the launch of SmartBIM, Reed Construction Data seeks to further enhance the Autodesk™ Revit™ user experience through its comprehensive object-organization solution (SmartBIM Library) while providing high-quality, parametric BIM objects (SmartBIM Objects) and enhanced ability to value a project (RSMeans Quick Cost Estimator). "We are taking 3D design to the next level by combining high-quality objects and powerful software tools with RSMeans Cost Data," said Iain Melville, CEO, Reed Construction Data. "The movement into 3D design has led to a number of advancements, including greater design and change-order flexibility, enhanced project delivery through better co...

( source ) BEAVERTON, OR - With advancements in Building Information Modeling (BIM) creating new opportunities for architects, engineers, contractors and owners (A/E/C/O) to significantly improve efficiency, integration with related systems is vital to realizing the potential gains. Sage today announced the market's first integration with Autodesk Quantity Takeoff 2010 , providing a critical link with Sage Timberline Office Estimating. The new integration will enable users to automatically export quantity information from Autodesk Quantity Takeoff 2010 to Sage Timberline Office Estimating and generate a cost estimate with one click, resulting in faster and more accurate cost estimating for BIM users. "The beauty of BIM is that it gives designers and contractors the ability to quickly identify and resolve issues in the model, helping them avoid issues in the field where they're more expensive and time consuming to resolve. We're adding another layer of efficiency by au...

This seems a powerful 3D visualization and user friendly tool.

Google launched O3D browser plug-in on April 21st 2009. This would enable useres use javascript to design 3D objects in a browser only.

This article by George, that discussed very much the same buzz words in which everyone from AEC industry is interested today, is a good explanation of all the terms together. All these tools, practices and methodologies of construction (BIM, LEAN and IPD) are often being discussed in the industry now a days. But the only eye to see all these together is seeing future. LEAN, BIM, GREEN and IPD are going hand in hand in US building construction industry. In one way or another they are associated to each other and successful AEC professionals are practicing it right now on actual projects. George in his article discussed all these inter-relationships and brought a worth reading article.

Recently I read the article "Project teams find integrated project delivery very helpful" by Kate Moser here This article defines close relationship between integrated practices and lean construction objectives. It has also been mentioned that BIM process lies in heart of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) system. “It’s not perfect here, but people are working together.” — Gregory A. Howell, co-founder, Lean Construction Institute “In normal project execution, innovation gets pushed out by the question of who pays and who gains.” — Glenn Ballard, co-founder, Lean Construction Institute; and director, UC Berkeley Project Production Systems Laboratory “There’s a humbleness that comes with integrated project delivery. There’s no sense of bravado that this is easy.” — Will Lichtig, construction attorney and shareholder, McDonough Holland & Allen PC

USGBC promoting Green Building Movement.

All this has to be done in coming years. It looks like the future of AEC industry.

Groundbreaking work on 250,000-sq.-ft. outpatient medical facility for Camino Medical Group showcases benefits of LEAN construction, paves way for new form of project delivery Rising from the debris of an abandoned department store is a new 250,000-sq.-ft. medical office building that will not only provide progressive outpatient healthcare services but also, according to DPR's Dean Reed, set new standards in the design and construction of facilities. The more than two-year project for Camino Medical Group (CMG), a division of the not-for-profit Palo Alto Medical Foundation, which is an affiliate of Sutter Health, is currently past the mid-way point and being delivered using LEAN construction techniques designed to maximize overall production value and reduce waste while maintaining the highest quality. Months before construction began in late February 2005, with the demolition of the vacant Emporium building on the 9.9 acre site in Mountain View, CA, the CMG project team, including...

Excellent Video portraying the future of BIM+Green

It seems that recession is bringing new opportunities to test and practice emerging technologies in AEC industry. Having lesser projects in hands, AEC professionals and owners are looking towards experts and academicians to come up with innovative solutions to effectively implement new technologies and management philosophies to increase efficiency, increase labor productivity, reduce waste  and decrease environmental impact in the overall life cycle of a project. In order to achieve this milestones contribution of BIM, LEAN and GREEN movements appears appreciable.  Building Information modeling (BIM) is helping project participants collaborate and at the same time it is helping to reduce waste (by conflict detection), increase performance (by energy analyses) and visualize the project. BIM is emerging as a tool that is  helping integration of overall project delivery. Lean production system introduced first time by Onho in Toyota car manufacturing unit is emerging as a management phil...