AECnews.com

Vectorworks 2009 Now Available in Spanish

Randall Newton — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:20:00 GMT

Nemetschek North America today announced the forthcoming release of the Spanish-language version of the Vectorworks 2009 design software suite, including: Designer, Architect, Landmark, Fundamentals, and Renderworks. The product will ship early next year.

More information: www.nemetschek.net/international.

--RSN

Google SketchUp Offers Gingerbread House Design Contest

Randall Newton — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:01:00 GMT

Google this week kicked-off its first SketchUp Gingerbread House Design contest. The contest event runs through January 4th, 2009. According to Googler Aaron Stein, the contest is open to all users of either the free SketchUp or SketchUp Professional.

To participate, SketchUp users should download the special "Gingerbread2009" file at: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=539a3e1c5487720d45f5590ac69325a5

Inside the file is a blank gingerbread house, and several different candies and treats for decoration (gumdrops, peppermints, candy-canes, and more). Stein says each of these decorations is a "dynamic component," meaning it can be programmed to behave in certain ways. (Dynamic components is a new feature in SketchUp.) For example, a peppermint can be made to change colors when it is clicked.

In addition to the SketchUp elements, the downloaded file contains directions on uploading the file to the Google 3D Warehouse. After January 4th, Google SketchUp employees will review the submitted modelsa and, as Stein says, "bestow a few awards on our favorite gingerbread creations." Categories include:

1st, 2nd and 3rd place – for the best overall gingerbread houses in the collection
The 'Sprinkles' Prize – for the best additions to the base model (the crazier, the better)
The 'Swirl' Prize – for the best use of Dynamic Components in the model
The 'Sweet-tooth' Prize – for the most creative use of a single candy ingredient in a model

More information is available at either the Official Google Blog or the SketchUpdate Blog.

--RSN

UK Survey Says Clients Heavily Influence Green Design

Randall Newton — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:19:00 GMT

FROM A PRESS RELEASE

Autodesk and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) have announced the results of the 2008 Autodesk/RIBA Green Index, a new survey that measures RIBA members’ practices and perspectives on green building. The survey shows that architects are taking personal responsibility for the impact of the construction industry on the environment with 88 per cent agreeing that they should practice sustainable design wherever possible. Importantly, they also see clients as a major influencer – with 70 per cent of architects saying they are a driving force in facilitating greener design. This suggests that building owners and developers now recognise that green design results in lower operating costs and, therefore, reduced total cost of ownership of a property.

Although Autodesk has partnered with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to publish an annual Green Index in the US, this is the first time the Green Index has been measured in the UK. According to Adrian Dobson, RIBA director of practice, its publication is timely, showing that despite the economic downturn, sustainable design and construction is still a key issue in the industry. “The Autodesk/RIBA Green Index shows client interest in green building is really starting to take off with over half (53 per cent) believing this is being helped by the reduced operating costs of green buildings. This contradicts the popular belief that when money is scarce, clients are more worried about initial costs than long-term savings and are not so concerned about their environmental credentials,” he says.

While half of the respondents say that their clients inquire about green design specifications on at least 50 per cent of their projects, the other half admit that they are the ones to initiate the conversation – suggesting that architects now feel so committed to sustainable design that they are becoming more skilled at putting forward their case and convincing clients.

Practical moves
The Autodesk/RIBA Green Index also throws light on how architects are moving forward in the adoption of green design practices. The use of salvaged, refurbished, recycled or reused building material products is the most popular practice with attention to renewable on-site energy sources close behind. The list of top green design practices includes:

• Using salvaged or recycled building material products - 64 per cent
• Implementing renewable on-site energy sources - 59 per cent
• Including retention tanks for storm water run-off - 56 per cent
• Using design software to explore alternative materials - 41 per cent
• And to specify, predict and evaluate solar heating - 41 per cent

Growth areas over the next five years are predicted to include the use of “green” or vegetated roof covering and highly reflective roofing material – plus the use of design software to specify material quantities and schedules to minimise construction waste.

Increased collaboration
The survey also considered the rise in collaboration and integrated workflow in order to ensure more sustainable design. It reflects the steady take-up of building information modelling (BIM) with more than 20 per cent of architects now incorporating this process into their practice. One third consult with civil engineers to add value on at least half of their green building projects but only just over a quarter (27 per cent) currently measure the carbon footprints of their projects.

“It’s highly encouraging that the 2008 Autodesk/RIBA Green Index shows that the vast majority of British architects recognise the importance of designing more sustainable buildings – and, perhaps, even more encouraging is that clients are beginning to recognise the value, especially when it comes to the total cost of ownership of a building throughout its lifecycle.

“But it appears there is still plenty of room for architects to adopt sustainable design more cost-effectively, with only half using design software for simulating, testing and analysing alternative materials and the performance of the building through its lifetime. This presents a huge opportunity for firms wanting to sharpen their competitive edge, while still designing in an ethical way,” says Pete Baxter, Autodesk AEC sales director for Northern Europe.

Autodesk and RIBA commissioned this research to better understand what has been happening and what is likely to happen in the future in the practice of designing green buildings. The 2008 Autodesk/RIBA Green Index was an online survey among 211 members of RIBA, fielded in the summer of 2008. Participating architects came from a large mix of projects. 58 per cent were working on domestic housing projects; however, architects from commercial (21 per cent), institutional (19 per cent) and industrial projects (2 per cent) were also represented. More than half of architects included in the survey were from medium-sized firms, with 52 per cent employed by firms with less than 50 employees. 16 per cent were sole practitioners and 32 per cent were from firms with 50-plus employees.

Bentley Systems Debuts V8i Software Portfolio

Randall Newton — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:22:00 GMT

Bentley Systems, Inc., began releasing its new V8i software portfolio on November 6. The company will completely release the entire portfolio over 60 days. The portfolio of applications – which the company calls a “collective whole” – was developed to be a “virtually concurrent” release.
Bentley designed the V8i portfolio to enable sharing of data between more than 130 Bentley infrastructure applications, as well as software from other suppliers. Bentley says the new set of products will increase the ability to access all an organization’s data for any task and reduce the time previously wasted moving data between incompatible applications.

Bentley said the i in V8i represents the first initial of its five core capabilities: intuitive design modeling, interactive dynamic views, intrinsic geo-coordination, interoperability, and incredible performance.

Intuitive design modeling allows users to transition seamlessly from concept to completed model in a single environment. Designers can manipulate 3D geometry by simply pushing and pulling. The parametric and associative modeling tools allow users to easily iterate on design alternatives. And the new Luxology rendering engine incorporated in the MicroStation and all MicroStation-based applications provides near-real-time rendering in the design application.

Interactive dynamic views make working in 3D more interactive and informative. Users can work in 2D or 3D views and see both update automatically. V8i builds on existing approaches to the problem of drawing coordination. But the portfolio goes a step further in helping users simplify the process of 3D model creation.

Intrinsic geo-coordination allows users to coordinate spatial information from many sources using common coordinate systems. This assures that all V8i projects include real world coordinates. It also assures that new projects inherit the diverse and useful reference data already available.
Intra and interoperability allow infrastructure professionals to leverage core capabilities throughout the many applications in the V8i portfolio. It enables them to persist, share, and visualize infrastructure asset data in a common way. With intra and interoperability, users may recycle project and asset information from throughout design, construction, and operation phases. Intraoperability occurs throughout tightly coupled V8i products without loss of information. And Interoperability occurs across projects where users may now increase their choices of Bentley software, and couple their efforts with work from others based on DGN, PDF, DWG, ISO 15926, IFC, and other industry standards and related APIs.
Incredible project performance results from V8i’s accelerated file transfer rates and integration with Microsoft SharePoint, Bentley says. Users can better collaborate from afar because they can access files in distant offices up to 10 times faster on average size files. Bentley solves the problem of big file transfers by using Delta File Transfer, which transfers only the file changes over the network. ProjectWise V8i also offers full read/write integration with Microsoft SharePoint. This means with just a web browser any project team member can quickly find project information stored in many different systems.

Bentley has also announced a special introductory financing program in view of the global credit crisis, which it hopes will accelerate adoption of V8i and return on investment. For new licenses purchased (at Bentley’s standard competitive pricing) until the end of 2008, customers may pay fees in three annual installments. Also, for the rest of 2008, users of Bentley software who are not present subscribers to the Bentley SELECT program may join without paying back fees that normally pertain for periods of non-coverage.
More Information: www.bentley.com/v8i.

– Laurence Schell, AECnews Correspondent

New SketchUp 7 Debuts with Large Feature List Including Dynamic Components; LayOut Now Out of Beta

Randall Newton — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:36:00 GMT

Google today released SketchUp Version 7, a significant upgrade to the popular 3D design software. Google SketchUp Product Manager John Bacus says the emphasis in the new release is on collaboration, including the release from beta of SketchUp LayOut, a companion presentation tool. There are also major changes to core usability throughout the program.

SketchUp 7 continues to be available in both free and Pro versions, for both Windows and Mac OS X. The Pro version price remains unchanged at $495. The Upgrade price is $95, and is currently only available in English.

In previous versions of SketchUp, if two lines were to cross in a single plane, they would overlay and not interact. “A missed opportunity in the modeler,” notes Bacus. In SketchUp 7 the two lines merge and break. “It is a minor change to the user, but it is not a minor change in the object model,” notes Bacus. “We really think this will make it easier to draw things like a building facade. [Lines] will break and be ready for pushing and pulling right away without a lot of cleanup.” Bacus says the change to overlapping lines is representative of “a lot of small tweaky changes throughout the modeler.”

SketchUp 7 introduces Dynamic Components, a collection of behaviors that add significant power to SketchUp. Users can now apply constraints to geometry, bringing a sense of feature awareness to a component. For example, a component of a bookshelf could be constrained so that if stretched for height, new shelves would be drawn automatically. In the same say, a picket fence component would add new pickets when stretched or contracted. A window object could be set to manufacturer specifications, but allow the user to change frame color, mullion patters, or other features. Another Dynamic Components feature is the ability to create simple animations, such as a door that opens or closes.

Data can now be assigned to specific objects in the model, making it possible to pull reports together from model data for export to spreadsheets or other software.

Free vs. Pro
After Google bought SketchUp in 2006, there was considerable speculation that it would discontinue the Pro version and concentrate on the free product. “We have a healthy Pro business going and we want to preserve that,” notes Bacus. Many of the new features are only in the Pro version. “There are differences in what the professional users want and what the free users want. We don't want to add unnecessary complexity and irrelevant stuff to the free tool.” For example, Pro users can create and modify Dynamic Components; users of the free version can only use Dynamic Components created by a Pro user.

Controlling Models in 3D Warehouse
When Google opened the doors to 3D Warehouse, usage of SketchUp exploded. Now Pro users can control how models they submit to the Warehouse are used. A creator can restrict access to a list of collaborators, can make the model view-only, and can “sign” the model to claim authorship, a feature known as attribution credit. If a signed model is editable, the original signature stays with the model along with the signature of the person who updated it. “Its like credits in a movie,” says Bacus. “We have noticed that a lot of people don't want to lose control of their models.” A product manufacturer can put an official brand name into the model, allowing potential users to know when it came from. “If Whirlpool puts up a washer and Joe the Plumber changes it, you can tell.”

SketchUp LayOut Leaves Beta
Originally code-named Grizzly, LayOut is a presentation tool designed specifically for SketchUp models. Now that it is now longer considered to be in beta testing, it is renamed LayOut 2 and distributed with SketchUp Pro at no extra charge. Among its many change are three new rendering capabilities, a raster version, a vector-based version, and a hybrid approach; only the raster rendering option was in the previous release. Vector rendering allows the user to high-quality line work, including making touch-ups to the model. The changes do not affect the original SketchUp model. Bacus said the rendering options, in the spirit of SketchUp as a conceptual tool, are not state-of-art images. The idea is to offer the capability to render often and create a quick model for review. Google did not license one of the many rendering products on the market, but wrote their own.

LayOut 2 also offers the ability to create a PDF from a LayOut page, but Google decided to not support 3D PDF in this version, which Bacus says is “surprisingly complicated to support.” There are also a variety of line tools in LayOut, to annotate or add to a model. LayOut also supports output to a projector, so there is no need to export to PowerPoint or other presentation software.

A full list of features in SketchUp Version 7 (the list is long) is available at: http://sketchup.google.com/product/newin7.html

--RSN

Open Design Alliance Announces Legacy Application Recovery

Randall Newton — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:28:00 GMT

The Open Design Alliance (ODA) announces new services for CAD developers and end-users to implement DRX support for obsolete or legacy ARX custom object applications developed with the Autodesk ObjectARX programming environment.

Custom object applications are often designed for specialized CAD drawings, such as mechanical, electrical, architecture, or civil engineering, allowing end-users to create custom entities quickly and accurately and use custom commands that increase productivity. If the source code of these custom object applications is lost or not maintained over time, end-users become restricted to using legacy CAD applications that do not work with, or take advantage of, the latest features found in more recent DWG file formats.

The ODA says its new service will allow users to convert obsolete ARX applications into current DRX applications, which are usable within any DWGdirect host application. DRX source code will be provided, making additional development on such applications possible. This opens a wide range of possibilities for CAD developers and end-users to work with more recent DWG file formats and to further develop and enhance their custom object implementations.

ODA president Arnold van der Weide comments, “The inability to update an ARX application to work with the most recent versions of DWG forces a CAD user to prematurely retire a productive application and lose the ability to correctly display legacy CAD drawings. ODA’s Legacy Application Recovery services allow users to continue working with their older CAD drawings and applications productively and efficiently, which is exactly what the custom object applications were designed to do originally.”

The ODA says its Legacy Application Recovery services are available to all CAD developers and users, regardless of membership with the ODA. More details about these new services can be found at http://www.opendesign.com.

-- Edited from a press release

FMI Sees 2009 as "Benchmark Low Year" for US Construction

Randall Newton — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:49:00 GMT

Construction banking consultant FMI says 2009 will be a “benchmark low-water year” for US residential construction, due to a continuing “contraction unprecedented in its depth.”

According to FMI President and Managing Director, Hank Harris, “This has been a year of opportunity for some and disappointment for many. Sustained by poor lending practices well beyond the demand curve, the single family residential wave finally broke – big time. As goes residential, so (eventually) goes much of construction.”

In 2005, residential construction swelled to nearly $618 billion, accounting for 56% of all U.S. construction. In 2008, that number has dwindled to $397 billion, now accounting for just 37% of U.S. construction.

FMI has published the U.S. Markets Construction Overview annually since 1985. The Overview includes a comprehensive report on vital construction trends and forecasts the growth or decline in 19 market segments and nine geographic regions, noting both short-term and long-term considerations.

FMI outlines 10 significant drivers that will affect the future of the construction industry. For each driver, there are five implications and five actions to aid thinking around these issues. The top 10 futures drivers include:

• Energy Burns
• Capital Supply Suffers
• Talent Losses Likely
• Climate Changes Count
• Cost of Construction Climbs
• The Old Guard Changes
• Change Comes Faster
• Green Keeps Growing
• Customers Increase Construction Knowledge
• Global Acts Impact Local Markets

More information: www.fminet.com

--From a press release

AEC-GIS-Plant Stocks Down 35.84% So Far in 2008

Randall Newton — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:55:00 GMT

Our sister publication CADCAMNet reports today on the dramatic price slide that has hit stock prices for engineering IT in 2008. The AEC-GIS-Plant sector is down 35.84%.

The set of public companies in engineering software are down an average 38.87% since the first of the year. The individual average change ranges from up 10% (CAM software vendor Delcam) to down 74.33% (ECAD vendor Magma Designs). Of the 47 engineering software companies in this report, only two are up for the year; 14 are down 50% or more.

The CADCAMNet report shows the results by category and by company, and compares these stocks with a selected basket of IT hardware and software companies with relevance to the engineering IT industry. In addition to AEC/GIS/Plant, the categories are MCAD/CAE, CAM/RP, Channel/Services/cPDM, and ECAD. (October 9, 2008)

Follow this link to the original article at CADCAMNet.

-- RSN

Oracle to Acquire Leading AEC Project and Portfolio Management Software Vendor Primavera

Randall Newton — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:52:00 GMT

Oracle has announced plans to purchase leading project and project portfolio management (PPM) software vendor Primavera, the top AEC vendor in this category. Financial details have not been made public.

In a letter to Primavera customers, Oracle President Charles Phillips says the plan is to make Primavera into a “global business unit” with current CEO Joel Koppelmann as senior vice president and general manager of the unit.

Venture firm Francisco Partners took a stake in Primavera a couple of years ago, making this week’s acquisition a natural outcome. Established technology firms like Primavera don’t sell a piece of themselves unless they are looking for a exit strategy.

Primavera has done the hard work of creating an enterprise offering in project portfolio management and professional services automation for Oracle in the last few years, by buying several smaller vendors.

This deal brings Oracle more deeply into AEC, more so than with the JD Edwards acquisition a few years ago. But Primavera is more than an AEC PPM company; its clients are in a wide variety of fields where big projects are the norm, such as Boeing and NASA, as well as every branch of the US military.

There will be a conference call with Oracle and Primavera executive next week to provide more details.

--RSN

Could VectorWorks Be Switching to Parasolid?

Randall Newton — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:02:00 GMT

I'm doing a little research before flying to Baltimore later this week for a press event with Nemetschek North America (NNA), developers of the VectorWorks product line. And I've decided it is quite likely the big news to come will be more than just a new version of VectorWorks, but that NNA has decided to switch its 3D modeling kernel from Solids++ to Siemens PLM's Parasolid.

The signs are subtle, but I've seen these kinds of things before. For a few minutes last week, the web-based agenda for the press event listed two Siemens PLM employees, whom I know represent Parasolid. Somebody at NNA must have realized they let something slip, because that information is no longer listed. Also, Siemens PLM in June released a version of Parasolid for the 64-bit Mac "Leopard" environment, a must-have for NNA, which sells VectorWorks in both Windows and Macintosh versions. A 64-bit Parasolid-based version of VectorWorks Architect on the Mac would arguably be the most powerful BIM creation tool on the market. I have other reasons to think this is happening, but I need to keep those sources of information close to the chest.

3D CAD modelers in AEC are anemic compared to their MCAD-specific cousins such as the mid-range SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor, or the high-end NX or CATIA. The world's largest architecture firms are always looking at MCAD products, seeking a competitive edge. Quite a few architects use Rhino on a regular basis, and a few firms have incorporated the AEC version of CATIA, Digital Project from Gehry Technologies. A Parasolid-powered VectorWorks would raise the stakes in the BIM marketing wars, something Nemetschek North America is obviously doing by holding their first-ever press event and paying for a variety of writers (including myself) to come to Baltimore for meetings. Right now among AEC-specific 3D CAD tools, only Bentley's MicroStation uses Parasolid as its 3D kernel.

The meetings are Thursday; I'll let you know then if I'm right.

--RSN

CCNtv Contest Offers New HP xw4600 Workstation

Randall Newton — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:16:00 GMT

CCNtv is running a contest with one -- and only one -- prize. A new HP xw4600 Workstation, including monitor, will go to the best entry submitted on "If I had a new HP workstation I would ..."

Since a video site is running the contest, video entries of three minutes or less are preferred. But if, like me, you couldn't produce a decent video to save your life, let alone win a workstation, you can also submit a written response. (I know, how archaic.)

Head over to http://www.cadcamnet.tv/hpcontest.html to enter.

--RSN

Autodesk Releases New Version of NavisWorks Product Line

Randall Newton — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:52:00 GMT

Support for DGN V8 tops the list of new features in the latest release of Autodesk NavisWorks, the model review software that many large construction firms swear by.

NavisWorks 2009.1 also features

·        Support for Revit assembly codes for "symbol" element types
·        Properties support for new style DWF files (as exported from Revit)
·        Asta Powerproject V10 support
·        AutoCAD Mechanical 2008 64-bit support
·        64-bit exporters now included in the main installer
·        Vico Constructor 2008 support
·        Enhancements to application programming interface

There was some concern in AEC circles that Autodesk would do NavisWorks more harm than good when it was acquired. But that seems not to be the case. Updates were made to the full Autodesk NavisWorks product line, which enables seamless visualization of all types of models, precise replication of designs, and accurate simulation of 4D construction schedules. Modules are:

·        Autodesk NavisWorks Review -- for standard, real-time review and model aggregation

·        Autodesk NavisWorks Simulate -- includes Autodesk NavisWorks Review and adds timeline and 4D (construction sequencing visualization) capabilities

·        Autodesk NavisWorks Manage -- adds clash detection and interference management functionality

·        Autodesk NavisWorks Freedom -- a free viewer for files in Autodesk NavisWorks NWD and 3D DWF formats.

Autodesk NavisWorks 2009.1 products are now available worldwide in English, French, German, Japanese, Russian and Simplified Chinese. Additionally, Autodesk NavisWorks Freedom is now available as a free add-on product with Autodesk NavisWorks Manage, Autodesk NavisWorks Simulate and Autodesk NavisWorks Review installs.

More information can be found at www.autodesk.com/navisworks.

--RSN

Nemetschek Discovers Timber-Based Construction

Randall Newton — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 07:07:00 GMT

Nemetschek Allplan this week announced an agreement with a smaller German software vendor to jointly develop design software for the timber-based construction industry. To the American sensibility, this announcement seems slightly odd. But, as the announcement notes:

“... every sixth private home in Germany is built using timber construction. The [Association of German Prefabricated Building Manufacturers]estimates that the proportion of timber construction projects will continue to increase. The expertise of architects and designers in using and building with this material will have an important influence on future developments.”

Allplan has been a top seller in AEC for a generation because it is more suited to European building materials and methods. It takes what I've always called a slab-based approach to design, more in keeping with the stone-based construction methods predominate in most European markets.

The deal calls for Nemetschek Allplan and Weto, both based in Bavaria, to jointly develop and market design software for the carpentry and timber construction industries. The firms note that European builders are turning toward an increased use of timber “due to its lower ecological impact. The new solution will guarantee users a consistent data flow from design to production, allowing them to design buildings in a sustainable manner.”

“For economic and ecological reasons, wood is one of the building materials of the future. We want to give our customers a tool that allows them to design timber construction products efficiently in terms of energy and resources. With its expertise in timber construction, Weto is the ideal partner for us,” says Peter Mehlstäubler, General Manager of Nemetschek Allplan GmbH.

Allplan says modern-day high-tech timber houses “combine increasing industrial prefabrication and modern building services so that decisions can be made during the design phase.”

“We cannot do without a design tool that covers everything from the draft to the working design, cost management, production and final acceptance all within a single data system,” continues Thomas Krenn, Member of the Managing Board of Weto AG. “The cooperation between Allplan and Weto creates a unique solution for the construction sector, optimized within a single program,” adds Otto Toso, CEO of Weto AG.

The two companies envision creating an integrated timber construction solution that will:

“... help users to design their projects to meet environmental criteria, cost efficiency and high quality. Consistent data flow from design to manufacture makes it possible to combine solid construction and timber construction in a single application, as well as specialist timber head profiles, dormer constructions and much more. User-friendly wizards make the application easy to learn and use. For architects and designers this means improved performance with less workload.”

The first joint customer solutions are planned for early 2009.

--RSN

Minor (?) Landing Incident at Chicago O'Hare

Randall Newton — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:38:00 GMT

I travelled today to Chicago, for meetings tomorrow with Oce about their hot new technology for wide format printing.

Upon landing in Chicago (United #632, Seattle-Chicago O'Hare) the braking seemed to be hard and erratic. We came to a full stop at the end of the runway, off to the side. The pilot came on the intercom and said the nose landing gear failed upon touchdown, losing the ability to steer the aircraft. The co-pilot got us out of harm's way by steering with the brakes on the rear landing wheels. About 15 minutes later, we were being towed, with emergency vehicles all around us flashing their lights as we proceeded to the gate.

As a kid I learned how to steer a tractor using the rear brakes -- I can only imagine how hard it was for the co-pilot to steer a Boeing 737 using only the brakes on the rear wheels.

Everybody was calm, and the crew acted as if everything was just fine, but as an experienced traveler I realize that a stopped jet is never really out of harm's way until it is at the gate.

When we finally parked at the gate, we were two minutes early. All's well that ends well, right?

-- RSN

New MEP Analysis Pack Available at Autodesk Labs

Randall Newton — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:27:00 GMT

Today Autodesk released The MEP Analysis Extension as a free technology preview from Autodesk Labs. The MEP Analysis Extension is a set of 25 utilities that MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) engineers can use to better understand how a building system will perform before it is built, ultimately helping MEP engineers reduce energy costs and environmental impact while improving the performance of building systems.

Today Autodesk also released the HVAC Load Calculation Extension, available to Autodesk Subscription customers of AutoCAD MEP and Revit MEP. The Load Calculation Extenion performs peak cooling and heating load analysis for commercial buildings so that engineers can properly size HVAC equipment.

Both extensions can function as stand-alone applications, but also work in conjunction with both AutoCAD MEP and Revit MEP.

The MEP Analysis Extension calculates rule-of-thumb cooling and heating loads for commercial and residential buildings, calculates total R-Values for walls and roofs, determines psychrometric properties of air, and more. Running these types of calculations through the MEP Analysis Extension can help MEP engineers reduce error and waste, potentially saving energy costs. The MEP Analysis Extension also contains utilities for sizing duct work, piping, and HVAC systems – helping engineers and architects identify the most appropriate building equipment early in the design cycle.

The following utilities are included in the MEP Analysis Extension:

Metric-English Units Converter
Single-state psychrometric calculations
Mixed-air psychrometric calculations
Duct sizing calculations
ASHRAE duct fitting pressure loss calculations
General pipe sizing
Hot/chilled water pipe sizing
Steam pipe sizing
Low pressure gas pipe sizing
High pressure gas pipe sizing
Refrigerant pipe sizing
Fan cost analysis
Fan curve analysis
Pump curve analysis
Rule-of-thumb commercial HVAC load calculations
Simple residential/light commercial HVAC load calculations
Swimming pool heating calculations
U-value calculations
gbXML parser
Wire sizing utility
Glass moisture condensation
Life-Cycle cost analysis
A super calculator for complex equations
Manage HVAC equipment lists
Manage climatic weather data

The HVAC Load Calculation Extension is a comprehensive HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) load calculation software tool that determines building peak cooling and heating loads based upon current calculation techniques from ASHRAE. Using the results from the software, engineers can properly size cooling and heating equipment without over-sizing such equipment which often results in wasted energy. The Load Calculation Extension works as a stand-alone application, but also integrates easily with BIM modelers such as Revit MEP.

Product Availability
The MEP Analysis Extension is available as a free technology preview from Autodesk Labs and can be downloaded at: http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/mep_analysis_extension/. Visitors to Autodesk Labs are encouraged to experiment with inventive new tools and provide feedback to the Autodesk team. Participants may comment on the MEP Analysis Extension by emailing: labs.mep.analysis@autodesk.com.
The MEP Analysis Extension is subject to terms and conditions applicable to Autodesk Labs. The utilities included in the extension are currently available in English only, but will operate with all language versions of AutoCAD MEP 2009 and Revit MEP 2009 software.

The HVAC Load Calculation Extension is available to customers of AutoCAD MEP 2009 and Revit MEP 2009 on Autodesk Subscription and is subject to Autodesk Subscription terms and conditions. The extension is currently available in English only, but will operate with all language versions of AutoCAD MEP 2009 and Revit MEP 2009 software.

--RSN

Open Design Alliance Announces New Educational Program

Randall Newton — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:34:00 GMT

The Open Design Alliance (ODA) announces the launch of “Education and the ODA,” a program aimed to stimulate research in CAD/CAM and other engineering software applications by educational organizations.

Educational institutes, groups, and students interested in or already performing CAD/CAM research can register as ODA Educational Members free of charge. Educational Members have free access to ODA software libraries, and depending on the educational project and application, in special cases the source code can be made available at the discretion of the ODA Board of Directors.

The first annual Education and the ODA Showcase launches this year with the posting of project summaries on www.opendesign.com and an annual prize awarded for the most noteworthy and remarkable educational project.

ODA president Arnold van der Weide says the initiative is a way to promote innovation in CAD. “The CAD/CAM industry lacks innovation due to limited research in engineering software,” he said in a prepared statement. “Our education initiative is an extension of our commitment to CAD technology software development, with the added benefit to students and universities interested in creating and exploring new technologies.”

More details: http://www.opendesign.com/education.

-- from a press release

Autodesk and Bentley to Swap Access to Internal Product Libraries

Randall Newton — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:22:00 GMT

Autodesk and Bentley Systems today announced a wide-ranging agreement to cooperate on interoperability issues by exchanging file format code libraries and providing access to each other's application programming interfaces (API's). While the deal is a win-win in the long run, it gives short-term competitive advantage to Autodesk. For full details, please read the new AECnews article "Autodesk and Bentley to Cooperate on AEC Software Interoperability."

--RSN

Autodesk and Bentley to Cooperate on Interoperability

Randall Newton — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:08:00 GMT

Autodesk and Bentley just released a joint announcement describing an agreement to cooperate on interoperability. Details to follow after the press conference.

--RSN

3D Basecamp: Most Sessions Now Available for Viewing on YouTube

Randall Newton — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:51:00 GMT

Most of the sessions from last month's Google SketchUp 3D Basecamp are now available for viewing on Google YouTube. Visit http://sites.google.com/site/3dbasecamp2008/ for a list of sessions and links.

-- RSN

Autodesk to Make Technology Announcement Today

Randall Newton — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:54:00 GMT

On short notice, Autodesk is inviting "a few key press" to attend a press teleconference today at 1:30 p.m Pacific time.

The announcement came from the platform division, so it is likely the news concerns AutoCAD.

In May there was a PR boo-boo involving Autodesk and Bentley (see, "Why in the World Was Carl Bass Scheduled to Tele-Appear at the Bentley Conference?"). Perhaps we will be learning about an agreement for a direct technology swap between Autodesk and Bentley. That would be good news indeed, unless you are part of the Open Design Alliance.

--RSN

Exploring Digital Sketching in Architecture

Randall Newton — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:17:00 GMT

The next presentation of AIA New York Technology Committee will explore the use of digital sketching in architecture as an alternative to traditional, manual approaches to the earliest stages of design.

Markus Dochantschi, the principal and founder at studioMDA New York, will share his design explorations using digital sketching July 8, 2008 starting at 6:00 p.m., at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place, New York City. RSVP is required to “paul-dot-seletsky-at-som-dot-com.”

studioMDA has used animated digital sketches to write a script, a digital story book, which becomes the basis for architectural design. studioMDA has teamed with artists, video artists, and choreographers, among others to define space generated by various artistic endeavors. According to AIANY Technology Committee member Erleen Hatfield, PE, studioMDA uses the resulting multi-discipline context to layer architectural syntax “into micro and macro scales, balancing the smallest detail with the topographical/urban fabric.”

Dochantschi was trained as an architect in Darmstadt, Germany, where he graduated with a master of architecture in 1995. He worked in Japan with Arata Isozaki in Tokyo in 1993 and with Tom Heneghan in 1994. From 1995 to 2002, he worked with Zaha Hadid in London, as a director, project director, project architect and designer for such projects as Landesgartenschau Germany, Ski Jump Austria, Contemporary Arts Center Ohio, and the Vista Master plan Singapore. He founded studioMDA in New York in 2002.

Markus has been guest critic at the Architectural Association London, UK; Columbia University, Cooper Union, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, the ETH Zurich, Switzerland; the Hochschule für Angewandte Kunst Vienna, Austria, and has taught at the Yale School of Architecture as a “Critic in Architecture” with Zaha Hadid in 2004, 2005 and with Stephan Behnisch and Gerald Hines in 2006.

For more information on studioMDA, visit www.studiomda.com

--RSN

New Eco-Friendly Residential Tower Created in ArchiCAD

Randall Newton — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:27:00 GMT

Groundbreaking is slated for 3Q 2008 on an eco-friendly residential tower in Austin, Texas, that aims to be a centerpiece of both urban sustainability and the city’s downtown revitalization efforts.

7 Rio Condominiums, designed with ArchiCAD by Austin architects, Rhode Partners, is a 34-story luxury high-rise residential community being built near the Texas capital’s cultural and political epicenter. Nearly 400 feet high, the 158-unit “point-tower” building will be seeking LEED Silver certification and four stars under the Austin Energy Green Building Program, the country's first comprehensive program to encourage using sustainable building techniques in residential and municipal construction. The building will have six levels of structured parking, 27 residential levels, and 7,300 square feet of retail space.

“We designed 7 Rio to be both disciplined and beautiful, making a stunning addition to the Austin skyline,” said Brett Rhode AIA, principle with Rhode Partners. “We believe our approach to sustainable design elevates the building beyond luxury, resonating with Austin’s environmentally conscious population.”

Using a Building Information Modeling (BIM) design approach, Rhode Partners organized 7 Rio into four distinct tiers of varying unit sizes. The building’s exterior reflects these tiers, visually representing the wide variety of interior spaces within. The building’s exterior is clad with a rain-screen system of expanded aluminum accented by glass fins which vary subtly in color. Deep balconies with glass guardrails offer expansive views of the “Live Music Capitol of the World” and the surrounding Texas Hill Country. The building’s rooftop consists of amenity spaces, a dramatic pool and roof gardens.

“Rhode Partners is one of the first Austin-based architectural firms to fully utilize BIM to coordinate all aspects of building design and to produce 3D databases of its projects,” said Joanna Hartman AIA, Design Manager for the project. “Our use of ArchiCAD made every phase of the 7 Rio project – from cost estimating to marketing – run smoothly and on schedule, while providing a wealth of real-time data for the owners and building partners.”

-- From a press release