AEC Magazine July / August 2014 by X3DMEDIA

Building Information Modelling (BIM) for Architecture, Engineering and Construction

Model industry Delivering 3D prints in Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s architectural heartland

Autodesk Skyscraper Learn from the #ukbimcrew BIM: legal and contractual advice July /August 2014 >> Vol.73 p01_AEC_JULAUG14_Cover.indd 1

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Building Information Modelling (BIM) for Architecture, Engineering and Construction

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3D prints: building Autodesk Skyscraper 22 business 10 From its origins in Liverpool in 1969, Hobs Reprographics has grown into one of the biggest independent digital printing companies in Britain. It now produces 3D models for some of the biggest architectural practices in London

Urban frontiers 12 London-based architects Paul Davis + Partners selected Stratasys’ Dimension SST 1200es 3D printer when it moved from traditional handmade models to 3D printed models

Opinion: BIM in the cloud 14 AEC magazine asks two industry consultants to what extent are firms currently using BIM in the cloud and what it means for the AEC industry

BIM integration challenges 17 Edward Bingham of engineering services company, URS and Tim Claremont from law firm Browne Jacobson explore some of the challenges, both legal and nonlegal, posed by BIM Level 2

Moving BIM models to the cloud for collaborative workflows is a growing trend. This month Autodesk previewed its forthcoming ‘Skyscraper’ technology

ArchiCAD 18 24 Graphisoft is celebrating 30 years of ArchiCAD BIM in 2014. After launching its BIM Cloud offering earlier in the year, the Hungarian company has released v18 of its flagship BIM platform

Keep on track 28 BIM implementation based on Bentley products enables Sweco Infrastructure team to meet the challenges of designing in parallel with production

DS: the new kid on the block 30 French CAD giant, Dassault Systèmes, is tailoring its powerful Catia modelling solution to address all aspects of BIM

HP steps up 34

#UKBIMCrew 20

Next gen HP printer technology puts an end to a sliding single print head, meaning faster prints in full colour

Social media consultant Su Butcher argues that the #ukbimcrew is not a clique; it is for everyone

Also this month: 4, 6 and 9 News; 33 Carreg a Gwydr: structural analysis July / August 2014

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News

Trimble expands BIM portfolio rimble has unveiled a whole raft of new products and previews, including software to manage layout tasks associated with building construction and two technologies that harness the power of Google’s Project Tango — mobile devices with 3D motion and depth sensing. Trimble Field Link 2.20 extends site layout capabilities for contractors by providing task-based workflows, customisable views, and a touch-screen user interface. To find the exact location of a point in the field, users can now visualise where they are inside the 3D model relative to the layout point in the software, giving a more intuitive, realistic 3D perspective viewpoint. The software encompasses updates to Trimble Field Link for MEP and Trimble Field Link for Structures, which now include augmented 3D model support and the ability to import much larger, more sophisticated models. Users can also share their 3D constructible models with design and engineering applications via Bentley’s mobile i-model technology. Trimble has also previewed two concept apps running on the latest tablet platform of Google’s Project Tango program, an initiative to give mobile devices a humanscale understanding of space and motion

Trimble Field Link 2.20 can manage layout tasks associated with building construction

Game engine navigation utodesk has acquired Stockholm-based Bitsquid, the creator of the Bitsquid game engine. Beyond 3D games, Autodesk says the acquisition will enable it to create new tools that push the limits of real-time 3D visualisation for architects and designers. Users will be able to explore designs using the same fluid control and immediate feedback that exist in modern console and PC games.

thanks to a motion tracking camera and integrated depth sensing. SketchUp Scan can capture building interiors in 3D and automatically create an editable SketchUp model. Trimble Through The Wall uses tracking capabilities of Tango devices to reveal what is located inside walls. Using data from BIM tools, such as Tekla Structures, Trimble Through The Wall can display and overlay pipes, electrical wires and HVAC infrastructure on top of walls, at their correct location. Meanwhile, Trimble has launched SketchUp Mobile Viewer for iPad that allows users to store and view their own 3D SketchUp models, as well as those available in the 3D Warehouse. Finally, Trimble Document Controller Standard is a new virtual construction management tool that automates change detection between design iterations in both 2D drawings and 3D models created with BIM software including Tekla, SketchUp, ArchiCAD, and Revit. The software combines document management and constructability analysis capabilities — previously delivered as part of Trimble’s Vico Office Suite for 5D BIM. ■ buildings.trimble.com ■ trimble.com/ProjectTango

■ autodesk.com/campaigns/bitsquid

Collaboration on the iPad luebeam Software is working with Citrix to give Citrix ShareFile full integration with Bluebeam Revu for iPad, enabling mobile professionals to more easily access, manage and share project files digitally. ShareFile is a cloud storage service within the AEC and other document-intensive industries, for which Bluebeam is a developer of PDF-based markup, measurement and collaboration solutions.

■ bluebeam.com ■ citrix.com

Autodesk Revit collaboration in the cloud utodesk has previewed Project Skyscraper, a new cloud-based collaboration technology for Revit that will allow dispersed teams to collaborate on the Autodesk 360 cloud platform. “Our customers have told us that technology can actually get in the way of their collaborative workflows. They end up exchanging data inefficiently, with email as a

lowest common denominator for communication among the team. We built Project Skyscraper and integrated it with Autodesk 360 to break down those barriers and let the team focus on delivering high quality buildings on time and on budget,” said Kyle Bernhardt, cloud services product line manager, Autodesk.” See page 22 for more on Project Skyscraper. Meanwhile, Autodesk has

July / August 2014

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acquired ‘The Living’, a New York-based architecture and design firm, renowned for bringing new technologies to life in the built environment. Autodesk and The Living have been working together closely for several years on research and development projects and the new relationship will amplify this collaboration and research through a first-ofits-kind Autodesk Studio.. ■ tinyurl.com/RevitSkyscraper

IFC models on Apple iOS ekla Field3D is a new mobile app for handling BIM data sets and constructible, detailed models on Apple iOS devices. The software supports open standard IFC models and allows users to combine, view and share building information models on the Apple iPad and Apple iPhone.

■ tekla.com

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News

ROUND UP Wienerberger BIM Wienerberger has launched a fully functional BIM portal called BIM Lab. The website will help architects and specifiers get a clear understanding of how Wienerberger’s roof, wall and landscaping products will practically function in their projects. The objects, which are built in Autodesk Revit and cover roof, wall, paver and block, are also available on BIMstore.co.uk ■ bimlab.biz

buildingSMART Nemetschek, Autodesk, Trimble and HOK have become founding members of buildingSMART International’s start-up Strategic Advisory Council (SAC). The aim of the council is to merge the commercial experience of major industry players with buildingSMART’s vision of a universal collaboration format for BIM models. ■ buildingSMART.org

Revit Structure link CSC’s Integrator software now provides BIM Integration between Revit Structure 2015 and CSC’s steel building design software, Fastrak, and concrete building design tool, Orion. CSC’s software can synchronise full or part models between the engineer and Revit modeller, with the ability to manage the entire process. ■ cscworld.com

BIMStore expands Quinn & Merriott Radiators is the first radiator manufacturer to have its entire range on BIMStore.co.uk. Dorma has also expanded its BIM Product Library with the addition of a new Revit object for its KTC-2 Flex Revolving door and BST Automatic Curved Sliding door. ■ BIMStore.co.uk

MicroCAD acquired Graitec, a software developer and reseller for CAD and structural design solutions, has acquired (through its UK subsidiary Adris) MicroCAD, an Autodesk CAD solutions provider. ■ adris.co.uk

MOJ selects 4BIM The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has selected 4Projects’ 4BIM model server to achieve Level 2 BIM across all of its future development projects. ■ viewpoint.com

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Bentley Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE)

Bentley looks to subsurface engineering entley’s new Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) software is designed specifically for the integrated engineering management of underground utility networks for water, storm water, gas and electric services. The software is built on OpenRoads, Bentley’s collaborative BIM technology for multi-discipline civil engineering projects. It allows engineers to bring together data from multiple sources and geo-coordinate it for 3D modelling, interactive inspection, and utility conflict detection and clash resolution. Bentley has also released updates to its SewerGEMS, SewerCAD, CivilStorm and StormCAD tools for the analysis and design of wastewater and stormwater systems.

The V8i (SELECTseries 4) releases are said to provide advanced hydraulic and operational capabilities for an increased depth of information modelling that allows users to evaluate and compare a wider range of network considerations. This so-called ‘optioneering’ means trade-offs can be assessed across disciplines and systems in terms of cost, time and efficiency. Meanwhile, Southern Water has selected InfoWorks ICM, an integrated catchment modelling solution, to help manage its complex sewer system. East Riding of Yorkshire Council has also adopted the software for Local Flood Risk Management ■

bentley.com/GetLatestSewerProducts

■

bentley.com/SUE

■

innovyze.com

Laser scanning for brownfield projects 3SCOM Engineering (D3) has adopted Aveva Everything3D and Aveva Laser Modeller for use on brownfield projects in Malaysia. The software will enable D3’s designers to get a clear understanding of the as-is condition of an asset during brownfield projects. Direct integration of the 3D design model into the laser scan BubbleView is said to allow accurate extraction of tie-in points and clash

detection, minimising project rework. Meanwhile, Hochtief ViCon, a service provider for virtual construction and Building Information Modelling (BIM), has secured two new laser scanning projects within Education City in Qatar. ViCon will be responsible for developing as-built BIM documentation based on 3D Laser scanning converted into an augmented BIM Model. ■

aveva.com

■

hochtief.de

Clarity for project collaboration he 2015 release of the IMAGINiT Clarity suite of products for AEC project collaboration features an intuitive user interface, new task automation options, and integration with Autodesk products including Autodesk BIM 360 Glue. “The new productivity and time saving enhancements in our 2015 releases allow BIM teams to reduce the amount of time spent on manual tasks, such as model exchange and clean-up, and focus on higher level tasks that add tangible value to projects,” says Tim Johnson, senior vicepresident at IMAGINiT Technologies. “As

the new IMAGINiT Clarity line-up supports Autodesk Revit and Revit Server 2015, 2014 and 2013 versions, many firms can now reap significant benefits.” Designed to harness the information contained in Revit models, IMAGINiT Clarity for Revit provides collaborative project management tools and automation of manual tasks. Firms that require collaboration with external team members can use IMAGINiT Clarity Connect or Clarity Connect LT for Revit Server, which add secure project sharing features on top of IMAGINiT Clarity functionality. ■

imaginit.com

www.AECmag.com

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7/18/2014 4:28:58 PM

News

Samsung tunes SSD for endurance amsung has released the SSD 850 PRO, a workstation-class solid state drive to replace the Samsung SSD 840 PRO. The 850 PRO is available in a range of capacities up to 1TB, double that of the 840 PRO it replaces. It also takes a big step up in terms endurance thanks to its new 32 layer 3D V-NAND flash memory. The 850 PRO can write 150 Terabytes over its entire life, more than doubling the 73 Terabytes quoted for the 840 PRO. Samsung has backed this up with a whopping 10-year limited warranty, based on a 40GB daily write workload. Meanwhile, AMD has unveiled the FirePro W8100, an 8GB professional GPU

The Samsung SSD 850 Pro comes with a ten-year (40GB per day) warranty

ROUND UP SolidWorks to Revit

for high-end CAD and design viz. The double height card can deliver advanced graphics on multiple displays — up to four at HD or 4K (30Hz) resolution and up to three at 4K (60Hz). AMD also pitches the FirePro W8100 as a versatile GPU that can deliver advanced 3D graphics and GPU compute capabilities at the same time. In other hardware news, Intel has broken the 4GHz barrier with its new Core i7-4790K CPU, a speed that was only previously achievable with overclocking. The chip features a 4.0GHz base clock speed and a Turbo of 4.4 GHz, 500MHz more than the Core i7-4770K it replaces. ■ samsung.com/ssd ■ amd.com/firepro ■ intel.com

Solibri tunes Model Checker for COBie he new COBie extension package for Solibri Model Checker (SMC) is designed to provide an efficient way to collect, validate, visualise and export COBie data. The extension has two components: COBie platform and resources for local requirements, e.g., UK specific resources. “Solibri is uniquely placed

to support construction professionals in the delivery of COBie output,” said Simon Gilbert, technical services director at Solibri UK. “The core capabilities in SMC of rules-based checking of models and extracting quality information are at the heart of what is required to produce COBie. We have put a huge effort into creating a COBie extension to SMC,

which is both comprehensive and flexible. There has been a very clear focus on producing an accurate COBie output, which can be used, with confidence, in CAFM systems.” Solibri Model Checker is a Quality Assurance tool for BIM validation, compliance control, design review, analysis and code checking. ■ solibri.com

Laser scan registration without markers ARO has updated its laser scanning software, SCENE 5.3, and scan data hostingservice, SCENE WebShare Cloud 1.5. FARO’s SCENE 5.3 software, for use with the Laser Scanner Focus 3D X Series, delivers scan registration by eliminating artificial targets, such as spheres and checkerboards.

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Users can choose from two available registration methods: ‘Top-View’-based or ‘Cloud-to-Cloud’. ‘Top View’ allows for target-less positioning of scans, which is useful for interiors and in built-up areas without reliable GPS pre-positioning of the individual scans. ‘Cloud-to-Cloud’ allows the user to position scans

quickly and accurately, even under difficult conditions, using the integrated GPS receiver of the Laser Scanner Focus3D X Series. “FARO’s cloud-based hosting solution, SCENE WebShare Cloud, allows scan projects to be published and shared worldwide via the Internet,” says Faro’s Oliver Bürkler.

Srinsoft has developed a suite of interoperability tools that take SolidWorks or PTC Creo models into a BIM environment. BIM Exchange for SolidWorks and BIM Exchange for Creo map SolidWorks / Creo features to Autodesk Revit. An IFC converter also exports / imports to other major BIM software ■ srinsofttech.com

Concrete advice On September 3 Tekla is hosting a webinar, Concrete Evidence: Reduce Costs and Win More Work. Ciaran Donnelly, owner of Cidon Construction, an RC contractor, will explain how concrete contractors can work smarter, better manage work using BIM and improve efficiency. ■ tinyurl.com/CidonTekla

RC design Advance Design 2015, the latest release of Graitec’s structural engineering tool, provides structural FEM simulation and optimisation for concrete, steel and wood. The software features an enhanced concrete deflection calculation with new options for RC design to EC2. ■ graitec.com

BIM collaboration A partnership between Nemetschek Vectorworks and Asite enables users of Vectorworks Architect to connect commercial information with their BIM models, enhance co-ordination processes and maintain a clear audit trail on design updates through Asite’s Adoddle collaboration platform. ■ vectorworks.net ■ asite.com

Immersive viz Chaos Group and Nurulize have previewed AtomView, a new software tool that connects V-Ray rendering with the Oculus Rift VR headset to allow designers to explore their designs in a fully immersive, photorealistic environment ■ nurulize.com ■ chaosgroup.com

AutoCAD point clouds Undet ToolBox v2 is an AutoCAD plug-in for the evaluation, visualisation, processing and advanced modelling of point clouds. It is suitable for buildings and sites. ■ undet.com

■ faro.com

July / August 2014

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Feature

Building business Starting out in 1969, Hobs Reprographics has grown into one of the biggest independent digital printing companies in Britain. Three years ago it started offering 3D printing services and now produces models for some of the biggest architectural practices in the capital.

Right A model produced by Hobs Studio of London’s Victoria Station helped the construction team by displaying different sections in colour Below (top) The model was produced using the colour 3D printing ability of the 3D Systems ProJet 660, of which Hobs Studio has four Below (bottom) The high resolution, large build area and bright white finish of the SLA models mean that Hobs Studio’s 3D Systems iPro 8000 machine is in high demand by architects

by Stephen Holmes

3D Systems Projet 660 printers and an older Projet 550, sometimes know as ‘ZCorp’ machines. “Two years ago we had one 3D printer in a corner,” says Hobs Studio director Michelle Greeff. “I would fix the files then print them, take them out, deliver them, then run out and get more work. “Now we’ve moved into here with six printers, and we’re the only one with the 3D Systems iPro 8000.” The printer in question is the jewel in the company’s crown. Sitting in its own temperaturecontrolled, glass-walled room, it can produce large stereolithography (SLA) models. SLA gives the customer more model options, with a higher resolution finish. The parts are highly detailed and come with a refined surface finish, producing parts straight from a simple clean up, with a white or clear finish that is prized in architectural presentation models. While initially appearing to be the more expensive process, the SLA is not that much more costly when materials can be reduced by, for example, deploying thinner walls, Ms Greeff says.

he rise of 3D printing in architectural modelmaking has been meteoric. Early adopter bureaux have grown swiftly across the UK as architects look to use fast and accurate models at every stage of design. Compared to the space needed for a traditional model-making workshop, print bureaux housing 3D printers and post-processing facilities can squeeze into relatively small premises. Using this small footprint to its benefit, Hobs Studio has moved closer to its main architectural client base. Its latest bureau straddles the north London suburbs of Clerkenwell and Islington, close to many of the Capital’s biggest architecture practices and construction companies.

All shapes and sizes Unlike a model-maker’s workshop, the bureau has all the familiarity of a standard office, yet past the administration area lies a bank of 3D printers, all busy. A lot of the models are straight prints of the 3D digital model for practical assessment, with few additional flourishes. More complex presentation models include large cityscapes printed in miniature across connecting tiles, and whole schools produced in colour, with removable roofs exposing furnished rooms within. The construction industry comes to Hobs 10

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Quality and quantity for models of rail stations, showing the various branches of the underground rail network that run underneath. These can be produced in a matter of hours and in full colour on the bureau’s four

On the day of our visit, the iPro 8000 build tray has a mixture of parts for a globally-renowned architect mixed in with those for a luxury handbag designer, filling the build area to its maximum. In an attempt to eke out every inch of prowww.AECmag.com

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ductivity from the machine, Ms Greeff has invested heavily in the software. The models are processed through Materialise’s e-Stage software that automatically generates the support material to position the model as it is being constructed layer-by-layer in the machine. Normally, for some of the complex models, it could take half a day to place all the support correctly using earlier software, and a lot of manual skill. “We got this machine because we wanted to start supplying our main accounts with SLA parts,” Ms Greeff explains. “It’s not cheap, but it makes it perfect for us and the customer.” Yet as Ms Greeff explains, customers still turn to the ‘ZCorp’ machines for faster build speeds and the option of colour. Colour is used widely by construction and civil engineering clients to assess pipe systems, electrical lines, even entire underground train lines. Looking at some of the models around the studio, it would be hard to imagine a pipe array having the same clarity if they were simply powder grey. As Hobs’ clients expand their use of BIM they will now send models to be printed straight from a Revit file. This retains the www.AECmag.com

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colours, using an Autodesk FBX file, but it requires the right knowhow to transfer, clean-up and manipulate this data into a model ready for 3D printing.

3D environment “Architectural models are by far the most difficult,” Ms Greeff says. Shrinking down a vast stadium model to 1:1000 of its size, for example, means that a lot of work must be done to maintain all the details. A team of three Hobs staff work quietly, prepping the 3D models for print. They are all experts in print editing software Materialise Magics that allows them to resize, and sometimes restructure parts ready for printing. Even experienced clients’ models require some tweaking, whether it is wall thicknesses, or fleshing out details. “The software has got much better, and we’ve never turned a file away since we’ve been open. Although there was a file that took an entire week to fix — the remodelling of Victoria Underground Station,” explains Ms Greeff. The Victoria Station model is now a prized achievement, with its many connecting tube lines and structures proving a tall order to remodel for printing.

Once the 3D model is fixed it can be used for some of the related 3D applications. Hobs Studio now offers 3D visualisations, including virtual and augmented reality, which can work in conjunction with the 3D printed models, using them as overlays. These can also be useful for the construction industry, detailing the process of erecting a tower, the movement paths of cranes and heavy vehicles on the site. Since 2013 Hobs Studio has moved into 3D machine re-sales for architectural practices wanting to take the process in house, providing them with service contracts and consumables. “We teach people how to make good files, says Ms Greeff. “We’ve learnt so much through the years, we know what the problems are, so we can throw in a bit extra TLC and help with the file side.” And Hobs finds that some practices that have taken the technology in-house still require it to produce 3D models. Already Ms Greeff is looking at more new additions to her 3D printer flock. Three years in, and only months into its new North London facilities, another change of office could be needed sooner rather than later. ■ hobsstudio.com

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Case study

Urban frontiers London-based architects Paul Davis + Partners selected Stratasys’ Dimension SST 1200es 3D printer when it moved from traditional handmade models to 3D prints.

y the nature of its industry, Paul Davis + Partners is busy juggling multiple projects and time constraints are often an issue. Its clients are demanding more projects to be turned around at an increasing pace, which means that the firm had to reassess some of the ways it was working to meet deadlines. For example, until quite recently, hand-made cardboard or balsa wood models were being built at the end of the design process so as not to hold up projects. Having visual models available only at the end of the process meant that most of the projects were relying solely on drawings and therefore missing many of the benefits that 3D models could offer. “It is much more beneficial for 3D models to be used throughout the design process in order to assess the structure and shape of the building,” said David Hoggard, partner and architect at Paul Davis + Partners. “A tangible model can help us to determine where sunlight will hit the building, for example, and to consider the spacing between buildings, ensuring that the client and architects are both happy with the end result.” Outsourcing its model-building was one option the firm explored, however past experience had shown this method to be too costly and less flexible than having facilities in-house. Instead, Paul Davis + Partners made the choice to invest in a 3D printer which would easily produce a highly durable model in a matter of hours, rather than the days or weeks that it would take to build one by hand. The company selected Stratasys’ Dimension SST 1200es 3D printer for its precise detailing and use of ABSplus materials. The other solutions they looked at did not have the high quality material properties or accuracy that the Dimension printer offered. 12

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There is no substitute for the tactile and visual feedback a physical model can provide, according to Paul Davis + Partners. With the Dimension 3D printer the company can create both simple and complex models in real space and proportionately scaled.

Since its arrival in May 2014, the Dimension printer has been continuously running, with the exception of one week’s rest. It has enabled models to be constructed throughout the design process, helping Paul Davis + Partners to be more creative, giving it the freedom to test its designs throughout the initial project phases. According to Paul Davis + Partners there is no substitute for the tactile and visual feedback a physical model can provide — and with a Dimension 3D printer the company can create both simple and

complex models in real space and proportionately scaled. Mr Hoggard explains: “The printer has saved us a huge amount of time and has given us the opportunity to take on more projects. It recently made a project in the Far East possible for us. We were asked to come up with a design and produce a 1:500 model within the space of four weeks. It would have been impossible to meet the deadline without the Dimension printer as outsourcing to a model making company would take two weeks as a minimum. Using the Dimension printer is like having an extra member of staff. “Our clients are giving us less and less time to develop projects and, in the Far East, they tend to work 24-hour days, so UK architects have to be incredibly efficient to compete. The Dimension 3D printer allows us to communicate and collaborate without ambiguity and the ABS models enable everyone to review concepts accurately. “I’m constantly amazed at how good the printer is and the detail it can achieve. We weren’t quite prepared for the results it can produce” Mr Hoggard says. “The implementation process went smoothly, delivery of the printer was taken in the morning and by lunchtime, it was up and running with only half an hour of training time required.” The Dimension 3D printer is a good illustration of Paul Davis + Partners investing in new and innovative technology and is proving to be a good method of recruitment for the firm. It helps to attract young architects who see the potential that the technology can bring to the industry. In the future, Mr Hoggard aims to keep the printer as busy as possible, changing the culture of the office to use the printer rather than keeping designs on paper, which will allow Paul Davis + Partners to continue to grow its business. ■ laserlines.co.uk

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Build astonishingly smooth, detailed architectural models in an array of materials, including rigid photopolymers ready for painting. For models that must bear loads or take abuse, Fused Deposition Modeling Technology builds strong parts in productiongrade thermoplastics.

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Comment

BIM in the cloud To what extent are firms currently using BIM in the cloud and what does it mean for the AEC industry? AEC magazine asks two industry consultants.

ost cloud solutions address one issue, usually fairly well, but the true benefits will be realised when ‘the cloud’ becomes ‘cloud cover’. Think English skies rather than desert island. BIM cloud utilisation is ultimately focused on BIM Level 3. For now the reality is less idealistic. Nearly 100% of Evolve’s clients are using some form of cloud service (Dropbox, 4P, Info Exchange, SELECTserver hosted license management, etc) providing a BIM Level 1 or 2 ‘structured’ approach that allows sharing, collaboration and management of project data from different locations. This is where a differentiation needs to be made: cloud storage is significantly different to cloud processing. Storage is commonplace; processing less so. Like it or not, the Microsoft Office365 model is one to aspire to, addressing storage, communication and collaboration in the Cloud holistically. Lync allows us to talk to remote teams and integrate with calendars, see the model and edit it through application sharing; SharePoint for data storage,

ASE has a three word manifesto: buildings equal data. We are on a mission to help our clients create, manage, and understand the data associated with the built environment. Much of this data is inaccessible. It either sits siloed on personal computers or it gets thrown out due to a lack of storage space. The cloud helps solve both of these problems with its ability to collate and store data, in perpetuity, for almost no cost. The cloud is a somewhat nebulous notion. Marketing departments at software firms have commandeered the term and morphed it into a vague catchall for the future of computing. To us, the cloud is simply a server. There is nothing particularly new about this technology. Architecture firms in the 1970s were using servers for the same reason we use the cloud today: servers can store and process orders of magnitude more data than can be done on a local machine. 14

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July / August 2014

Nigel Davies Evolve With 20 years’ experience in AEC, Davies has firsthand understanding of cutting-edge design and construction data production and exchange. ■evolve-consultancy.com

tracking and even multiple person concurrent editing and review. What is missing is BIM processing and live cross-discipline data manipulation functions. Others, such Aconex, Newforma and Iomart, offer cloud solutions for AEC, bridging the gaps to Level 2 ‘federated’ data environments with scalable storage and archive, BIM collaboration optimisation across offices and customised solutions for communication and data distribution to name a few. These are all valid investments for competing at the BIM frontline. But is it BIM in the cloud? Or is it offsite storage with optimised data sharing?

David Fano CASE Founding partner Fano leads technology implementation, knowledge capture and sharing, social media initiatives and business development. ■case-inc.com

Rather than throwing data away, we can keep it in the cloud. We can create massive databases of every model a firm has produced. Not just the final model, we can save every version of the model’s development. We can save analysis data, issue tracking reports, and emails. We can scan existing buildings and begin to store real-time occupancy data. This sounds like a lot, but it’s nothing compared to the data being saved and analysed by firms like Google and Facebook. Google tracks over a trillion web pages,

Virtual workstations, such as Citrixbased solutions, address these issues. VDI is an area that is developing fast and is being seriously investigated and deployed by a significant percentage of our clients. A smaller number are actively reviewing implementation of proprietary services including Autodesk 360 and Bentley’s ProjectWise PointCloud Services, solutions that deliver integral additions to software already being utilised. It is these specific resource-intensive processing tasks that provide the first real application for the end user: rendering, point cloud streaming structural or energy analysis. But cloud computing simply isn’t the top priority. Level 2 BIM compliance remains the more pressing issue for our clients at this time. Cloud adoption is occurring when usage becomes a matter of course, driven from the software without the end user necessarily considering the technicalities of how the service operates. Clients are not buying cloud solutions, they are buying solutions which incidentally incorporate cloud services; Cloud technology will serve, not drive, the BIM evolution.

Facebook saves over 500 terabytes of new data a day. The AECO industry isn’t even close to producing this amount of data. Once this data is in the cloud, we can begin to uncover trends hidden inside the data. CASE has worked with clients like SOM to analyse not just an individual model, but an entire collection of models. We can look at how models develop over time and set up alert systems for when a model drifts outside normal parameters. There is also the potential to link this data back with facility management data, closing the loop between anticipated performance and actual performance. These are only a few of the initial possibilities afforded by storing data in the cloud. As it stands, the cloud is currently underutilised by most firms in the AECO industry. But as data comes to define the construction industry, the cloud will be a key enabling technology that will give firms the competitive advantage in managing and learning from data. www.AECmag.com

25/7/14 16:11:43

More Than Just a Pretty Picture

An intelligent model helps designers predict performance and save design time throughout the lifecycle.

The final construction reflects the value of BIM throughout the project.

Images Courtesy of Parsons Brinckerhoff and Arup Joint Venture

Intelligent Models from Design to Build See the difference. Use 3D models based on proven transportation engineering design with Bentley software. When building the 5.6 billion dollar Airport Link, Northern Busway and Airport Roundabout Upgrade project, the Parsons Brinckerhoff Arup Joint Venture team delivered the design and carried out the construction in record time. Using Bentley’s broad range of road, bridge, tunnel, geotechnical, and collaboration software, the team reduced design time, field errors and construction costs.

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25/7/14 17:10:14

Comment

The challenges of integrating BIM Edward Bingham of engineering services company, URS, left, and Tim Claremont from law firm Browne Jacobson explore some of the challenges, both legal and non-legal, posed by BIM Level 2 implementation.

he 2016 deadline for Building Information Modelling (BIM) level 2 use in all government-led projects in the UK raises a number of challenges that will require changes to the way things are done. Legal challenges exist. Traditionally, building contracts are between two parties and there are no direct contracts between suppliers on the same tier. Does BIM require changes to existing contractual arrangements or the creation of new direct contractual relationships? Successful BIM implementation will address a few key elements: people, collaboration processes, technology, procurement and the measurement of costs and benefits.

The right team The implementation of BIM starts with a review of existing data workflows, robustly challenging established processes and embedded mentalities on the ‘way we have always done things’. This work immediately recognises new and efficient data streams to be explored and exposes challenges to business leaders on how to manage ingrained cultural working practices. Selling and demonstrating www.AECmag.com

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the benefits of change is paramount to driving changes and influencing behaviours in the ‘people’ element of collaboration. The solution requires an understanding of the additional roles and responsibilities created by BIM to ensure that teams are appropriately resourced, structured and trained to respond to the changes.

Managing data flow BIM maturity Level 2 requires the development of federated information models stored within the central Common Data Environment (CDE) as the ‘single source of truth’ for use by all project stakeholders. The CDE facilitates the efficient mobilisation of design teams in different locations and a more efficient use of resources. The result of this is additional quality control with reduction in costs and in waste generated through duplication of information. The availability of accurate, interoperable information models within the CDE is critical and. accordingly, collaboration processes must be developed and implemented. These processes will provide the necessary structure to ensure that models shared for co-ordination are capable of

delivering the required input, output and levels of definition and detail. Challenges to this new collaborative sharing process include the volume of data, the need to review and establish revised internal checking, and formal verification procedures of the model and object designs. A consistent approach to quality control is of paramount importance, such as version and status control processes as well as modification and revision management. The creation of an intelligent 3D model base, spatially co-ordinated, with metadata ensures a more efficient delivery process for clients, with real usable outputs for quantity measurement, cost estimation and programming over more traditional methods. Models are allowed a higher status than drawings, which facilitate a real time view of a project at any stage within the project lifecycle and continuous review and mark-up process using new BIM authoring and review technologies. In response to this technology challenge, training of users for both undertaking the design within the new technologies, as well as the verification and end users is paramount. With new software may come additional hardware challenges and it is essenJuly / August 2014

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ArchiCAD 18 offers a streamlined workflow solution, keeping architects in the creative design flow with as little disruption as possible. The integration of CineRender, MAXON’s world-class CINEMA 4D rendering engine into ArchiCAD 18, brings high quality, photo-realistic renderings to a much wider range of designers. ArchiCAD 18’s brand new Revision Management solution is integrated into the entire BIM workflow, providing solutions for 2D, 3D or any kind of hybrid workflows. Is also offers a smooth, PDF-based workflow and improved PDF-based data exchange by introducing BIM-related intelligence and data hierarchy into PDF files.

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Comment

tial that an appropriate level of investment in both IT equipment and support is made.

Client input is critical As part of BIM implementation, clients and their advisors will be required to consider procurement and the resultant changes to established procedures with its reliance on collaboration between parties. Publicly Accepted Specification 1192-2 (PAS 1192) provides a suitable roadmap for the implementation of changes to the procurement process, with the development of Employer’s Information Requirements in parallel to the Employer’s Requirements and the adoption of a suitable BIM Protocol to provide the legal context for BIM within the form of contract. The development of Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR) requires clients to carefully consider their future use of the Information Model for operation and maintenance activities, where it is recognised that BIM presents the most significant benefits. Once these future requirements are established, associated metadata and coding standards, reflecting the requirements of British Standard BS 1192, can be developed and incorporated into the EIR. With an increased reliance on information models comes the potential for changes to accepted limits of liabilities. In the absence of legal precedents, clients and their advisors need to be aware of, and respond to, the market’s response to such changes in liabilities. BIM is in a position of relative infancy in its application to the UK infrastructure market, with a number of ‘pilot projects’ being used as test beds for adoption and the evolution of today’s BIM standards. As anticipated, emerging findings from these pilot projects are affirming the benefits that can be realised at design phase for all project stakeholders, from the 3D visualisations, clash detection and ‘build it twice’ mentality. However, given its relative infancy, there are a limited number of projects that provide a full record of costs, and importantly benefits, across the full project lifecycle. This is particularly important for BIM given the general acceptance that the benefits of BIM are realised during the operations and maintenance phase of the project lifecycle.

Practical tips for contracts Any potential changes to existing contracts will depend on what level of BIM is being used. The UK government is mandating BIM Level 2. This requires few amendments to current standard form contracts, www.AECmag.com

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since it presents data in specific BIM databases that may include information about cost or programming, but there is no single database for all such information and commercial data is held separately. It may help to view each model as a drawing or design in the traditional sense — assuming the contract clearly defines roles and obligations, they will not change significantly. On a BIM-enabled project BIM will need to be addressed in building contracts and professional appointments in a number of ways set out below. If the project goes beyond Level 2, further changes will be required.

•

Amendments to a bespoke building contract will need to be tailored to fit with the other contract provisions. Issues to consider include: •

Use a BIM protocol A BIM protocol is a document setting out the practical ways in which BIM will be implemented. Different protocols do this in different ways. The CIC BIM protocol was commissioned by the UK government’s BIM Implementation Task Group and is likely to become the benchmark for Level 2 projects in the short to medium term. It can slot into existing contractual relationships. Points to note are: • It takes priority over other contract documents — so check your contract for a similar priority clause to avoid clashes. • In keeping with the UK government’s vision of ‘data drops’, all Project Team Members are obliged to produce BIM Models to the Levels of Detail provided in Appendix 1 — so make sure that the project specific information is properly filled out and clearly defined. • Intellectual property rights are retained by the consultant and modelling output is licensed / sub-licensed to the Employer — this will require amendment e.g., if the employer wishes to own the intellectual property produced by the project team in relation to the BIM. • BIM models must be prepared subject to the duty of skill and care in the underlying contract. Other obligations (e.g., delivering the models), rely on a ‘reasonable endeavours’ obligation. • The employer bears the risk of any software failure or corruption, unless a project team member has failed to comply with the protocol.

Incorporate BIM protocol A BIM protocol will need to be incorporated into a contract. Drafting is relatively straightforward. JCT, NEC and CIC forms have published suggested wording. Tips:

Identify which version of a protocol is to be used. Avoid using terms like ‘the latest version’ as this can result in different versions being incorporated into different contracts on the same project. Make sure that the terms used in the protocol are compatible with the terms in the relevant contract.

•

Is an express obligation needed to comply with the BIM protocol or can the BIM protocol be identified elsewhere? Should the contractor be obliged to procure that its professional consultants, sub-contractors and suppliers will comply with the BIM protocol?

Schedule of services Very few major publishers of standard form professional appointments have amended their documents in light of BIM. In addition to the bespoke contract amendments above, consider if the scope of services / work stages require amendment, or if the professional appointment should expressly require each member of the professional team to comply with the requirements of the BIM information manager.

Insurance The CIC Best Practice Guide for Professional Indemnity Insurance suggests that insurers currently consider that the effect on premiums of Level 2 BIM should be minimal. It recommends that when undertaking BIM for the first time, check with insurers / brokers before commencing a project to make sure everyone is happy with the contractual arrangements and roles. BIM Level 2 should not alter traditional design roles and responsibilities. Despite the new technology and new way of producing designs, it is far more important to understand when and what everyone is being asked to provide in terms of BIM. The design brief and the ongoing obligation to review that design must be understood. BIM Level 3 will require far greater sharing of information and horizontal cooperation. As a result, it is likely to require relatively widespread changes to building contracts and professional appointments. However, at this stage the industry as a whole has done little more than identify areas of concern and detailed drafting is some way off. ■www.urs.com ■www.brownejacobson.com

July / August 2014

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Comment

The #ukbimcrew is not a clique;

it’s for everyone by Su Butcher

funny thing happened in Manchester earlier this year. I wasn’t there, but thanks to Twitter I was listening in to BIMShowLive via the #BSL2014 hashtag and my friends on twitter who are interested in BIM (Building Information Modelling). Then out of the blue I got this tweet (right) from Casey Rutland, an architect who works at Arup: My initial thought was ‘oh no, not another slide with loads of words on it — Death by Powerpoint!’, but then I looked a bit closer and the bottom of the slide said: Say no to ‘UK BIM Crew’ — it’s not helpful and prevents wider adoption. This slide stirred up a lot of comment online, as you can imagine. There is so much voluble enthusiasm about BIM these days, and quite a lot of not so voluble doubt, fear and scepticism. Andrew Turner of Henry Riley LLP, who was presenting and I believe chose the wording of the slide, was making an important point. But I think his attention on the #UKBimCrew is mistaken and this is a shame.

What is a hashtag? #UKbimcrew is a Hashtag. This is a device used on social media (originally on Twitter) whereby a # symbol is placed in front of a word, phrase, abbreviation or acronym. Placing the # symbol on the word tells Twitter that the word is a hashtag, and twitter makes the word clickable. If you click on a hashtag, wherever you see it on Twitter (and these days also on Facebook and Google Plus), you are taken to a search for all the updates that include that particular hashtag. This ability to create an instant search makes hashtags extremely useful tools on Twitter. If you’re watching a TV programme, you can find people talking about the programme by the hashtag they are using (try #BBCQT when Question Time is on). If you’re attending an event, a 20

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About the author Su Butcher trained in Architecture at the University of Liverpool and worked in affordable housing before becoming an academic and teacher of architecture students. She then managed three successful architects practices in London and the South East; culminating in five years with Barefoot & Gilles. Su’s online networking began in 2004 and she has developed a reputation as the go-to person for people who want to work with architects online. She has been writing and speaking about social media in construction since 2009. Su now spends her time consulting on social media strategy, talking to product manufacturers about how to sell to architects, and teaching anyone who wants to know how to use Linkedin, Twitter and Blogging to support their clients and get more business. ■ justpractising.com

hashtag might be used for attendees to keep in touch with each other, and also enables non-attendees to listen in on the buzz around the event, and participate from anywhere in the world. But hashtags aren’t just about events, and TV programmes don’t own them, they belong to us all, and as such are great levellers.

A hashtag cannot be exclusive If you search Google for ‘hashtag disasters’ or similar search terms you’ll soon come across many examples where companies, including many big brands, have tried to use a hashtag to generate interest in their product or service, but it has backfired. For example, the disastrous Q&A session with JP Morgan’s Executive Chairman #AskJPM, or the hilarious #WaitroseReasons… The reason why these attempts fail is that twitter is a platform that anyone can use if they abide by the rules of engagement. Equally, anyone can create a hashtag, but the hashtag doesn’t belong to

him or her, it belongs to anyone who uses it, and anyone can. By their nature then, hashtags are not exclusive, they are uniquely, perfectly inclusive, automatically including anyone who uses them, anyone who bothers to include the hashtag in their tweet.

Origins of the #UKBIMcrew I understand from Casey Rutland that the #ukbimcrew hashtag was first used by UK attendees at the 2012 Autodesk University (AU) conference in Vegas. With so many attendees from the US, the hashtag helped UK folk attending to find each other and interact on twitter aside from the main event hashtag. Casey also made a Twibbon — a banner you can add to your twitter profile picture, to help people attending find each other. [CORRECTION: Casey has informed me that “The hash tag was first used in a conversation between Graham Stewart (@stewartGH1970), Darryl Store (@DarrylStore) and James Austin (@VirtuArch) sometime (February-ish) before AU2011, I then created the Twibbon for AU2011.” ... as you were...] The kind of people who took an interest in BIM in the UK at this time were often rather isolated. This was just after the government got behind BIM, before most people knew what it was, before the trade press started writing about it as something that might become mainstream. It’s difficult for us to look back now and imagine what being a BIM enthusiast in a contractor or architects practice might have been like at the time. Certainly a lonely experience, made much less lonely by being able to find other people interested in the same subject as you. After the conference was over, the people who had found #ukbimcrew naturally kept using the hashtag to keep in touch, wherever they were in the UK. They used the hashtag whenever they had something they wanted to share with the www.AECmag.com

25/7/14 16:41:46

something everyone has to understand, the early adopters can look very distant in the eyes of someone who doesn’t understand the jargon. And if one person feels they can’t learn about BIM because people aren’t willing to help them, then that’s one person too many. I never did learn CAD — I didn’t need to. Instead I went into management, where there was a shortage of experienced, architecturally trained practice managers, and for the next 15 years had a successful career without having to use CAD. I did learn about it though, I learned to value its importance, how it was changing the industry, and how skilled its users were. When I first learned a little about BIM, the #ukbimcrew hashtag and the people who use it were a boon for me. I’ve been able to find and attend events (online or in person) find useful resources, discuss matters in principle and detail, and become knowledgeable about BIM sufficient to do my job as a consultant. The #ukbimcrew continue to surprise me with what BIM is and what it might become. I know I can always find a useful ear there.

Are BIM advocates cliquey?

My solution to this challenge of making BIM open to all our industry is not to abandon the #ukbimcrew, it is to embrace it. The UKbimcrew hashtag has the potential to help dispel the very impressions people have assigned to it, if they understand that it is just a device to promote discussion. If you want to know about BIM, go to twitter.com and search for #ukbimcrew, join twitter and tweet with the #ukbimcrew hashtag and ask your question. You’ll be assured of a welcoming response.

I remember when I completed my teaching at the University of Liverpool and left to pursue a career back in the construction industry, in 1997. I looked for a job in London but found it almost impossible to find a job because I ‘didn’t have CAD’. Having been involved in teaching five years of architecture students, I knew what CAD was, but I didn’t need to know it, and now my drawing expertise was less in demand. If I were to complete my finals I would have to do a course. When Andrew published that slide at BIMShowLive, I think he might have not clearly thought about what a hashtag was, but he had a point. As BIM stops being something that no-one knows about or wants to, and starts becoming www.AECmag.com

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image courtesy of paul Wilkinson openBim at tBim2012 (creative commons)

group, indeed, with anyone interested in BIM in the UK. And because hashtags are public, free and free to use, a larger community grew up around the hashtag. Anyone can use #ukbimcrew. It became the entirely open forum where anyone could ask any kind of question about BIM and know that there was a group of people who were interested to help or discuss it. Those people ranged (and still range) from the extremely experienced senior practitioners to new graduates or students interested in BIM or writing about it as a project for their degree. The Twibbon is still used by people to help identify them as people willing to share what they know about BIM. Its description is: Adding this Twibbon to your profile pic indicates that you willing to ask questions and share BIM knowledge using the #UKBIMCrew hash tag. This enables other users to search for valuable information. You’re likely to reach a wide range of ‘experts’ from a wide array of disciplines, sharing knowledge to better the Design, Construction & FM industries. There’s a lot of experience out there… let’s share it! Far from being exclusive then, #ukbimcrew is by its nature inclusive.

#ukbimcrew belongs to you

This is an edited version of a blog that was first posted on justpractising.com on May 7, 2014. The article attracted a number of interesting responses. You can read the comments at tinyurl.com/ukbimcrew July / August 2014

25/7/14 16:41:47

Preview

Autodesk Skyscraper Moving BIM models to the cloud for collaborative workflows is a growing trend. This month Autodesk previewed its forthcoming ‘Skyscraper’ technology. by Martyn Day

utodesk has made a number of significant moves to embrace the cloud over the last three years. In fact, AEC magazine first broke the news of its Skyscraper development last year, after visiting Autodesk’s San Francisco HQ while trying to find out what it was doing to help customers get over Revit’s performance challenges. Skyscraper, it was said, would put the database in the cloud, connecting teams and removing the complexity of Revit server implementation and expanding its capabilities.

Skyscraper Project Skyscraper is described by Autodesk as a technology preview, which means that it is not yet commercially available. However, it is expected to be released sometime later this year.

Skyscraper is built on Autodesk’s 360 platform, its cloud backbone architecture that connects users but also provides access to services such as cloud rendering, simulation, file storage, SaaS applications and license management. With Skyscraper, multiple companies or firms with multiple locations can concurrently author a model using a Revit BIM process. Extended teams can also log in and view, search and provide feedback on project models. “Our customers have told us that technology can actually get in the way of their collaborative workflows. They end up exchanging data inefficiently, with email as a lowest common denominator for communication among the team,” said Kyle Bernhardt, Cloud Services product line manager, Autodesk. “We built Project Skyscraper and integrated

Phil Bernstein cloud vision Phil Bernstein, a vice-president, at Autodesk, is responsible for future vision and strategy for technology serving the building industry. At the Skyscraper beta launch he spoke about the next digital phase of design: “We are seeing a re-convergence of design with construction. Digital technology has affected that relationship. We have gone from plans sections and elevations, analogue constructs of complexity through digital drawings to digital

prototypes and simulation to the new era of ‘context’. ‘Context’ is the cloud, infinite computing, distributed information, deep connectivity, social networking etc, We are starting to design within a systems context . It’s about measuring and predicting outcomes. “What is the relationship between design, ideation and construction in a world where digital technology is moving from these episodic models to representations

July / August 2014

it with Autodesk 360 to break down those barriers and let the team focus on delivering high quality buildings on time and on budget. “Our production beta customers are already reaping those benefits, and we look forward to delivering an entirely new form of collaboration to our AEC customers.” The software features an integrated chat capability and this is in some way context sensitive to the project. Other features like view and mark-up are also slated to make an appearance. Mr Bernhardt explained the growing benefit of Autodesk 360. “By connecting to the new Autodesk 360 (autodesk360.com), the entire project team can now view, search, and do social interactions on the project data — RVT, DWG, NWD, Office, video, images, cloud renderings, with

Phil Bernstein Autodesk of systems? We are going to have teams connection by the Internet, where things are connected by the Internet. “We have multiple projects in the pipeline that will enable this, such as Project Skyscraper, which is Revit Server in the Cloud. It removes the need for IT infrastructure and provides a place where rich contextual data can reside that is accessible to all participants, breaking down walls between design, ideation and construction.

www.AECmag.com

(Top) Project Skyscraper enables team members in different firms and sites to work on the same project models simultaneously (Bottom) Skyscraper runs on the Autodesk 360 platform, providing users with access to additional cloud services such as simulation and rendering

more to come, so long as they have a modern web browser or mobile device. The key part here is removing the need for everybody to be experts in the authoring tool to participate in the feedback loop.”

Connectivity Shunting BIM data around different domains in Revit has not been for the feint of heart. Revit comes with ‘workshare’ built in for Local Area Networks and Revit Server is also included for use over Wide Area Networks. Revit Server implementations can come with some technology overhead, as we have come across a number installations of Revit Server at large firms that utilise expensive Riverbed engines to compress and send Gigabytes of model data between sites to speed up synchronisation between remote Revit Servers. Project Skyscraper improves on the Revit Server architecture, by acting as a central point and proactively caching the delta updates on the local machine using what Autodesk calls the Personal Accelerator. This should mean that in most cases there does not even need to be any data download, as part of a ‘Sync with Central Server’ transaction itself, because the deltas are already on the local machine waiting. The result will be less cost and less waiting for synchronisation. However, Internet speed does vary greatly around the world. While, overall, bandwidth is improving, there is no guarantee that participant locations will be limited and prove to be a bottleneck for the use of a web-based central host. www.AECmag.com

That said this would be a limitation for a VPN or a traditional Revit Server implementation. For the beta program, Autodesk is looking for participants located through Amazon’s first server node, which is on the East coast of America. To roll this out, Autodesk would have to be running its Skyscraper software on servers hosted in many places. Obviously distance from the hosted server has some bearing on performance.

Virtual future While Autodesk is making efforts for desktop-based Revit to use the cloud to store and share its datasets, we also know that the company is working to host the applications on the cloud. This would eradicate the need for local caching and would enable access to design tools and data through a thin-client architecture. Autodesk has already demonstrated and offers a virtualised Revit running on an iPad. As long as customers can over-

come the fear of storing their design data on a public cloud server (Autodesk uses Amazon), we suspect that this vision will be a viable reality within five years.

Conclusion Autodesk now has LAN, WAN and cloud collaboration solutions for Revit workflows. It is clear to us that the additional features for the 360 platform, combined with the easy implementation of Skyscraper will eventually be the default collaboration platform in the Revit world. Firms that prefer the security of an inhouse solution will still have Revit Server, as Skyscraper will not be available as a behind the firewall implementation. We are moving into a time when the bandwidth available may well become the most important metric for an AEC company. Should software become virtualised and all data remotely hosted, connectivity, Mbs (Megabits per second) becomes the new MHz. ■ autodesk.com

July / August 2014

Review

ArchiCAD 18 Graphisoft is celebrating 30 years of ArchiCAD BIM in 2014. After launching its BIM Cloud offering earlier in the year, the Hungarian company has released version 18 of its flagship Building Information Modelling (BIM) platform. by Martyn Day

ho invented Building Information Modelling (BIM)? The answer depends on what you mean by BIM. The term was popularised and adopted first by Autodesk in its product Revit, which it acquired in 2002, and which had been originally launched in 2000 by Revit Technology Corporation (RTC). And yet Hungarian-based Graphisoft launched ArchiCAD in 1984 and was already at version 7 when Revit appeared on the scene. At the time Graphisoft referred to its Mac and Windows-based 2D and 3D architectural modelling solution as ‘Virtual Building’ software before the term BIM had been coined. And given that mainframe-based 2D/3D systems such as BDS, GDS, Sonata and RUCAPS were developed in the early 1980s, ArchiCAD was in fact the first desktop BIM system. This is an even more astonishing achievement given that its chief architect, Gábor Bojár, lived Hungary and had to smuggle in Apple Lisa computers to write the application. The 30-year milestone is certainly a testament to Mr Bojár’s original vision, that architects may, one day, benefit from modelling their projects in 3D on a personal computer. That future is definitely here and now.

ArchiCAD 18 Graphisoft is as regular as clockwork with its yearly subscriber releases and, as usual, offers a whole host of additional functionality around its development themes. This 24

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year’s theme is creative flow and I would suggest the firm has delivered the most compelling update ever. Before delving into the new functionality, there was one difference this year and that was the announcement in Tokyo of the BIM Cloud technology that extends existing BIM servers beyond the firewall, to use the cloud as a seamless way to connect geographically disparate teams. BIM models are granular so only edits and new components (commonly called the delta, i.e. the differences) are sent lowering the required bandwidth. The solution also offers project, user and role management, together with distribution to mobile apps that may be used on-site (Read more in the May / June 2014 edition of AEC).

Rendering For me, the most obvious and impressive addition to ArchiCAD 18 is the inclusion and integration of a version of Maxon Cinema4D. This alone is worth approximately £1,500, so an easily identifiable return on a yearly subscription. I have always wondered why there has been very little cross-product integration within Graphisoft’s brands including Nemetschek, Allplan, Vectorworks, Scia and others, especially with Autodesk shoving everything and the kitchen sink in its Suites. I can now stop thinking that! Pretty much the whole of Cinema4D with the CineRender engine has been included. The only things missing are the features more aimed at cinema special effects. The software takes full advantage

of a machine’s multi-processing capabilities (following on from last year’s release), leading to shorter rendering times, while leaving users free to carry on modelling. The renderer supports High Dynamic Range Images (HDRI) for more realistic environments. If you just want a sky, the software includes a clever procedural generator that creates realistic skies based on longitude, latitude, time of year and hour of the day. There is also ‘physical’ set up capability that those familiar with proper DSLR cameras will love, over abstract rendering parameters. Maxon and Graphisoft have created a range of one click palettes. Once experience has been gained in playing with all the many settings, it is possible to create your own palettes and save them. My favourite out of the box setting is the ‘white model’ effect, which applies a template to make models look like cardboard models — they really do look like architectural models, including shadows. The CineRender engine uses a progressive renderer, which starts out blocky and refines with each pass. This is usually good enough to work out if everything is rendering as you would expect. If not, stop it, amend the settings and start it off again. The software comes with support for Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) settings. There is a library of preconfigured lights, and IES data can be imported from manufacturers’ websites to drive realistic lighting scenarios. Materials are also provided for surfaces and can be edited. www.AECmag.com

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(Top) The CineRender engine uses a progressive renderer, which starts out blocky and refines with each pass (Middle) The management of documentation revisions gets a new feature set, which tracks model changes on all impacted layouts (Bottom) Graphisoft is an active member of the buildingSMART organisation (buildingsmart.org), and has adopted its BCF format for sharing BIM mark ups

Modelling Component creation and editing has been enhanced to allow for multiple elements to be selected and edited simultaneously. Editing can be pulling / dragging nodes of all polygon-based elements or cutting holes or adding shapes. This way it is easy to punch a hole through four floors simultaneously. Direct manipulation feedback is provided visually by animated wireframe. The feature does not work on elements that have undergone Morph or Shell commands. ArchiCAD now properly displays transparent building materials in air gaps when rendered, making the representation more accurate. Air gaps have also been made optional in clash detection phases, enabling ductwork in air gaps / skins not to be flagged up as a clash if they are in actual fact intended to be in building voids. This capability is carried through into Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) files too. With an eye on improving Total Life Cycle energy analysis, the Building materials properties has been expanded to include ID, Description and Manufacturer, as well as additional physical properties, namely embodied energy and embodied carbon. Improved surface and surface naming improves component search and a building materials priority number is now displayed in all Building Material pop ups. Other enhancements include: • Walls are now able to inherit the end surfaces from adjoining walls • An increase in Complex Morph performance • Slanted Columns now use 3D projection and hidden line geometry to display more consistently with other model elements

Workflow PDF has been enhanced, with optimised export, smaller file sizes and better import of PDF into ArchiCAD. www.AECmag.com

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Review

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In its collaboration strategy and use of the cloud Graphisoft has something very different to talk to potential clients about

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ArchiCAD now exports visible layers to PDF, allowing show / hide navigation in the PDF file. There are a number of image compression options to reduce the resulting PDF file as well as support for the embedding of 3D content on Mac and Windows versions. When imported, ArchiCAD will also support any layering within the PDF. Graphical elements can be exploded and edited with full control over any incoming pen / plotter settings in the imported file. XREF management has been revisited. It is possible to break all the hotlinks and XREFs to ensure that the linked data becomes part of the project. Similarly, single instances of a hotlink module can be relinked. Graphisoft says this could be used to display different room layouts to show alternate layouts. Mark-up comment interface has been revamped with status and style information. Mark-ups can now be made in 3D views as well as Floor Plan mode. 3D views with cutting planes and camera views can be saved as mark-up entries. Screenshots can be saved to the mark up palette and all mark-up data can be exported in the BCF file format (BIM Collaboration Format) for external consultants.

Teamwork / BIM Server The BIM Server Manager is now browserbased, and automatically installed with the BIM Server. Set up is now via the IP address of the server and can be done from a phone or a tablet. Users can also log in to access project activities, which are permission-controlled of course. Messaging has had a number of enhancements to smooth participant interaction. There is new element reservation logic for views and layouts to eliminate the possibility of data conflict when working on a shared model, should multiple users try to move elements simultaneously as well as updates to hotlink reservation and group feedback on renaming. www.AECmag.com

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Open BIM and formats Graphisoft is an active member of the buildingSMART organisation (buildingsmart.org), and has adopted its BCF format for sharing BIM mark ups. The format is intended as a way to share clashes and comments in 3D. ArchiCAD keeps track of BCF elements’ IFC global IDs through multiple merge cycles. IFC data now behaves as if it is native ArchiCAD data to assist the data exchange workflow. In the past only library part parameters could be mapped to IFC properties. In version 18 all tool parameters can be mapped to IFC properties based on XML conversion rules. All IFC text, label , space and logical type (column, wall, window) can be extracted from ArchiCAD element properties and Interactive Element Schedule data. IFC data tags and category information can also be displayed on any ArchiCAD element. The end-user has exceptional control of IFC output through filters. There is also a new scheme management interface for editing and the production of custom schemes. There is a selection of commonly used schemes (IFC 2x3 Coordination View 2.0, COBie etc). Graphisoft has also updated the bi-directional connection kit for Autodesk Revit to work with 2015 (Architecture, Structure and MEP).

Libraries There is a range of new objects covering laboratory, workstation, school, nursery furniture, lamps and lights (with an array of light sources). Trees have been revamped with a host of new 2D elements, which are organised in self explanatory groupings. The 3D tree object has been consolidated into a single tree object, which can generate a wide variety of tree types. There have been enhancements to the interface of the library function, simplifying the layout, while providing more control. Model view options provides more options for display control of 2D door,

window and skylight elements. Elevators have their own graphical interface, as well as vehicle turning curves in selected markets. Complex windows with multiple sashes can also now be created.

Revision management The management of documentation revisions gets a new feature set, which tracks model changes on all impacted layouts, enabling the definition and control of changes with subsequent layout revisions over the project lifetime. Changes are added to the revision automatically and can be seen in the Change Manager control. Colour codes show which layouts have new revisions pending and which are current. It is possible to create Change List, Issue List and Transmittal Report with one click.

Conclusion ArchiCAD 18 comes with a great big dollop of new functionality, with many small and incremental improvements along the way. I would have thought most architects render their BIM models at some point, so this is a release to appeal to the masses — that is unless you already own Cinema4D. The results I have seen so far further blur the lines between a photograph and an ArchiCAD rendering. Important work has been done to IFCs, especially with the UK Government’s BIM mandate looming ever larger. Graphisoft has always been at the heart of promoting IFCs and is ensuring that its modeller is an exceedingly capable IFC creation and export platform. In its collaboration strategy and use of the cloud Graphisoft has something very different to talk to potential clients about. While Autodesk has Skyscraper in beta, BIM Cloud, BIM Server and Teamwork are a demonstrable differentiator for the Hungarian developer. Oh and Happy Birthday. ■ graphisoft.com

July / August 2014

25/7/14 16:52:14

Case study

Keeping on track Building Information Modelling (BIM) implementation based on Bentley products enables Sweco Infrastructure team to meet the challenges of designing in parallel with production.

onstruction of a railway tunnel through the Hallandsås ridge in southern Sweden has a long history, but the end is in sight with the start of traffic services scheduled for late 2015. To help meet the demanding project schedule and the challenges of performing tunnel excavation and detailed engineering design in parallel, Trafikverket, the Swedish Transport Administration, chose to advance its use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) practices with the help of Sweco Infrastructure AB. Sweco was given the responsibility for all BIM related strategy and co-ordination of the Hallandsås project including helping the project team implement effective BIM processes to optimise production, develop integrated 3D models through a collaborative design process, and use that information throughout the project lifecycle. The successful BIM implementation on this project, using Bentley ProjectWise, MicroStation, InRoads, Bentley Rail Track, and Bentley Navigator, has resulted in innovative methods, reusable resources, a reduction in costs, and productivity improvements that help keep the project on schedule.

Creating opportunities When completed, the tunnel through the Hallandsås ridge will increase the railway capacity from four to 24 trains per hour, enabling more traffic to be moved from road to rail. Building the tunnel however, has been a major challenge caused by the geological nature of the ridge, with partly cracked and disintegrated rock and large amounts of water. Construction originally began in 1992, but was discontinued 28

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five years later due to alarming impacts on the environment. The project restarted in 2003, after thorough investigations, legal trials, and political discussions. New tunneling techniques and equipment enabled the creation of a fully lined water-tight tunnel to minimise environmental impact. However, the project still had to be completed in time for the start of traffic services in 2015. As the project progressed, and Trafikverket realised that planning and detailed engineering design of track and related infrastructure would need to happen in parallel with the tunneling, it sought new and innovative ways of working to keep the project on schedule.

For a successful BIM project, it is vital to create distinct processes that enable all engineering disciplines to access and deliver the right information, to the right people, at the right time. Clear directives concerning classification of all constructible objects including track, catenary, substations, and buffers, were required, as well as specifications for the metadata / information each object must contain. Procedures for systematic risk management and quality assurance of the digital model must also be established. Well defined working methods, including coordination meetings and communication between the different stakeholders, provide the ability to detect, analyse, and solve problems as early as possible. Sweco worked with Trafikverket to create an integrated 3D-object To be successful with BIM, you library, as well as automated scripts for when objects are insertneed to change your mindset and ed into the CAD models. Every way of working. Bentley object is specified with detailed information such as type, codes, software provides great freedom part number, description, and web for creative users to challenge links. This standardised library the conditions of the project not only ensures project quality for the Hallandsås project, but also means that every 3D object can be re-used by Trafikverket on future “Trafikverket have been using BIM tech- projects. The 3D model not only allows niques and methods since 1994 for its rail visualisation of design and function, it projects but concluded that increasing its enables automatic generation of drawings level of BIM adoption would help improve and reports, facilitates simulation and productivity and reduce rework on the analysis, aids in the identification and Hallandsås project,” said Leif Malm, tech- avoidance of clashes. Reusability has been a leading star in nology strategist for major projects at the Hallandsås project, both in terms of Trafikverket. functionality and methodology. BIM processes Recurring items are modeled, attached Working with BIM can often require a with attributes, and compiled into a 3D shift of focus, as processes and the organ- object library. These objects can be linked isation of information are just as, if not to different processes, including time more important than, the technology or management, logistics, and procurement products used. planning.

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Bentley Navigator was used to visualise and inspect the 3D digital model, while ProjectWise is the hub for document management and administration. “Bentley’s products can manage large amounts of data with ‘real-world’ co-ordinates, which is of central importance in infrastructure projects,” said Daniel Ahnsjö, BIM strategist and team manager at Sweco. By continuously feeding the ‘as-built’ data from the tunneling production into the 3D model, integrating it with the latest design and engineering information, the team can effectively manage the changing conditions. Design engineers can analyse the effect of, and react to, changes immediately, avoiding the risk of costly surprises during the construction. “We call that ‘Live BIM’: to use information from the ongoing production as basis for impact assessments and adjustment of the engineering,” explained Mr Ahnsjö.

Co-ordination equals efficiency “The most important contribution is our co-ordination process, which efficiently reduces design errors and increases quality,” explained Mr Ahnsjö. “We have monthly co-ordination meetings with all involved engineering consultants. Before the meeting, all current design files are loaded into a digital model and preinspected using the Clash Detection functionality in Bentley Navigator. “Thanks to the pre-inspection, which highlights design problems and obvious errors, affected parties can discuss and solve issues in advance. “At the co-ordination meeting, the entire design is reviewed using dynamic views and section cuts of the digital model. The day after, results are published and made easily available as 3D PDF files.” Some 200 non-constructible conflicts www.AECmag.com

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IMAGES Courtesy of Bentley Systems

Live BIM

and 3,000 unique collisions have been detected. By resolving these at the design stage, the production cost for correctional and additional work caused by design faults has been reduced by 50 per cent. For the Hallandsås project, with a contract sum of SEK 700 million for the work embraced by BIM, the cost saving is estimated to be up to SEK 50 million. “The BIM methodology obviously constitutes a great potential for improvements in project efficiency. BIM is all about building and adapting information to its purpose. Bentley’s products provide flexible conditions for coding methodology and structure, in order to achieve more project value,” said Mr Ahnsjö. Another BIM objective has been to enable, enhance and reuse engineering design information in downstream processes. In addition to providing the construction layout and geometrical drawings, the 3D design model has been prepared to supply data for machine control and guidance, survey layout, quantities and specifications, time management,

cost control, analysis, as-built models, and more. “Reinforced by the basic features of Bentley software, and especially the Clash Detection inside Bentley Navigator, we have shown a very positive effect in terms of increased quality of the construction documentation, reduced production cost for correctional and additional work, and more efficient risk management, which means we can secure the production schedule,” said Ahnsjö. Long-term, the model will eventually be used in operations and maintenance to provide up-to-date asset management data. Hallandsås is the first and most advanced of a group of official BIM pilot projects within Trafikverket. As a result of the progress made, technology used, and benefits achieved on the project, Hallandsås will set the standard for all future projects, with Trafikverket mandating the use of BIM in all investment projects by 2015. ■ bentley.com

July / August 2014

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Review

New kid on the block 1. 3DExperience Platform provides construction project customisable working dashboard including project status, material lists, site map and social communities

There is a new player in the Building Information Modelling world. French CAD giant, Dassault Systèmes, is tailoring its powerful Catia modelling solution to address all aspects of BIM.

2. Users can select the cloud applications from the compass 3. Users can create social communities related to construction projects 4. Façade Design for Fabrication Industry Solution Experience: Quickly make multiple building concepts

by Martyn Day

n 2011 Bernard Charles, CEO of the French high-end CAD developer Dassault Systèmes (DS) told AEC Magazine that it was going to get into the AEC market with a product called SolidWorks Live Buildings. Up until that point, DS was mainly a provider of engineering design and management solutions, especially for automotive, aerospace and product design firms. Its flagship product, Catia, is the Ferrari of the CAD world and comes with an equivalent price tag. The decision to brand its AEC solution under the SolidWorks brand hopefully pointed to a more mid-priced solution. The dream here is that DS may actually produce an AEC design system that can handle huge models and data complexity in the same way its customers, such as Boeing, use Catia to work on the 777 and the Dreamliner. Too many BIM solutions lack scalability and require models to be cut up to be managed in system memory. In the past, DS partnered with Gehry Technologies, the consulting and technology arm of Frank Gehry’s practice, by part funding and licensing Catia to enable Gehry to create an AEC flavour, which was eventually called Digital Project (DP). Digital Project had limited success in signature architectural and structural firms, most notably used by Gehry’s own firm and Zaha Hadid. Eventually DP became more a tool for Gehry Technologies to use in its own consulting business. In the subsequent three years of development there have been some changes in thought and direction of approaching the AEC market at DS. Now coming to market, the AEC product is no longer branded under the ‘SolidWorks’ mark or called Live Buildings. DS has also rebranded Catia V6 as ‘3DEXPERIENCE Platform’ and this year has started to announce AEC applications that run on this 3DEXPERIENCE architec30

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ture, namely ‘Building Space and Planning’, and now ‘Façade Design for Fabrication’.

Cloud Management To be honest the current BIM developers have only just started to address the collaboration issues that have maligned group work. Any demonstration of the DS AEC portfolio starts with logging into its management portal, powered by its Enovia engine, which is a mature management tool, originally developed for the company’s manufacturing clients. With the V6 generation of products, DS has embraced the cloud and this Enovia management tool is, by default, hosted on the Internet or can be run behind your own firewall, as a project Intranet. DS realised that AEC projects run differently to those of manufacturing firms, so offers a different interface more suited to project work than a pure file-based system. Enovia also integrates community capabilities, powerful tag-based project search, user-specific pages, project management (gant charts), workflow and ‘widgets’ for quick access to functionality. Using the Enovia platform project teams can access project models at a granular level, locking out components in work packages. This way it would be possible to work on parts of a design collaboratively, although this requires an active connection. It is also possible to work offline by downloading the model locally for resubmission when a connection is available. There are also viewing tools, such as 3DPlay, which uses DS’ lightweight 3Dxml format. This enables other project members to view and interrogate project data either on a workstation or mobile device. The DS vision of the cloud is one which blurs local desktop with functionality on the Internet. Its EXPERIENCE Platform is architected to use Enovia on the cloud, so all the data is centrally located. The Catia portion is a desktop downloadable, while some applications and features may be

hosted online or locally. To the end user this appears seamless, unless heavy network traffic causes transaction delays.

Massing All this sounds like where the next generation of BIM tools should start, however, those looking for a ‘Revit killer’, will have a long wait. As the development stands, there are two main AEC applications: Buildings Space Planning and Façade Design for Fabrication — neither of which will replace any of the mainstream BIM tools. With Catia as the geometry creation platform, all of DS’ AEC tools work in a common environment. Buildings Space Planning (BSP) is more akin to SketchUp than it is Revit or ArchiCAD, however it is considerably more capable and potentially points the way to eventually becoming a full BIM solution. For now BSP is a mass modeller, where layout sketches can be made, floors automatically added and quickly turned into masses. Using Catia’s dynamic constraints management system, parametrics can be associatively applied to drive the geometry. It’s all easy to use and made incredibly simple with a push / pull interface. Holes can be punched in walls and simple geometry created. Advanced functionality includes complex roofing, spline-drive geometry and curtain walls. The model can also be driven from space dimensions in a spreadsheet, which import as boxes conforming to the required area, which can be moved, placed and edited in the mass model. One assumes that DS is working on the next step but for now, the company is cleverly opting to find holes in the current BIM market offerings, to potentially offer something relevant, than truly competitive.

Façade Design Catia is an industry proven design to fabrication tool and comes from a strong manufacturing heritage, so complex façade www.AECmag.com

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design, the cutting of sheet metal, steel, and glass assemblies is an obvious application area in which DS could pick a BIM fight. Façade Design for Fabrication enables the modelling of all aspects of a façade, from pannelisation concept, array through to details such as fixings and sheet metal parts. Ensuring constructability is a direct benefit of this system. Façades can be calculated to follow complex paths using DS’ Knowledge Pattern Editor which uses a powerful scripting language to compute potential façade solutions. These scripts can be developed and saved as templates for future use. In some way this is similar to Grasshoper for Rhino, Bentley’s Generative Components or Autodesk’s Dynamo. I imagine an expert user developing templates for design teams to use to populate in ongoing projects.

Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) DS has adopted IFC as a core format for exchange and collaboration. There are a wide range of import, export and filter options in the base package, which at least allows the current applications to play friendly with the existing tools. While DS has yet to produce a proper BIM modeler, it can import BIM models from Revit, ArchiCAD, Tekla Structures and other popular products. DS is taking an active interest in the development of IFC 4.0 and is keen to support industry common standards.

Conclusion On a first viewing, given the wide gamut of the industry these are very disparate www.AECmag.com

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and focused solutions – concept / mass modelling and façade design. But I can see the Catia and Enovia backbone just waiting for additional DS AEC applications to take this to the next level. A single platform solution with cloud management and collaborative capabilities would have great potential but DS is jumping into a market with competitors who have about 10 years development on them. However, we can’t rule out DS to become a serious player in this industry, and DS was an original investor in the firm that developed Revit and financially benefitted from selling it to Autodesk. DS knows the strengths and weaknesses of Autodesk’s flagship BIM tool. The key elements of the DS offering are: outstanding geometry capability, cloud collaboration built-in, industry proven project and document management tools and the ability to handle complex assemblies and display big models. Could DS eventually target advanced Revit customers who have run out of leg room? If so, there seems to be a long way to go with huge gaps to fill in. To enter the AEC market DS also has a considerable disadvantage in that it doesn’t have a network of knowledgeable AEC resellers around the globe. It does have what it calls the ‘Professional Channel’, which sells SolidWorks mainly to manufacturers and the ‘Value Solutions Channel’ of 3DEXPERIENCE (Catia) resellers. For now it seems the Value Channel will be the main route to market in AEC for DS, despite the lack of experience in selling to the AEC market. There will be a

learning curve here and will probably lead to the DS channel focusing on a small number of large AEC practices. When it comes down to price of anything I’ve seen, this is a complete unknown and is certainly my biggest bugbear with the DS AEC approach to the market. DS doesn’t have list prices for its products. Prices are only revealed to prospects and, anecdotally, vary considerably. In the UK there’s an old adage, ‘If you have to ask how much something is then you can’t afford it’ and the AEC market is exceptionally price sensitive. Functionally DS’ Buildings Space Planning tool compares to SketchUp, which is free and McNeel Rhino, which is £995. Given that DS applications are built on top of Catia, as a prerequisite, which can costs thousands depending on the applications, I can’t help but see this as a disincentive for potential users, fearing a hefty price tag. DS needs to at least recognize that concept / mass modeling and detail design are catered for by commodity products and should be priced as such. Although the idea of using Catia for mass modeling is like using a Formula 1 car to pop to the shops. The Façade design may prove more popular as it’s an area in search of a good solution. DS has stated that it intends to address all the design disciplines in the AEC space but it’s going to take a few years more development to complete that goal and currently either needs to find some customers with a long view to adopt the current offerings or a firm that has a specific need for a façade system development. ■ 3ds.com

July / August 2014

25/7/14 16:54:25

ICE BIM 2014

29 October, Lancaster London Hotel

About

Speakers

ICE BIM is back on October 29 for its 4th consecutive year. The conference is your chance to join 400 senior level delegates and hear relevant presentations and case studies from the top names in the industry.

 Terry Stocks, Head of Project Delivery, Ministry of Justice  Andrew Wolstenholme, CEO, Crossrail  Stephen Greasley, BIM Manager, Cavendish Nuclear  Will Hackney, Strategic BIM Manager, Transport for London  Davin Crowley-Street, Professional Head of Asset Data and Information, Network Rail  Liam Brady, Complex Client Programme Manager, Manchester City Council  Andrew Brown, Associate Director, Infrastructure, Capita  Jason Boyle, Project Architect, Sellafield Ltd  Ivor Barbrook, Head of Design and BIM Implementation, BAM Nuttall Limited

ICE BIM conferences attract the most senior speakers, companies and projects, and are the key gathering of the BIM community each year. For the fourth consecutive event, Mark Bew MBE, Chairman - HM Government BIM Working Group, will Chair the conference. ICE BIM 2014 will bring industry and Government together to look at how the UK is creating the best digital engineers in the world.

Twitter: @ice_bim

Testimonials “Well done...such a successful conference - one I am sure the ICE is very proud of. This has certainly become the must attend event in the UK BIM calendar.”

“Really well done for organising yesterday’s conference it was a credit to the ICE and the industry. The response has been incredible”

“Really enjoyed ICE BIM. It lived up to my expectations as one of the best annual BIM conferences both for content and quality!”

“An excellent day with a good balance of BIM related topics delivered by enthusiastic presenters”

“Excellent event, informative and enjoyable, looking forward to the next.”

Ian Bush. Chair ICE/ICES Geospatial Engineering Panel; Senior Vice President, Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors

Mark Bew. Chair, Government BIM Task Group

John Eynon. Director, Open Water Consulting

Karen Alford. Programme & Project Support Manager, Environment Agency

Duncan James. Managing Director, Cadstudios

ice-bim.com

Case study

Carreg a Gwydr Iconic glass and stone residential structure Carreg a Gwydr takes a complex structural form, incorporating a large glazed façade, framed by exposed CHS columns, which wraps around the flanks of the structure and supports a cantilevered first floor balcony. The design by Hall and Bednarczyk incorporates curved reinforced blockwork walls to the rear elevations which work in combination with a rigid steel sway frame to allow a bracing free arrangement. Columns are expressed in the open plan www.AECmag.com

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living space through a fully glazed elevation, punctuated with full width balconies and slender cantilevered roof overhangs. Azimuth Structural Engineering used CSC’s Fastrak to undertake the 3D structural analysis and design of Carreg a Gwydr. The brief precluded any vertical cross bracing for stability and, due to the extent of glazing, accurate assessment of deflection from all wind directions was critical. Fastrak was pivotal to predicting and controlling these deflections, determining connection forces in the sway frames, and

providing verification that the proposed structural form was viable. It enabled Azimuth to create one single model of the structure, incorporating faceted shear walls to represent the block-work walls and a steel sway frame with cantilevers at both the first floor and eaves level. Its inbuilt wind calculator was used to determine wind deflections accurately and the 3D model was able to provide an optimised and automated design of the steelwork members. ■

cscworld.com

July / August 2014

25/7/14 16:55:01

Preview

HP steps up Next generation printer technology from HP puts an end to a sliding single print head, meaning faster prints in full colour.

by Stephen Holmes

roviding the output speed of a monochrome LED printer and the rich colours of inkjet, HP has launched its large format (LFP) PageWide technology. We think it could be a game-changing product for large format printing. PageWide has more than 200,000 nozzles on a stationary print head that spans the full width of the page. It can produce both black-and-white and colour output faster than monochrome light-emitting diode (LED) printers, and could mean users no longer need two separate machines for fast black and white, and detailed colour printing. The technology uses a scalable number of print heads that nest together in one long line. The prototype machine has an array of eight, spanning 40 inches — four inches wider than any LED printer on the market. Each print head has 25,344 identical drop generators that enable uniform volume, speed and trajectory of ink distribution. And the static print head eradicates ‘jogging’ of fine lines for more precise printing. PageWide has been ten years in the making, including in-depth research into the chemical basis of the pigment inks and accurate distribution.

Meg Whitman: might HPs CEO announce a move into 3D printing later in the year?

With the production printing market currently dominated by monochrome LED printers, HP is setting out to disrupt what it projects as a $1.3 billion global industry. But for now, the machine’s size and 500kg weight mean that this first generation printer is targeted strictly to large enterprise reprographics departments. It is available in the second-half 2015.

Future capabilities PageWide could become a possible entry point for HP into the 3D printing market.

Existing SLA 3D printers are widely used to output fine detail scale models, and are a favourite of architectural model makers [see Hobs page 24]. Some SLA 3D printers such as the Stratasys Objet Connex range use similar inkjet technology to put down droplets of resin that is then cured by UV light. Typically, a single moving SLA 3D print head takes multiple passes to cover a single layer of resin. For instance, an Objet Connex 500 print head takes six passes to cover a full build tray. HP PageWide, in comparison, with a rack of print heads could conceivably make a single pass to create each 3D model. This would slash the time it takes to create architectural models. A 12-hour, highresolution print job could theoretically be completed in just two hours. Similarly, this technology could be scaled down, allowing for rapid small model printing that could be done inhouse for prototypes. HP has constantly pushed its inkjet technology during its 30-year lifecycle, so we would not be surprised to hear HP CEO Meg Whitman announce a move into 3D printing later in the year. ■

hp.com/designjet

HP large format printing additions HP has launched a new Designjet SmartStream software product that, it claims, will streamline print workflow in two key timeloss areas: preparation and errors. Using PDF processing powered by the Adobe PDF Print Engine 32, it removes the need to convert PDFs into TIFF files for detailed printing. It has a new preview function that shows how documents will be printed. A ‘pre-flight’ warning system flags up potential trouble spots on the print job such as if the page will be

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clipped, fonts are missing, or some layers are not printable. The application can try to fix problems automatically, or corrections can be made from within the print manager. HP claims that, in testing, its SmartStream technology cut job preparation time by up to 50 per cent on multipage jobs. Alongside this software, HP has also launched two new Large Format Printers.

The HP Designjet T3500 Production eMultifunction Printer (eMFP), is a 36-inch machine that requires no warm-up time and features an ultra-fast processor and a high-productivity scanner with batch-scanning, multipage PDF creation and scan-to-email capabilities. HP says the device can produce monochrome prints at roughly the same cost per page as LED MFPs. It has a self-encrypting hard drive, secure disk erase and controlled access printing.

The 42-inch HP Designjet T7200 Production Printer, is a full-colour LFP built for high-volume print demands. Featuring similar performance to the T3500, it is capable of handling up to three media rolls at a time, giving the user the options of gloss, matte or bonded papers. The HP Designjet T3500 Production eMFP and T7200 Production Printer: starting at €11,500 each. SmartStream system: from €1,500.

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AEC Magazine July / August 2014

Articles inside

HP steps up

Autodesk Skyscraper

challenges

on the block

UKBIMCrew

Keep on track

in the cloud

business

Urban frontiers