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Thursday, July 30, 2009

Emergent Issues for Architects

Yet another great read from Design Intelligence. I encourage you all to read this one especially for the topic of IPD and BIM is spoken about in length. I copied and pasted the entire IPD and BIM portion...


"The following remarks are extracted from an address by Gordon Mills, president of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, which were delivered at the NCARB Annual Meeting and Conference in Chicago in June.

As I indicated in my opening remarks earlier this morning, I’m going to focus on two issues that I see coming down the road that I believe will be large on NCARB’s radar. The issues are responsible control and mobility of credentials. Neither issue is urgent today, but they are emergent. I believe that both are embedded in changes underway in practice and in society. Responsible control and mobility will surface as important issues that NCARB must address when the time is right. To address them successfully, it is important that NCARB be prepared. That preparation will come from analysis, study, and the continuation of the dialog that we have had over the past two years.

Why do I dwell on just these two issues and not others? NCARB always has much on its plate regarding integrated project delivery (IDP), the Architect Registration Examination (ARE), communications, education, and customer service. These programs will require continued diligence as we journey down the road. However, I believe the environment in which these things are developed and delivered is reasonably foreseeable for the next few years. At the same time, architectural practice is changing, and across the globe, economics and politics are playing a greater role in regulation. As these changes continue, they will demand a response from NCARB, a response that is both timely and appropriate if regulation is to remain a relevant and a valuable part of public protection.

First let me talk about responsible control. Saturday we will take up a resolution that is a by-product of some very good work by our Procedures and Documents Committee and their Integrated Project Delivery Task Force. The testimony they received in their hearing last October has resulted in a relatively modest change in our definition of responsible control. It is far less of a change than I expected would result when we established the Task Force last year. I do believe the revised definition as presented in the resolution is appropriate to where practice is at this time and place. There is real wisdom in the definition they produced. Through the hearings NCARB determined that integrated project delivery, with and without building information modeling (BIM), is in flux. Practice, on all sides -- client, architect, engineer, E & O insurer, product supplier, and contractor -- is feeling its way in to this method of delivery. What is in place today is not what will be in place tomorrow. What is happening in big firms is not necessarily what is happening in small firms. What is happening on some innovative projects is not what is happening on most projects. Practice with regard to this delivery process is still very much in flux.

I believe that the signs are very clear that practice is moving in the direction of integrated project delivery. Down the line I see it as the prevailing delivery method for projects that are big and small and used by firms that are both big and small. The advantages imbedded in a process are great. It has the potential to apply the talents of the entire team in project decision making at a much earlier time in the life of the project. It will win out for many reasons, but notable to me is the fact that that through deep planning early in the project life, both time and dollars will be saved. This can be done without sacrificing design or the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

What are the signs this transformation is underway? There are many. First, you only need to read our professional press such as, DesignIntelligence, Building Design and Construction, and Architectural Record to know that IPD has traction. Clients are asking for it because they’ve seen the evidence that this can make for better projects, providing improved value not only near term but also over the years the building is occupied. You have all read about the stimulus plan and the dollars from that plan that are pointed toward buildings. The General Services Administration has about $8 billion in stimulus funds to spend on projects. They have deadlines for when those dollars must be spent. To meet these time and cost commitments these projects will be accomplished using IPD in one form or another.

There are other IPD champions out there as well. Colleges and universities are getting on board. So are state governments and other branches of the federal government. The private sector is also using this approach more and more.

The architect is the only person on the building team who is educated and trained to protect the public. IPD has the potential to blur the roles and responsibilities of the many team members. It is possible to view this potential as a threat. It is also possible to view this as a opportunity for architecture and public protection.

It’s time for me to provide my annual and last quote to you from Winston Churchill. It is a quote that I’ve used before but one that fits well here: “A pessimist is one who sees the difficulty in every opportunity. An optimist is one who sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

I believe in that quote. As regulators it is critical that we grasp this opportunity. We must to ensure continued adequate protection of the public.

Forward-thinking people who have executed projects using IPD profess confidence that they are exercising appropriate responsible control by the architect throughout the project process. I hope that they are. The problem that I see is that our industry has not yet even begun to wring out the full potential value from BIM and integrated project delivery. That will come with time. As IPD evolves, it will be necessary for NCARB to consider how it regulates practice to protect the public. How responsible control is achieved will be critical. Will the architect maintain his or her strong role? Or will others supplant the architect’s authority? I am confident that larger changes in the definition will be needed down the road in order that regulation remain relevant and additive to process rather than an obstacle that detracts. NCARB will need to play a strong part as this story plays out.

What signals will NCARB receive as this transformation takes place? It is hard to predict, but there will be signs. BIM and IPD together have the potential to serve client project needs and add value from predesign through construction and throughout the occupied life of the building. As this happens there will be an expansion of BIM as a tool. It is already underway. To wring out the most value from the capabilities of BIM and IPD, adjunct programs that interface with BIM are coming in to use. These programs are for cost estimating, energy modeling, facilities management, and more. As their use increases the use of IPD as a delivery system will increase. And the roles of project team members will have the potential to blur even more. I believe it is important that NCARB keep an eye on the growth of IPD and on the expansion of BIM as a tool. We must continue to assess the impact of these changes on Responsible Control. We need to do so in order that both the definition and practice of responsible control continue to provide protection of the public as it meets the needs of architectural practice.

At this time it is too early for NCARB to get out in front. IPD is too much in flux, and practice must lead regulation. However, NCARB must be alert for a time that might well come where regulation, to remain relevant and appropriate, must lead practice. Putting a stake in the ground then would be a wise thing for NCARB to do... Continue Reading..."


Very interesting things to think about when adapting BIM and IPD. As a student it is great to be aware of such discussions. When the time comes to be a practicing Architect we must be well informed about these changes that take place and will take place.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Let Me Live : Student Project.

Absolutely fascinating video and project. I found this post on Archinect.com.

Let Me Live is a Criticism project.

The main criticism issue of the project is the duplication of dwelling buildings, and the "boring" spaces between them.
The project suggests a dwelling space that allows freedom, diversity, and personal compatibility for the user, while regarding limitations like building technology, performance and budget.
The goal is to create personal relation between the resident and the dwelling spaces – and to improve the quality of the place.
In order to achieve that, a system which allows the development of personal dwelling units was developed.
The system works in "mass customization" principles.
The dwelling space is ordered by the decisions of the residents using a computer system.
In addition, a new building technology was developed, which allows the ability to create such space, economically.
The building technology was developed in order to bridge between the theory and the practicality in architecture.

Project by Nir Levie and Tomer dikerman of Tel Aviv University


Tuesday, July 28, 2009

10 Rendering Tips

Posted by The Revit Clinic. Some more awesome tips for us Revit Users!


10 Rendering Tips

Continuing the series of 10 quick tips, below are 10 tips for rendering in Revit I would like to pass along…

1. Material with Image Transparency

The “Plastic” Material type contains an option for “Render Appearance”, “Type”, “Plastic Transparent”. Along with this you can set the “Color” to “Image File” to utilize an image in the material. With this combination you can make varied transparent materials containing image files.

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2. Rendering Lights at Draft Quality?

When rendering at a quality below “Medium”, you may notice artificial lights “Light Source Definition Shape” do not fully match the shape in the family. To have the artificial light shape fully calculated, render at “Medium” quality or above. For additional information I have included the technical solution link below:

Light source definition shape does not match rendering

3. Section Box and Rendering Times

For more complex views, you can reduce the rendering times by enabling the section box in the view. With the section box active, only objects that fall within the section box will be rendered. This includes objects such as daylight portals or artificial lights. For additional information I have included the technical solution link below:

Rendering only objects in current view or linked file

4. Far Clip and Rendering Views

If utilizing a “Far Clip Offset” in a view to render, keep in mind the offset will not be calculated in the rendering extents. The entire view range is calculated in a view when rendering. If you need to exclude something in the distance, use a section box instead from the process in tip #3 above.

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See the rest at The Revit Clinic...

Monday, July 27, 2009

The Revit Kid - Rendering Challenge.

This week may be a little slow in the blog postings due to me having to move into my new apartment on Saturday. I will still post as much as possible and inform you all with articles, tutorials, and references.

I thought it would be fun to have my readers do what I do everyday for this blog. Solve Revit problems that are emailed to me. Here is the email from Oswald:

"Hi there revitkid!

Nice blogsite BTW, it really helped me on way in and way out on revit. I just wanna ask how to render an aerial view of a floor plan (so that i can show an overview of the floor finishing materials) using interior artificial lighting only. I tried to hide the ceilings and light components (so that they dont block the view when rendering) but it seems it also hides the light that is coming from the light source. Any ideas? thanks in advance!

More power on your site!"

I immediately have some ideas of how to investigate this problem but no time to sit there and render/examine the problem this week. Email me with your solution and the best one will win a free Lock Noob Revit shirt!

When learning any program it is essential that you problem solve like this. This is one of the many reasons why I love doing this blog. I don't know EVERYTHING about Revit and maybe never will but everytime I get a question that boggles my mind it is just another learning experience and pushes my Revit skills that much further. That isltimately how I learned Revit... Sat there for hours figuring out problems that would arise.

Email me at Jeff@TheRevitKid.com with you solution and images/videos. Good Luck!

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Mentoring the Future.

Here is yet another great article from Design Intelligence. Design Intelligence produces some great reads. If you are planning on getting your license and really passionate about the field of Architecture this should definitely interest you.

Mentoring Emerging Professionals
Gordon E. Mills

"One of the dilemmas encountered by emerging professionals occurs after they complete their formal education and enter the work force as interns. At issue is the failure experienced by so many to connect with a supervisor and a mentor who can act as guides in their formation as design professionals.

A combination of demographics and a troubled economy make it more important than ever that we solve this problem, both as individual professionals and as firms. Demographic studies suggest that architects will soon retire in greater numbers than new workers entering the profession. And if architecture faces a generation that departs the profession because they cannot find work that enables them to advance their careers, we may see a repeat of the 1990s, when abandonment of the profession was common. Individuals, firms, and clients all suffered and continue to suffer from that loss of a generation.

As an architect who has led a good sized firm and spent recent years engaged in a volunteer capacity with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, I have some thoughts about how we might improve what established professionals can do for the benefit of interns, the firms in which they work, and the clients they serve... Continue Reading..."

Friday, July 24, 2009

Tutorial Videos.

Wow... this is my 200th post, I have 70 followers, over 400 RSS subscribers, and the blog has exceeded 100,000 hits! WOOHOO. Thank you to all my readers. I cannot believe how fast this blog has grown. I guess there was a void somewhere that I filled and I am so very grateful to be able to share my passions with you all.

Well I wanted to share with you a few new videos from DesignReform.net:
The Solar Radiation Technology videos are a great expansion of my post.

Thanks again for coming back every day to read, learn, and discuss all things Revit, BIM, Architecture, and Sustainability.

Stayed tuned for so much more... The mid-summer blues are starting and I haven't had a Design class in a few semesters. Needless to say, I cannot wait to start school. Weird, huh?

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Revit in School Curriculum

I guess I shall respond to Greg's post over at Revit3D.com since he mentioned me.

First, I would like to share my personal educational and architectural history. I started my architectural journey freshman year of high school. I attended a technical high school and chose to study architecture. The first two years of high school I never touched a computer. I was taught how to draft and write with a pencil. I learned how to use a scale, a french curve, vellum, etc... Finally, sophomore year, I learned AutoCAD.

Thanks to my high school, when I was sixteen I began working at an architectural firm. I have worked at that very firm for the past five years and continue to work there. By junior year of high school I became very proficient with AutoCAD and strived to work in 3D. I wanted to turn my hand drawn perspectives into 3D models. I was introduced to SketchUp through my boss and that was it for me. From SketchUp, to 3DMax, to Viz, to 3D CAD, and finally to Revit.

I did not elevate to Revit until college. Due to many circumstances I went to a community college right out of high school. I just graduated from that college with two associates degree and I do not regret any of it. The community college did not require Revit and did not have any hand drafting classes or requirements. Although, basic CAD and 3D CAD were required for the architecture major. A Revit class is offered but not required.

Looking back I realize that a majority of the "tools" I learned for Architecture I taught myself. With the help of my boss, who is very technically inclined, I took it upon myself to learn CAD, 3DMax, Revit, SketchUp, etc... Mostly using video tutorials online and trial and error I was able to become proficient in most of the programs.

One of the points opposers of Revit tend to use is that it "takes away from the design process" and "creates bad architecture" and so on... Therefore, should Revit be required in an Architecture curriculum? This is a very tough question.

My personal belief is that it should be. I understand that Revit and CAD are tools. Well, is a carpenter taught how to use a band saw properly? In my high school he/she was. Is a barber taught how to use clippers? A doctor is taught, in school, how to use a scalpel. Why should an Architect not be taught the tools of his/her trade?

I have said many times in this blog that I believe Revit does not take from the design process but adds to it. I still go through half a roll of trace every design I do. I still sit in my desk and stare at my drawings thinking for hours. I still have a scale and roll of trace on me at all times. The introduction of Revit, if done correctly, will not effect the design process in a negative way.

This isn't to say that basic drawing and drafting techniques should not be taught as well. In my perfect Architecture program Revit would be a required class, hand drafting will be required, and basic business courses will be required.

Well, I hope this i what you were looking for Greg. It has brought up more and more ideas in my head of where to go and expand in this blog.

AEC Edge Magazine.

Online magazine loaded with Revit information in the most recent issue.

Literally every single page of this magazine is great. I wish I could get my hand on the print of it. For some reason the subscribe link isn't working.

Empire State Building... LEED Gold?! Revit?!



"New York’s famous Empire State Building is pursing LEED Gold certification with a goal of reducing annual energy consumption by an impressive 38%.

Planned improvements include an ambitious replacement of the building’s entire window system, an upgrade of heating and cooling plants and the integration of a smart lighting system. The $13.2MM project will provide an estimated annual energy savings of $4.4MM, yielding a three-year payback on investment.

The following video summarizes the project and includes interviews with the building’s owner, Anthony E. Malkin, and Scott Horst, EVP of LEED with the USGBC.

Thanks to LEEDBlogger.com for the post.


Hmmm... So I wonder what "Energy Analysis Program" they will use to submit documentation for certification...

Well after some research I found a few interesting links regarding this matter:
So It appears they are using eQuest? How interesting considering eQuest and Revit are second cousins! See this PDF to see what I mean.

The Program AGi32 is also included on that page. Below is a quote directly from the AGi32 forums:

"Right now, AGi32 is limited (according to its own "import" dialog) to importing .dwg and .dxf files (or AGi32's own proprietary .AGI files). So, it would be possible to do some movement from Revit via dwg/dxf, but not a direct import."

So if the Architect uses Revit than the lighting consultant will not have to do any modeling. Ultimately, reducing money, time, and errors, and increasing accuracy, efficiency, and happines ;).


Wednesday, July 22, 2009

What the US Building Industry Must Do.

"Scientific measurements have shown beyond doubt that the Earth is getting gradually warmer and that the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is on the increase. While some people may continue to doubt the link between these two phenomena or that the escalation in atmospheric CO2 is due mainly to human activity, it is now widely accepted in both scientific and political circles that man-made climate change is a reality.

The magnitude of change and the potential consequences are still open to debate, but there is general consensus that we should be focusing our attention on mitigation. Since the articulation of the Kyoto Protocol in Japan in 1997 and its global acceptance in 2005, 183 countries, including the entire European Community, have formally committed to significant reductions in CO2 emissions. Despite this, little real progress has been made, with the United States failing to sign the treaty and China and India (among many others) currently refusing to ratify it. Even among signatories, emissions have, in most cases, continued unabated. In fact, according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Russian Federation, New Zealand, Italy, and others have actually increased their emissions significantly in the decade since signing the Protocol... Continue Reading..."

archINFORM


Cool database I found during some random internet search that went astray (per usual).


This database for international architecture, originally emerging from records of interesting building projects from architecture students, has meanwhile become the largest online-database about worldwide architects and buildings from past to present.
This database includes information over more than 21000 built and unrealized projects from various architects and planners. The architecture of the 20th century is the main theme of this database.

It's possible to look for a special project via an architect, town or keyword with the indices or by using a query form. For most entries you get the name, address, keywords and information about further literature. Some entries include images, comments, links to other Websites or internal links.

I did a quick search of my local area and found some cool houses I knew about and did not know about. I have always been told about, or read about pieces of architecture to go see. A great way to reverse that process.

Taking it a step further, wouldn't it be cool to have a BIM Database... all buildings that have been built using BIM software? To see a physical built building and know, or see, that it was once an intelligent Revit model takes the experience to a whole other level.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Autodesk Acknowledging Mac Users


I have been running Autodesk Products through Bootcamp for over two years now without a single problem. Most of my licenses are educational and I never really had to use Autodesk Technical Support. From what I have heard it used to be: "Hi, I am running CAD on Bootcamp.." and Autodesk would not be able to help you.

Well... Times are changing. Revit is slowly gaining traction, BIM is making its way into the industry, LEED is being used as reference in energy bills, and Autodesk is showing us Mac users some love.

Thanks to Jeremy at The Building Coder for the find.



Architectural Business Class

I just began reading the book "Good to Great" by Jim Collins. One thing that has always annoyed me since I began learning Architecture freshman year of high school has been the lack of business discussion. Luckily, I had the time to take a Construction Management major and graduate from it this year. This major required many business classes.

Throughout every business class I took I thought to myself, "Why are these classes not requirements for the Architecture major?" The more I learn and grow in this industry and educational field the more I realize how important it is.

I would highly recommend taking courses such as accounting, introduction to business, and business communication if you have time. I have found learning things such as the correct way to write business proposals much more useful than Calculus 3 in the field of Architecture.

While reading the book, "From Good to Great" (which I highly recommend to all of my readers) I find myself making many juxtapositions between the subject matter of the book and Architecture, Revit, and BIM.

Su, over at Just Practising, found herself making interesting analogies as well:

How to be Happy in Business

How to be Happy in Business

Picture two animals: a fox and a hedgehog. Which are you?

An ancient Greek parable distinguishes between foxes, which know many small things, and hedgehogs, which know one big thing. All good-to-great leaders, it turns out, are hedgehogs. They know how to simplify a complex world into a single, organizing idea—the kind of basic principle that unifies, organizes, and guides all decisions.

That’s not to say hedgehogs are simplistic. Like great thinkers, who take complexities and boil them down into simple, yet profound, ideas (Adam Smith and the invisible hand, Darwin and evolution), leaders of good-to-great companies develop a Hedgehog Concept that is simple but that reflects penetrating insight and deep understanding

Wouldn’t we all want to take what we like doing, do it well and be paid to do it?

Step 1: Be Strategic: See the whole picture.

Jim Collins introduced the “hedgehog concept” in his book Good to Great. Read more by Jim Collins


Thanks to Greg at Revit3D.com for the find.


Monday, July 20, 2009

10 Conceptual Massing Tips - Revit 2010

Great post over at RevitClinic explaining some tips and tricks about Revit 2010's conceptual massing environment.

Click here to view their post.

"10 quick tips to utilize in the conceptual mass workspace. Here they are in no particular order:

1. Spacebar Toggle Coordinates

When selecting an object on a form, you can use the spacebar to toggle the coordinates between the object and the model orientation.

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2. Reference Lines versus Lines

When forms created from lines are deleted, the original lines are deleted as well. When forms created from reference lines are deleted, the reference lines remain to easily recreate the form.

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3. Background Color

Under “View Properties”, “Graphic Display Options” you can specify the gradient background on or off as well as adjusting the colors if needed.

Background-color

4. Remove Divided Surface

After the divide surface tool is utilized, you can later remove the divided surface if needed simply by highlighting it and choosing the “Delete” tool.

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5. Enable 3D Snapping

To easily snap between points in 3D, after selecting the line or reference line tool a “3D Snapping” setting will become active on the Options Bar.

3DSnapping

6. Rehost a Reference Point

When a reference point is highlighted, a “Rehost Point” tool will appear on the ribbon. By selecting the tool, you can easily host the point to another location.

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7. Create a Sphere

Draw the line for rotation, draw the arc as needed, then “Create Form”. Afterwards in the "Element Properties" of the sphere, you can adjust the “Start Angle” and “End Angle” between 0 and 360 degrees.

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8. Create a Plane with Adjustable Height

Reference lines allow for creation of planes with “Positive” and “Negative” offsets in "Element Properties". Simply draw a reference line, “Create Form”, and open "Element Properties” to adjust offset value.

Plane2

9. Mass Transparency

In the Conceptual Mass family or project, you can adjust the transparency of the mass objects. Edit Materials, and locate the “Default Form” material. You can slide the transparency as needed; the default is 0 % in the family environment but 70% in the project environment.

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10. Parameters for Divided Surface

After dividing a surface, open the "Instance Properties" for the object. You can associate a parameter to the values if you would like to utilize formulas or create numerous family types with multiple values in “Types”.

UGrid

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Revit Grabs Yet Another Student.

It's spreading like a plague.... and I love it.


"I recently got hired at Howl O' Scream @ Busch Gardens, which is forcing me to move my Tuesday/Thursday 5:30-7:30 "Building Arts" class to an earlier time. Well, there is no earlier time, so I decided to try and sign up for the Intermediate AutoCAD class instead. When I did that, the computer told me I hadn't met the prerequisite of taking a "Beginning Technology Design" class.....BULLCRAP! I've already finished the Beginning AutoCAD class and taken an entire year of Architectural Design! I'm not computer illerate, I'm part of the millenial generation!!! Anyway, so I said "screw that, I'm CLEPing these exams," meaning I'm going to learn AutoCAD on my own and take the exam to just get the credit hours with no grade, which is fine by me.

Like I said, by now I've already taken a "Beggining AutoCAD" class and have figured out by now that this program has some serious flaws. Actually, let me back up. My PROFESSORS have some serious flaws. Both semesters of Architectural Design, my professors gave us a rule of NO AUTOCAD!!!! I understand the fundamentals behind learning to draw and such, but they wouldn't even let us have drawings AND AutoCAD renderings on our final presentations......ONLY drawings. I found this as somewhat shocking, since I had figured the primary tool in the design industry was AutoCAD. The last project I did, I REALLY needed some kind of design program to help me figure out the floor plans of my building. Since I didn't yet know how to use 3D AutoCAD, I downloaded google sketchup.

I'll start this paragraph off by saying GOOGLE SKETCHUP IS AWESOME. For a beginning architect student like myself, this program will teach you basic comands, let you play around with your creative ideas, and is also very fun and simple! After using this program, I began to think even more about how crappy AutoCAD seemed. I mean, I hadn't yet toyed with 3D AutoCAD, but I was already very frustrated with simple 2D, so I couldn't even imagine how angry I would get with 3D.

Anyway, returning back to the flaws of AutoCAD. The number one thing I have noticed with it is that it isn't intuitive....AT ALL. It doesn't know what I'm trying to tell it to do, where I'm trying to tell it to go, or how I'm trying to tell it to work. It has a mind of it's own. I'm guessing the reason behind this is because it isn't an object based program, but I could be wrong. The point is that a free program that google made is WAY more intuitive than a $3,000 program, and quite honestly, that can be frustrating to those who have already spent that huge wad of cash. I have gotten SO FRUSTRATED from trying to learn this program that I have slammed keyboards, mouses, banged computers, had to restart computers MANY TIMES, screamed, and CRIED for crying out loud! I sometimes feel like I should just rip the monitor right out of the computer and throw it out of the window!!!!

So, I went searching for something else. I tweeted how frustrated I usually am when using AutoCAD and someone replied telling me to try Revit because they understood the feeling. I've heard of Revit before from several profesors telling me that they only use Revit in their offices and that AutoCAD is on the way out the door. I decided to give this Revit a try. I then found a FREE educational download version which made me very happy and learned that AutoDesk is the same company that makes both Revit and AutoCAD. So......is AutoDesk just keeping AutoCAD around for the old farts who can't learn new programs? Try this: Google "AutoCAD sucks." I get 178,000 results, 178,001 by the time I'm done. Now Google "Revit sucks," only 25,500. I think that alone says something.

So my question then becomes, WHY am I being taught AutoCAD and WHY is it a requirement to know the program before I transfer to a University for Architecture? If this thing is on the way out, shouldn't I be learning something that's on the way in? I guess I can't depend on the school board to figure this one out, so I suppose I'm teaching it to myself. Unfortunately I still have to CLEP both 2D and 3D AutoCAD exams to transfer to a University, but I'll do whatever it takes to get there, even if that requires learning a software programs that dinosaurs invented."

Good luck to Bonnie and lets hope to hear how her Revit journey will continue.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Onion Power!


"Gills Onions is using onion juice from its processing plant to power a 600 kilowatt fuel cell electricity generation unit that will slice $700,000 in energy costs from the bottom line.

Gills Onions, one of the nation’s largest onion growers and processors, estimates the $9.5 million system will pay for itself in about six years, with the help of about $3 million in government and utility incentives, reports the Los Angeles Times.

The system is good for the 14-acre processing facility’s carbon footprint, too. It should eliminate 30,000 tons of CO2e emissions annually.

Additionally, converting waste onion material to energy will save up to $400,000 a year on disposal costs.

How it works:

One of Gill’s best-selling products is a line of sliced and diced fresh-cut onions. Because about 40 percent of each onion is unused in the process, the company generates some 150 tons of waste a day.

Machines are able to extract 30,000 gallons of onion juice, which is then piped to a 145,000-gallon holding tank. The tank, which is kept at 95 degrees, has bacteria purchased from an Anheuser-Busch brewery. The bacteria consume the carbohydrates in the fermenting juice, produce methane gas, according to the article.

The system takes methane from fermented onion juice and converts it to energy that is burned in two fuel cells on-site. Learn more about Gill’s sustainability efforts here.

More and more fresh produce growers are finding ways to save energy in their operations.

Recently, Houweling’s Hot House, a British Columbia-based greenhouse tomato and cucumber grower, put into place what it calls the world’s first carbon-neutral commercial greenhouse for fresh produce. The greenhouse uses a 1.2 megawatt solar array to run the facility, also generating heat to let the greenhouse operate with greater efficiently during cooler weather." See source here.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Architecture Resume Tips

I have found it very difficult in the past to find tips and tricks about resume's for architecture. There are millions of generic resume tips out there but none that are catered to us. I found this to be a very nice little list over at Architectural Record.

"A human resources manager at a top architecture firm offers advice on how to put your best foot forward...

The New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects is offering a series of Not Business As Usual lunchtime workshops geared toward unemployed architects. Dana Byrne, manager of talent acquisition and professional development at RMJM, recently attended one of the sessions to offer suggestions on how to make cover letters and resumes shine.

1. Be targeted and personalized.
Now more than ever it is critical that you leverage your social and professional network. In your cover letter, be sure to mention any contacts you have within the organization or the names of professors or consultants who have referred you.

2. Clearly demonstrate your value.
If you are responding to a specific job advertisement, review the description of the role, responsibilities, and qualifications, and carefully craft your cover letter and your resume to highlight the salient points in your experience and skill set that speak to the needs of the employer.

If you are applying blindly to a firm, be sure to do your research about what practice areas the firm specializes in and what projects “put them on the map.” Once again, note where your experience intersects with theirs.

3. Ensure your cover letter and resume are error-free.
Architecture is an aesthetic profession in which attention is paid to the grand gesture, as well as to the smallest of details. Be rigorous in your editing and make sure to double and triple-check for grammatical and spelling mistakes.

4. Stay formal and businesslike in all correspondence.
Never just send an e-mail with an informal message like, “Here’s my resume…”. You would never believe how many people actually do this. Place the text of your cover letter into the body of the e-mail and attach your resume and work samples.

5. Define your role on projects and their scope and scale.
Be specific in your resume about your project involvements and your role as a team member. Give a brief description of the project, including name/location/scale, and the phases in which you contributed and deliverables you produced or to which you contributed.

6. Do not include personal hobbies.
It is more important to use the precious space on your resume to highlight awards, publications, software skills, and language proficiency. No one really cares that you ski; but they do want to know that you know REVIT and speak and write Chinese.

7. The tag “References Provided Upon Request” is unnecessary.
It’s just another space waster. It goes without saying that you would provide references if a potential employer asked for them.

8. Keep graphics simple and clean.
Be aware of font size and spacing, making sure the text is easily legible. Take cues from your favorite design publications or branding consultancy websites. They are great resources for examples of clear and concise messaging.

9. Be strategic when using images.
When in doubt, less is more. Don’t waste space on your resume with small thumbnail images in the margins. They are generally hard to read and are better placed in a larger format on a separate work sample page(s).

10. Use a black-and-white version of your resume when submitting it digitally.
Many architects are gifted with a strong graphic sensibility and are effective in using color as an eye-catching element in the design of their resumes, but most hiring managers will not spend the money to print resumes in color. Even in the age of e-mail, resumes get printed out and passed around, and a resume in a pale gray-scale can be annoyingly difficult to read."

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Tutorial - View Templates

Here is a great tip that will help you save time and have all of your views looking perfect.


Topics Covered:
  • Customizing Viewport
  • Using Visibility Graphics Over rides.
  • Modifying the course fill pattern.
  • Creating Presentation Sections
  • Creating View Templates
  • Applying View Templates.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Revit Promoted when Downloading AutoCAD?

A few interested conversations got me to download AutoCAD Architecture 2010 (don't worry... it's for comparison and argument purposes... there is not going to be an CAD Kid!). Something very interesting caught my eye on the Autodesk Student Community download page for AutoCAD Architecture 2010...


That's right.... Autodesk is apparently promoting Revit in a nice bright red box when you go to download AutoCAD 2010... interesting...

Solar Radiation technology and Revit.

I have always wondered what Ecotect stood for and had my own ideas. Well apparently it stands for Ecology + Architect = Ecotect. Cool!




"Designing for sustainability requires many analyses, and an understanding of the incident solar radiation on a building façade is one of those analyses. It is particularly compelling to be able to do this analysis from within Revit. The new Solar Radiation Technology Preview allows users to study incident solar radiation on a building form within the conceptual massing environment available to all Revit Architecture and Revit MEP users. There are many examples of how the information can be used, but some of the common ones are:

Studying how incident solar radiation on the façade of a specific form differs by orientation. This could be as simple as analyzing a basic rectangular form. It is easy but important to look at incident solar radiation on pitched roofs to understand the impact of various roof pitches and nearby shading elements early in the design process if solar panels are being considered.

To understand the relative importance of glazing for daylighting and solar heat gain of the building, it is useful to quantify the difference between the incident solar radiation that occurs on the lower floors vs. the higher floors of a tall building. This is especially significant in an urban context. Studying incident solar energy is one step towards understanding what types of glass might be appropriate different façades or floors. If the solar radiation on the north façade or lower floors is much lower than the flux on the southern or high floors, varying glass type and performance by face may be appropriate.

Much of the analysis associated with low carbon building design and sustainability is very numerical and not visually compelling. The solar radiation add-in is a great way to provide visual feedback within the context of a design whether as a means to communicate a design choice, or as part of a presentation.

It is worth repeating here that analyses for sustainability, including solar radiation analysis, should be done very early in the design process, and then repeated as needed when the form and design evolves. This new technology preview is available within the massing environment, which facilitates its early use.

The user chooses a weather file which contains the raw solar data required for the analysis, then chooses a date and time range for the analysis, and finally selects the surfaces to be analyzed.

The user has the ability to set the number of divisions or tiles that a surface gets sectioned into for the analysis, with the associated computation time implications. The results can be displayed as cumulative, peak or average values in user chosen units. The computation time varies depending on the calculation resolution, but examples shown here take approximately 10 seconds for the simplest analysis for the simplest form, to approximately 20 seconds for the more complicated form.

Finally, once the users are satisfied with their analyses, they can choose to publish the results in the form of images or output to a printer."




Saturday, July 11, 2009

Reinventing the Bathroom.



So I am not sure why I love this video so much. Either it's because of the awesome idea and thought of the toilet.... or how much she says the word "poop".

Industrial designer and London–based Dwell contributor Virginia Gardiner shares the ins and outs of her low-cost, low-tech concept for a waterless toilet system.

Friday, July 10, 2009

The Revit Kid.com! Featured in Winter 2009 Newsletter.

Thanks again for whomever is featuring my blog in Autodesk newsletters. I can't express how great it is to see my blog featured in the same newsletter as such major product announcements and information!

Thanks again!


The Revit Kid! blog is set to be a major source of information
for students using Autodesk Revit-based products. The blog
is designed for students planning a career in architecture,
engineering or construction management, and strives to help all
users become comfortable with the world of building information
modelling.

The Revit Kid! regularly blogs about industry issues, while sharing
a number of educational tools, including tutorials and tips, with
his peers.


Revit Coordinate System Video.

Yet another great video that I had to repost from DesignReform.net. I really enjoy the different approach and subject that is touched upon by this video. Not many Revit users (none that I know) even bring up the thought of utilizing the coordinate system. I, personally, have thought about it in terms of relation to CAD.

From DesignReform.net:

"Description:
In this video I walk through the relationship of the default Revit coordinate system (both in Revit 2009 and 2010) to your geometry, and show how to overwrite that coordinate system as well as make sure that the new system pushes through to exported files. After that, we walk through a comparison of how Revit 2010 visualizes the project basepoint as well as the differences in the importing interface with the earlier 2009 version.

Topics Covered:
  • Overwriting Revit’s internal coordinates
  • Exporting to CAD with the correct coordinate system
  • Importing CAD elements under a shared coordinate system
  • Revit 2010’s new project basepoint UI explainedd
  • Relocating a project vs moving the project basepoint
  • Pinning the project basepoint


Thursday, July 9, 2009

Reburbia

Great competition that just launched. Very simple submission requirements with a very powerful objective.

Dwell Magazine and Inhabitat.com are pleased to announce the first ever Reburbia competition: a design competition dedicated to re-envisioning the suburbs.

With the current housing crisis, the sub-prime mortgage meltdown, and rising energy costs, the future of suburbia looks bleak. Suburban communities in central California, Arizona and Florida are desolate and decaying, with for sale and foreclosure signs dotting many lawns. According to the US Census, about 90% of all metropolitan growth occurred in suburban communities in the last ten years. Urbanites who loathe the freeways, big box stores and bland aesthetics stereotypical of suburbia may secretly root for the end of sprawl, but demographic trends indicate that exurban growth is still on the rise.

In a future where limited natural resources will force us to find better solutions for density and efficiency, what will become of the cul-de-sacs, cookie-cutter tract houses and generic strip malls that have long upheld the diffuse infrastructure of suburbia? How can we redirect these existing spaces to promote sustainability, walkability, and community? It’s a problem that demands a visionary design solution and we want you to create the vision!

Calling all future-forward architects, urban designers, renegade planners and imaginative engineers:
Show us how you would re-invent the suburbs! What would a McMansion become if it weren’t a single-family dwelling? How could a vacant big box store be retrofitted for agriculture? What sort of design solutions can you come up with to facilitate car-free mobility, ‘burb-grown food, and local, renewable energy generation? We want to see how you’d design future-proof spaces and systems using the suburban structures of the present, from small-scale retrofits to large-scale restoration—the wilder the better!


Links:

ASHRAE 160-2009

New building codes, LEED, energy bills, and now ASHRAE are all catering their standards to meet the needs of us Revit users... Computer analysis of buildings is on the rise. This is why you should all know Revit and be comfortable with it (as well as the many analysis programs) while in school. What better time to learn?!

ASHRAE Releases Standard for Moisture-Control Design Analysis

"The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has released a new standard to address the challenges of using computer modeling programs to optimize a building design’s energy efficiency while minimizing the risk of moisture and mold problems.

Standard 160-2009, “Criteria for Moisture-Control Design Analysis in Buildings,” is intended for use on commercial buildings (although it could be used for homes as well) and describes methods of calculating conditions for a model that will give the most accurate picture of a building’s moisture performance.

The standard will likely be used to inform prescriptive building code language; a draft version of the standard was already used to craft requirements for vapor barriers in one code...
See the Article here."

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

The Revit Triple Play


I recently purchased the Comcast Triple Play bundle for the new apartment I will be moving into come August. The very fact that Revit and BIM consume my life caused me to make a comparison.

Cable companies started taking on the phone companies a few years ago and then began offering the powerful triple play package. According to Time Warner revenue rose 15% the year it released the triple play.

The funny thing about the triple play is the numbers. Let's take Comcast:
  • Basic Internet = $20/Month for 6 months and $46/Month after...
  • Basic Telephone = $20/Month for 6 Months and $40/Month after...
  • Basic Digital Cable = $30/Month for 6 Months and $60/Month after...
Therefore you are paying $70/Month for 6 Months and $146/Month for the rest of your time with Comcast if using all three services... then they hit you with the triple play: $99/Month for two years! Wow... Even if you don't want or need a house phone... might as well get it?!

To me, this is an absolutely genius idea. Could this be done with the use of Revit?

Let's take a project that does not use Revit:
  • Preliminary Design Sketches
  • Preliminary Design Physical Model
  • Design Development CAD Drawings
  • Sketchup Model
  • 3D Max Model and Rendering
  • CAD Documents
Now a Revit project:
  • Preliminary Sketches
  • Conceptual Massing Model in Revit
  • Design Development Sections, Elevations, and Plans referenced from Concept Mass
  • Rendering and 3D views already created. Just click!
  • Construction Documents are more than half way done.
Without adding hours and prices to the lists above I wonder what is the Revit Triple Play? You can get a 3D model, renderings, and C.D's for $3,000 in 3 months OR you can get all three for $2,000 in 1.5 months (The price can be lowered due to not having to hire more draftsmen, modelers, and so on..).

Ah... Just a thought.

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Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Building and the Climate Bill.

I posted about the house energy bill a few weeks ago and I just found this great article (2 pages!) breaking down the bill and its contents in great depth. It contrasts the bill with the building industry and design.

"It's important to "get things right" when a new building is constructed. More so than perhaps anything else we create, new buildings will be with us for a very long time.

The greenhouse gas cap-and-trade section of the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill gets most of the attention, as it should, but the bill has many other provisions, some of which are directly important to the building industry." Continue Reading the Article.

Service Pack Update 1 - Revit 2010

Service Pack 1 has finally been released for all Revit 2010 Suites!

Autodesk® Revit® Architecture 2010 — English

IMPORTANT

This download is the latest update for Autodesk® Revit® Architecture 2010 software as a standalone product and as part of AutoCAD® Revit® Architecture Suite 2010 and AutoCAD® Revit® Architecture Visualization Suite 2010 software.

It is available to users who have purchased a valid license for Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010, AutoCAD Revit Architecture Suite 2010 or AutoCAD Revit Architecture Visualization Suite 2010, and is subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license agreement that appears during installation.

For a list of improvements, please download the Autodesk® Revit® Architecture 2010 Update Enhancement List:

Update Enhancement List (pdf - 67Kb)

Note: Build Number can be found in the Update Enhancement List

Update 1 – June 2009

Important Note:
Update 1 is not a full install; rather it is using service pack technology similar to AutoCAD®- based products. Prior to installing the Update 1, please verify that you have already installed the First Customer Ship build of Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 which is available below.

Before You Download
Please read before downloading and installing:

Service Pack Readme (htm - 55Kb)

Get Started
Read all instructions above then click the following link to download.

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 Update 1_32-bit (exe – 62.8 Mb)

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 Update 1_64-bit (exe – 87.4 Mb)

Note: The service pack can be applied to both the standalone and suite versions of Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010.



Thanks to Greg at Revit3D.com for the Post ad the initial post in June!

International Green Construction Code

More and more I am so very glad I took the LEED Exam. It appears that LEED is influencing everything from the latest Energy Bill to building codes:

"Code officials could see a new universal regulatory framework to guide the design and construction of green commercial buildings by the end of next year.

On June 29, the American Institute of Architects, along with the International Code Council (ICC) and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), announced their intent to create an International Green Construction Code (IGCC).

The new code aims to cover all aspects of sustainability in the built environment, from roofing to ventilation strategies, drawing from existing codes and standards to create one universal code. The code will apply to new construction and renovations. “We hope this will bring all of the separate efforts together and put them under one umbrella to make it easier for jurisdictions to know what they are adopting,” says Adolf Zubia, ICC board president.

A 29-person drafting committee—made up of a broad range of stakeholders—will refer to an ASTM database of existing green codes and standards to “help draw up the code and identify any holes,” explains Dominic Sims, chief operating officer of the ICC.

Among the major initiatives already under way is Standard 189, a code-enforceable standard for green buildings that is being developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America. The initiative was first launched in 2006 and, following several public comment periods, its final release is expected by the end of this year.

International Green Construction Code representatives plan to meet with Standard 189 committee representatives in late July to discuss how the groups can cooperate, says Richard Weiland, the ICC’s chief executive officer. “We hope this will compliment a lot of what’s going on with Standard 189,” he says. Plus, Brendan Owens, the USGBC’s vice president of LEED technical development, is serving on the drafting committee for the International Green Construction Code.

Kent Peterson, chairman of the committee writing Standard 189 and principal of California-based P2S Engineering, says he would like to ultimately see Standard 189 language in the IGCC code and looks forward to meeting with IGCC representatives to coordinate efforts. "We want to meet to make sure we're not all going in separate directions and confusing the industry," he says..." Read More...

Wow... every day it makes more and more sense to use Revit.


Monday, July 6, 2009

Tutorial - Edit Section Heads and Tails

This tutorial is in response to a thread I posted about a few days ago at Archinect.com. The common argument about Revit is that you cannot make a "pretty" set of C.D.'s because the sections, elevations, views, and callouts are all so constrained... Wrong!


Now you too can prove those CAD lovers wrong. We can create the same exact section marks they use but when we put ours in... it creates the section for us. Muwahah.


Sunday, July 5, 2009

Architecture vs. Dystopia

Great video I stumbled upon during a YouTube distraction.



University of Waterloo
Arch 443 Film & Architecture.

An architecture student's surreal nightmare, a dystopic world in which our work consumes us, blurring the lines between our imaginations and reality.

I don't know about you but I thoroughly got into it and enjoyed it.