Trends that are shaping the built world are powered by the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, institute BIM mandates across the globe, the need for convergence or collaboration of AEC teams, the need for the “smart city,” emergence of the owner/operator extending the lifecycle of a project into operations and maintenance, and provision of tools that are right for the job. These trends are linked, as one will benefit and nourish the other.
1 Merchant Square, London, Robin Partington & Partners Architects
“If we are to bring the broad masses of the people in every land to the table of abundance, it can only be by the tireless improvement of all our means of technical production.” – Winston Churchill, MIT, 1949.
Little could Churchill predict how timeless his comment was, or perhaps he could. He probably would be amazed at how that insightful comment would show up in the technological creations of today.
The first week of January AECCafe Voice will publish a Trends/Predictions article, looking forward toward what might be the big trends for the new year, as well as the next five years.
This year software companies are talking a lot about convergence, and Autodesk is no different in that respect. What is different is that the software company is making a significant investment in the “make” side of things, which it has promised for the past few years. This focus is moving into the building side of things with many technologies that we have traditionally thought of as strictly manufacturing.
AECCafe is here in Las Vegas this week (December 1-3) for the Autodesk University 2015 Conference held at the Venetian Hotel.
“As if It Were Already There” – sculpture by Janet Echelman in Rose Greenway Park
Autodesk will be demonstrating its new technologies and conducting classes on various topics.
You can visit us at our booth #28 and/or contact Sanjay Gangal for video interviews at sanjay@ibsystems.com 408-221-0982. I will be covering the conference and conducting regular interviews for the blog. Susan.smith@ibsystems.com 505-501-2478
Kevin Lea, Product Manager, A&D Solutions, Tekla, a Trimble Company and Andrew Norman, Tedds Product Manager, Tekla, a Trimble Company talked about the recent release of the new version of Tekla® Structural Designer software that enables structural engineers to analyze and design steel and concrete buildings efficiently by combining analysis and design into a single, seamless process. And new features for its Tekla® Tedds 2015, a software that enables structural engineers to automate repetitive civil and structural calculations.
Assimilating the week’s worth of information from the Bentley Year In Infrastructure Conference 2015 is no easy feat. The company’s product portfolio has grown exponentially, morphed and consolidated into more powerful “CONNECT Editions” that provide greater integration and flexibility on a robust cloud platform.
1 Merchant Square, London, Robin Partington & Partners Architects
The building industry has been seeking ways to build a model of as-built or existing conditions more accurately and quickly, and then integrate it into a design or use it for the beginning of a design. Each step in that direction provided more accuracy, resolution and speed, with some cost reduction. But the march to find something that can be done more simply, and without using expensive and cumbersome equipment continued.
Upcoming this week in London at the Hilton Metropole is TheBentley Year in Infrastructure 2015 Conference, showcasing the latest product announcements from Bentley Systems, as well as the 2015 Be Inspired Awards, awarded for excellence in various areas of Architecture, Engineering and Construction Excellence. Winners are chosen from a group of finalists, who have submitted their projects for consideration.
After jurors have deliberated during the week to come up with the winners in each category, the Awards Dinner is the crowning event of the conference. Below are three project summaries of finalist entries from the following AEC categories: Innovation in Construction and Innovation in Structures.
We wish the finalists the best of luck in the competition, and hope to see many of you there. #YII2015
Zhiyue Youcheng Square Installation Company of the First Construction Engineering Limited Company of China Construction Third Engineering Bureau (South China) – (Foshan, Guangdong Province, China)
