Autodesk AEC Technology Day

Last month, we looked at the highlights of Autodesk’s 2011 product portfolio launch webcast, which summarized the main enhancements in the 2011 versions of AutoCAD, Inventor, Revit, and 3ds Max but did not cover any of any of the products in depth. Earlier this month, Autodesk hosted a separate AEC Technology Day for selected media professionals and analysts to provide a more detailed overview of its 2011 AEC Solutions portfolio. This all-day event was hosted at the new Autodesk AEC headquarters at Trapelo Road in Waltham, MA, which also provided us with the opportunity to see and experience firsthand this much-publicized BIM/IPD/LEED-Platinum-certified project (see Figure 1). The event also included two customer presentations providing the opportunity to learn more about the use of various Autodesk solutions in practice. The highlights of this AEC Technology Day—the first ever planned by Autodesk—are captured in this AECbytes Building the Future article.

Overall Technology Direction and Focus

It’s been a little over a year now that Autodesk’s transportation, geospatial, and plant applications were brought under the umbrella of its AEC division, and it now includes over 25 different solutions serving a wide range of disciplinary professionals. There were, however, some common themes underlying this year’s release of all these applications that reflect the most critical issues of our times: sustainable design, capture of existing conditions for renovations, and globalized workflows. Energy, of course, continues to remain the number one priority for any new development or renovation project. For the building industry in particular, the current economic crisis means that more of the development budget is now being spent on renovations and retrofits rather than on new projects. And finally, globalization is an inevitable reality of our times, with an increasing number of projects being executed by teams collaborating from different parts of the world.

The actual technological developments that Autodesk has engineered in its products to respond to these issues include enhanced analysis capabilities, point cloud support to capture existing conditions from laser scans, and new collaborative solutions. Better analysis is facilitated by the continued focus on the “I” of BIM to support a wider range of analyses, and by the expansion of BIM beyond buildings to other infrastructure industries including plant, utilities, and transportation. In response to the increasing use of laser scans—which are getting more accessible and inexpensive—to capture as-built conditions, the new point cloud support in AutoCAD 2011 (discussed in AECbytes Newsletter #44) will be available to all disciplinary professionals working on AutoCAD-based design applications. While Revit does not yet support point clouds, Autodesk is working on this capability and also hopes to develop feature-based recognition technology that would automatically detect building elements from point clouds. On the collaboration front, in addition to developing mobile computing applications such as SketchBook Mobile, Autodesk is working on new ideas of integrating social networking with design collaboration, which can be seen in its new web-based collaboration environment for BIM called Autodesk Project Bluestreak. It is still in the early testing phase and is currently available as a technology preview on Autodesk Labs.

Other aspects common to all the AEC applications in the 2011 release are better in-product visualization (which was also emphasized by Autodesk CEO Carl Bass in the launch webcast last month), continued expansion of the API to support more third-party development, and improvements to support large team workflows. A concerted effort has been made to bring in developments Autodesk has made in other fields such as media and entertainment (the most successful example of this being the movie “Avatar”) into AEC. Also, this year’s release, in contrast to earlier years, incorporates many of the wish-list features that Autodesk users have posted on AUGI and other forums, and is therefore more likely to satisfy long-time users. And finally, Autodesk revealed that the products have incorporated many foundational features for future development, which hopefully means we can expect many more critical enhancements ahead.

Enhancements to Building Industry Solutions

Some of the key enhancements to the Revit 2011 platform shared during the launch webcast last month have already been described in AECbytes Newsletter #44, including the new Sunpath tool (see Figure 2), enhancements to linked files to better support large projects, new surface rationalization tools for creating more complex forms, and “adaptive” components that can be drawn out to fit irregular shapes. Autodesk provided more details about enhancements to the Revit platform as well as each of the individual Revit BIM applications at the AEC Technology Day. Platform enhancements include a new Properties palette that allows element information to be quickly viewed without needing to select a command to open up the Properties dialog; the ability to turn on guides in sheet views for easier placement and alignment of views across multiple sheets (see Figure 3); the ability to activate a view right on the sheet in which it is placed; creation of custom elevation tags to meet office standards; introduction of two new commands “Repeat Recent” and ‘Create Similar” that can boost efficiency; the ability to quickly access different design options from the status bar and switch between them when required; introduction of new display options for viewing models in working views, including photorealistic views based on the mental ray rendering engine as well as the option to add soft shadows (see Figure 4); and the ability to add backgrounds to rendered views. The rendering has been enhanced to include customizable, procedural textures, and it can now use all of the available cores on a computer instead of being restricted to only four cores. The overall speed of the applications has also been improved, so that many operations such as opening files are noticeably faster.

Moving on to the individual disciplinary applications, Revit Architecture includes additional enhancements for conceptual design, including a Dissolve Form tool that allows the defining geometry of a form to be easily seen, and the ability to reshape a form easily by editing the profile that was used to generate it (see Figure 5). Any change made to the conceptual model automatically changes the building model that was derived from it, as they are parametrically linked. For structural engineers, Revit Structure includes many useful enhancements such as the ability to quickly create sloped and curved beams and columns, expanded truss design capabilities including the ability to sketch custom profiles for trusses, enhanced rebar design capabilities, and the ability to display physical models with the loads on the different structural elements. It also includes several extensions created using the API for tasks such as simple framing models, wood wall framing, bridge and road design, and many others (see Figure 6). Revit MEP, which has been the focus of concerted development in this release to bring it on par with the other Revit applications, now includes the ability to model conduits, cable trays, and panel boards (see Figure 7). Electrical engineers can now easily create custom panel schedules using different templates, with features such as the ability to shade circuits that are locked down. The Copy/Monitor functionality for Revit MEP has been enhanced to allow engineers to copy/track lighting fixtures and other elements placed by architects. Revit MEP 2011 also includes more out-of-the-box MEP content compared to earlier versions.

Turning to the AutoCAD-based building solutions, these undoubtedly benefit from the many features added to AutoCAD 2011 that were described in AECbytes Newsletter #44. In addition, they also have their own set of enhancements. For instance, AutoCAD Architecture now includes the ability to add dimensional as well as geometric constraints to elements, which makes the modeling process faster and more efficient as any change that is made to the constrained elements will automatically maintain the constraints. There are also improvements specifically targeted towards renovation/retrofit projects; for example, moving an existing door to a new position will automatically show the old door in a “demolished” mode, reducing the number of steps required to create the documentation for the project (see Figure 8). In addition, wall cleanups have been improved with a new Cleanup command. In the case of AutoCAD MEP, still very popular among MEP professionals, there are many productivity enhancements including the ability to route multiple parallel conduits at the same time, automatic creation of properly sized elbows, and the creation of pipe segments with automatic connections to pipe fittings, including male and female connectors.

Another key application in the Autodesk building portfolio that was discussed in some detail was Navisworks. While there are no major changes to the functionality of the application (described in the indepth review of Navisworks 2009), the 2011 release of the application has the new ribbon interface and the model navigation tools that are now common to all the Autodesk applications. The interface redesign has attempted to reduce dependence on dialogs and palettes and provide more screen real estate for the model; for example, Viewpoints are now available from a drop-down menu instead of being listed in a separate palette. Zoom and pan functionality has been added to the middle mouse wheel. Sectioning tools have been enhanced so that multiple section planes can be set up quickly, for example, a section plane can now be easily aligned to a surface. Also, a sectioned model can now be easily rotated. Hyperlinks can be added to any element, allowing the model to become a visual portal to external data relevant to the project. The clash detection capability has been enhanced by providing the ability to create groups for clashes, with shortcuts such as putting all clashes involving a specific item in one group. The integration with Primavera’s scheduling capabilities has been strengthened by including the ability to link to Primavera’s web services as well, allowing Primavera data sitting on any “cloud” to be brought quickly into Navisworks for 4D simulation. Also new in Navisworks 2011 is support for Gantt charts (see Figure 9), and the ability to show demolitions as well as additions in a simulation.

Some updates were also shared about Buzzsaw, Autodesk’s web-based project management and collaboration solution that we haven’t heard much of in the last few years. A new Buzzsaw Sync feature has been introduced that allows users to automatically synchronize files from their desktop to the Buzzsaw cloud without interrupting their workflow. It also allows multi-disciplinary models to be centralized for importing into Navisworks, and leverages Buzzsaw permissions to more securely synchronize, share and access information.

On the sustainability front, Autodesk is working on a “rapid energy modeling” initiative to explore the potential of energy efficiency in retrofits of existing buildings. It combines the use of three of its applications, as shown in Figure 10: Autodesk ImageModeler software, though which a 3D wireframe model of a building can be derived from its digital photos; Revit Architecture, which is used to create a simple building model based on the wireframe model; and Green Building Studio, which uses a gbXML exported from Revit to carry out the actual energy analysis of the building and can be used to explore more energy efficient alternatives. Autodesk has been applying this approach to six of its major facilities in China, the United States, Canada, and the U.K. to rapidly model their energy use and determine their carbon reduction potential.

Enhancements to Infrastructure Solutions

While infrastructure solutions are usually outside the scope of AECbytes’ coverage, it was interesting to learn about how the concept of BIM is being extended by Autodesk to the geospatial, utilities, and transportation industries and see the parallels with the building industry. For example, the LEED initiative is being expanded to the infrastructure domain, and alterative design models such as IPD are being explored in infrastructure projects as well. Analysis is just as important as it is for buildings, and it enables iterative design to be used to explore better performing solutions. The use of laser scanning is becoming increasingly common to capture as-built conditions for infrastructure projects, as is the use of Navisworks for design coordination and clash detection and 3ds Max Design for visualization and presentation.

The two main infrastructure applications in the Autodesk AEC portfolio are AutoCAD Civil 3D and AutoCAD Map 3D. Civil 3D uses a model-based approach for civil engineering projects, using intelligent entities that understand and react to each other. For example, roads and highways can be designed with interactive intersection models that dynamically update; sanitary and storm drainage systems can be laid out using rule-based tools; surfaces can be built from traditional survey data such as points and breaklines, which can then be used as a reference for creating intelligent objects that maintain dynamic relationships to the source data; and corridor modeling enables horizontal and vertical geometry to be combined with customizable cross sectional components to create a parametrically defined, dynamic 3D model of roads and other transportation systems. The 2011 version of Civil 3D includes enhancements such as tools to better manage the creation and editing of corridors, rule-based widening for curves, and enhanced super-elevation functionality (the rising of a road when it curves) that makes its computing more transparent (see Figure 11).

AutoCAD Map 3D provides direct access to data needed for infrastructure planning, design, and management activities, enabling professionals working on transportation, land development, water, and power projects to more easily create, manage, and analyze design, GIS, and asset data. For example, the use of Map 3D can be used to color-code pipes in an area based on how old they are, allowing planners to immediately identify aging infrastructure that needs to be replaced. The 2011 version of Map 3D enhances its overlay capabilities, which allows different kinds of data—population, demographics, employment, crime, traffic, accidents, etc.—to be brought together and analyzed for a variety of tasks (see Figure 12).

Customer Presentations: Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Parsons Brickenhoff

The first customer presentation at the AEC Technology Day was focused on demonstrating the increasing use of BIM by the government, represented in this case by the Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM), the state agency based in Boston that is responsible for major public building construction and real estate services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It manages hundreds of millions annually in capital construction projects and is responsible for approximately 5000 state buildings totally close to 64 million sq ft. It made a push to implement BIM about five years ago, and now mandates the use of BIM for architects and construction managers working on its projects. It has identified four areas of focus that can get the maximum benefit from BIM: visualization, spatial coordination, 4D modeling, and facilities management. Some of its BIM projects include the Fitchburg State College, Taunton Courthouse, Bunker Hill Community College, and the ITD Data Center at Springfield, DCAM’s most recent project for which the architect and CM are TRO/JB and Skanska respectively, both leaders in BIM implementation.

DCAM has also commissioned EYP, another firm leading in the BIM implementation (see the articles, Proto-Building: To BIM is to Build and atomicBIM: Splitting Data to Unleash BIM’s Power by John Tobin of EYP), to create a detailed BIM model of the existing State Courthouse. This was created on the basis of the original 2D documents of the building and surveys—laser scanning technology was too expensive at that time. The model is functioning as a master plan for the facility, enabling its FM team to depict who is where, identify major issues, designate the historic level for each space, and develop a list of future projects for the facility. The model will serve as the context for future projects and will continue to be updated to include renovations and additions to the building. DCAM has already achieved several benefits from its push for BIM implementation, including better understanding of the projects, cost reduction, reduced design and construction schedules with a dramatic reduction in RFIs, and improved work quality. As the next step, it is exploring the use of IPD on its projects as well.

The second customer presentation was from Parsons Brinckerhoff, a large engineering firm that has been a frequent presenter at Autodesk events. Recall that at Autodesk University 2009, it showed the use of highly realistic simulations to communicate design intent to clients, such as that of the proposed reconstruction of Doyle Drive running through San Francisco’s historic Presidio district, which sought to assure city officials and residents that the new design would improve the traffic flow in the area while still preserving its beauty and character. At the AEC Technology Day in Waltham, Parsons Brinckerhoff showed the use of visualization on another project, also located in San Francisco: the eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, which was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and is now being replaced for seismic safety. The new span will be the world's largest single-tower, self-anchored suspension bridge (see Figure 14), and this project is the single largest public contract for construction in California's history. While the bridge design services for this project are being provided by the Joint Venture of TYLin and Moffatt Nichol, Parsons Brinckerhoff provided the civil and electrical design services and was additionally commissioned to create the visualizations for the project that would be used for client communication, public education, and a better understanding of the project by the design and construction teams. These simulations are also helpful in understanding traffic patterns and how they would be affected during construction. Compared to the cost of these huge infrastructure projects which can run into millions, even billions—the Bay Bridge is a $6 billion dollar project, while the Presidio Parkway is a billion dollar project—the cost of the visualizations is relatively small—it was $600,000 for the Bay Bridge project and $450,000 for the Presidio project. Given the many benefits that can be derived from them, they are certainly well worth it.

Conclusions

The visit to Waltham was extremely interesting and informative. To start with, the opportunity to tour the new Autodesk AEC headquarters that so much has been written about was very illuminating (pun intended—the building is remarkably well-lit!). I briefly wrote about this project when it was presented during Autodesk University 2008 and it serves as an excellent example of Autodesk actually practicing the BIM/IPD/sustainability mantra that it preaches. The building has a host of energy-saving features, and the designers have taken the unusual step of placing all the cubicles around the periphery of the building with the offices in the interior. This makes the cubicles very well-lit with natural lighting from the windows, while the full glass doors in the interior offices ensure that their occupants also enjoy the benefits of the natural lighting as well as the views, albeit from a short distance. Overall, the work spaces are extremely pleasant for all levels of employees. The facility also has a dedicated room with Cisco’s Telepresence for video conferencing, which conveys the feel of actually being in the same room with people from around the world and has helped Autodesk executives cut down on their travel significantly. Autodesk purchased carbon offsets for the people who attended the AEC Technology Day in order to keep the event as carbon-neutral as possible, which I thought was a great gesture (given that it was only mentioned to me in passing rather than being widely publicized).

In terms of the content that was presented, it helped to provide a useful overview of Autodesk’s AEC portfolio and the main enhancements in the 2011 release. The focus was very much on the technology, and was thankfully devoid of the “over-marketing” that Autodesk typically tends to do at its events (the most recent examples being the 2011 product launch webcast and Autodesk University 2009). There are a lot more enhancements in the individual applications that were not presented at the event due to lack of time, and some of these will be explored in detailed product reviews in the upcoming months. The AEC division of Autodesk has been through quite a bit of reorganization and shuffling around of divisions in the last two years, but it seems stable now, which hopefully will translate into better decisions and better products for its customers.

On the Revit front, it was disappointing to see no enhancements for large projects and distributed teams, apart from the ability to work more efficiently with linked files. There is nothing yet to match the new server-based collaboration capability in ArchiCAD 13. Autodesk, however, did allude to some major enhancements on this front in a subscription upgrade to Revit to be released later this year, so we will simply have to wait and see. I also find it disappointing that Autodesk still has no proper FM application based on its BIM products—it has discontinued FMDesktop and is relying on a third-party provider, FM Systems, to fill this gap. It seems to me that Navisworks would actually be a terrific platform on which to build an FM application, given that it is used so extensively during construction and is also being increasingly used by many owner representatives. I have suggested this to Autodesk—let’s see if something comes out of it.

Stay tuned for a Tips and Tricks article to be published later this month on the new interface features in Revit Architecture 2011, as well as an indepth review of the application later this summer.

About the Author

Lachmi Khemlani is founder and editor of AECbytes. She has a Ph.D. in Architecture from UC Berkeley, specializing in intelligent building modeling, and consults and writes on AEC technology. She can be reached at lachmi@aecbytes.com.