Category Archives: bim

From Autodesk’s website:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=8479974

Check out the full feature list and the new brochure for Revit 2010:
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/revit_architecture_2010_brochure.pdf

Revit 2010 FAQ:
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/revit_architecture_2010_faq.pdf

Download the Revit Architecture 2010 Feature Summary

Here’s a quick rundown on features -

    New Features:

  • Native 64-bit Support
  • Revit Building Maker
  • Streamlined User Interface
  • New Conceptual Design Tools
    Enhanced Features:

  • Design Visualization
  • Enhanced Interoperability
  • Autodesk 2D and 3D DWF Integration
  • Interference Check
  • Material Takeoff
  • Detailing
  • Design Options
  • Parametric Components
  • Schedules
  • Bidirectional Associativity

Detailed Features

Autodesk® Revit® Architecture software helps you gain a competitive advantage with tools that help keep all your design information better coordinated and more accurate.

Autodesk Revit Architecture: New Conceptual Design Tools


New Conceptual Design Tools
Autodesk Revit Architecture software offers new easy-to-use conceptual design tools that support your creative flow. Sketch freely, create free-form models easily, and manipulate forms interactively. You can define forms and geometry as real building components for a smooth transition to design development and documentation. As you design, Autodesk Revit Architecture automatically builds a parametric framework around your forms, offering greater levels of control, accuracy, and flexibility. Take your design from concept model all the way to construction documents all in one environment.

Autodesk Revit Architecture: Streamlined User Interface


Streamlined User Interface
Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 software features a sleek, new user interface that offers better desktop organization, a larger drawing window, and quick access to the tools and commands you need. You’ll be able to find your favorite tools faster, locate lesser-used tools more efficiently, and discover new features more easily.

Autodesk Architecture: Bidirectional Associativity

Bidirectional Associativity
A change anywhere is a change everywhere. In Autodesk Revit Architecture software, all model information is stored in one place. As a result, any information that gets changed is effectively changed throughout the model.

Autodesk Revit Architecture: Schedules


Schedules
Schedules are just another view of the Autodesk Revit Architecture model. A change to a schedule view is automatically reflected in every other view. Functionality includes associative split-schedule sections and selectable design elements via schedule views, formulas, and filtering.

Autodesk Revit Architecture: Parametric Components

Parametric Components
Parametric Components, also known as families, are the basis for all building components designed in Autodesk Revit Architecture. They offer an open, graphical system for design thinking and form making as well as an opportunity to express design intent at increasingly detailed levels. Use Parametric Components for the most elaborate assemblies, such as cabinetry and equipment, as well as for the most elementary building parts, such as walls and columns. Best of all, no programming language or coding is required.

Autodesk Revit Architecture: Design Options

Design Options
Develop and study multiple simultaneous design alternatives to make key design decisions. Present multiple schemes to your clients easily. Substitute each option into the model for visualization, quantification, and other data analysis to better inform decision making.

Autodesk Revit Architecture: Detailing


Detailing
Take advantage of the extensive detail library and detailing tools that are part of Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010. Presorted to align with the CSI format, detail libraries can be tailored to accommodate your office standards. Create, manage, and share your own detail library.

Autodesk Revit Architecture: Material Takeoff


Material Takeoff
Calculate detailed material quantities with this new tool. Appropriate for sustainable design and checking material quantities in cost estimates, Material Takeoff facilitates the tracking of material quantities. The parametric change engine helps ensure that your material takeoffs are accurate.

Autodesk Revit Architecture: Revit Building Maker


Revit Building Maker
The Revit Building Maker feature provides a seamless way to turn conceptual forms into functional designs. Select faces to generate walls, roofs, floors, and curtain systems. Use tools to extract important information about your building such as surface area or volume per floor. Conceptual forms may be created natively in Autodesk Revit Architecture or imported from applications such as AutoCAD®, form-Z, Rhino, Google SketchUp, or other ACIS- or NURBS-based applications into Autodesk Revit Architecture software as mass objects.

Autodesk Revit Architecture: Interference Check

Interference Check
Use interference checking to scan your model for collisions between elements.

Autodesk Revit Architecture: Design Visualization

Design Visualization
Capture design ideas in a photorealistic state. With easy user interaction, high-quality output, and faster render times, the mental ray® rendering engine enables superior design presentation.

For more granular control over the rendered scene, use the Autodesk® FBX® file format to import your designs into Autodesk® 3ds Max® Design software. You’ll get unmatched flexibility and control over how you visualize and present your work. Learn more about design visualization.

Autodesk Revit Architecture: Native 64-bit Support


Native 64-bit Support
New native 64-bit support enhances Autodesk Revit Architecture’s ability to handle large projects and improves performance and stability for memory-intensive tasks such as rendering, printing, model upgrading, and file importing and exporting.

Autodesk Revit Architecture: Enhanced Interoperability

Enhanced Interoperability
Interoperability enhancements enable you to work more efficiently with members of your extended project team. Now you can export your building model or site, complete with critical metadata, to AutoCAD® Civil 3D® software. And you can import accurate models from Autodesk® Inventor® 3D mechanical design software.

Autodesk Revit Architecture: Autodesk 2D and 3D DWF Integration


Autodesk 2D and 3D DWF Integration
Autodesk Revit Architecture software supports complete round-tripping of markups with Autodesk® Design Review software. Because Autodesk Design Review software’s markup capabilities combine with Autodesk Revit Architecture navigation and revision management capabilities, tracking changes is easy. There’s no need to re-enter information. Autodesk Revit Architecture supports publishing a model to 2D or 3D DWF™ format. This capability provides high-impact, dynamic communication of design information in a lightweight format. It’s great for including nontechnical participants in the project review process.

More information from Autodesk on what’s new in Revit Architecture 2010:

Autodesk® Revit® Architecture 2010

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 software works the way architects and designers think, allowing users to work more naturally, design freely and deliver more efficiently. Purpose-built for building information modeling (BIM), Autodesk Revit Architecture helps designers explore early design concepts and forms, and more accurately maintain their vision through design, documentation and construction. Use the essential BIM data that

Autodesk Revit Architecture provides to support sustainable design, clash detection, construction planning and fabrication. Share the model to work collaboratively with engineers, contractors and owners in an integrated process. And with parametric change technology, any change made is automatically updated throughout the project, keeping design and documentation better coordinated and more reliable.

What’s New

Conceptual Design Enhancements
- New and innovative conceptual design features provide easier-to-use tools for freeform modeling and parametric design, and the ability to support the earliest design analyses.
- Sketch freely, create 3D forms more quickly and manipulate forms interactively.
- Prepare models for fabrication and construction with built-in tools for conception and clarification of complex forms. New tools to divide, pattern and panelize designs make forms more buildable.
- Autodesk Revit Architecture automatically builds a parametric framework around your most complex forms as you continue to design, offering you greater levels of creative control, accuracy and flexibility.
- Users can now take designs from concept model all the way to construction
documents within one intuitive environment and user interface.

Improved User Interface
- New streamlined user interface helps users find favorite tools and commands faster, locate lesser-used tools more efficiently and discover new features more easily.
- Customizable Quick Access Toolbar allows one-click access to a user’s favorite and most frequently used tools.
- The ribbon feature is organized around the way designers work, enabling users to find the tools to accomplish tasks without searching all over the user interface.
- Consistent user interfaces between most Autodesk software applications allows users to move between programs more smoothly.

Performance and Interoperability
- New native 64-bit support enhances the software’s ability to handle large projects and improve performance and stability for memory-intensive tasks such as rendering, printing, model upgrading and file importing and exporting.
- Expanded API (application programming interface) support.
- Export to AutoCAD® Civil 3D® software and import from Autodesk® Inventor® , while preserving parametric data.
- gbXML (green building XML) improvements allow users to help streamline the
collaboration process with external analysis applications.

Well I think the time we’ve all been waiting for is finally here… Revit has grown up. With a new UI, robust and easy-to-use conceptual modeling tools, 3ds-max and SketchUp users who’ve been reluctant to change to Revit for schematic design, have no more reason not to. I for one am really excited about the UI change. This has been circling the rumor mill for years and it’s finally here. While some don’t like the ribbon UI, it’s something that after working with for a couple weeks, you’ll notice it’s simpler & easier to use. I think we’ll see some huge productivity gains (hopefully along with stability) with the new Revit Architecture 2010.

In terms of the release date of Revit 2010, I can say with confidence you can expect it in early April based on the last couple years of release dates:

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2009: April 15
Autodesk Revit Architecture 2008: April 5th
Autodesk Revit Building 9: April 12

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 Box Shot

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 Box Shot

To view the product launch webcast:  Click here

In the presentation section pull-down select Presentation PT 1.
Advance the slider to the 9 minute mark in the presentation for details specific to Revit Architecture 2010.

NEW User Interface Screenshot:

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 offers a streamlined new ribbon user interface that optimizes workflow and increases discoverability of new tools.

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 offers a streamlined new user interface that optimizes workflow and increases discoverability of new tools.

NEW Conceptual Design Tools Screenshot:

New conceptual design features help you to prepare models for fabrication and construction with builtin tools for dividing, patterning and panelizing complex forms.

New conceptual design features help you to prepare models for fabrication and construction with builtin tools for dividing, patterning and panelizing complex forms.

NEW Revolve Tool Screenshot:

New conceptual design features allow you to sketch freely, create 3D models quickly, and take your design from concept to construction documentation all in one environment.

New conceptual design features allow you to sketch freely, create 3D models quickly, and take your design from concept to construction documentation all in one environment.

2010 Autodesk Revit Platform

The Autodesk Revit platform based products for BIM feature an aligned user interface, giving the entire range of products a consistent look and feel. The updated Autodesk Revit platform also allows a greater level of interoperability for green building analysis, providing support for the green building extensible markup language (gbXML) format. Updates to the products based on the Autodesk Revit platform include:

  • Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 software (BIM for architects and designers) enables customers to more accurately capture early design concepts with improved conceptual design functionality via:
    • An intuitive conceptual design workspace to create complex geometry more easily.
    • A new user interface (UI) that works the way designers think, providing a smoother and more continuous design workflow.
    • Improved interoperability with programs such as AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 software, Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2010 software and Autodesk Inventor 2010 software.
  • Autodesk Revit Structure 2010 software (BIM for structural engineers, designers, and drafters) integrates a multi-material physical and an independently editable analytical model, to help provide for more efficient, more accurate documentation, analysis and design. Users will experience:
    • Enhanced conceptual design, modeling and analysis to handle more complex architectural forms.
    • Improved user interface with a new customizable ribbon toolbar.
    • Improved performance and interoperability, including native 64 bit support.
  • Autodesk Revit MEP 2010 software (BIM for mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineers) provides customers with optimum tools for system design and building performance analysis helping engineers to make better informed decisions. The 2010 release provides new functionality including:
    • Native heating and cooling loads analysis enabling MEP engineers to determine the energy demands of the building.
    • Enhanced gbXML export with the ability to examine an analytical model of the project before exporting to a gbXML file.
    • Improved performance of the application enabling users to see significant performance enhancements while handling and working on large project files.

View the full press release on the 2010 product lineup here:
http://pressreleases.autodesk.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=526%3C%2Ftd%3E

Well it’s off to a really slow start, but a couple select companies have finally seen the light and begun to offer Revit content for the AEC community using BIM. Here are a couple in the Sweets BIM Collection offering:

AmericanSeating
Bilco
Da-Lite
Dyson
Ideal
Labconco
Modernfold
Pella
PAC-Clad
PPG Coil & Extrusions Group
PPG Architectural Glass
PPG Architectural Finishes
Porter
Ruskin
Sloan
Stanley

http://construction.com/BIM/

IMAGINiT has released a PDF that documents all the latest and greatest RAC 2009 features (some don’t appear to be enhanced or new, but let’s hope they’re fixed… *ahem* site tools).

Here’s the list:

New Features:

  • Design Visualization – built-in mental ray® rendering engine, and additional interoperability with 3ds Max Design 2009 with the FBX file format.
  • Swept Blend – ability to take create a blend & sweep in one form allowing for more complex geometries.
  • Autodesk 3D UI – ViewCube & SteeringWheels allow for easier (more intuitive) navigation through 3D mode.
  • Advanced Rendering with 3ds Max Design 2009 – FBX format allows for accurate import of Revit materials, cameras, and lights from Revit 2009 to Max Design 2009
  • Batch Printing Utility – (Autodesk Subscription Only)
  • Worksharing Monitor – (Autodesk Subscription Only)

Enhanced Features:

  • Interface to Energy Analysis – enhanced export via gbXML to Green Building Studio, Inc., and IES Ltd.
  • Design Review – enhanced markup capabilities with Design Review 2009
  • Dimension Improvements – more flexibility built-in to dimensions allowing for more than just length property (hurray! enter dimension overrides and additional supplemental text!).
  • Room Tag Improvements – additional flexibility, tighter integration of room objects & tags, rotation of tags
  • Revision Schedules – new attributes gives you more flexibility over sizing and format

Get the PDF of Revit Architecture 2009 Overview here:
http://www.rand.com/imaginit/1/technology/software/revit_architecture.htm

Frequently Asked Questions about Revit Architecture 2009:
http://www.rand.com/imaginit/1/pdfs/technology/software/revitarch09_customer_qa_final.pdf

News came last month of Autodesk in the process of acquiring Green Building Studio, an energy modeling application used in conjunction with Revit to perform energy analysis modeling.  Hopefully the acquisition will better implement GBS’s energy modeling tools into Revit making energy modeling more mainstream.  Ideally as architects we should be thinking more and more about energy modeling as part of our design process, as it will become more and more important in the years to come.  Let’s just hope they continue developing the application as while it’s a great tool now, it still has a ways to go.  But my hat goes off to Autodesk for investing in a strong sustainable design application in efforts to get it into the mainstream.

Synergies Benefit Carbon Neutral Design
After nearly 10 years of market changing innovation, Green Building Studio is delighted to announce we have signed an agreement for Autodesk, Inc. to acquire our assets. In other words, our Green Building Studio (GBS) web service will soon join the Autodesk product family. Please be assured that our talented team will continue to sell software and train and support architects as they use our web service to design carbon neutral buildings today and in the future.

“Autodesk is committed to providing technology that makes sustainable design easier and more efficient,” said Jay Bhatt, senior vice president, Autodesk AEC Solutions. “We look forward to adding the Green Building Studio technologies to the Autodesk portfolio and helping our customers more easily leverage the coordinated, reliable data created in the Revit® platform for building information modeling (BIM) to help predict performance and design buildings with reduced environmental impact.”

After closing this deal, Autodesk also plans to continue support for the Green Building Studio web service, carbon neutral building design training, and to strengthen the web service’s integration with its BIM software. The gbXML schema will remain an open industry standard, and the GBS web service will continue to be available to any other BIM software.

“We have partnered with Autodesk for many years, and commend their ongoing support for sustainability,” said John Kennedy, President & CTO, Green Building Studio. “We are eager to contribute our industry expertise in green buildings to drive mainstream adoption of sustainability and accelerate the AEC industry’s transition to carbon neutral buildings.”

We expect to finalize the acquisition in the next few months. In the meanwhile, if you have any questions please feel free to contact us.

[ Green Building Studio: Press Release ]

Revit® Architecture 2009 features were officially announced last week at Autodesk World Press Day 2008.

This is a short list of Revit® Architecture 2009 Feature Improvements and Enhancements:

Design Visualization: Better experience your architectural projects, even before they are built, with Revit Architecture 2009. A proven, powerful tool with roots in the entertainment world, the mental ray® rendering engine is now available for your architectural projects. The advanced capabilities of mental ray in Revit Architecture 2009 enable accurate visualizations through the Autodesk® FBX® file format and easy interoperability with Autodesk® 3ds Max® Design 2009 Design software.

Swept Blend: Extending the range of what is achievable during conceptual design and family creation, swept blend functionality offers more opportunity to express complex forms.

Autodesk 3D UI: The Autodesk 3D UI includes ViewCube™ and SteeringWheels™ technology, two intuitive, interactive scene navigation tools that offer a familiar experience across multiple Autodesk 3D design products. The 3D UI enables you to navigate 3D scenes easily and effectively, regardless of your level of experience. Your extended team can apply the same software skills across different products and disciplines.

Dimension Improvements: Dimension improvements offer new flexible options for expressing dimension text by conveying more than just length values in the dimension string. New dimension text enables you to add a variety of supplemental text to a dimension string without damaging the integrity of the building information model by overriding dimension values.

Revision Schedules: Enhancements give added flexibility and control to the display of revision schedules. New attributes enable you to reverse the direction of schedules and to control whether they build dynamically or remain a fixed size. In addition, a new Issued By property has been added and schedules can be rotated on title blocks to achieve the various needs of individual firms.

Advanced Rendering with 3ds Max Design 2009: Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2009 design software introduces new lighting simulation and analysis technology, advanced rendering capabilities, and workflows that integrate with popular Autodesk® products such as Revit Architecture 2009. Through Autodesk FBX, an open-standard, platform independent 3D file format, Autodesk 3ds Max Design significantly enhances interoperability with Revit® 2009–based products through the accurate import of lights, materials, and cameras.