IES Plug-In Turns Free 3D Modeler into Sustainability Tool

As many of you are probably aware, IES makes a number of products to perform building analysis. IES has now created a plug-in for SketchUp that allows you to perform energy analysis at a very early stage. I haven't used or seen the product used in practice, but I believe it has a great deal of potential. For more information, I have provided a link to the CADALYST magazine article.

Revit and Green Building Studio

While it is listed as a tutorial (I disagree), the article provides an overview of the Revit and Green Building Studio. The article can be found at CADALYST where I am a contributing editor.

Revit class at JCCC

I have received some emails about Revit Architecture classes at Johnson County Community College. To my knowledge they are not having a class this semester but are planning for a Revit Architecture 2008 Essentials (I know, please don't get me started) class next semester. I am not sure if they will be teaching an Advanced Revit Architectufre or Revit Structure or Revit MEP classes. I have asked them to teach the current release, but their industry advisers don't believe that it is necessary to do so.

If you would like more information about BIM classes at Johnson County Community College, I recommend contacting Tom Hughes at thughes at jccc dot edu (Email address has been formated this way to reduce spam).

Sidetracked

I have been neglecting updating the blog, but I will do my best to do moe regular updates. That is if Phil will allow me to have a life outside of HNTB.

HOK Sport to Separate from HOK Group

HOK Sport Venue Event is separating from its St. Louis-based parent company, HOK Group, and will become a separate company headquartered in Kansas City.

Full Story

Meeting Cancellation - August 6th | Eddy Krygiel of BNIM speaking on Sustainable Design and Green BIM

The meeting on Wednesday, August 6th, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm has been canceled and will be re-scheduled at a later date.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Extensions for Revit Architecture Released

Revit Architecture subscriptions customers can now download Revit Extentions for Revit Architecture. These extensions are a subset of the extensions that were previously available only to Revit Structure subscription customers.

Revit Extensions for Revit Architecture 2009

Revit Extensions are a series of easy-to-use applications that extend the capabilities of Revit Architecture 2009 software in key areas, including modeling, coordination, and documentation. Specifically, the extensions provided in this executable file are: Grid Generator, Freeze Drawings, Compare Models, Text Generator, Elements Positioning, and Microsoft Excel®-based Model Generation.

To access the new content, log into the Subscription Center, scroll down to "Product Information & Downloads" section and click on "Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC): Product Modules & Add-ons". Under "Architectural Solutions" click on "Revit Architecture 2009".

MEP Analysis Extension for AutoCAD MEP/Revit MEP Now Available

From labs.blogs.com

To support our vision for Building Information Modeling and strengthen our portfolio of sustainable design solutions, Autodesk has packaged 25 useful utilities for energy efficiency in a "green" MEP Analysis Extension. I was thrilled to post the extension for download free of charge on the Autodesk Labs site. The MEP Analysis Extension helps engineers reduce costs as well as energy and environmental impact while improving the performance of building systems. The MEP Analysis Extension operates with AutoCAD MEP 2009 and Revit MEP 2009.

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/mep_analysis_extension/

The MEP Analysis Extension calculates cooling and heating loads for commercial and residential buildings, U-Values, and psychrometric properties of air. Running these types of ventilation calculations through the MEP Analysis Extension saves time and improves accuracy, potentially saving thousands of dollars and kilowatts of electricity. The MEP Analysis Extension also contains utilities for sizing duct work, piping, and HVAC systems - helping engineers and architects identify the most appropriate building equipment early in the design cycle.

The MEP Analysis Extension is chock full of useful utilities:

Calculations
Single-state psychrometric calculations
Mixed-air psychrometric calculations
Duct sizing calculations
ASHRAE duct fitting pressure loss calculations
Rule-of-thumb commercial HVAC load calculations
Simple residential/light commercial HVAC load calculations
Swimming pool heating calculations
U-value calculations

Sizing
General pipe sizing
Hot/chilled water pipe sizing
Steam pipe sizing
Low pressure gas pipe sizing
High pressure gas pipe sizing
Refrigerant pipe sizing

Analysis
Fan cost analysis
Fan curve analysis
Pump curve analysis

Utilities
Wire sizing utility
Glass moisture condensation
Metric-English converter
gbXML parser

So if you are an AutoCAD MEP or Revit MEP user, check out this extension and let us know what you think: labs.mep.analysis@autodesk.com . When you do, please mention if you are an AutoCAD MEP or Revit MEP user. I am curious to see which group is more talkative. :-) If you like these tools, please let us know. If you do not, also please let us know. Your feedback shapes the future of our technologies. The extension will run through October 31, 2008. Happy Halloween.

Adding more and more to our arsenal of free utilities to garner your feedback is alive in the lab.

Drafting Department Head

Have you ever wanted to do projects “the right way”, but the drafting department standards and practices were set up by someone in 1976? All of the technology in the field has changed. Engineering techniques are changing daily. Shouldn’t drafting department procedures recognize that it is 2008? Structural Modeling & Analysis is a small structural engineering company located in Midtown, Kansas City, Missouri. We are a growing company dedicated to staying on the cutting edge in regard to structural engineering practices, design techniques and standards. We provide our clients the highest quality of work. Utilizing the latest software, techniques, and training, our standard is to send out complete, constructible drawings, on time, every time. We use Revit Structure. We are looking for a motivated, organized drafting department head. This person will be responsible for establishing the drafting department and developing the standards that will be in force going forward. Now you can set it up to run as smoothly as you’ve always hoped.

Position information and responsibilities include but are not limited to:
JOB TITLE: Drafting Department Head
LOCATION: Kansas City, Missouri
EXPERIENCE: Revit Structure and at least four years of experience with AutoCAD.
JOB REQUIREMENTS: Excellent written & verbal communication skills.
JOB DESCRIPTION:
We are looking for an experienced Drafting Supervisor who has a minimum of:

• Five years drafting experience.
• Experience preparing Revit Structure and AutoCAD structural drawings using structural steel, reinforced concrete and masonry. Knowledge of wood and light gage metal is a plus.
• Ability to coordinate and collaborate with other design disciplines.
• Qualified candidates must be eligible to work in the United States.
Skills we are looking for include:

• Capable of training and coaching employees.
• Strong knowledge of drafting processes and procedures.
• Strong math aptitude and computer skills.
• Good use of English language for written and verbal communications.
• Excellent problem solving skills and interpersonal skills.
• Self-motivated, goal-oriented, and able to work both independently and as part of a team.


Duties in this position include, but are not limited to the following:

• Supervise the day to day work of the drafting department in an efficient manner.
• Lead the department in developing and maintaining drafting standards.
• Coordinate with Engineering to continuously improve the constructability of Structural Modeling & Analysis’ design.
• Evaluate, train, and develop department personnel.
• Design layout and detailed documents.
• Support design efforts with timely and accurate completion of contract drawings.
• Participate in project meetings and design reviews.
• Provide input on hardware acquisitions
• Review fabricator and supporting drafting personnel drawings for conformance to design specifications and standards.
• Provide scheduling input, hour and material estimates, drawing/document control and other coordination to fulfill contract requirements.
• Interact with project team members to transmit drawings or related material.

We offer a progressive atmosphere and a full benefits package including:

• Great compensation, commiserate with experience/ability
• Flexible scheduling
• Company provided laptop and express card
• SIMPLE IRA plan with matching contribution (up to 3.0%)
• Vacation, flex holidays(employee directed), and paid time off
• Medical insurance with subsidized health savings account
• Tuition and book reimbursement

For consideration, please forward your resume in confidence to:
Structural Modeling & Analysis
4741 Central, #515
Kansas City, Missouri 64112
Structural Modeling & Analysis is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

New Web Update 1 build of Revit Structure 2009 (20080602_1900) is now available on the Web!

Dear Revit Structure users,

I would like to inform you that we have just released the English version of Web Update 1 of Revit Structure 2009 (Build 20080602_1900) for users to download. The new build can be found under the Revit Structure 2009 English product download page:

www.autodesk.com/revitstructure-downloads

P.S. The other languages version of Web Update 1 will be available in the next couple of weeks only as we are still working on it.

This new build has improved several Structure, Platform and API specific issues which are documented in the Web Update Enhancement List (pdf). In any case, I am including and copying/pasting the list in this blog for you as well:

Web Update Enhancement List
Improvements made in Web Update 1 build (20080602_1900):
Structure enhancement
· Improves stability during upgrade when line-based and structural framing families with geometry containing planes are almost parallel to the X axis.
· Floor slab thickness at cantilever of metal deck profile bound to layer above is now correct.
· Reduces the recurrence of getting “circular chain of references” error messages when braces are used as the top and bottom chords of an API assembled truss.
· Improves joist girder families and tags.
· Improves the fidelity of printing and exporting of hidden lines shown in structural and MEP views.
· Section cut through joined beams at a column will now display properly in the beams cross-section.
· Line pattern of a level type for the default metric structural templates is now changed to "Center" from "Solid".
· Elevation value of Level 1 in structural metric templates no longer displays as "-0".
· Some pre-loaded UK metal deck profiles have been renamed with manufacturer product names in the Structural Analysis-DefaultGBRENU.rte.
· Restores some structural components in SouthAsiaLibrary content bundle.
Platform enhancement
· Improves the plotting consistency of certain components that are placed over hatched elements in coordination and architectural discipline views.
· Spot elevation with Display Elevation = Top & Bottom Elevation will now report the correct bottom elevation for sloped elements.
· In plan view with medium or fine detail level, spot elevations now report the correct top or bottom elevation of a beam that is joined to a column.
· Improves stability when changing the visibility of a link in a view template.
· Improves stability when exporting to CAD formats.
· Improves stability when closing SteeringWheels.
· Improves stability when adding elements to a group.
· Families that contain arrayed voids will now function properly in the project.
· Improves stability for users with non-English operating systems when using the Open/Save dialog.
· Notes created in Revit for a DWF markup object will now propagate to the DWF after selecting publish.
· Corrects “Unable to Start” error when starting the application.
· Model lines now remain in the correct design option when split.
· Structural columns will now have a higher priority when joined to non-bearing and shear walls.
· For sweeps on an arc wall, you now have the option to change sweep returns.
· When rendering, the progress bar reports correct percent complete.
· Lights that were in a light group that was deleted are no longer controlled by the deleted light group; instead they are controlled by the Ungrouped Lights status.
· Improves the ability to enter custom DPI value in the Render dialog.
· Enabling daylight portals will now affect the rendered appearance.
· Spotting on interior renderings with many internal light sources no longer occurs.
API enhancement
· Parameter binding performance has been improved.
· The JoinType method has been implemented for the LocationCurve of structural members.
· Mullion LocationCurves are now accessible through the API.
· External programs may now suppress VSTA startup warning messages.
· The built-in parameter MATERIAL_PARAM_TRANSPARENCY now returns the correct set value.