Friday, March 23, 2007

Logo Competition Heats Up


A

B

C

D

E


F.



Here are the logos so far...
Email jpolding@cadmicro.com to submit yours or vote on your favorite.

ORUG Members in the Globe and Mail

There is an article in the Globe and Mail Real Estate Section today about a Solares' Design Build project. Christine and Tom are both active members of ORUG.

You can read it on-line at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story
/RTGAM.20070323.re-construction-0323/REStory/RealEstate/


If you are an ORUG member with some interesting press we'll be happy to post it for fellow members and others to enjoy.

Monday, March 05, 2007

February Bash





Thanks to the over 50 people who attended and volunteered at our first meeting of 2007. Here's a little review of our meeting...

7:00
Brian Griffiths, MC

Welcome to new and veteran users to our first meeting of 2007
Intention to create a network of users who can help each other succeed. Having a group also gives us more say when presenting suggestions to improve Revit to Autodesk. Tonight we will highlight ways to incorporate ‘green’ design into Revit use. We will also discuss ‘construction documentation’ related questions and future topics in our panel discussion.

7:15
Revit in Production
Richard Ziegler Architect

While we continue to use Autodesk Revit as our main platform we have also maintained a commitment to review developments in the BIM world both within Autodesk and with other manufacturer’s such as BOA, ArchiCad and Bentley Architecture.

Projects:

Westario, Ontario

MGM City Center is a 66-acre mixed use development project proposed (currently under construction) by MGM Mirage on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“The Shard London Bridge, also known as London Bridge Tower, will not only redefine London’s skyline, it will become a symbol for the capital that is recognizable throughout the world.”

BIM there, done that – what have we learned?

1. On large projects – concern for scalability (constraints of a single database model)
2. Visual Representation of Complex 3D forms in 2D output
3. Documentation Tools for Complex 3D forms.
4. Modelling vs. Drawing – Where to draw the line
5. Accuracy of the Model relative to Data Extraction
6. Hardware Requirements

What we love about BIM!

1. Fully coordinated Construction Documents
2. Fun
3. Speed
4. Consistency and Coordination of Views
5. Untapped Potential of Database
6. Multidisciplinary Revit Model
7. Platform for Sustainable Design

Revit Content

Official Autodesk Revit Content Library:
http://revit.autodesk.com/library/html/index.html
AUGI:www.augi.com/revit.exchange/
Revit City: www.revitcity.com
Bimworld: www.bimworld.com
Formfonts: www.formfonts.com
Select Steel: www.selectsteel.com
AWMAC (Architectural Woodwork Manufacturers Association of Canada): www.awmac.com
e-Interiors: www.e-interiors.net
Got3d: www.got3d.com
Symbolmachine: www.symbolmachine.com
Accustudio: www.accustudio.com

3rd Party Vendors:
Leveraging the Database

Especs
ADSymphony
Innovaya Virtual Estimating
• Lamina
Autodesk FM Desktop
Avatech Earth Connector
Navisworks
Geopraxis
Ecotect
IES


8:00
Making a Sustainable City Happen: The Toronto Green Development Standard
Mike Mulqueen (M.U.P.)
Assistant Planner - Environmental Policy
City Planning Division - Policy and Research

WHY do we need a
GREEN DEVELOPMENT STANDARD?

Impact of Development on the Environment
• Escalating energy use and air emissions
• Water quality problems in the lake and rivers
• Production and disposal of solid waste
• Stressed urban ecology

- 50% reduction of fossil fuel use in all new buildings NOW
- 60% in 2010
- 70% in 2015
- 80% in 2020
- 90% in 2025
- Carbon-neutral by 2030 (using no fossil fuel GHG emitting energy to operate)

WHAT is the TORONTO
GREEN DEVELOPMENT STANDARD?

• Focused on components of site and building design that can be made more sustainable

• Provides a set of performance targets to be applied to various development features

• Mandatory for City-owned properties

• Encourages private sector green development

BETTER BUILDINGS New Construction Program
How it Works

• Energy Modeller on Design Team

• Building Energy Use Simulation

• Report Submitted

• Verified Savings when Constructed

• Electricity Savings Incentive

• over 50 buildings enrolled
• Average energy savings of 30%
• Maximum of 63.7%
• Typical payback of 4 years

RELATIONSHIP with the LEED Rating System
[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design]

• The GDS and LEED are complementary and share many performance targets

LEED responds to some but not all of Toronto’s local environmental pressures and policies

• The GDS reflects Toronto’s priorities

HOW to apply the GREEN DEVELOPMENT STANDARD

• Opportunities to Implement Green

• The Green Development Checklist

LEED Comparison Table

• Green Contacts / Support


GREEN Contacts / Support


CITY PLANNING, Policy and Research:sustainablecity@toronto.ca

Jane Welsh Lisa King
416.392.9709 416.392.9698
jwelsh@toronto.ca lking4@toronto.ca

Liora Zion Burton Mike Mulqueen
416.392.0171 416.392.8788
lzion@toronto.ca mmulqu@toronto.ca


ENERGY Efficiency Office
Eleanor McAteer
416-392-7003
emcatee@toronto.ca
www.toronto.ca/energy


www.toronto.ca/environment/greendevelopment.htm

8:30
Open Panel Discussion
During this open forum, members of the audience will be invited to direct Revit questions to our panel of experts:
Richard Ziegler, John Peterson, Mike MulQueen, Phil Marjeram, Pierre Hoppener and Jay Polding.

Questions:

Q: Is Revit good for construction documents? What tools are used?

A: You can get good quality. Use repeating details. Tweak lineweights
A: Especs and Revit Structure tie-in important

Q: We find 3D AutoCAD files are huge, how big are Revit files? What about big projects? What kind of hardware is needed?

A: RZA We’ve worked successfully on 90 storey buildings as well as small projects.
A: Phil from KPMB: Hardware is an issue. Dell seems to be working well. No need for expensive video cards. Fast Ethernet is important.Switching views can be slow.

Q: Will Revit use DirectX?

A: Pierre from Autodesk, not now but we’ll see in the next release.

Q: Does Revit support Multithreading?

A: Yes, when rendering. Revit 9.1 will also work with 64bit processors with a noticeable spped increase.

Q: Has collaboration been difficult?

A: RZA, it has worked well.
A: KPMB-Dumping to 2D dwg has been useful.