BIMcache wins the Cable Car Challenge!

Wellington based company BIMcache, wins the 2008 Cable Car Challenge business plan competition and takes home the $50,000 prize.

I am absolutely stoked!

Now the hard work really begins – stay tuned for further developments on BIMcache…..

BIMcache into the “Dragons Den” on the Wellington Cable Car

Wellington based company BIMcache, have made it through to the final phase of the 2008 Cable Car Challenge business plan competition, Dragons Den on the Wellington Cable Car, which this year received nearly 200 entries.

The winners of the 2008 Cable Car Challenge business plan competition are to be announced on the 30th October 2008.

About the Cable Car Challenge Business Plan Competition:
The Cable Car Challenge Business Plan Competition promotes the development and commercialisation of innovative ideas and start up businesses by offering entrants prizes that include cash and services.

The competition emphasizes learning by offering participation in workshops, access to a range of services that assist small business start ups, as well as the experience of pitching your idea to an experienced panel of judges including some of Wellington’s best known entrepreneurs.

There are three stages to the competition to get through with the final shortlist pitching their business or idea in October on the iconic Wellington Cable Car.

I have my fingers crossed for Team BIMcache.

Tips for Tough Times

CAD Managers Tips for Tough Times – by Robert Green

• Optimize, Make your BIM systems easy to use.

• Help out, during crunch times it pays to be versatile and be part of the production machine!.

• Being on top of your technical game, so spend whatever time you need to to keep up with technology, view it as career insurance.

Graphisoft Releases MEP Modeler for ArchiCAD 12

Graphisoft today announced the availability of the Graphisoft MEP Modeler on Windows and Macintosh platforms. This new tool enables architects to better coordinate building projects with more predictable results, reducing time, waste and cost overruns during the design and construction process.

The MEP (Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing) Modeler is a new extension to Graphisoft’s building information modeling (BIM) software ArchiCAD 12. MEP Modeler enables users to create, edit and/or import 3D MEP networks (ductwork, piping and cable trays) and coordinate them with the ArchiCAD Virtual Building, using familiar tools and interface.

Looks like the BIM Race is heating up…. This can only be good for us as users of BIM software and tools.

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) – The Real BIM

Most of you visiting this site will know about BIM (Building Information Modeling) but are you aware of IPD (Integrated Project Delivery) or CWA’s (Collaborative Working Alliances)…?… To find out more on IPD, click here to view a very good, if not “cheesy”, video explaining the IPD process in ‘human’ terms.

References: IPD Home
AIACC
AIA IPD Guidelines

New Zealand Companies – Changing 3D Design Visualisation

This morning on the Breakfast Business News (TV1) there was an section on how New Zealand companies are changing the world of 3D Design Visualization, to check out what these companies are up too please view the news archive here.

Archaus Architect’s ‘Green Design’ gets an airing on National News

This morning Archaus Architect’s “Green Design” for a mixed-use residential tower got an airing on the Breakfast Business News (TV1). The tower is to be constructed in the Central Wellington City Area and is due to be completed in late 2011, too view the video archive of the News clip, click here:

ADAPT-Builder™ and Revit® Structure 2009 Integration.

A breakthrough in concrete slab and foundation design.

The ADAPT-Builder suite of programs was developed from the ground up using ADAPT-BIM technology – an approach that allows structural engineers to explicitly model structural components, including rebar and tendons, as fully editable objects. These structural components understand their physical and analytical relationship to each other and together represent the basis of a design model in ADAPT.

Now you can use the 3D building model you create in Revit Structure to automatically create your detailed design model in the ADAPT-Builder suite. Full bidirectional integration virtually eliminates the need to re-model your slabs and foundation systems in ADAPT.

The integration offers unparalleled ease-of-use by directly transferring model information from Revit Structure to ADAPT at the basic physical model level, eliminating the need to create and fine-tune a separate analytical model in Revit Structure. That saves you hours in redundant model manipulation, data entry and dramatically reduces coordination errors.

Carry out your detailed slab and foundation system design using our powerful 3D finite element analysis engines (ADAPT-Floor Pro and MAT) that automatically create analytical models from your imported Revit Structure model. Once designed, optimize the quantity and layout of your reinforcement using our Advanced Rebar Design (DRD)™ capabilities.

Complete and document your project by automatically transferring all design information including reinforcement bars and post-tensioning to Revit Structure. Repeat the cycle to quickly carry out what-if scenarios or make design changes by simply updating your ADAPT-Builder model with changes you make in your central Revit Structure Model.

Working together, Revit Structure and the ADAPT-Builder suite of programs offer structural engineers the most integrated and efficient design process for reinforced concrete and post-tensioned slab and foundation systems using BIM technology.

The workflow below shows transfer of relevant project parameters, geometry of structural concrete components, and loading information to ADAPT-Builder for analysis and design. Design changes and reinforcement bars are transferred back to the central building model in Revit Structure to complete the design process.

Complex Geometry in Revit 2009

While surfing the web i came across a blog post on the iRevit site regarding the workflow of getting complex geometery into Revit, check it out here.

Clever Tip in Revit – Schedule Window Areas

Here’s a clever little tip for helping you to calculate window areas for your next ‘Green’ project, i found the tip on the Hong Kong Revit Users Website, click here for more: