BIM Library Manager from Tectonic Partners Inc.

The BIM Library Manager is a sophisticated software application for the organization, management, naming and selection of the Revit families (2D and 3D objects such as doors, windows, cabinets, plumbing, lighting, etc.) that are necessary for the creation of Revit building models. The BIM Library Manager also includes hundreds of excellent parametric families to assist architects in the efficient creation of their BIM (Building Information Models) projects. The BIM Library Manager is licensed on a per-seat, yearly subscription basis.

The use of Revit for the creation of BIM is rapidly expanding within the architectural professions. To create 3D building models and contract documents using Revit the architect must access a collection of families that can be selected and inserted into the BIM model. Therefore thousands of families are required that may be selected from on each project.

These families have proven to be a challenge for those using Revit. As the quantity of the doors, windows, equipment, fixtures, etc. have grown the inventorying, selecting and moving of these families into the Revit model has become overwhelming. All offices and particularly firms with multiple offices are finding that their families are stored “all over the place”. Inconsistent naming conventions are also adding to the problem as often the same family is called different names within the same office. Adding to the challenge there are currently not enough well modeled families available.

Andrew Arnold, Ph.D.,VP Products states, “The BIM Library Manager was designed to solve the problems of working with Revit families. Our application resides at the architect’s office on individual computers or on their network and is designed to collect, organize and present through a simple interface their families. Tectonic has also included Naming Guidelines to assist the architect in developing a good and consistent naming system. Consistent and logical naming is extremely important as the BIM model is used for quantity take off and analysis. Additionally, the BIM Library Manager includes hundreds of well modeled parametric families that will instantly improve the architect’s efficiency in using Revit. Tectonic will continue to develop well modeled families and make them available to our customers through a link at our Internet site.”

The BIM Library Manager is designed as a platform to allow the plug in of future Tectonic products, such as the Tectonic Quantity Take Off application that will be released mid year. The system architecture weaves together tools based upon the Open Services Gateway initiative (OSGi), Eclipse development platform, and Microsoft .NET technology. The application is made available for download from the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud.

Autodesk Extends 3D Leadership with Acquisition of NavisWorks

Autodesk has signed an agreement to acquire NavisWorks, a privately-held company based in Sheffield, England that provides software for 3D coordination, collaboration and sequencing in design and construction for approximately $25 million in USD cash, subject to a working capital adjustment. The acquisition underscores Autodesk’s commitment to help its customers derive the greatest possible value from the information created during all phases of the design process.

NavisWorks is a global provider of software that enables full exploitation of the benefits of 3D digital designs in the construction, plant and marine design markets for purposes ranging from design coordination and clash detection to construction simulations. Its products are used by many of the world’s leading construction companies, architects, engineers, process and power firms and shipbuilders. NavisWorks products support increased interoperability by coordinating design information from multiple sources. The company is also a Charter Member of the USA National BIM standard.

Autodesk currently plans to offer new solutions that incorporate both NavisWorks and Autodesk technology, and to continue supporting the existing NavisWorks product line “The acquisition of NavisWorks is part of Autodesk’s commitment to offering more complete solutionsacross the AEC industry” said Jay Bhatt, senior vice president, Autodesk AEC Solutions. “The addition of NavisWorks technology to the Autodesk portfolio will help our customers leverage their design data to make better design and construction decisions and increase the value of their investments in design technology.”

“For more than 7 years, NavisWorks solutions have helped design professionals across the construction, building, plant, and marine industries better collaborate, create more coordinated designs, and work more efficiently,” said Peter Thompson, CEO of NavisWorks. “The combination of NavisWorks and Autodesk technology is an excellent match. Our products augment the coordinated, consistent, and computable information produced by the Revit platform for building information modeling, and can aggregate that information with data from other sources including AutoCAD, Inventor and Civil 3D, to build the most complete understanding possible of the overall project. We are excited to join the Autodesk family.”

Carmael Software Package automates entire design process

DESIGN-BUILD 6.0 by Carmel Software, www.carmelsoft.com, is a suite of five software programs that automate the entire HVAC design-build process. The solution, which is based upon the latest ASHRAE Fundamentals, performs HVAC design-build analysis including commercial and residential load calculations, duct sizing, cost estimating and proposal generation. The programs come with pre-formatted customizable databases and accept user-supplied equipment, material and parts.

The user creates an HVAC load calculation project for the building in Loadsoft-6.0, which performs calculations for commercial and industrial loads, or Residential 5.0, which does the math for residential and light commercial loads. Loadsoft calculations use the 2005 Fundamentals radiant time series method; Residential 5.0 calculations are based upon the ASHRAE 2001 Fundamentals residential algorithms (Chapter 28). These modules include databases for 200+ walls, roofs, floors and windows.

Both load calculation modules are compatible with AutoCAD MEP and Revit MEP for easy data import of building information from the AutoCAD MEP or Revit MEP drawing, including room dimensions and number of people. Importing that information eliminates the need for manual input of that data for each room and system. Afterward, the user can export the results back to AutoCAD MEP or to Revit MEP drawing to aid in duct and piping design.

After the building is modeled and the total cooling and heating loads calculated, the project designer/estimator imports the weather, address, airflow values and other data for each room into the next module in the process, Duct Size 6.0, which provides total duct system analysis to facilitate proper sizing of the ducts and fans that serve the system. (Duct Size 6.0 also works with AutoCAD, enabling the designer to import a single-line drawing and export it back as a double-line or 3-D drawing.)

The duct-sizing program can generate numerous reports, including duct dimension and airflow breakdown, a heat-loss breakdown, friction-loss breakdown, sound-power breakdown and a material list that can be imported into Estimate 6.0.

Using all the information from the load calculation and duct-sizing modules, the estimating module creates an estimate of final total costs based on the mechanical take-off and can generate a proposal exportable to Microsoft Word or Excel for presentation to the customer.

The estimating database includes many types of HVAC equipment, including 50,000+ HVAC parts from major vendors, as well as labor costs assignable to the equipment and material. A Status Module keeps time-stamped track of the status of each project and tells the user which data is being shared and where.

Each of the software programs can be purchased and used separately.

To Protect or To Share Your Custom Revit Families

Below is an interesting discussion regarding the endless hours spent creating custom Revit Families, and then sharing them with other competing firms. Good or Bad. There are people on both sides of the fence here.

http://discussion.autodesk.com/thread.jspa?threadID=562548

Revit MEP Building Performance Analysis White Paper

A new white paper concerning some critical concepts and procedures for generating a valid building performance analysis (BPE) in Revit MEP 2008 has been posted to the Autodesk web site. You can download it here:

BPE Analysis White Paper

I strongly recommend that if you are an MEP engineer considering or using Revit MEP or if you are an architect who works with one who is, that you download and read it - it's a quick read, but full of good information!