AutoCAD WS on Kindle Fire

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Autodesk have to announce that AutoCAD WS is now also available for Kindle Fire through the Amazon App Store!

The Kindle Fire is now joining the huge family of Android and iOS devices running AutoCAD WS and allowing you to take your designs with you anywhere you go. Use your Kindle Fire to view your drawings, edit them and share them with your colleagues.

If you just got a Kindle Fire for the holidays, download the app and tell Autodesk what you think.

Christmas for Engineers

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Not my work, something that was emailed to me and I thought I would share...

Have a Great Christmas

eTransmit for Revit Update

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eTransmit for Revit is a free* technology preview of an add-in application for Autodesk^® Revit^® Architecture 2012, Autodesk^® Revit^® Structure 2012, and Autodesk^® Revit^® MEP 2012 software.
For best results, installing Revit 2012 Web Update 1 is recommended. With eTransmit for Revit, you can:

• Copy and detach a Revit model and associated files to a single folder for internet transmission. This removes the typical error messages when you copy central files using the operating system.
• Locate dependent files automatically and include them in the transmittal folder, helping to reduce the possibility of error. All dependent files are automatically converted to use relative paths so the dependent files can be located by the model.
• Choose to include related dependent files such as linked Revit models, CAD files, DWF™ markups, decal images, and external keynote files. You can transmit any Revit (.rvt) model that has been upgraded to be compatible with a 2012 Revit software product.
• Transmit models that are using file-based worksharing or server-based worksharing. eTransmit for Revit will also work with non-workshared Revit models.

Common uses for eTransmit

• Internal archiving
• Sending deliverables to clients
• Model exchange between consultants/partners
• Model cleanup
• Sharing models between disciplines

What's new in 1.1?

In July we conducted a user survey to gather feedback from users who had tried the technology preview. One of the things that we heard very clearly is that there were a number of people who were experiencing problems using the initial version. Based on this, our biggest focus for version 1.1 was fixing issues. For a complete list of what is in 1.1, you can review the release notes and known issues, but highlights include:

• eTransmit will no longer crash when you try to create a transmittal on a network drive.
• The progress bar now updates correctly when there are errors and warnings (previously it gave the impression that the transmittal had failed when there were only warnings).
• You can now use eTransmit even if you have one or more models open.
• Unfortunately, transmitted models still do not open correctly if you double-click on them from the operating system. To open a transmitted model correctly, use Revit's file open command.

Availability

The technology preview will operate until June 30, 2012.

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

Download

You will need your User ID and Password, pop over the the Labs Page to download

Help Autodesk out

See how well the eTransmit for Revit technology preview works for you, and be sure to tell Autodesk what you think by following the feedback link

You can also post comments on the Between the Lines or It's Alive in the Lab blog.
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Finding the Postcode and Location Plan

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Ok, I've had an email saying your maps articles are all well and good if you know the postcode. For some of the work I deal with for example Party Wall, it's kind of important to have the full address, especially for undertaking land registry searches to establish the Building Owners and Adjoining Owners details.

So I pop over to the Find a Postcode function on the Post Office web site at http://www.postoffice.co.uk/postcode-finder

There are Four little search filelds

OK I actually know the building number and the post code as this is my work address, but for this example assume I don't. So above I have only entered the building Name, Street and Town - then click on the Find Postcode and........

 The full postal address including post code and a nice little location plan to boot!

Enjoy.

Unlocking BIM Data - Echo

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Pop over to Revit ST and you will find a link to a white paper from Authors

Simon Taylor FRICS– Principal, Questant Inc., Project Controls and Risk Advisory Services

Christopher Bailey FRICS – Vice President, Chief Cost Planner, Lend Lease, New York

The introduction says

"A paper to introduce the concept of developing an industry standard coding structure for application to 3D design systems to create increased value from Building Information Modeling (BIM). It describes, by reference to the data that can be stored in the model, where the flow of data to ‘downstream’ management and analysis systems and databases is broken, and how the inclusion of standard coding will enable beneficial use of model information, and produce the value of BIM that is not currently available."

So a "thank you" to Glenn Jowett for finding this one
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Environmental Agency Maps

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Continuing on Information and Maps as a theme this posting is about the Environmental Agency web site and maps.

The Environment Agency is an Executive Non-departmental Public Body responsible to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and a Welsh Government Sponsored Body responsible to the Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development.

Their principal aims are to protect and improve the environment, and to promote sustainable development. They play a central role in delivering the environmental priorities of central government and the Welsh Government through our functions and roles.

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, which came into force on 1 January 2005, anyone may request information from a public authority which has functions in England, Wales and/or Northern Ireland.

The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIRs) came into force at the same time as the Freedom of Information Act 2000. They clarify and extend previous rights to environmental information,

The example below is a postcode search looking at Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea

So if you are looking to buy a property near a river or the sea you can do your own research on this subject

CLICK HERE to visit the Environment Agency Map Resource

But its not only the Risk of flooding that can be researched, click the down arrow under “Other topics for this area…” and you get this interesting little list.

Here is a view of the same area with regards to Landfill

And here is the information re Pollution

So pop over to the web site and have a poke around you may be surprised just what’s on your doorstep ;0)

CLICK HERE to visit the Environment Agency Map Resource
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Geology of Britain Viewer

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I came across a website that might be of interest to you if you wish to find out the geology for any particular location in the UK.

Try clicking on following this link

All you need to do is type in the place name or postcode in the white box at the bottom Right Hand courner and click ‘Go’.

If you double click on any of the coloured area on the maps it tells you the bedrock formation and superficial deposits (if any).

Enjoy ;0)

I Blinked And I Missed AU Virtual 2011

I was kind of looking forward to this year, especially after last years fiasco, so those of you that managed to find the time to attend virtually, I hope it worked this year?

I had done my planning really early; I had downloaded all the class descriptions and highlighted those that looked to be of interest.

 I had highlighted the virtual stuff, looked for friends and people I know who were going to present, I’d searched the list for Revit Structure, Revit Structural Suite, Revit Architecture and Revit Architectural Suite.

There is always a lot more under Architecture, and a lot of it is relevant to Structures and MEP.



So due to being busy in both my personal and working life, I blinked  miss Autodesk University, and then I ended up feeling a little like Muttley from Wacky Races cursing to myself indistinctly.

So all I can do now go into squirrel mode, and use my list to harvest all those very useful Revit classes that are to be found on Autodesk University Online!

Click Here to go to AU Online

I may be a bit early with my harvesting because at the moment you can only get Session Handouts and Presentations, but very few Screencast and Podcast have made it to the download pages just yet.  

These normally start arriving a week or two after Autodesk University, so I will pop back in a couple of weeks and pick up the missing resources.

Help Paul Oakley, help Autodesk, help you, and new users

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It's great to see that at least two people on the GRUG user group will feed information back to Paul Oakley see posting below.

When Ralph Pullinger and I were looking for actual wall configurations that have been specified and used over the last 15 years and asked for the UK Revit Users help and assistance we were surprised at the lack of feedback and the general level of apathy that existing users exhibit.

Users out there have the knowledge and experience of what they have actually had to source or create because the out of the box were content lacking. It’s a list of those families that Paul needs so that new users and perhaps older users who have not happened upon an item that is missing yet don’t have the pain of searching various sources or making their own.

By not helping Paul help AutoCAD help Revit Users, you are not keeping your commercial advantage, you ARE just inhibiting the development of the program and BIM generally. Also if you don’t help, then you can’t really complain about the lack of content in the future.
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New to BIM and Revit visit this web site

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After years of difficulty explaining to people what Revit is and the impact BIM will have in shaping our future Ben Fox the Director of igs decided to put together a brief blog with plenty of short videos on the topic.

He hopes in writing and collating the videos for this blog, is that the information provided will assist in explaining to clients, management and anyone else, what Revit is and how it fits within a BIM process.

View the blog here: www.whatisrevit.com

Nice one Ben, it's a very well constructed resource.

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Revit UK Content - What's Missing? What's Needed?

This is “Your Opportunity to have your say”….

Paul Oakley has been requested to put forward a list of issues to Autodesk relating to the Revit 2012 UK Localisation.

The report to Autodesk is intended to report what’s wrong with the “Out of the Box” UK Content plus also what the UK Users would like to see

This includes

Templates          

                What should be in them & What not?

•       System Families(Walls / Roofs /Floors / Railings etc.)

•       Materials / Property Sets etc…)

•       Parameters (Schedules / Annotation / Tags)

•       Anything Else…

                Families:-

•       Types

•       Parameters

•       Annotation

•       Etc….

Any suggestions or  comments please forward to: Paul Oakley

Paul@Oakley-cad.co.uk or paul.oakley@augi.com

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Draft Revit NBL Content - Feedback 2

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I’m up to my ears in work, life the universe and everything so, I’m only getting to review Stephens feedback in the morning as I’m an early riser, here is what I posted over on the NBL Linked-In Group this morning:-

G. Are COBie parameters really needed for wall constructions?
Some of them will not be relevant. Depending on the client requirements, on some projects, it is possible that none of them will be relevant. However, for consistency they have been included. Also, if you used an NBL wall object to build up a pre-fabricated wall construction then you may wish to complete the majority of these COBie FM parameters.

This reply is a cop out. Please actually demonstrate what COBie parameters are actually applicable to a wall construction, and which part of that construction.

If you Scope out your walls and then look at the COBie parameters you will see that very few are applicable. Stephen you have demonstrated your experience in programming, why would you flood a program with variables that you were never going to use?.

Revit is clunky anyway why make families heavier?

“For consistency” is not a good enough reason to do it, because its quick and dirty, and we have not had time to review what’s actually applicable and needed because we are working at speed to produce something, appears to be a more realistic driver for their inclusion.

I challenge your team to apply the COBie variable to standard traditional wall constructions and this pre-fabricated wall construction you site and demonstrate their usefulness in being included within the wall families.

Here they are ….

Colour

Constituents

DurationUnit

ExpectedLife

Features

Finish

Grade

Material

NominalHeight

NominalLength

NominalWidth

ProductionYear

ReplacementCost

Shape

Size

WarrantyDescription

WarrantyDurationLabour

WarrantyDurationParts

WarrantyDurationUnit

WarrantyGuarantorLabour

WarrantyGuarantorParts

SerialNumber

InstallationDate

WarrantyStartDate

TagNumber

BarCode

AssetIdentifier

Most of them are ideal for mechanical plant and items to be maintained, and no doubt this list is going to grow with time.

We at the pointy end don't always have the most up to date computers, some are waiting for the 3 - 4 year replacement program to hit us and with the current economic situation what was 3 years is being extended until real economic recovery takes place.
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Draft Revit NBL Content - Feedback 1

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Looking at Stephens feedback over lunch, I have commented on the Linked-In Group as follows

R) – “Historic Walls are unlikely to be in the first release” IMHO you need to re consider this in order to make the UK System Wall Family worth adopting in the first place. Not all projects are new builds, there are more refurbishment projects going on at the moment than new builds.

In addition Feedback C) Re U-Values – Your Wall family needs to be built around historical wall configurations that have been used from Victorian times to present day. Yes you need to include wall configurations that meet U-values, there is zero value or benefit in providing wall configurations that will not. They can still be generic re the actual makes of materials used.

IMHO you need to look at the published literature by the likes of Celcon, Thermailte, etc and look at the current configurations that meet or exceed the current requirements and adopt those configurations in your library that are already actually being specified by Architects. With the BIM Academy’ and the NBS association with RIBA you have a direct path to that information; it would be folly not to take advantage of it. Carl has offered his list and I'm guessing David Light might share his list of wall configurations if asked.

Currently your range of names is extremely limited, so limited in fact that you have not scoping out all the materials that may make up a wall configuration which is a key element in compiling and creating a naming convention.

Even if you don’t actually have all the Walls in the first release you need to scope out and publish the list perhaps in a format like the spreadsheet that Ralph and I were using. David Light has posted that HOK did exactly the same as you are doing and wasted a heap of valuable time and money in the process, please re-consider and learn by his companies’ mistake because hindsight is an exact science.

Any salesman will tell you that unless you can clearly demonstrate the “Benefit” & “Investment Merit” to your prospect that has a “Requirement” you will never "Close" the sale which in your case is getting your system adopted by end users of Revit type systems.

New Revit Users in the UK need (have a Requirement) for a UK set of System Wall Families because Autodesk no longer supply one

Benefits of NBL Families – Time Saving is one but Only if they are complete and easy to understand and use, I’m sure Clare Watson will find you many more benefits for you, in fact I recall seeing a page on your web site about benefits somewhere.

But without that list of “Real” benefits you will not get that “Investment Merit” that leads a “Close” by adoption by the user base, even if they are FREE.
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Draft Revit NBL Content - Feedback

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If you have read my previous post you will see that I did not believe that due time had been allowed for the NBS to gain a true measured review of the content released, however it has to be said that the feedback following the Monday meeting has been swift and Stephen Hamil has posted it on the Linked In Group

You will have to join Linked-In to access the group http://www.linkedin.com/ which is not a bad idea anyway

Due to it being released only yesterday I have only scanned over it and the additional posting regarding the new naming convention.  The NBS needs you feedback in order to make this thing acceptable and adoptable by end users of Revit and the industry as a whole. Please add your thoughts to the Linked-In Group and threads.

Stephen Hamil • Feedback response

Firstly, a big thank you to all of those who downloaded our draft content and took the time to give us comment both on this forum and in private emails. I have tried to articulate our thoughts in the reply below, I also have posted some thoughts on library naming convention in a separate blog post.
http://constructioncode.blogspot.com/2011/11/naming-convention-for-national-bim.html

A. Should material parameters such as “thickness” be in the wall library names?
We believe material parameters should be included in the object library names where it provides differentiation between similar library objects. Please see naming convention blog post.

B. Have the objects been authored against Building Regulation requirements?
The documentation provided for the door objects shows that regulations have been referred to (see references to BS 8300). However, the end user of the objects will be ultimately responsible that any final project design meets the regulations. Our terms and conditions will cover this.

C. Will u-values be calculated for the wall constructions?
The overall u-value for a wall will depend on the proprietary products that are used in the final design. U-values may be included for proprietary wall constructions that we eventually publish, but we will not include them for the generic objects. We believe the end-user should calculate this on a project-to-project basis.

D. Will proprietary materials such as Rockwool be used in the generic objects?
No, they won’t, the generic objects will contain generic materials only. In this example “mineral wool bats” will be used for the launch content.

E. Is the NBL going to be a standard?
No. We hope that over the years that the NBL may become a de-facto standard as NBS specification clauses have become. But these BIM objects are simply a freely available resource that we hope users that like them will adopt.

F. Is IFC a file format that can be used for design?
I think Nick Nisbet has answered the IFC questions extremely well in the discussions so please see his answers. I’ll work on a blog post summarising some IFC thoughts in the next week or two.

G. Are COBie parameters really needed for wall constructions?
Some of them will not be relevant. Depending on the client requirements, on some projects, it is possible that none of them will be relevant. However, for consistency they have been included. Also, if you used an NBL wall object to build up a pre-fabricated wall construction then you may wish to complete the majority of these COBie FM parameters.

H. The object material names are hard to read – can they have a separator character?
Yes. We will introduce a “_“ between the abbreviated names. So “PFBBlck” will become “PFB_Blck”. Please see naming convention blog post.
http://constructioncode.blogspot.com/2011/11/naming-convention-for-national-bim.html

I. Can the list of abbreviated names plus explanation be put in the documentation?
Yes

J. Who is responsible for the accuracy and ownership of these objects when used on a project?
Our terms and conditions will cover this at launch.

K. Until you have more than just Revit objects, can you publish IFC content only?
For every object we will always publish at least IFC content. However, to create IFC content we believe we must choose one proprietary system to author it. The decision here was Revit and as such we will publish Revit objects. However, we will work together with the other CAD vendors to try and get other native content in too. We have met at least once with Vectorworks, Tekla, Bentley and ArchiCAD. We meet again with them next week.

L. What are the nbl_iCIMMaterial parameters?
These are for a research project that is currently internal. These will be removed for launch.

M. Should the library provider name really be the prefix to the object name?
We believe it should. This helps sort common items together easily when used in proprietary software. Please see naming convention blog post.

N. Should the library provider name really be the prefix to the parameter names?
No, with hindsight we will change this now based on a number of discussions with other providers of BIM content. “nbl_FireDesignation” will be replaced by simply “FireDesignation”. Within IFC the parameters will be grouped in “NBL” property sets.

O. Should the IFC parameters contain descriptions?
Yes, our aim is to get this in for launch.

P. Should the IFC owner information be included?
Yes, our aim is to get this in for launch.

Q. Should the IFC rules for classification be followed?
Yes, our aim is to get this in for launch. We’ll also include multiple classification systems.

R. Will historic wall constructions be included?
This will be considered, but it is unlikely that these will be in for the first release.

S. Can embodied CO2 information be included?
We think that linking generic materials within BIM objects to carbon and capital cost information is a great idea. We’ve actually been working on this for a little while as part of a TSB funded project with a number of other companies. This project will be demonstrated at ecobuild in March 2012. So, not for launch, but watch this space.

More info on TSB ICAT project and members:
http://constructioncode.blogspot.com/2010/07/carbon-assessment-tool-project-icat.html

Finally, with respect to CO2, Alan – thanks for sending through the LRUG presentation from Arup. Very interesting.

Draft Revit NBL Content – Review Part 5

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Jumping into Part 5 of the Review and I’m feeling a bit like Agent Mulder out of XFiles.

“I WANT TO BELIEVE”

But what I’m really looking for is proof (so was Mulder get the link!) that the National BIM library will ultimately prove both useful and actually worthwhile using and adopting in someway, shape or form. Only time will tell.

Lets look a the terms used in building the description of the internal walls

Blk              Blk = Block

DryLng        DryLng = Dry Lining

Cavity         Cavity = Cavity

Int …………Internal

Insul            Insul = Insulation

MF               MF = Metal Frame

PF               PF = Partial Fill

Steel           Steel

Timber        Timber

TwinFrm     Frm

Well there are only two additional terms used and those are

Int for Internal and TwinFrm which actually just has highlighted that I have been bolting the terms for steel and timber together with Frm for Frame

So Add Frm = Frame to the ultimate list.

Can someone please explain to be what a “Twin” Fame is because looking at the make up of the wall, I’m not getting it? I expected to see two skins of Stud work with an air gap – you know like a Party Wall construction.
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The next thing that strikes me is that there is no description for Party Walls yes they are Internal (well most of the time, apart from the external ones as defined under the Party Wall etc Act 1996) but they are special type of internal wall in that they have unique requirements with regards to the Building Regulations in terms of density and sound transmission these walls need their own identifier.

So I would suggest they are given one.

There are an awful lot of different wall construction missing from the examples provided. The NBS have not asked for users to help them establish a catalogue of typical wall construction used from Victorian times but they should do and ultimately make a complete practical set of System Walls for Revit and if they are going the IFC route then in that format as well.

Where are Victorian Solid Brick walls, the 1950’s and onwards Brick Open 50mm (2”) Cavity and Brick Party Walls etc?

On the subject of Bricks take a look at the width of a brick 102.5mm, Engineers would say Yes, Students would say Yes, Architects would say 102, 103, or 105mm, and so would all the block manufactures in their published work on U-Values.

It's clay and baked, the likelyhood is that its all those dimensions somewhere in the wall. This points to someone not really yet in the construction industry i.e students building the data for these families.

The list of UK Wall Types applies to the UK and construction industry and not just Revit and is a list of constructions and is thus platform neutral.

Regarding the “I” in BIM in and ability to put Crap in and get Crap out, why inflate the family with COBie parameters that are of no interest and more importantly use within a family. There appears to have been no thought given to this, one expects an answer “Oh well we  were just showing that we can add parameters”, yep we know that!

As I’ve asked previously some one please look at the list provided in the NBS document nbl_WallUserGuide.pdf and actually explain which parameters are actually applicable to walls and why this information is of use, because I just can’t get the penny to drop on that one. It looks like information for information sake to me.

Taken from nbl_WallUserGuide.pdf

The following COBie parameters have been added to each wall family to be populated by

the user for producing COBie data schedules.

Colour

Constituents

DurationUnit

ExpectedLife

Features

Finish

Grade

Material

NominalHeight

NominalLength

NominalWidth

ProductionYear

ReplacementCost

Shape

Size

WarrantyDescription

WarrantyDurationLabour

WarrantyDurationParts

WarrantyDurationUnit

WarrantyGuarantorLabour

WarrantyGuarantorParts

SerialNumber

InstallationDate

WarrantyStartDate

TagNumber

BarCode

AssetIdentifier

Carl Collins of Arups presented the Geeky Side of Revit “Accurate Calculation of Embeded Carbon and Energy” at the Inaugural Meeting of LRUG on the 17^th March 2010

He took data from Inventory of Carbon & Energy (ICE) Version 1.6a by Prof Geoff Hammond & Craig Jones published by the University of Bath, created a parameter eCO2 added values to parameter for elements and showed an example of creating a column schedule and having the ability to determine the Column eCO2 in the schedule, and then framing eCO2 in a schedule, then the Slab. He then showed how that data could analysed and used.

That is truly useful information and worthy of including within the I of a BIM model and more importantly is in line with the governments ultimate aims with regards Carbon, not what is the barcode for a brick, plasterboard etc.

So as the limited time for review comes to an end...... there will be no more until the next release of material from NBS.

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Strapline "The National Building Library - I Want To Believe" 

Cue Xfile theme music for the outro.....

Draft Revit NBL Content – Review Part 4

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This Draft Content was released on the 8^th and they are having a meeting on the 14^th to discuss feedback. IMHO the NBS have not left enough time for people to even find out that the material has been release, let alone time to get sufficient feedback in order to make informed decisions on the way forward.

They seem to forget that it’s only BIM geeks like those people that have left feedback within three days of the release because we fit and pack these things in tightly around our working and private lives that are going to react and even we are having problems looking at the whole package within the existing timeframe.

(To be honest most of our wives are computer and revit / BIM widows during the evening – Now why would any man want to watch Emmerdale,  Coronation Street and Eastenders when he can be playing with Revit)

I have pointed the lack of time out to the NBS and made a request for an extension of time, which has be ceremoniously ignored, and no justification for the rush given. Obviously milestone are more important than working in collaboration or in a BIM or IPD way!

To get the maximum amount of feedback for the NBS we could have announced the release of the Content for review at next weeks LRUG London Revit User Group meeting, other RUGs are also having meetings soon and could have done the same.

So if you are reading this please download the Content, have a quick look and get over to the Linked-in group and leave some feedback before Sunday.

OK I’m now looking at the Internal Walls and if I get time will try and post something over the weekend if I can fit it in around life the universe and everything else.

As you see I did finally find a picture of a Goldfish on a Push Bike ;0)
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Draft Revit NBL Content – Review Part 3

If these reviews seem fragmented it is because I’m documenting my thought processes as I look at what has been offered to us to comment upon. It’s easy to be extract the urine and think some of the things I have printed when working through such material, and I’m sure that the Gumby’s, I mean development team have worked hard getting to where they are, but some times you can be too close and miss the obvious, I did (see FF & PF below).

Also they have to effectively communicate what they have produced and sell it to the end users. A typical example is the lack of a simple list or key to the terms used in the naming convention i.e. the list I have been establishing by inspection over the last couple of days, should have been included in the supporting documents.

Thank you to the kind soul that commented on Part 1 of my Review that FF and PF means, Full Fill and Partial Fill missed that one completely. Now going back to see why I thought PF meant Polyisocyanurate Foam Board, I can see that it only Partially Filled the cavity, thus that’s why the Brd was missing and it was an unhappy coincidence that the name also started PF.

Thus I feel that I have proved

1)      The need for a Key to the terms used.

2)      The rejection of Camel Case as a naming convention

On the Linked-In group thread Stephen Hemil has stated “We’ve also had comments already mainly about naming convention, so what is presented here will probably not be the final naming convention that is released. We’d also really appreciate comments on the depth of content within the objects and the functionality of geometric parameters.”

And on the Linked-in group he has also been stated that “* Regarding the naming convention, we will probably tweak again before launch. We'll plan to have something that is in-line with the current thinking in the BS 8541-1 draft as discussed in a previous thread.”

Now that being said it should not be a case of “probably tweak again” Surely (Don’t call me Shirley) the naming will have to be looked at again!

Also it have been suggested that “Well plan to have something that is in-line with current thinking in the BS 8541-draft”. This draft is has not even yet been published for comment and is not due until the 1^st December. Please learn from your mistakes and consult the end users before you alter this.

I have commented that “telling us that the naming convention is going to be based upon BS8541 Part 1 is about as useful as a pushbike is to a goldfish. How do we check that this BS is not being created by Numpties, and that it is appropriate for use before December 1st?”

OK I couldn't find a picture of a Goldfish on a Bike ............ any ideas why  ;0)

And thus we are reviewing something that is going to be miles away from the final product, but anyway so that errors, miss understandings and feedback can be provided to the NBS we must continue.

So my little BIMmers here we go again ……. Back to the Future III, …..I mean Draft Revit NBL Content – Review Part 3

Recap and building the Key to the naming convention that should have been provided within the supporting document nbl_WallUserGuide.pdf (NBS / BIM Academy are you getting the hint yet?)

Listing in alphabetical order for easy reference and most people know the alphabet

Blk = Block

Cavity = Cavity

CBPBrd = CementBondedParticleBoard

ClayBrk = Clay Brick

DryLng = Dry Lining

Ext = External

FF = Full Fill

GypPlstr =  Gypsum Plasterboard (I guessed Gyproc Plaster in Part 1 and 2)

Insul = Insulation

MF = Metal Frame

PF = Partial Fill

SteelFrm = Steel Frame

Stone = Stone

TmbrFrm = Timber Frame

OK I can’t resist but I’m guessing again that the 25mm Metal Frame is actually a top hat section resilient strip at joints so is the Steel Frame that is really Stud not made of Metal? Just asking don’t shot the Reviewer you asked for feedback ;0)

Some really basic and traditional wall configurations are missing from the list provided and there are some here that not having used steel studwork as an inner leaf on projects I can’t say if they are correctly specified (but I’ve done a little guessing above and asked questions). However what is missing is the thickness of the material with the name of the family.

For example from the spreadsheet that I put together and provided to the NBS well before the release of the current draft content. And I will start with …… the Key to Naming Convention

Here is the list that we (Ralph and I) started to build before the announcement that the NBS were going to produce the NBL and create UK specific System Wall Families

It should be noted that we were at the point where we wanted Architects to let us know what wall configurations they had actually specified over the last 15 years during the relentless changes in Part L of the building regulations in order to meet the ever increasing thermal requirements to reduce Carbon and save the planet.

So NBS I would suggest, and looking at the Linked-In thread so have others, that the dimensions need to appear in the naming of the family. So if you are actually going to act on the feedback you will have to review the naming convention

The more I’m looking at what has been offered up for review the more questions it’s forming in my mind.

Is one really expected fill in all those COBie parameters that the NBS have listed as being added to each wall family?

Most of the parameters don’t appear to build any useful information and the designers would not have the information anyway. Prime example is “ProductionYear” is that for the sand and cement in the render, the Bricks, insulation, Blocks the Metal Frame and the Plasterboard?.

Having supplied such useful (that’s being sarcastic, just incase you missed it) information to the Government exactly what are they going to do with it?

How has that piece of information improved the production information and the building of a project?

I’m looking for light at the end of the tunnel here, anyone out there with a torch?

That has to be it for Part 3 ……. Stay tuned for Part 4

(Same Time, Same Channel, and the Batman theme music is playing in my head……. ;0)