Greenpeace 1 - Gazprom 0 - Champions League Video

You just have to love the guys at Greenpeace,  I love this 60 second video exposing oil giant Gazprom, the company behind the detention of the Arctic 30. It’s Greenpeace 1 - Gazprom 0.

Gazprom spend millions sponsoring the Champion’s League - the world’s most watched annual sporting event. At last night’s press conference, cheeky Greenpeace activists snuck in and exposed the Russian energy giant in front of a scrum of international media.



No banners were detained or charged after the making of this video

Trimble Acquires CSC, Maker of Structural Analysis Software

Interesting times ahead, especially as Trimble have those companies & brands in bold below already 

Extract from Press Release

Trimble Buildings, a part of Trimble's Engineering and Construction Segment, is a world leader in construction project optimization across the design-build-operate (DBO) lifecycle. By providing intuitive software and field solutions that span the brands of Meridian Systems, Plancal, SketchUp, Tekla, Trade Service, Vico Software and WinEst, Trimble is dedicated to helping building owners and AEC service providers improve productivity, increase efficiencies and maximize profitability of construction projects across the entire workflow from simulation to renovation. Used in over 141 countries around the world and supported by a global dealer and distribution partner network, precision Trimble technology is a mainstay of the building industry. Trimble Buildings' leading technology platform, Trimble DBO, draws on unparalleled expertise from across the entire continuum to provide building professionals with a comprehensive solution that responds to their specialized needs while benefiting from an understanding of the total workflow at every step.

 

Daylighting Analysis for Revit Now Available on Autodesk Labs

The Revit Daylighting Analysis plug-in uses the Autodesk 360 Rendering cloud service to provide very fast and physically accurate daylighting analysis from within Revit. It was specifically designed for architects to be able to use without learning the difference between types of sky models, or topics like direct normal incident or direct horizontal radiation. Instead you just specify if you want the whole building analyzed or just one or more floors and kick the analysis off.

Read more HERE

Change to Autodesk Cloud Credit Allocation

Change To Autodesk Cloud Credit Allocation

On the 13th December 2013, Autodesk will be changing the way existing Subscription, Rental Plan and standalone Autodesk cloud service customers get provisioned their cloud credits.  Each named user will receive 100 distinct and user-specific cloud credits, rather than all of the credits being pooled on the contract and shared between eligible users. Any existing Cloud units that are assigned to the contract will expire when your subscription contract is due for renewal.

Source Excitech Newsletter

PAS 1192-3 out for Comment Until the 2nd December

PAS 1192-3 Draft Scope:

This PAS specifies requirements for achieving BIM Level 2 in relation to the operation and maintenance of assets (buildings and infrastructure).

It covers the data transfer processes to inherit asset information from the project information model (PIM) or to create an asset information model (AIM) for an existing asset or portfolio of assets, to use it to support organizational requirements, to revise it as the asset changes, and to hold it as a resource for the owners, operators and maintainers of the asset.

This PAS does not cover data content but does cross-refer to broad headings and documents which define data content.

This PAS is for use by organizations and individuals responsible for the operation, maintenance and strategic management of assets. In particular, it is of use to individuals involved in transferring data from the PIM to an AIM utilised by the organization.

NOTE An organization may apply this PAS without necessarily needing to use BIM Level 2. However, an organization required to apply BIM Level 2 to the operational phase of an asset would need to apply this PAS.

 

To download a copy for review click Here

.

Autodesk Provides 3D Design in a Browser, an Industry First

Collaboration with Amazon Web Services, OTOY and NVIDIA Enables Developers to Access Powerful 3D Modeling from Anywhere, Anytime, with Any Device Using a Simple Web Browser

---

PRESS RELEASE

---

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 05, 2013 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Autodesk, Inc. customers will now be able to access Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Maya and Autodesk 3ds Max design tools via a web browser. For the first time ever, customers can access full-fledged 3D design, engineering and entertainment work in a browser without sacrificing performance, power or functionality.

.

Read more HERE It's going to change the shape of using and buying software.....

---

It starts to make one think, what about poor souls who don't have good stable fast internet connection?

 

What happens if your broadband goes down?

.

What is it going to cost for existing customers with software and subscription and new customers?

Tekla have released an Educational version of their software

It's interesting that Tekla have released an Educational version of their software. below are details that you get to see once registered. In some way's as a Revit User I'm half tempted to download and use this resource to see how the other half live.

It has to be said, being made redundant and deciding to set up as a one man band Limited company has brought home to me just how expensive BIM software actually is. Hopefully NanoCAD are looking at NanoBIM and ultimately we will be able to source 3D parametric modelling BIM software at a reasonable price.

Knowing Tekla increases your opportunities to land a job you like. Register for Tekla Campus now.

You can still get educational versions of Autodesk software from Here

Tekla Structures Learning is educational student configuration of Tekla Structures BIM software. Tekla Structures Learning includes the functionality of Tekla Structures full configuration, excluding the steel and precast fabrication functionality. The licensing terms limit the usage of Tekla Structures Learning for educational use only. Production use is prohibited.

Tekla Structures Learning configuration produces educational output:

• Building information models created or saved with Tekla Structures Learning are educational models. They are compatible with Tekla Structures Educational configuration, but they cannot be opened in commercial configurations of Tekla Structures.
• Drawings created or saved with Tekla Structures Learning display a watermark stamp inscribed with Tekla Structures Educational text.

Tekla Structures Learning installation package contains a ready-to-run 32-bit test version of the software with the default settings. Additional country-specific settings for Tekla Structures Learning are available for installation at the Tekla Campus website. Tekla supports the latest version of Tekla Structures Learning. The supported hardware and operating system setup for Tekla Structures Learning is listed as follows:

• Windows 8, Windows 7 SP1, Windows Vista SP2, Windows XP SP3
• 3 GB RAM - Graphics card with Open GL support
• Mouse with middle-button scroll
• Internet connection

Tekla Campus user account acts as license key for Tekla Structures Learning configuration. Tekla grants registered Tekla Campus user a 4 month student license to use Tekla Structures Learning configuration and Tekla Campus web service for educational purposes.

Tekla Structures Learning license limits the usage of Tekla Structures Learning into one concurrent online session at a time. For occasional offline use, Tekla Structures Learning works without active internet connection for 24 hours at a time.

Tekla Campus discussion forum is the primary support channel for Tekla Structures Learning configuration. Tekla experts are available to help at the forum, and all Tekla Campus users are allowed and warmly encouraged to help each other here. The language of the Tekla Campus forums is English.

Revit 2014 Update 2 Links

Here are links to Update 2 for Revit 2014

Revit 2014 (Onebox)
Revit Architecture 2014
Revit Structure 2014
Revit MEP 2014

Autodesk aquires Structural Detailing and Fabrication Software from Graitec

SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) has signed a definitive agreement with the shareholders of Graitec to acquire certain technology assets, including Graitec’s Advance Steel and Advance Concrete product lines, and associated employees. The acquisition will enhance Autodesk’s current offerings for structural engineering and expand its portfolio of technology for Building Information Modeling (BIM) for structural fabrication and detailing. Through the proposed acquisition, Autodesk will continue to lead the industry’s migration to BIM and evolution of model-based workflows for structural engineers, detailers, fabricators and contractors who provide modeling, analysis, detailing, and production services. The transaction is expected to close in the 4th quarter of fiscal year 2014 and is subject to customary closing conditions. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
   
“Autodesk continues to extend Building Information Modeling across the building lifecycle. The proposed acquisition of the Graitec technology will provide our customers with a more seamless structural engineering workflow, from design to fabrication and to construction, with enhanced offerings for structural steel and concrete detailing,” said Amar Hanspal, Autodesk senior vice president of Information Modeling and Platform Products. “We look forward to welcoming Graitec employees, customers and partners to the Autodesk community.”

Graitec is a global provider of CAD and engineering software for structural engineering, civil engineering and building construction headquartered in France. Graitec’s Advance Steel and Advance Concrete products offer modeling, detailing, and fabrication solutions to support BIM-based steel and reinforced concrete workflows. Graitec will to continue to sell and support Advance Steel and Advance Concrete, as well as sell, support, and develop its remaining products for structural engineering.

"Autodesk's acquisition of the Advance Steel and Advance Concrete products in support of its BIM strategy is a testament to the expertise of the Graitec team and the quality of our steel and concrete detailing solutions," said Francis Guillemard, CEO, Graitec. "Graitec continues to develop dedicated BIM software and services that are complementary to Autodesk, and together we look forward to maximizing the efficiency and performance of the global construction industry."

Business Outlook
This transaction is expected to have no impact on guidance issued today, October 2, 2013.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding: the impact of the acquisition and acquired technologies on Autodesk's product and services offerings, the impact of the acquisition on end-user functionality and workflow integration, and Autodesk’s acceleration of the adoption of BIM in structural engineering. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include the following: Autodesk’s ability to timely close the acquisition of Graitec and integrate Graitec technologies and employees; costs related to the proposed acquisition; whether certain market segments grow as anticipated; the competitive environment in the software industry and competitive responses to the acquisition; our success developing new products or modifying existing products and the degree to which these gain market acceptance; failure to successfully manage transitions to new business models and markets, including the introduction of additional ratable revenue streams and our continuing efforts to attract customers to our cloud-based offerings; difficulty in predicting revenue from new businesses and the potential impact on our financial results from changes in our business models; general market and business conditions; the timing and degree of expected investments in growth opportunities; pricing pressure; failure to achieve continued cost reductions and productivity increases; changes in the timing of product releases and retirements; failure of key new applications to achieve anticipated levels of customer acceptance; failure to achieve continued success in technology advancements; interruptions or terminations in the business of our consultants or third party developers; the expense and impact of legal or regulatory proceedings; and unanticipated impact of accounting for acquisition.

Further information on potential factors that could affect the financial results of Autodesk are included in the company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2013, and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 31, 2013, which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Autodesk does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

David Philp - UK BIM update

David Philp, Head of BIM Implementation for the Cabinet Office gives a UK BIM update and a presentation on H.M Governments whole sector approach to the implementation of digital collaborative working.

Not a lot of Activity on this Blog......

That's because I'm currently working on the 2013 Edition of the Hitch Hikers Guide to BIM and have been really busy at work and on the allotment

Adventures with Revit Plug-Ins

Fellow LRUG Steering Group member Shaun Farrell and Rory MacTague of Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), London, UK, examine various plug-ins and add-ons to see what tools are out there and which ones are actually useful. This article covers just a subset of all the tools currently being researched by the practice

Read More Here ...
.

Revit 2013 & 2014 Products Updates

The download links are available on the relevant Data & Downloads Updates section for each product or suite.

Direct links:

Revit 2014 Update Release 1

Revit Architecture 2014 Update Release 1

Revit Structure 2014 Update Release 1

Revit MEP 2014 Update Release 1

Revit LT 2014 Update Release 1

Revit LT 2013 Update Release 1

Installation Readme files and Enhancements Documentation are available on each product page.
.

BIM4Real Summary Document Available for Download

I had an invite to this but a hospital appointment meant that I could not attend.The good news is that a summary of the event can now be downloaded off the BIMREAL web site

You will find the navigation links on the left handside of the RIM4Real home page. Use these to navigate to the various sections of the summary.   You may also download the summary in either PDF or Microsoft Word format.

The summary does not have a copyright and may be freely distributed as a whole document.

Alternatively you are welcome to extract content from it for your own documentation and presentations. Credit to BIM4Real is appreciated.

The committee would always be interested to know how this information is being used, your more than welcome to contact them.

This document is an event summary document. It records what was discussed and stated at the actual event by those in attendance. It should not be read as an approved best practice or protocol document. Nor does it have any legal standing.
.

David Light and Star Wars Again

Nice one Dave https://sketchfab.com/show/w9R4axkqg8N9SgSBk54I1VsJF7Q

It had to be Star Wars related so where is the AT AT?

I love this web site, I'm going to have to play......

New Content Packs for Germans, French and Japanese but nowt for the Brits!

 

I've just seen that New Language Content Packs for Autodesk Revit 2014 and Autodesk Revit Structure 2014 are now Available on the Subscription Portal over at BIM & BEAM click Here to view the post

Wooopie for the Germans, French and Japanese.

Autodesk - Lets have something for the Brits Guys! we pay subscription as well
 

Metric Versions of ASCENT Revit Courseware

I received a flyer last week updating me on the current situation regarding Autodesk courseware - Here is a link to the full ASCENT Courseware Release Roadmap document for your information. Extract below:-

A metric version of the Structure Fundamentals has been a long time coming, but it looks like it's going to be with us soon and I'm really looking forward to recieving a METRIC version to review here on the Blog.

Not currently on the list is a Metric Version of the Revit Structure Advanced Course, it being a third of the time and hopefully size of the Fundamentals, let's hope they will have a metric version on the roadmap for 2015?

I really must take a look at the content of Revit for Project Managers as this may be useful for Managers, Directors, Associates and Partners within the company when it too eventually has a metric version. 

Quick Links

	ASCENT eStore
	eBooks
	YouTube videos

As the Author and publisher of the Hitch Hikers Guide to BIM, I can sympathise with ASCENT in the challenge of creating and maintaining publications, and it must be doubly hard when dealing with imperial and metric versions.

Revit Structure 2013 Update Release 1 2 or 3

Confused you will be...... read this from the Autodesk web site

Third line I think they mean "Prior to installing the Update Release" 3 and not 2, but to not edit previous post and still have links to Update 1 files .... Doh!

Shoot or sack the individual who posted this.  

Come on Autodesk get your act together.... Here is the link to the page above

Booze up and Brewery comes to mind and well as the other naughty one!

See also Steve Staffords Post about there not being an update release for Revit 2013

After posting the above I decided to check out the pages for Architecture and MEP looks like it's only the structural guys that are not on the ball....

Update - I later thought could they really be that silly?
                Yes they can, it may say UR1 but it downloads UR3
.

RC Detailing in Revit is a 3D toy!

Lawrence Hooker over at Revit A Structures Approach has created a nice little youTube Video about the new RC detailing tools and features in Revit 2014 but still acknowledges that modelling and scheduling or rebar but still very little in the way of real drawing production to UK and European standards and conventions.

Link to his posting and video can be found Here

OPEN BIM NETWORK joins forces with BuildingSMART UK and Ireland

The UK’s primary network for building information modelling (BIM) users, OPEN BIM NETWORK, is joining forces with BuildingSMART UK and Ireland, which provides the standards driving the adoption of the open BIM universal approach.

OPEN BIM NETWORK is already partnering with industry body Constructing Excellence. The new alliance brings together two key networks that are critical for the accelerated take up of BIM: those who will use and deliver open BIM across the construction industry, and those developing standards, training and software products.

The groups are already collaborating on an industry COBie (Construction Operations Building
Information Exchange) trial involving Gatwick Airport and key contracting partners. COBie allows information to be exported from the building model into a spreadsheet format, which is used to inform the construction and operation of a building.
Partners in the Gatwick COBie trial are:

• BAM
• Brookfield Multiplex
• Carillion
• Mace
• Gatwick Airport
• Laing O’Rourke
• Lend Lease
• Mace
• Sir Robert McAlpine
• Skanska
• Wates
• Vinci.

Results from the trial, which will be available in October, will influence future developments by software vendors, academia and the wider construction industry with the use of COBie in relation to level 2 BIM.
BRE and BuildingSMART director Nick Tune said, “Getting the users and technical people together in this way means we can create the most effective, user friendly standards and products that will help the construction industry realise the benefits of BIM – it’s a very strong dynamic.”
Don Ward, chief executive of Constructing Excellence, said of the move: “This will ensure the successful uptake of BIM, so that clients and suppliers are able to maximise the benefits.” 

Source Building4Change  http://www.building4change.com/page.jsp?id=1818
.

RIBA Plan of Work 2013 is ready for download

The RIBA Plan of Work 2013 has been conceived for use on the most progressive of BIM projects. It has been developed to achieve this goal along with a number of supporting publications that help to facilitate the tasks that are embedded in the Plan.

One of the most important tasks on any BIM project is properly assembling the project team. The shift in emphasis from the design team (as set out in the 1963 RIBA Plan of Work) to the project team is in itself a core message to be derived from the RIBA Plan of Work 2013. In assembling the project team the new Plan of Work advocates the consideration of who does what, when and how.

Read more Here

Download Here
.

Updated FABmep Import for Revit MEP Now Available via Autodesk Labs

 

Autodesk Fabrication CADmep supports detailing, fabrication, and installation workflows for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) contractors, and provides tools that extend design-intent to create more accurate, intelligent, constructible models of building services systems. Autodesk Revit is specifically built for Building Information Modeling (BIM), empowering design and construction professionals to bring ideas from concept to construction with a coordinated and consistent model-based approach. The flavor of Revit that adds capabilities for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing is Revit MEP.

For more information, to read more on this subject and download see the posting over at It's Alive In the Lab

 

Extension for Autodesk Revit 2014 on Autodesk Exchange App

Source BIM & Beam website

A few pack edges of Revit Extension 2014 have been released on the Autodesk Exchange App Store.

These tools are

Subscriber Benefit Apps.
Civil Structures for Autodesk Revit 2014
Frame Generator for Autodesk Revit 2014
SDNF Import/Export for Autodesk Revit 2014
Composite Design for Autodesk Revit 2014
Excel Based Model Generation for Revit 2014
Timber Framing for Autodesk Revit 2014
Grids Generator for Autodesk Revit 2014
CIS/2 Import/Export for Autodesk Revit 2014
Compare Models for Autodesk Revit 2014

Which would be bloody marvellous if the subscription centre login page would remain on screen as you attempted to login !!!

 

Revit Structure 2014 - Multi Rebar Annotations & Enhanced Rebar Shapes

Here is a nice little video from Ideate - Bollywood Style

What ever happened to all those BBC voice trained presenters?

Autodesk Revit 2014 - Enhanced Analytical Model

Where do Autodesk find these people to do the voice overs on these videos? - it sounds like "Fronk" from Father of the Bride or "Serge" from Beverly Hills Cop have gone to Autodesk.

The Growth through BIM Report authored by Richard Saxon CBE

The Growth through BIM Report authored by Richard Saxon CBE was published by CIC last week. This was a UK Government (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) funded report to report on how best to turn the UK BIM Strategy into economic growth in the home and export markets.

Click Here to download

Dancing Babies Rule.....

I saw this and it made me smile, so decided to share......



Dancing with my baby-me. evian Live young.
Music: Here comes the Hotstepper - Evian remix by Yuksek
Download on iTunes: http://bit.ly/BabynMe

NanoCAD the Free Alternative to AutoCAD

OK I like FREE, I have downloaded and played with Nanocad for a few days now, and it is really exceptional value for money ;0). It's as good as IntelliCAD and better than A9Cad and if you are still playing with 2D then don't give Autodesk any more money for AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT check out NanoCAD at http://nanocad.com/

The interface is not the latest Ribbon and it has an AutoCAD Classic type interface but hell I started using AutoCAD at version 2.5 in DOS and still love the Classic windows 2004 interface. and it will run LISP routines - check out the Comparison Chart

Then go download and play for FREE

How long until we see FREE Alternatives to REVIT it's gonna happen one day ;0)

Technology	nanoCAD 4.5 www.nanocad.com	AutoCAD 2012 www.autodesk.com	AutoCAD 2012 LT www.autodesk.com
User interface and basic technologies
User interface	classic	ribbon+classic	ribbon+classic
Multiple document mode	yes	yes	yes
Layer, block and linetype managers	yes	yes	yes
Object snap, object tracking and polar snap	yes	yes	yes
AutoCAD commands syntax	yes	yes	yes
Command line: autohide mode, changing parameters  (font, color and height)	yes	yes	yes
Command line: hyperlinks for command options	yes	–	–
Autocomplete of entered commands	yes	yes	yes
SHX and TTF fonts	yes	yes	yes
Autorecover of drawings	yes	yes	yes
Unlimited Undo/Redo commands	yes	yes	yes
Aliases, menu and toolbars settings	yes	yes	yes
Selection of similar objects	yes	yes	yes
Selection of overlapped and superimposed objects	yes	yes	yes
User coordinate systems	yes	yes	yes
External references, XREF	yes	yes	yes
Operations with raster images	yes	yes	yes
Linetype editor	yes	–	–
Creation of viewport from model space	yes	–	–
Dynamic blocks	yes	yes	yes
Dynamic input	–	yes	yes
2D-drawing
Information about object’s properties  when the cursor goes over it	yes	yes	yes
Notepad for text data exchange	yes	–	–
Calculator	yes	yes	yes
Multifunctional grips	yes	yes	yes
Associative dimensions	yes	yes	yes
Associative hatches	–	yes	yes
Additional commands for layers	–	yes	–
AutoCAD tables	yes	yes	yes
Excel-style table editor	yes	–	–
Additional tools
Parametric 2D-design	–	Using dependencies	–
Creation of user libraries consisting of objects with  geometric, descriptive and behavioral properties	–	Dynamic blocks	–
Adding dialogs to control objects behavior	–	Using external      programming	–
Editing of external references	partly	yes	yes
Display of 3D-drawings	yes	yes	yes
Creation of mesh objects	yes	yes	–
Switching of visual styles	yes	yes	–
3D-views	yes	yes	–
Orbit command	yes	yes	–
Operations with solid 3D-objects	–	yes	–
Printing
Working with model space and paper space	yes	yes	yes
Viewports	yes	yes	yes
Objects transparency	yes	yes	yes
Color dependent printing (CTB)	yes	yes	yes
Batch plot	yes	yes	–
Printing in PDF	using external      PDF-printers	yes	yes
Printing in PLT	yes	yes	yes
PDF as a background	–	yes	yes
Programming, development
OLE Automation (Visual Basic Script/Java Script)	yes	yes	–
Visual Basic for Applications	–	yes	–
AutoLISP (with DCL)	yes	yes	–
C++	NRX	ARX	–
.NET	yes	yes	–

11 Revit 2014 Essential Skill Videos from Autodesk

Here are 11 Essential Skill Revit 2014 Videos from Autodesk, enjoy ;0)

01 Autodesk Revit: Getting Started

02  Autodesk Revit: Visibility and Graphics (Esssential Skill)

03 Autodesk Revit: Analytical Model (Essential Skill)

04 Autodesk Revit: Sketching (Essential Skill)

05Autodesk Revit: Selection (Essential Skill)

06 Autodesk Revit: Navigation (Essential Skill)

07 Autodesk Revit: Modeling (Essential Skill)

08 Autodesk Revit: Model vs. Annotation Elements (Essential Skill)

09 Autodesk Revit: MEP Systems (Essential Skill)

10 Autodesk Revit: Levels (Essential Skill)

11 Autodesk Revit: Families (Essential Skill)

What's New In Autodesk Revit 2014

Here is a nice little video from Autodesk

Design Review Upgrades from 2013 to 2009 !!!!!

It's that time of the year again - New Software fresh BUGS!

So I launched Design Review 2013 which told me there was an upgrade OK hit the button and guess what it links too

It's BACK TO THE FUTURE time again

Come on Autodesk sort yourselves out

SEC First Steps to BIM Competence - A Guide for Specialist Contractors

BIM guide gets Cabinet Office endorsement First steps to BIM competence: a guide for specialist contractors which has been developed by the Specialist Engineering Contractors´(SEC) Group and the National Specialist Contractors´ Council (NSCC), in collaboration with the University of Northumbria´s BIM Academy, has been endorsed by the Cabinet Office. Electronic copies are available at the NSCC and SEC websites: www.nscc.org ; www.secgroup.org.uk

What’s new in Revit 2014?

As they sing at the start of one of the Bond movies - "Nobody Does It Better" and that always applies to a review of what's new in the latest version of Revit by my friend and fellow LRUG  London Revit User Group founder member David Light

Go see and read at http://autodesk-revit.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/whats-new-in-revit-2014.html




Other reviews and information on Revit 2014 include :-

Revit Rocks!            Materials Dialog Box  

Autodesk WikiHelp  What's New in 2014  

Boost Your BIM      Revit 2014 API Updates

BPA Blog                New Revit 2014 Building Performance Analysis Features