South Coast Revit Users Group

Colleagues, Thanks to all who attended the October SCRUG. It was a pleasure to welcome Chris France of Advance2000 to learn about the latest developments AEC Cloud Computing Technology and Virtual Desktop Integration. Thanks to KTGY for hosting the event. We have held six very successful meetings this year, and we intend to wrap up with SCRUG Holiday Event in mid-December. Visit our blog and SCRUG on LinkedIn to stay informed. ~Allen Jay Holland - SCRUG Chairman ~~~ Thanks to our sponsors: Kelar Pacific - Microdesk - U.S. CAD

Colleagues, Working in Revit can be a challenge between different offices of the same firm. It is a nightmare trying to collaborate between 10-30 consulting firms scattered across North America (or the world). We will look at the “state of technology” and the pros/cons of various strategies for AEC design and construction collaboration. Technologies such as Panzura, Nasuni, Citix, Vmware, C4R, A360, non-Revit design tools, and hybrid/project clouds are just a few that we will discuss. ~ Chris France , Regional President Advance2000, has specialized in Information Technology for over three decades. He started his career as a software and systems engineer and progressed to program manager of major DOD systems. He worked for IBM, Bank of America and Wells Fargo, and then was CIO at Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, a Charlotte-based design firm.   Chris leads the charge for “private cloud computing” services At Advance2000, and is a published author and s...

Colleagues, Please join me in welcoming Sam Keville as co-organizer of the South Coast Revit Users Group. Originally from Massachusetts, he has been a Californian for ten years, and holds a Bachelor's Degree from Sci-Arc in Los Angeles.  As an example to all, Sam is presenting his own thoughts on a topic, as a basis for further discussion and enlightenment. ~ Making Money with Revit - Delivering the Promise of BIM This is a conversation about the current state of BIM: What does it take to deliver a successful project file in 2017? This talk breaks down medium to large Revit projects as an overview of the team, process, and product.   We dive into some of the most important workflows to deliver a file which is usable by the client, contractor, and firm for future projects. There will also be a bonus gift share included, so please join us in the discussion. RSVP at SCRUG.Anyvite.com

Colleagues, Please join me in welcoming Sam Keville as co-organizer of the South Coast Revit Users Group. Originally from Massachusetts, he has been a Californian for ten years, and holds a Bachelor's Degree from Sci-Arc in Los Angeles. His early career focus in work has been as a designer, 3D modeler, team leader, and visualizer, experienced in competition-style deadlines and producing large amounts of iterative design assets in a limited time. His goal is to connect architecture and technology while using the most cutting-edge modes of representation in meaningful and progressive design processes. His practical skills include computational design, 3D modeling, content creation, rendering, and digital fabrication. Sam is currently working on campus style projects at AO, using Revit to improve communication and coordination between design and production teams. Sam promises to utilize his BIM expertise as well as his irreverent attitude to assist the revitaliz...

Colleagues, Everyone knows that BIM is all about information. We have also learned that populating a Building Information Model with that information does not happen automatically. The ideal that has been envisioned by BIM developers and academics is that the model can eventually evolve into a tool that can be used to manage its real-world counterpart, and even that they remain connected in some way. It's difficult to learn (and then to advocate) that the process of populating the model is not additional work. This change from "the way we are doing it now" is very disruptive. People must learn new skills. Is it that or be replaced? Room Data Sheets are summary views containing both graphics and data for specific rooms  or room types  and may be required by some clients. Among their uses is to facilitate program validation. Does the design satisfy the program? Architectural Programming is an aspect of design in which few people now can participate. It i...

Colleagues, When commuting via Metrolink to Orange County, the Streamliner Lounge in Orange became a favorite stop-over (when trains were delayed). Located 3 blocks west of Orange Plaza at the Orange Metrolink Train Station, it shares the renovated historic Santa Fe Depot with Ruby's Diner. In the early days of rail transport in the United States, railroads tended to be built out of coastal cities into the hinterland, and systems did not connect. Each builder was free to choose its own gauge. When American railroads' track extended to the point that they began to interconnect, it became clear that a single nationwide gauge would be a good idea. The US has a National BIM Standard , developed under the auspices of the National Institute for Building Sciences, and sponsored by the Building SMART Alliance. Large owner/operators may have their own BIM standards (i.e. Kaiser Health, University of California). Other markets such as housing are less demanding when it comes to...

Colleagues, I've been involved in two trials of Assemble and can relate that it is a really cool platform. Assemble is a great tool for non-Revit users to interact with BIM. I like the ability to upload directly from the model, the automatic versioning of uploads, and the bi-directional data flow. We are fortunate to have Conner Burke of McCarthy Construction to present a case study highlighting all of the platform's features: Topic Name:  Improving Workflows Between GC’s and Architects Utilizing Revit & Assemble During the Design Phase  Synopsis:  During the Design Phase, certain efficiencies can be gained by creating specific workflows aimed at increasing speed and accuracy. To do this effectively, a high level of collaboration is necessary, specifically by utilizing programs like Revit and Assemble. Understanding the intricacies of these programs allows the Design Team and GC to communicate more simply and effectively, opening doors for such thi...

CoLab at LPA Colleagues, More than fifty guests were present for the presentation by Scott Davis. Scott Davis The presentation was streamed live on GoTo Meeting. TheMexicanTaco.com Guests enjoyed the soft taco bar thanks to the generous contributions of our sponsors. To stay informed of news and events: Join SCRUG on LinkedIn Register for meeting announcements at SCRUG.Anyvite.com . South Coast Revit Users Group Blog

Colleagues, Some may have already seen information about Revit 2018 that has been 'leaked' from the Beta program. Apropos for this era. There always seems to be some delight mixed with disappointment after these announcements. The Autodesk embargo will be lifted before our meeting takes place. I find it best to have no expectations. There are huge challenges ahead for AEC practitioners who wish to collaborate in real time, and to solve the inefficiencies of the building process that we have been discussing for more than two decades. In an exclusive interview, Martyn Day speaks to Autodesk chief software architect Jim Awe about the company’s vision of the next generation of BIM tools. You are invited to SCRUG's preview of Revit 2018 on Thursday, April 20th, presented by Autodesk Senior AEC Technical Specialist Scott Davis. To RSVP go to scrug.anyvite.com/ ~Allen Jay Holland

Colleagues, The South Coast Revit Users Group is pleased to welcome Autodesk Senior AEC Technical Specialist Scott Davis to our next meeting, scheduled for April 20 th . The topic of the April meeting is no secret. Scott will formally present new features to be found in Revit 2018. Scott is one of the ‘Original Gurus’ of the Southern California Revit community. He recently celebrated his 10 th anniversary with Autodesk after serving eight years as Technical Coordinator at WLC Architects. To make things interesting Scott will be flying in from Oregon just hours before the meeting. This meeting is always a highlight of the year. Join your friends and colleagues at LPA, Inc. on Thursday, April 20 th at six o’clock p.m. To RSVP go to  scrug.anyvite.com/ ~Allen Jay Holland Thanks to our sponsors Kelar-Pacific, Microdesk, and US CAD, and host LPA.

Linking between Building Information Models and Project Specifications is an aspiration of many design organizations. It is the missing link between Design BIM and FM&O BIM. Designers use BIM for design, validation, visualization, analysis, and quality assurance. Many take a cautious approach to Information, supplying only the minimum.  However, owners are increasingly demanding that data for facility management shall be derived from BIM and be useful for Operations and Maintenance. Even a ‘Smart Home’ gets smarter if the information needed to manage all its IoT devices is managed in a virtual model. As with many aspects of the design professions, specification writing has become a role in itself. While larger firms can afford dedicated staff, smaller firms may outsource the work to a consultant. Those professionals should be keenly interested in a cloud-based solution that provides remote access to models in a web browser. ~ A SCRUG member since 2010,  Seamus ...

Clive Jordan and LOD Planner Colleagues, Thanks to all who attended the February meeting. More than fifty members were present! Dozens more viewed the invite but couldn’t decide. If you’re one of those, here’s what you missed: Clive Jordan introduced LOD Planner, a web-based tool for collaborative creation of an LOD plan, the basis for establishing the level of trust associates with BIM objects and data. An excellent synopsis of the meeting has been published by Christopher Ganiere on his Architect-Life blog : LOD planner is a question based tool to help one create the LOD document to add to design & construction contracts. Why should one adhere to a rigid set of deliverables or an arbitrary schedule. One may customize what is needed by when the next chunk of design information is needed to meet the next deadline. One can prioritize based on the goals of the owner, contractor and/or design team. Why have super detailed geometry when no renderings are required? ...

For members not familiar with BIM planning, it is the process of developing and documenting the various responsibilities of the stakeholders involved in a BIM project. As defined in the Penn State guide, the stages of BIM planning are: Identify BIM Goals and Uses Design the BIM Project Execution Process Develop Information Exchanges Define the Supporting Infrastructure for BIM Implementation Level of Detail vs. Level of Development The LoD concept was developed by VICO Software for construction cost estimation. Faced with the problem of determining how accurate, or how definitive, were the model elements to which they wished to assign costs, they developed the concept they called "Level of Detail". LOD 100 meant not very definitive (an area or volume rate is accurate enough) LOD 200 assume the number of items in the model is correct, but use an estimate for each, LOD 300 items are identified and actual cost can be used, LOD 400 is a m...

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Colleagues, The South Coast Revit Users Group will reconvene on Thursday, February 2nd, featuring a presentation by BIM pioneer Clive Jordan , Founder and CEO of LOD Planner. In 2004 Vico Software (then a division of Graphisoft) began work on a Model Progression Specification (MPS). Webcor Builders teamed with Vico to further develop the concept, and then brought it to the technology subcommittee of the AIA California Council’s Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) Task Force. The AIA National Documents Committee adopted the approach, provided further development, and incorporated it into E202, published in 2008. (See The Paths to BIM Nirvana ) The core of the MPS is the LOD definitions – descriptions of the steps through which a BIM element can logically progress from the lowest level of conceptual approximation to the highest level of representational precision. As explained by favorite BIM blogger Antony McPhee, “LOD, as in "Level of Development", is a measure of h...