Tuesday 5 December 2017

NBS Online Viewer showcased at Autodesk University Las Vegas 2017

The NBS Online Viewer got quite a bit of exposure at Autodesk University (AU) Las Vegas 2017.

One of the great things about AU is that it is all on video and the classes can be watched for free online. So here are the links below...

1. My class with Jim Quanci - 'Forging ahead...'
It was good to tell the story of the NBS Online Viewer alongside Jim Quanci who leads the Forge team...

Watch below:
http://au.autodesk.com/au-online/classes-on-demand/class-catalog/classes/year-2017/forge/fdc124113#chapter=0

2. Stephen Preston and Jim Quanci - Ten useful and cool Forge applications
Stephen and Jim from the Forge team at Autodesk present their favourite ten uses of their technology...

Watch below (NBS feature at 20'20):
http://au.autodesk.com/au-online/classes-on-demand/class-catalog/classes/year-2017/forge/fdc124113#chapter=0

3. Andrew Anagnost opening keynote
Chief Executive concludes his keynote with the NBS work as one of the examples of leading world-wide BIM applications.

Watch below (NBS feature at 56'15):
http://au.autodesk.com/au-online/classes-on-demand/class-catalog/classes/year-2017/class-detail/127551#chapter=0

Thursday 30 November 2017

BIM research for Manufacturers

We have just published a free-to-download research report for manufacturers interested in BIM.
https://www.thenbs.com/knowledge/nbs-manufacturers-bim-report-2017

As with all of our NBS market research reports, 100s of organisations have been surveyed and the results are presented alongside easy-to-read analysis...
Manufacturer attitudes to BIM
There are also a few case study articles looking at how manufacturers and BIM are working on real life projects today.



How an architectural practice is using manufacturer BIM content on housing projects in London

How a manufacturer is creating standardised content and distributing it to thousands of designers
Also, a quick plug for the excellent NBS research service - David and Adrian in my team have done some top work for leading manufacturers and organisations such as Microsoft, RIBA and DCLG over the years. If you are going on a digital transformation and want to understand what your customers needs are - then give us a call or drop us an email:
https://www.riba-insight.com/products/market-research.asp

Download the manufacturer BIM repoort below:
https://www.thenbs.com/knowledge/nbs-manufacturers-bim-report-2017

Tuesday 14 November 2017

AU2017 - NBS in the Exhibition Hall

If you are at AU2017, please come and see us in the Exhibition Hall.

We have two stands - please come over and say 'hello'.

1. As part of the Future of Making Things exhibition
Our stand in the Future of Making Things exhibition
Understand a little more about how we are encouraging the industry to move from paper to digital
Explore a 3D printed model of our NBS Old Post Office building
The fantastic BDP case study

Short video showing off the stand


2. In the Forge Partner area
You'll get a warm welcome from Head of Software Development Phil Scott at the Forge Partner area

Watch the BDP case study

AU5K

Really good fun to take part in the AU fun run early this morning.

Good to see it in measured in metric too (5K) and not 3.2miles :)
#InternationalStandards
Alarm goes off at 5.30am - glad I only had 3-4 beers the previous night

Up before sunrise

Some of the Autodesk UK gang

The Newcastle parkrun posse

Shaan Hurley - the man behind the run

Over 100 runners
The view at 6am on the strip

The time it takes to do 5k up and down escalators, across traffic crossings and avoiding the drinkers that were still out partying
- Results

AU Las Vegas - Presentation

Yesterday I presented with Jim Quanci from the Forge team. This presentation can be viewed online at the link below:
http://au.autodesk.com/au-online/classes-on-demand/class-catalog/classes/year-2017/forge/fdc124113#chapter=0

As it was at the Dev Con, I decided against Powerpoint slide after Powerpoint slide and did some live software demos. Screenshots from these below...
Fantastic to present alongside Jim Quanci who leads the Forge team
Back of an envelope sketch #1 - Could we do a CAD plug-in in 2010?
Back of an envelope sketch #2 - Could we do a cloud integration in 2016?

Software demo 1 - Syncing cloud guidance and standards with the model

Software demo 2 - Syncing project specification with model

Software demo 3 - Not just BIM objects, but BIM objects with standardised data

Software demo 4 - Generic and manufacturer content all scheduled to show standard attributes

Software demo 5 - The published information now in the cloud (Forge Viewer in middle)

Software demo 6 - Click the object - see the spec

Software demo 7 - Basic training application using Forge

Software demo 8 - Live coding (with only one mistake on the day!)

Software demo 9 - Student project at NBS

Software demo 10 - Accessing data using Google Sheets API from a Raspberry Pi

Software demo 11 - The temperature in our office at NBS in the UK in real time

Software demo 12 - Accessing data from BIM 360

Software demo 13 - Selecting the model from BIM 360

Software demo 14 - Viewing the BIM 360 model in the NBS environment
To see some of this in context - please visit our NBS case studies page...
thenbs.com/case-studies/

To watch the full presentation, please see:
http://au.autodesk.com/au-online/classes-on-demand/class-catalog/classes/year-2017/forge/fdc124113#chapter=0

Monday 13 November 2017

5,000

I've just been 'followed' for the 5,000th time on Twitter. A big thank you to everyone who has clicked the 'Follow' button - hopefully I tweet stuff of interest (occassionally at least). A quick look through the Twitter Analytics portal shows some of the more 'engaging' tweets from the last couple of years below...




October 2017...
June 2017...
April 2017...
February 2017...
June 2016...
First ever Tweet in September 2011 - no followers - nobody engaged :(

And of course - a big thank you to the 5,000th follower...
Thanks for the follow Mr Reis!

Thursday 19 October 2017

Digital Construction Week 2017 - Day Two

Following on from yesterday's Day One review post - here is a quick review of Day Two...

Andrew Wolstenholme - Construction Leadership Council
I've been to many BIM events, but until today I have never had the chance to listen to Andrew Wolstenholme who is CEO of Crossrail and chair of the CLC.

Some of his key slides below. Some of his big messages:
  • Look at how automotive and aeropspace industries collaborate and work together on standards and innovation and work to get Government funding. Construction industry is way behind. The two big innovation areas for cars are (a) batteries and (b) self-driving cars - the industry really gets behind the challenge.
  • When it comes to the big projects. You must focus on the outcomes. Focus on the business case. The spending is then worth it. Example being Crossrail - spend £14.8bn - for a return of £42bn to the economy.
  • Three areas of focus for the industry - (a) procure for better value, (b) industry-led innovation with matched Government funding and (c) skills for the future.
Andrew also looked at the 'sector deal' - the investment on its way:
http://www.constructionleadershipcouncil.co.uk/news/our-opportunity-the-construction-industry-sector-deal/
A lot of money is about to be spent
We don't currently have enough capacity in the industry to deliver

Be sure of the business case - and then spend

Andrew wants to get construction the same sort of funding for innovation that other industries get 
AI in construction - Akos Pfemeter
This was largely a look at the history of AI - and then a reflection on where it wil benefit construction. Some links below:

Alex Lubbock - Delivering against Government Construction Strategy
Alex is part of the Digital Built Britain team. He reported on how BIM Level 2 was being pushed through departments to try and make it 'business as usual'.

He also looked at all of the priority areas...
The priorities

Emerging technologies will create amazing productivity opportunities

It's not just about the big companies - it's about SMEs and sharing the passion through social media

David Philp - City Modelling
Dave removed his Digital Built Britain hat and put on his Aecom hat to present the work they were doing around city modelling and big data.

A pretty cool software package was demonstrated (the guy behind Google Earth is the owner):
https://www.cityzenith.com/smartcampus
How will emerging technology allow us to monitor our assets?

The existing estate (with no BIM) is huge
Su Butcher - Collaboration
Then it was off to the BIM Village stage. Su Butcher did a nice job of presenting using only a whiteboard and markers.

What can help/hinder collaboration? Technology... Legal issues... Behaviour...
Forget your flashy Powerpoints - Su Butcher brings out the whiteboard!
Me - Structured data through the timeline
My class was accepted (thanks Olly :)) - so I got a chance to present to 50 or so delegates at the BIM Village.

My three take-home points were:
  1. Get the start of the project right - support the client with the EIR/BEP process
  2. Use standardised information structures for objects and specifications
  3. Consider how emerging technologies will change the way we work
Check out some BIM case studies below...
Case study 01
Case study 02

Case study 03
If you want to watch me talk about this stuff - please see the link below:
https://www.thenbs.com/knowledge/practical-examples-of-how-to-develop-and-coordinate-information-on-a-bim-project

...and, it wasn't all work, work, work, a bit of fun below...
(Thanks Anthony from James Ward Architects)

Separated at birth?