BIM & Beyond - Vol. #1 - Fall 2024
Sep 16, 2024
What is BIM & Beyond?
- BIM & Beyond is a quarterly publication in collaboration with Agustina Aboy.
- This is a list of 6 emerging apps, updates, and trends in BIM and AEC tech.
1- That Open Company Crusades for Open BIM
That Open Company was founded by Antonio G. Viegas, who is known for creating the popular open-source library ifc.js. The company's goal is to democratize BIM tools development.
What does it do?
Free tools: That Open Company offers free, open-source libraries to create your own BIM software, accelerating the development process.
Courses: They also offer a BIM Software Developer course. The next edition starts this month.
Community: That Open People is where "openers" meet and collaborate to build an open future.
Why it matters:
Bringing people together: Encouraging communication between developers and users helps spot and fix tech problems, leading to better tools for AEC.
Driving Innovation: By promoting free, open-source tools to everyone, Antonio bets that this will promote innovation by removing cost barriers and encouraging creative people to try new technologies.
Fun fact: Antonio is a well-known figure on social media, using provocative, tongue-in-cheek content to promote open-source ideas.
2- Autodesk's Path to a Common Data Environment
The Import/Export problem: Importing and exporting data is inefficient and leads to data loss. Cloud-based solutions like Speckle aim to address this.
Autodesk enters the market: Autodesk’s AEC Data Model API provides a cloud-based solution for the import/export problem, aiming to build a Common Data Environment.
What does it do?
Cloud-Based Data Management: The AEC Data Model APIs allow real-time access and editing of design data in the cloud, eliminating the need for large file exchanges.
Data management and queries: Users can easily get data, automate repetitive tasks, and generate reports on the cloud.
Democratic access to data: Project stakeholders can access information relevant to them.
Why it matters:
Improved efficiency: Effective data management reduces inefficiencies and costs, leading to better project outcomes.
Interoperability: The model aims to create a common language for AEC data, making it easier to integrate and communicate across different systems and applications.
3- Anker's Seamless Revit Integration
“The best Revit integrations are the ones that don't ask users to open Revit and click buttons.” - Havard Vasshaug, Anker's founder
Anker is a cloud-based app that integrates with Revit, enabling data transfer without opening Revit.
What does it do?
Data Population: Anker allows you to add or update type and instance data for BIM elements without opening Revit, using rulesets or Excel-like tables.
Automation: Automates population rules, ensuring consistent, up-to-date data across Revit models without repetitive tasks.
Why it is helpful?
Improved Workflow Efficiency: Automation improves workflow efficiency by reducing human error and inefficiencies.
Non-Revit users can access and modify data: Contractors and owners can update models from spreadsheets, without the need for a Revit license.
To know more about Anker, check out Håvard session on BIM Pure Live here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehG9WYDbMds
4- CODiii Scout: AI-Powered Design Compliance Assistant
CODiii Scout is an AI code compliance assistant developed by Paige Reiche and Dennis Dixon. It answers specific design compliance questions based on uploaded documents.
What does it do?
Q&A Chatbot Research Assistant: Ask the chatbot specific design compliance questions, and it'll give you answers based on the Code and any text (PDF, Word) design standard documents you upload.
Why it matters
Faster research: Saves you the trouble of sifting through tons of compliance documents, websites or confusing regulations.
Community-Driven Development: The CODiii community helps shape the software to meet industry needs.
Why is it different from other AIs?
Reduced hallucinations: Dennis Dixon explains that the primary difference lies in how CODiii Scout is trained to curate and present information. Unlike ChatGPT, CODiii is trained to reduce hallucinations. It give users a reference to where it's pulling the information from, and how it got to the provided answer. In this way, it is more similar to PerplexityAI than ChatGPT.
Limitations: this is Canada only for now, with more regions soon to be added.
5- RevitWizard: A Custom GPT for Revit users
RevitWizardAI is a custom GPT by Daniel Peterson.
What does it do
ChatGPT for Revit: Powered by GPT-4 and trained on real Revit problems and solutions from Daniel’s 8 years of BIM experience in various AEC firms.
Expert Tips & Suggestions: Each answer comes with a tip and related question suggestions to help guide your search even more.
Possible hallucinations: While RevitWizardAI is trained on real Revit knowledge, it is still based on ChatGPT and may occasionally generate incorrect answers (hallucinations). Ask for context or sources to ensure the accuracy of the information provided.
6- Forma Tutorials by Daniel Stine
Autodesk Forma offers cloud-based AI-driven tools for pre-design and schematic design.
What can Forma do?
Integrations: Designs can be sent to Revit, Rhino, and Dynamo for detailing.
Environmental analysis: Includes tools for assessing sunlight, noise, and wind patterns.
Contextual modeling: Allows geolocated projects with real-world data for site analysis.
Open API for Custom Extensions: Developers can create custom extensions to enhance the platform’s capabilities.
Learning Forma from Dan Stine + Lake|Flato award-winning projects
Dan Stine is the director of Technology at Lake|Flato. This renowned architectural firm has been using Forma in most of its projects.
Dan has created a step-by-step series on his blog, where you’ll find videos and written content crafted with Autodesk’s collaboration.
You can also check out Daniel’s BIMPure Session on Forma here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKYorBQsNlc
