It's that time of year again. Autodesk University 2022 is upon us! This year is pretty exciting as this will be the first time we will be meeting in person in over two years! Also, this year instead of meeting in Las Vegas, we will be in New Orleans! With that, we wanted to share with you all of our EvolveLAB proposals. We included a cross section of many formats and topics ranging from lectures on generative design to panel discussions on whether or not your firm should create custom tools. With that, we would love your help in voting for them if you think they should be included at AU this year! Without further due, here are our submissions.
Data Driven Occupancy Load Workflow using Autodesk Revit
Format: Industry Talk Product(s): Revit Topics: Automation, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Data Management, Document Management
Session Description
The Occupancy Load Workflow is a live and data-driven tool that takes advantage of Revit’s recent advancements in order to facilitate the architect’s code analysis and documentation journey. The workflow utilizes Schedules, Tags, Shared Parameters, and Formulas to process raw data, calculate, and deliver the Occupancy Load directly to the Code Plans while at the same time keeping the data flow between Schedule and Tags live and consolidated into a single source of truth.
Learning Objectives
Implement the Code Tools within their design and documentation processes.
Challenge themselves to implement similar solutions.
Implement a few new Revit tools in their own workflow.
Automate their Code documentation.
Should Your Firm Build Custom Tools?
Format: Panel Product(s): Revit Topics: Automation, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Data Management, Document Management
Session Description In this panel we will interview multiple firms who have had custom software solutions created for them and their firm. We will look at some of the reasons that drove them to create custom tools, whether it was for a competitive edge, the desire to make their Autodesk products that much better, or for the sheer love of innovation and pushing the limits. We will get a good perspective on some of their challenges, lessons learned through their experiences, and if they would consider embarking on this journey again. The panel will consist of architecture, engineering, construction, and manufacturing professionals. Most of them are innovators and intrapreneurs, who is a person who disrupts an industry from within the walls of their own company. If you have ever cared about innovation, and wondered what it's like to build your own product, this class is for you!
Learning Objectives
Know when and why to create a custom tool for your firm
Learn what challenges you could expect when developing a tool
Know how long it usually takes to create a custom tool
Decipher whether creating a tool is a good idea or not for your firm
Generative Design For Revit - Why The Co-Authorship Approach Is So Powerful
Format: Industry Talk
Class ID: AS502829 Product(s): Dynamo, Revit Topics: Automation, Building Design, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Computational Design, Generative Design
Session Description From those touting that the tool will replace our jobs to those that speak of it's impending demise, generative design has had a rocky start... but what if we looked at generative design from a different angle? What if we took a co-authoring approach to generative design? We will look at a few case studies utilizing generative design for Revit with Dynamo, but where it will get very exciting is when we start to demonstrate how you can use generative design as a co-authoring tool directly within the Revit project environment. This is where we personally believe the most value lies - where the tool becomes an extension of the designer, and where co-authorship gives you powers not known to be so intuitive. Join us as we enter in to this next chapter of building information modeling - co-authorship through generative design.
Learning Objectives
Use Dynamo to create generative design for Revit studies
Know what is possible and not possible with Generative Design for Revit
Use model assist tools within Revit to automate design
Leverage co-authoring generative design directly within a Revit project
Automating The Assembly Line Of Construction Documents in Revit
Format: Technical Instruction Product(s): Dynamo, Revit Topics: Automation, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Digital Transformation, Project Management
Session Description
Everyone is talking about data-driven design, and but is any talking about data-driven automation? Whether you are an architect, an engineer, a contractor, or a manufacturer your main form of communication is still drawings. Creating construction drawings is a very painstakingly tedious task. You have to document your project by creating views, creating sheets, dropping those views on to sheets, tagging and dimensioning your project, etc.. It is the assembly line of the AEC industry. What if there was a quicker way? What if there was an automated way? We will look at how to automate the entire assembly line of drawings using Dynamo and Revit add-ins. We will daisy chain multiple tasks into one "bundle task", and will automate the entire process including views, sheets, dimensions and tags. After this class you will be able to go from schematic design to construction documents in the blink of an eye. This will allow you to spend more time on the things that matter most to you.
Learning Objectives
Leverage Dynamo to automate view and sheet creation as well as tag automation
Know what limitations exist in automating documentation, and how to overcome them
Apply further automation for dimensions on floor plans elevations, and sections
Daisy chain multiple tasks to tie it all together and create a one click solution for construction documents
The Business Side of BIM
Format: Industry Talk Product(s): None Topics: Bid Management, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Digital Delivery, Digital Transformation, Project Management
Session Description Most everyone knows what BIM is, and how to use it on a project, but very few people know how to leverage BIM as a business model. At our firm we have created an entire business around adding value through digital transformation and building information modeling. However, this has not come without many mistakes and lessons learned. We will show you how we have developed contracts that outline time and materials sprints, who owns the intellectual property, what is the work product, and how can this information be monetized. We will show how we have borrowed from other industry sectors such as the software industry to leverage agile principles. We'll discuss creating robust tools to provide the most amount of value for the least amount of money to the clients you serve and work with. If you have ever wanted to know the business side of BIM, this class is for you.
Learning Objectives
Create a business model around digital transformation
Know what principles we can borrow from other industries to inform our own
How to set up a successful contract
How to market a successful company around BIM
Realtime Generative Modeling and Co-authoring Directly Inside Revit
Format: Industry Talk Product(s): Revit Topics: Automation, Building Design, Digital Transformation, Generative Design, Mechanical Design
Session Description Discover how real-time generative modeling inside Revit can expedite the design process. Using metaheuristic algorithms that prioritize speed over accuracy, designers can co-author with Revit in a rapid and iterative way. Explore how this technique is applied for office space planning and mechanical duct layouts using Revit addins. We will demonstrate the impact of generating multiple design options synchronously, and review the DirectContext3D underutilized Revit API feature that makes this all possible. The ability to generative model locally and globally within a project, allows designers to make better informed decisions and deliver better designs.
Learning Objectives
Break down a design problem into simple parts for automation, then re-compose to scale up the solution.
Integrate solutions directly displayed in Revit without using external tools for test fitting space planning designs.
Compare various generative solvers and the tradeoffs they offer.
Solve generative problems using the right technique to deliver pragmatic solutions.
Civil 3D and Revit Interoperability in Realtime using Addins and Dynamo
Format: Technical Instruction Product(s): Civil 3D, Revit Topics: AutoCAD and General Design, Automation, Data Management, Document Management, Model Coordination
Session Description Discover how realtime interoperability between Revit and AutoCAD Civil 3D allows multiple disciplines to collaborate in a more seamless and intuitive way. We will explore the difference of using Dynamo, custom addins and hybrid workflows to transfer data bidirectionally between the two platforms. With the intuitive connectivity, architects and civil engineers spend less time linking, loading and updating native content within their respective tools as the repetitive steps are automated.
Learning Objectives
Automate the interoperability steps between Revit and Civil 3D.
Integrate Civil 3D content directly in Revit for reference document production.
Integrate Revit content directly in Civil 3D for reference and document production.
Collaborate between platforms in a faster, interactive and intuitive way.
Revit Modeling Best Practices for Auto Documentation
Format: Technical Instruction
Product(s): Revit Topics: Automation, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Document Management, Future of Work, Quality Management
Session Description
Session Description Documenting a Revit project takes around 50% of the hours allocated. Discover how to model Revit content with the correct geometric and parametric information, so that it easily lends itself for auto documentation. We will explore how the Glyph Revit addin can automatically generate a set of schematic and construction drawings: from view generation, sheet generation, view placement on sheets and view annotation. We will cover dimensioning, tagging and sheet layout standards utilized across multiple firms and how to automate this process. Automating the repetitive documentation tasks gives designers more time to focus on the design. Design changes can also be made much later in the project phase, as the documentation can be re-generated. BIM managers are more effective in deploying companywide standards across many teams and project typologies.
Learning Objectives
Model geometry in Revit using best practices that allows for auto documentation.
Embellish the Revit content with parametric data that enables auto documentation techniques.
Compare the variety of documentation standards used by other industry leaders, and improve their own practices.
Implement auto documentation to reduce the time spent on documenting Revit projects.
Realtime Generative Mechanical Duct Layouts for DFMA
Format: Case Study
Product(s): Revit Topics: Automation, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Generative Design, Mechanical Design, MEP & Structural Fabrication
Session Description In this case study, EvolveLAB partnered with Henderson Engineers to create a simple solution for generating and optimizing duct layouts. Discover how realtime interactive co-authoring generative design solutions for generating duct layouts drives DFMA adoption in Revit. We will explore the journey that led to the pragmatic solution and the discoveries made along the way. We will demonstrate the co-authoring and the background generative solver that keeps Revit smooth and operable. As the solution is actively being refined, the designer can visualize and react to the generated design. The designer's reaction in turn informs the solver to change it variables and produce an alternate solution. This co-authoring interplay is instrumental to the optimization of the best modular duct layout. The designer can then bake the generated solution to a native duct system. If you're interested in pragmatic and intuitive GD solutions for MEP, this class is for you.
Learning Objectives
Break down a design problem into simple parts for automation, then re-compose to scale up the solution.
Integrate generative design solutions directly displayed in Revit without using external tools.
Solve generative problems using the right technique to deliver pragmatic solutions.
Compare various generative solvers and the tradeoffs they offer.
BIM for Residential Developers
Format: Industry Talk
Product(s): AutoCAD, Revit Topics: Automation, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Model Coordination
Session Description At EvolveLAB, we still seem to come across so many residential designers and developers who are still working in 2D and not taking advantage of potential Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows. In this session, we’ll go over some benefits of converting your residential designs into Revit models, including storing multiple sets of options in one model, easily creating quantity and cost takeoffs, and coordinating disciplines in 3D. Then, we’ll go beyond BIM and look at a case study where a residential developer is starting to use their BIM models to optimize their neighborhood design and approval processes - everything from lot layouts and adjacency compatibilities to getting signoffs more quickly from the local authorities.
Learning Objectives
Know the advantages BIM can provided to single-family home designers and developers
Understand the amount of work it takes to convert a single home design into a Revit model
Easily add data too, and pull data out from, a residential Revit model
See how BIM is being utilized for more intelligent and efficient neighborhood planning
Importance of Co-Authoring in Computational Design
Format: Industry Talk
Product(s): Revit Topics: Building Design, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Computational Design, Generative Design, Mechanical Design
Session Description Computers are great at some things, while people are still better at others. Instead of trying to automate the entire process, we’ve had a lot of success by creating computational design workflows in which the human is an integral piece of the process. In this session, we’ll present two projects where we let the computer crunch the numbers while simultaneously allowing a designer to provide input on more complex, aesthetic, and intuitive goals. Firstly, we optimize all the rules, pieces, and parts of a DMFA Air Duct system, so the design can focus on the overall layout while the computer simultaneously lay outs the nuts and bolts. In the second, we designed an algorithm that generates floor plans for educational buildings with complex programs in a way that allows for a back-and-forth dialog between the designer and the computer.
Learning Objectives
Understand what Co-Authoring means in the Computational Design space
Know the benefits of employing a Co-Authoring solution, as opposed to trying to automate an entire process
Identify which projects and tasks lend themselves to a Co-Authored approach
Be familiar with what types of tasks are easier and harder to automate
Transition from Dynamo to Coding using p5.js
Format: Technical Instruction
Product(s): Dynamo, Revit Topics: Automation, Computational Design, Data Management, Generative Design, Software Development
Session Description p5.js is a JavaScript library that aims to make coding accessible to creative professionals. If you're comfortable with visual scripting languages like Dynamo and Grasshopper (and have perhaps dabbled in Python), but are still a bit intimidated by the jump into programming with things like C# and APIs, this course is for you. We will explore how beginner-friendly p5.js is by building a simple visual application together, and then show how a p5.js 'sketch' can be translated into things like a Dynamo script, Revit Add-In, or even a full blown application.
Learning Objectives
Learn what the P5.js is, and when to use it.
Understand the difference between 'nodal-based' programming, script writing, and full on programming.
Create a p5.js 'sketch' application from start to finish.
Translate prototypes from p5.js into more polished scripts and software products.
Auto-Generating and Optimizing Modular Air Duct Layouts in Revit
Format: Technical Instruction
Product(s): Revit Topics: Computational Design, Generative Design, Mechanical Design, MEP & Structural Fabrication, Software Development
Session Description What happens when some enthusiastic Software Developers team up with a few cutting-edge Mechanical Designers? Henderson Engineers, an MEP design firm, has been working on developing a modular DFMA Air Duct system for a while now, and had developed some clever Revit families and Dynamo scripts to help their designers model them. They joined forces with EvolveLAB, a BIM consulting and software development company, to create a Revit Add-In that focuses on the real-time generative design of these modular duct layouts. In this session, we’ll review how these companies utilized some unique properties of the Revit API to create a co-authoring system which allows a mechanical design to sketch out a main duct layout in Revit, while the computer simultaneous (and continually) produces the most optimal layout using the DFMA kit of parts for that sketch, which is then finalized and baked into a fully-connected Revit Duct System.
Learning Objectives
Experience how Generative Design can be used for Mechanical Layouts within Revit
Understand the real-time potentials of the Revit API, via Direct Context 3D
Learn the benefits of co-authoring in computational design
See how DFMA workflows can streamline the design and fabrication process
Generative Design without Genetic Algorithms
Format: Industry Talk
Session Description It seems as though Genetic Algorithms have become almost synonymous with ‘Generative Design’ in the AEC industry. However, there are a plethora of metaheuristic algorithms that can be utilized for creating and optimizing designs, each with its own pros and cons. In this session, we'll present a high-level explanation of a few lesser-known algorithms that have been used within the computational design space, with a focus on the physics-inspired Simulated Annealing approach. Then, we'll dive into two very different real-life projects in which we've utilized these alternative approaches to generative design: The design and optimization of a DFMA modular air duct systems by an Mechanical Engineering company, and the generation of schematic floor plans for an architecture firm that focuses on educational buildings with complex programmatic requirements. Both examples either work directly within, or tie into via the API, the Revit ecosystem.
Learning Objectives
Talk intelligently about various algorithms that can use used for generative design, beyond just genetic ones
Understand the pros and cons of different GD approaches.
Find current projects at one's firm that may be able to take advantage of these various GD approaches
See how Generative Design principles can be applied to both the MEP and architectural design process.