This class will have two presenters: Sam Omans (Autodesk Architecture Industry Strategy Manager) and Phil Bernstein (Autodesk Fellow and Associate Dean & Professor Adjunct, Yale University School of Architecture). Sam and Phil represent two generations of practitioners, authors, educators, and Autodesk architecture strategists. Speaking in unscripted conversation, they conduct a frank dialogue dedicated to architectural practice under COVID-19 and the next normal. The talk will aim to be the "can't miss" event for Autodesk University attendees interested in architecture. High-level overview of how Autodesk's architecture roadmap and vision for the future will help customers face their business challenges.

Barton Malow, ranked by ENR in 2019 as one of the 50 largest U.S. contractors, is a general contractor and construction management firm that has been in continuous operation for almost a century. Safety is fundamental to Barton Malow’s mission. Testifying to that commitment, it proudly displays a logo that proclaims: “Build it Safe—No Exceptions.” With an impressive safety record superior to the industry average, Barton Malow continues to maintain an ongoing commitment to safety improvement. In this case-study-format class, you'll hear from Barton Malow's leadership about how they applied BIM 360 software as well as Autodesk partner Smartvid.io to implement a safety program, and how it was adapted for COVID-19. We will show specific examples of AI for computer vision (e.g., social distancing detection), BIM 360 dashboards, and more, including statistical benchmarks for COVID-19 responses across the country.

When the COVID-19 outbreak began, makers across the globe came together to help fill the shortfall in supply chains and provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline workers by harnessing the power of a localized collective factory of 3D printers. At Warwick University we also sprang into action to help fight the virus. Large-scale additive manufacturing (LSAM) is a technology similar to that used in hobbyist desktop 3D printers. However, it generally has much bigger build platforms, larger nozzle diameters, and higher volumetric flow rates. This means it can be used as a rapid-response bridge manufacturing from 3D printing to injection molding. Using Fusion 360 software’s parameter tables, the speaker was able to generate a design that could be easily changed based on the printer setup, and be optimized for the faster printing times. In just three design iterations we went from 10 minutes to just 3.5 minutes.

With a campus in rural Rwanda—more than 100 kilometers from the capital Kigali, half of which is unpaved road—the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) always planned to deploy BIM 360 Ops software to support and sustain facility maintenance functions. A pioneering global health science university, UGHE had proactive facilities maintenance as a top priority when opening their campus in January 2019. In April 2020, our team helped to facilitate the launch of BIM 360 Ops during COVID-19. Working remotely with UGHE’s facilities maintenance team, Skanska uploaded information to support the computerized maintenance management system. Using BIM 360 Ops, UGHE’s staff and outsourced service contractors share maintenance information across the 350,000-square-foot campus for an integrated facilities maintenance system. Attendees will learn best practices for asset and space naming, traditional and alternative strategies for managing preventative maintenance, and ways in which to virtually deploy BIM 360 Ops during COVID-19.

Contractors with subcontractor default insurance programs face ever increasing risk from varying sectors: COVID-19 recovery, recessionary concerns, and rising costs of supply and labor. Ensuring that projects are awarded to the right subcontractor is paramount to deterring potential defaults. The combination of BuildingConnected and TradeTapp has led to a 90% prequalification rate in advance of award. By working bid packages with operations, risk management can detect potential problems and mitigate in pre-award.

This talk will capture the success story of digitizing the merchandising strategies that maximize computer-generated imagery (CGI) for retailers like Lowe's, leading to savings in the millions of dollars. This talk will discuss the story of how 3ds Max software as main DCC for product visualization and V-Ray for Maya software was interleaved with in-house, developed, proprietary pipeline tools to achieve these results. The hyper-real, reusable images and assets transformed the merchandising efforts into affordable, inspirational outputs with the far shorter turnaround time, eliminating the huge logistics costs of material, space, and skilled photographers. Today’s COVID-19 situation of social distancing and constraints in physical mobility of people and material makes digitizing-of-merchandising initiatives a very compelling business strategy for all retailers around the globe. In summary, this is a proven story of innovative software maximized to achieve a direct impact on critical business parameters.

Over the last few years, the speaker has had the honor and privilege of facilitating this roundtable discussion at multiple venues, collecting a lot of collaborative, informative, and intelligent concepts with some amazing people along the way—and would appreciate the opportunity to continue these discussions and share the knowledge! Being a building information modeling (BIM) manager can mean many different things and include many different responsibilities, depending on the organization, its understanding of BIM, and its level of expectations. In this roundtable discussion, we'll continue to explore what that has meant in our collective experience, and how our respective organizations have defined and implemented the role, especially during the last couple of years of Covid-19. Not only will we have intriguing discussions, but you'll get the opportunity to "meet" and connect with similar colleagues to widen your network!

In the last few years, we’ve witnessed automotive design undergoing a sea change largely driven by two main factors: climate change concerns and consumer behavior. Push for more greener vehicles fueled by technological advancements has created a new category for consumers that’s redefining traditional vehicle aesthetics. Similarly, forces linked to ever-changing consumer aspirations and behaviors—largely driven by factors like rapid urbanization, rise in disposable incomes, digital and social awareness, unexpected events like Covid-19 pandemic, and geopolitical tensions—are already impacting automotive design. This session will take a look at how certain disruptions in the traditional automotive design approaches have the potential to shape the future of mobility and challenge the conformist styling concepts. We’ll also look at how Autodesk tools like Alias and VRED software continue to stay relevant in this overall transition.

This case study explores how Curiosity 3D—an Autodesk Learning Partner—is using the power of Autodesk Fusion software and 3D printing to revolutionize education in India by making online education hands-on. The idea was born at a time when the world stopped—the COVID-19 era. Universities and schools were shut, but education found a way and went online, and learning became e-learning. However, this was at the expense of practical hands-on learning experiences. Learn how Curiosity solved this by shipping 3D printers to students' homes! While Fusion was taught online, students 3D-printed projects at home. The design and make journey never stopped. This session will take you through examples of similar innovative strategies that are driving education in emerging markets like India. It will also explore how market challenges—such as limited lab infrastructure, accessibility, and affordability—can be overcome while maintaining hands-on experience and effectively preparing for the future of work.

Working for an architecture, engineering, construction, and owner-operated (AECO) company is like being in a committed relationship. As such, there are lots of ups and downs. Almost everyone at one time or other wonders what it would be like to leave their firm and work somewhere else. When should that time be? Are your co-workers difficult to work with? Are you burned out from working long hours? Do you enjoy what you do? Does it have meaning? What about your boss? Are they making your life easier or harder? Do you want to advance but your firm or co-workers are holding you back? Do you feel you’re paid too little? Is it really your firm or is it you who needs to change? How does Covid-19 affect all these questions? This class will discuss these questions and many more. The session will be designed so that attendees will be given the chance, and even encouraged, to give feedback and join in the discussion. So, bring your thoughts and complaints and comments about your workplace and let’s dive right in!

Many professionals have started using satellite-based data in their design process to mitigate the risks from global warming, negative environmental impacts, Covid-19, low-intensity/large-scale conflicts, and other unforeseeable events. There are many types and a wide range of data format variations of 2D and 3D data derived from satellites. But the truth is that it's not always straightforward to "read" satellite-based data from your Autodesk design environment. In this case study, we’ll cover the following satellite-data-related topics: satellite data 101, benefits and limitations, examples of successful ACE projects, and some common pitfalls you may encounter. We’ll then cover how to cleanse and manage satellite data for three levels of design toolsets, namely AutoCAD software, AutoCAD Plus software, and the Architecture, Engineering & Construction Collection. Lastly, we’ll show several of the latest open/free, global-scale, satellite-based geodata that could be maximized in the large-scale conceptual / overall planning of architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) projects.

While it’s certainly not surprising that the cloud-computing market got a major boost due to the pandemic, what’s stunning is just how much. According to market-intelligence firm CB Insights, investors have spent nearly $3 billion on cloud-computing funding between April and June in 2020. Many companies were already on a path to digitization and digitalization, but COVID-19 sped up the acceleration of cloud technologies as billions of people were forced to work remotely. Months later, after the dust settled from everyone's efforts to react, cope, and build resilience, one promising silver lining of the pandemic is that it’s opening doors to new and innovative business models and ways of working. In this panel, executives from NVIDIA, Ansys, Advance2000, Symetri, and Autodesk will discuss the opportunities and challenges of the acceleration to cloud and platform solutions and why they believe digital transformation will lead to better and longer-lasting prospects in the future. Hear from Bob Pette from NVIDIA, Chris France from Advance2000, Eric Bantegnie from Ansys, Nick John from Symetri, and Autodesk CIO Prakash Kota.

The class will highlight standards and best practices for design technology management across design firms. Firms using strategic collaboration get an enhanced return on investment (ROI) that enables them to reach and build pioneering success on the prowess of human capital. This class will showcase the processes involved in delivering the vision of firms’ management to achieve digital leadership in the industry. Design leadership has multiple facets and can be summarized as The Three Ps: Projects, Processes, and People. Design leadership is at its best when it creates best processes and standards across all projects by raising the people skills. This class will help hone and develop tomorrow’s leaders to lead the change and pioneer digital leadership across firms.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, being able to work remotely has become essential for VFX artists. In this class, learn how Flame on the cloud will break hardware barriers, giving artists across the globe the opportunity to collaborate like never before.

Has your design firm worked hard to get to your current level of success? Has the 2020 lockdown uncovered a lack of understanding preventing maximum flexibility for your staff? Is the IT barrier the only thing preventing you from successfully scaling further? IT doesn't have to be a mystery any longer. Don't miss out on the session that will pull back the curtains and reveal the secrets of successful IT in the design firm. Learn the basics of networks and file management. Get tips on servers, backups, and more. Find out why investing dimes today in prevention and good hardware will return dollars in production uptime. This course will tie up with a primer on preparing for a remote workforce. If you want your tech to work for you, then this is the session to attend! Never feel like a stranger in the server room again.

Fusion Lifecycle software can be deployed faster than any other PLM (product lifecycle management) tool on the market. This was tested for a company that wanted to take its ventilator project to production in the shortest time possible due to the COVID-19 ventilator shortage. A prototype of the ventilator was completed using Fusion 360 software. Now it is time to take it into mass production using Items and BOMs, ECO, and NPI Workspace of Fusion Lifecycle.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction industry had to restructure the way we kept our business thriving. Preconstruction is an essential phase of all projects, and limitations to in-person bid openings forced the industry to reevaluate how to conduct bids. Tools such as BuildingConnected are changing the way we conduct the bidding process and connect with subcontractors. We will discuss how construction firms can benefit from a digital, streamlined bidding process and a real-time construction directory, while fostering relationships with all stakeholders and minimizing risks for future projects.

As an engineering firm, how do you implement PlanGrid in a department where the vast majority of projects are small, and the general contractor is not using any of these tools? We had to tweak and adjust what seems to be the intended use of PlanGrid to match our needs. We had our road map all plan for and then Covid sent all of our employees home. It forced us to reconsider our entire approach of deployment and management. At the end of the day, using tablets with PlanGrid allowed us to maintain business continuity while keeping our staff safe as they didn’t have to go to the office and plot drawings.

When we had to quickly accommodate a fully remote working environment, BIM 360 Design software became the essential tool to continue working and collaborating as design teams with minimal interruption. Prior to the global disruption that COVID-19 caused, only 20% of the company’s portfolio was hosted on the cloud. Within three weeks, all projects were successfully migrated into BIM 360 Design and the design teams were using them. This session will elaborate on how Buro Happold’s early adoption of the software laid the foundation for the successful migration of all projects nationwide. Learn how the design teams made the switch almost overnight, and discover the benefits they have found through utilizing available BIM 360 Design collaborative tools.