Buildings use over 40% of all energy on the planet. Of existing buildings, 99% are small commercial and residential buildings that use 80% of all energy in buildings. Each building in this group is generally too small to be of interest to the traditional professional who uses Building Information Modeling (BIM) or conducts sophisticated energy analysis. So, how are we going to solve this problem? We mash up the latest in mobile hardware, cloud services, augmented reality, and reality capture technologies to produce a solution that enables anyone who is able to play Angry Birds on an Apple® iPad® to analyze a small building in a fun and accurate way.

New technologies such as virtual and augmented reality are on the verge of reinventing design and how ideas are communicated. You may have seen these demonstrated via Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard for entertainment applications.  Learn how this technology can impact your product development cycle and make sharing ideas with customers more concrete. GPU accelerated rendering integrated into common CAD and AEC visualization applications is another trend expanding visualization options by accelerating photorealistic rendering and simplifying workflows.   See how easy and fast photorealistic images can be created using the latest technology from Dell and AMD.

Will Plato, VDC Manager at Hensel Phelps, and Christian Claus, CMO and Head of Partnerships at HoloBuilder, will introduce and discuss his innovative use of construction technologies and co-developing Reality Capture, Computer Vision, AI technologies, and cross product integrations. Hensel Phelps has partnered with HoloBuilder to further develop their 360° photo documentation platform and solve immediate needs on projects throughout the Southwest region and beyond. Will’s and Christian’s presentation will outline how Hensel Phelps has leveraged technology to secure ROI and gain a competitive advantage. New developments that have been co-developed will be presented for the first time.

This class will outline the real case study of virtual reality (VR) technology adoption by Tenova, an industrial machinery company for mining and metals, supported by Autodesk Consulting. After a brief introduction to Tenova and the project’s background, attendees will see activities run by Autodesk Consulting and Tenova to lead to the adoption of a tailored process for using VR for design review and visualization. The audience will see the workflow implemented, and they’ll learn the process to use 3ds Max software and 3ds Max Interactive to navigate a Filmbox file with Live Viewer. Come and learn the best practices to follow for VR.

This class will present a comparative study of 5 European hospitals that Brunet Saunier Architecture conducted, based on 45 criteria. We will develop some of these criteria and explain the need to adapt the projects to local cultures. We will also present some of the BIM (Building Information Modeling) management workflows used for the Lariboisière Hospital in Paris (France). We used Revit software to manage the space planning for more than 2,600 hospital rooms. We also used BIM 360 Docs software to collaborate with all the stakeholders (including the owner/operator). In addition, we used Navisworks software to perform coordination during the design phase.

How can you optimize your digital design pipeline using Alias software and Inventor software tools? Get the best out of the new features in Alias 2019 with new features such as virtual reality (VR) as standard, Photoshop integration, computational design, and world-class surfacing tools to empower Inventor.

This roundtable will focus on different available virtual-reality (VR) hardware options, with the purpose of implementing VR into architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) workflows. We will have an in-depth discussion both about the tethered VR options like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, as well as about more-affordable mobile options like the Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard, and others. Every VR platform has strengths and weaknesses. We will discuss which VR platforms perform best paired with specific workflows for optimal end results. We will discuss everything from setting up and optimizing the VR hardware and available accessories to desktop/laptop/mobile requirements and hardware specifications needed to ensure an optimal AEC-VR experience. We will showcase different ways we use VR in the AEC industry, paired with appropriate hardware. VR can realize major savings in various VR workflows that include 360 renderings, VR walk-throughs, existing conditions exploration, virtual mockups, and many others. This session features Revit, 3ds Max, and Autodesk Stingray.

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) tools have found a niche in real estate sales and marketing, and they are having some impact on design decision making, but the real impact on construction lies just over the horizon when gaming technology, wearable computing, and machine learning will deliver a rapid proliferation of multiplayer collaboration environments for process planning to optimize design, sequencing, coordination, and safety planning. This class will take an industry look at where we are today, and what the near-future and long-term-future states of VR and AR are likely to be. This session features Autodesk Stingray and Maya. AIA Approved

Bayer is creating—together with its partners—a virtual environment to enable training on packaging lines in virtual reality (VR). The goal is to efficiently deal with existing production issues to prevent bigger mistakes or even production downtime. The benefits of VR are that trainees don’t have to enter production areas (clean rooms), can make mistakes without any impact on production, and are never at risk.

There’s a virtual reality (VR) solution for anyone in the construction business—big or small! This will be a demo on how to use the right VR at the right time. Architects and construction managers are under tremendous pressure to make more-effective decisions in professional practice, and to design and develop complex spatial experiences that are simultaneously appropriate, accurate, and cost effective. XR (VR, AR, MR) solutions are vital in supporting effective design decision making, collaboration, and communications, and have the potential to revolutionize 21st-century architectural practice. This will be an overview of how architects and designers can save incredibly on costs, and use the right VR technology at the right time during the design process in their workflows. Come and see sample workflows demonstrating how some firms use these technologies as design tools, marketing tools, and virtual mockups, as well as for interactive models, and how they conduct virtual design VR meetings in the cloud.

Come and learn about our research, learning, and hurdles when working with generative design and artificial intelligence as they apply to the automotive design process.

Behind every great immersive technology experience is a team that spent way too much time destructively preparing their projects for augmented or virtual reality. Well, my friend, come and find out how you can save (gobs of) time by automating common data preparation tasks in 2 ways. First, we'll look at automatically preparing Revit files and Navisworks files in a local 3ds Max environment. In the second part of the class, we'll look at how to use Forge Design Automation Services to automatically prepare data from BIM 360 software.

Often we see Virtual Reality being used on a small scale, hotel rooms and small bungalows, it is not often we see a large urban plan being adopted for Virtual Reality. Looking at large scale models, such as models from Planning and Urban Design, the functionality and process to bring it to life is completely different. Focusing less on the small details, such as furniture types and kitchen appliances, and more towards the functionality and interactivity to suit the larger designs. In this Class we will look at a CallisonRTKL Case Study, showcasing the implementation of bringing some of the largest urban developments in the world into Virtual Reality and creating an interactive area over 1,000m wide, and over 1,000m high. We will focus on the process and optimization of your 3D Studio Max files, and integrating them into Unreal Engine, with some simple interactivity to help navigate through large scale models, finally looking at how to simply maintain these models through the design process.

In this session, we explore workflows of utilizing data captured via an unmanned aerial vehicle, one for Civil Engineering, and one for Architecture. For Civil the end result is an existing surface and orthomosaic photo, and for Architecture we discuss acquiring building orbits and modeling in Revit. In this session, we take a look at two (2) different workflows of utilizing data captured via an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), one for Civil Engineering & Surveying (CES), and the other for Architecture. For CES, we cover best practices from processing drone data in Recap Pro, then taking those results into Infraworks and ultimately Civil 3D. The end result is a TIN surface and georeferenced orthomosaic photo for existing base file creation. For Architecture, we describe the data capture process from acquiring multiple building orbits, and working with that data in Recap Mobile for the iPad Pro, and ultimately a usable model in Revit.

So you’re familiar with architectural renderings and know a little about virtual reality (VR), but want to see how they're used in a real-world example. This presentation goes through the basics of VR, discussing quick principles for setting up a scene for 360 panos showcasing Houston’s Capitol Tower, designed by Gensler and currently under construction with Skanska. This case study goes behind the scenes to show how TILTPIXEL created an immersive 360 VR tour using all the bells and whistles of leading animation techniques, and applying them to a 360 environment. We will look at 3ds Max software and V-Ray, as well as combining green-screen footage into a 360 image with compositing techniques. The end result is an online, interactive, 360 video tour that can be viewed on virtually any platform.

A case study on the adoption of BIM on the new Queens Wharf, $3B Integrated Resort Development in the CBD of Brisbane, Australia. An initiative from the developer and operator. The project extends over 10% of the Brisbane CBD footprint. The timing and approach to create the projects virtual environment, coordination of the new and existing built form with laser scanning, review of the public realm stakeholder requirements, including the intensive public services utilities of a CBD site, through the management of an expected 600 + models in Navisworks, originating from multiple software platforms will be presented. The adoption of virtual reality and the benefits achieved for the client and design teams will be explored. While the preparation of as-built information for facility management integration with BIM360, as the first of multiple project stages step into construction will be demonstrated. A presentation on truly integrated BIM implementation for all project participants.

After this class attendees will be able to exploit virtual reality in the realm of construction—particularly, the way and flow of utilizing Samsung Gear VR. Exploring virtual worlds through this device at the construction site or during meetings without other machines is a forte. This drove me to make a deep study of how to utilize it. There are 2 approaches to accomplish virtual reality by utilizing Gear VR during construction phases and facility management purposes. Two paths—Building Information Modeling (BIM) model and construction site picture based—can be technically considered. First, when you use Gear VR with your BIM model, you need to be familiar with software such as Revit software and 3ds Max software for visualizing and rendering. If you intend to navigate your BIM model in virtual worlds, you will also need game engines like Unity3D with Android Studio. Also, regarding exploring panorama pictures, equipment for panoramic photographs and editing tools that will help convert those photos to the 3D world will be required as well.

Watch as futurists, researchers, educators, Autodesk executives and senior leaders from enterprise accounts explore the future of work. From AR/VR and machine learning to future work trends and hiring new talent, the AU 2016 Leadership Forum included Geoff Colvin, an award-winning thinker, author, and broadcaster, who explored today’s most significant trends in business. Colvin is an editor and columnist for FORTUNE magazine. His latest book is Humans Are Underrated: What High Achievers Know that Brilliant Machines Never Will.

Jon Pittman, Autodesk VP, Corporate Strategy, and his team discussed the need to re-evaluate relationships with our machine creations. While Randy Swearer, Autodesk VP, Education, discussed changes in education and how those in today’s economy might compete for next generation employees.

Danny Guillory, Autodesk Director, Global Diversity and Inclusion, facilitated a discussion with guest speakers and attendees on building a team of tech-savvy, lifelong learners. And Mickey McManus, Autodesk Fellow and author of Trillions, introduced an exercise in design thinking to identify some next steps in building the future of work for your organization and team.

We also heard stories of trial and success from leaders at Ford, GE, Arup, the Department of Defense, and elsewhere. Before Callan Carpenter, Autodesk VP, Global Named Accounts wrapped up the day.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is dominating the design, construction, and management of much of the vertical construction field, and has now started to gain the attention of the hydropower industry. At present, the more advanced examples of using BIM are from other industries. However, there are a growing number of examples of BIM adoption for hydropower projects. This presentation will demonstrate how BIM has been applied to hydroelectric facility design and rehabilitation, and we will look at the lessons learned and challenges based on recent experiences. Examples will include reality capture, parametric design, clash detection, visualization, engineering integration, quantity schedule, 4D modeling, A360 software for collaboration, BIM 360 mobile and web platform for engineering services in construction, and the adoption of new technologies like virtual reality and augmented reality. Even for the audience outside of the hydro industry, we would like to provide an insight into the use of BIM on any built environment. This session features Revit and InfraWorks 360. AIA Approved

Safety is king in construction. Safety is one of the most-common core values of organizations, and one of the least technological markets for software use. If safety is a core value, and technology is something every organization prides itself on, what’s the missing link? The uses of technology in construction often focus on analytics and providing value to the customer. However, employee safety is invaluable, and merging technology and safety is the next step for construction. This industry talk will cover workflows for providing different platforms of safety models to end users as well as internal employee improvement. We’ll provide ideas for building an in-house modeling program for creating safety models that users can easily view in traditional formats, such as web links and videos, as well as full virtual reality (VR) simulations using Revit modeling from your virtual design and construction (VDC) department.