An international classification for the built environment

I was presenting to an international delegation recently and wanted a slide sequence to question whether a single universal classification system was possible for the built environment.

I then asked the Twitter community what they thought...

Twitter Poll

Essentially, would it be possible to have a single code to represent each 'object' in the built environment and then have international translations for each of these codes?
With increasing interest in Uniclass around the world, I wonder whether this will happen one day.

More reading: The Uniclass classification system

Digital Twin

I recently had a Twitter exchange with Ralph Montagu from arcdox.com around some slides he had illustrating the need for a 'digital twin' for each physical object.

I think it nicely illustrates what should be the case (tweet one) and what is more often the case (tweet four).

Ralph's second tweet makes the point that without the digital object and attributes there is no link to important data sources like spec and manuals.

My tweet suggests that the spec and manuals will quite often either not exist - or at least not exist in a digital format.

Finally Ralph shows the extreme case, where there are many boxes of disorganised paper.

Anyway, I thought it was a nice little set of illustrations worth putting into a quick blog post.

Caricature at AU2018

At Autodesk University, as part of the promo activities at the Dell stand for their Surface Pro device they had a very talented lady from EventToons doing caricatures.

Pics below...

Outline

Black lines

A bit of colour

Finished

Signed and downloaded

The kit being used

Autodesk University 2018 - NBS presentation

30/11/18 Updated with actual video of presentation below...


(If above video does not display - click here)

30/11/18 Original blog post...
Today I presented at Autodesk University. It was videod and when available I'll embed the video of the session within this blog post.

As a blog review, I include three video sequences from what I presented. I remember receiving presentation training a few years back, the lady that delivered the course told us that most of the audience will remember three things maximum. So here are three things :)

1. A digital future is needed
There have been a number of industry reports published recently. All point to a digital future for the construction industry. Download these from the hyperlinks below.

• Hackitt
• BCG
• McKinsey
• World Economic Forum

2. Specification and model together
A 3D model of a design can only contain a certain amount of information. The majority of the words describing the design are contained in the specification. This information should not exist in two silos - but must be coodinated.

The video below is a short 30 second sequence showing the model and specification being accessed in the cloud. This is a preview of functionality that will be added to NBS Chorus in 2019.

3. A required digital audit trail is needed
The final take-home message is that it is not just the latest information is needed. An audit trail of the decision making process is needed.

Consider the 'in use' stage of a building and a door needing replaced, how do the decision makers determine whether the suggested product is of an equivalent or better performance than what was installed? How do they determine whether this meets the initial design requirements?

This is what the industry must aspire to. This is the transparency that is needed.

The class handout with additional content can be downloaded from:

- https://constructioncode.blogspot.com/2018/11/autodesk-university-2018-nbs.html

To find out more about NBS Chorus - see the link below:

- http://www.thenbs.com/chorus

Autodesk University 2018 - Handout

Details on the class I am delivering at Autodesk University 2018 next week are below:
- https://autodeskuniversity.smarteventscloud.com/connect/sessionDetail.ww?SESSION_ID=225026

Hopefully see a few people there on Tuesday Nov 13 at 8am.

The class is completely full :), but in previous years they have let people queue and then take the place of those who don't show up.

Again, it's an honour to be co-presenting with Jim Quanci from Autodesk who has led out the Autodesk Developers Network for years and more recently the Autodesk Forge programme.

If anyone attending AU would like to catch up over a cup of coffee - please send me a tweet at @StephenHamilNBS.

My class handout can be downloaded from the link below:
- Stephen Hamil - NBS - Handout - AU 2018.pdf

As always, I'll do an accompanying blog post to go with the class as a record.

An introduction to NBS Create

At our recent 'NBS Discover' events, I presented an update on our recent product developments.

NBS Building, NBS Create and NBS Chorus were presented.

Speaking to customers during the event, many commented that the NBS Create presentation was useful. In particular:

1. How it contrasted the content structure between NBS Building and NBS Create. This aspect of the presentation looked at how NBS Create has a home for each individual system. The advantages of this include:
1. The provision of a natural location for system performance content/completion that does not exist in traditional CAWS based NBS. This allows a level of clarity for jobs with contractor design portions.
2. The ability to specify all related products within a system in one location without jumping between multiple work sections. For example a ceiling system can be specified in its entirety without going to different sections for the frame, the insulation, the fire stopping etc...
2. How the strict system and product based structure maps extremely well to the modelling that takes place in the design tool. For example, a layered partition (system) and its material structure (products) or an MEP system with its connected families (products).

To watch the video sequences that we have put together following the event, click play below...

All video presentations from the event can be viewed at the page below:
- thenbs.com/knowledge/latest-developments-on-nbs-specification-products

NBS Case Studies

At our recent UK 'NBS Discover' events we had customer presentations from around the country.

There were presentations from small, medium and large practices who told their 'digital story' in terms of delivering architectural and engineering services. In amongst these presentation there were some nice examples of how the use of NBS supports their workflows.

The practices that featured were JDDK, David Miller Architects, Lovelock Mitchell Architects, Ryder Architecture, BDP and IBI Group.

I attended each of the events and the highlight of each was listening to these stories of how the NBS content and software helps organisations deliver fantastic projects. In particular:

1. How drawings can be accurately annotated and linked to the specification to clearly communicate detailed design
2. How the NBS National BIM Library resources (object standard, shared parameter files, templates) can be utilised to give large and small practices a fantastic free resource to support their practice BIM policies
3. How customers have worked with NBS providing feedback every 2-4 weeks as we develop our latest 'next generation' collaborative, cloud specification tool NBS Chorus. 

To view these case studies please see the link below:
- thenbs.com/knowledge/how-our-customers-integrate-nbs-into-their-existing-workflows

Select the thumbnail images within the article to see the larger versions of the presentation slides.

CanBIM Toronto 2018 - NBS presentation

To watch my presentation from CanBIM Toronto 2018, please click play on the video below.

It covers three areas:

1. Setting a BIM strategy
2. The importance of data quality
3. Examples of tools to help with BIM implementation

I hope to be back in Canada for a CanBIM in 2019!

Toronto pics...