Autodesk University 2024 – My Personal Selection (2)

Last week, I did a selection of lectures from the digital catalogue of Autodesk University (upcoming in October), but that included just events in the “Industry Talk” categories. This week, let’s take a look at Case Studies. There’s nothing like a practical success case if it’s presented well and showcases their actual process, isn’t there? Let’s break them down by topic.

Good Old BIM

Alfonso Monedero ( Heatherwick studio ), AS1110 | Connecting BIM and Design: The Heatherwick Process Tuesday, Oct 15 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT

This session will discuss the benefits of combining Building Information Modeling (BIM) platforms and design software to leverage their complementary strengths throughout the design phase. It will highlight the integration of Rhino and Revit software, emphasizing interoperability requirements at different project stages and how this approach brings BIM culture closer to designers. Additionally, the session will review how an agile methodology can incorporate emerging technologies, enhance the design process, and capture every iteration in the federated model.

Selma Rabelo ( Resia ), BES2967 | Sustainable, Affordable Housing: Modular Design, BIM Automation, and Factory Robotics for Exceptional Living Tuesday, Oct 15 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT

This presentation will unveil an innovative sustainable housing solution that integrates BIM methodology with AI and factory robotics construction powered by Autodesk’s advanced tools. The approach accelerates building processes, ensures safety, and reduces waste, demonstrating enhanced efficiency and sustainability from site analysis to construction. Originating in Florida and expanding to Texas and Georgia, this proven business model highlights its effectiveness and scalability, showcasing the future of construction and the feasibility of affordable housing in any economic climate.

Amr Raafat , BLD2496 | Building a Smart Campus: A Digital Twin Journey Powered by Innovation and Partnership Tuesday, Oct 15 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM PDT

This case study will explore the 15-year partnership between Windover Construction and Endicott College , which has resulted in over 25 design-build projects that have transformed the campus. It will highlight the digital transformation journey from scan-to-BIM, digital handover, and the use of digital twins and IoT for real-time data collection and enhanced facilities management. Featuring insights from Endicott’s facilities director, the VDC team, and an Autodesk expert, this session will showcase how these innovations create a smarter, more efficient campus.

Jakub Bielski , CES2521 | Modeling and Detailing of Bridges in Revit: Next Level Tuesday, Oct 15 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM PDT

This session will introduce the SOFiSTiK Bridge + Infrastructure Modeler (SBIM), an advanced Revit application for creating linear structures in infrastructure projects. Attendees will learn about its various functionalities and see project examples from industry leaders, focusing on modelling reinforcement and prestressing for concrete bridges. The session will demonstrate how parametric profile-based design enhances flexibility and customization for rebars and tendons and how model-based information, including annotations and schedules, can be efficiently extracted and shared with stakeholders.

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John Hall, BES1142 | Unique Solutions for Large Models: A Case Study of a 1.3 Million-Square-Foot Hospital Tuesday, Oct 15 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM PDT

This presentation will address the unique challenges of managing a large model environment, focusing on the Revit models for MEP systems in a new 1.3 million-square-foot hospital. It will highlight the innovative solutions implemented using tools like Ideate, Clarity, BIM Interoperability Checker, and BIM 360 Model Coordination to establish a robust BIM 360 model environment capable of handling vast data and elements. While not offering a definitive solution, this session aims to provide a foundation for generating new ideas and workflows for future large-scale projects.

Laura Aldea Abad , CS2304 | From the Cloud to the Pitch: BIM Collaboration in Santiago Bernabéu Stadium Revamp Project Wednesday, Oct 16 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM PDT

This session will explore the impact of Building Information Modeling (BIM) on the iconic Real Madrid stadium revamp, highlighting how digital technology and BIM methodology enhanced design and construction. Attendees will learn about seamless data transfer from cloud to field, real-time collaboration, document management, and on-site QA checks using Autodesk cloud services. The presentation will demonstrate how over 30 firms aligned with ISO 19650 standards within a common data environment (CDE) and how 11 construction teams met stakeholder needs in a fast-track delivery. The session will also cover preserving the stadium’s 1950s legacy, utilizing BIM and Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) to create a new steel structure that enhances sustainability and efficiency.

Innovation and Change Management

Nadia Simanjuntak , CS2745 | Placing people at the heart of adoption – a true story of change management Tuesday, Oct 15 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT

This session will explore the transformation journey of implementing Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) with intentional change management. It will present the process and activities undertaken to bridge technology and people, enhancing team engagement and connectivity while improving efficiency. Through a practical case study filled with lessons learned and future plans, attendees will gain insights into mastering the challenges of change, increasing engagement, and improving technology adoption.

Madhu Aravind , BLD1310 | ITC’s Digital Transformation Journey: Achieving Kitemark Certification for ISO 19650—Being the First and Beyond Tuesday, Oct 15 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM PDT

ITC Limited embarked on a digital transformation to improve project management and predictability across its diverse infrastructure assets. By embracing new technologies and utilizing Autodesk Construction Cloud, ITC established a common data environment (CDE) that enabled traceable, accountable workflows for ISO 19650 compliance. This transformation led to ITC receiving the Kitemark certification, the first in India and fourth globally, highlighting their success in enhancing data accessibility, BIM integration, digital maturity, and workflow automation.

Tomasz Mainusz , AS3394 | S.M.A.R.T. Implementation of Autodesk Forma in an Architectural Office as a Game Changer Tuesday, Oct 15 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM PDT

This case study demonstrates how Nova Projekt Architekci effectively integrated Autodesk Forma software into their design process to expedite and enhance urban analyses in the preliminary phase of architectural projects. This integration allowed for analysing multiple options, crucial for projects on brownfield sites subject to various laws. The session will discuss initial expectations, obstacles encountered (such as lack of support for some coordinate systems and DXF? files), and how Autodesk support facilitated a data-preparation process using AutoCAD Map 3D, Autodesk Forma, and Revit. The result was a tenfold reduction in initial design time, making a compelling case for project approval.

Chris Shafer, AIA, LEED AP , AS1518 | Guardian of Grimshaw’s Revit Galaxy Wednesday, Oct 16 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM PDT

This session will address the challenges BIM managers face in implementing best practices and standardized workflows across Revit models in a fast-paced, data-intensive environment. Grimshaw’s global BIM team will share how they used the proactive BIM management toolkit Guardian for Revit (by iconicBIM) to prevent issues before they occur, reducing QA/QC time by 70% within a year. The presentation will discuss best practices, lessons learned, and the tools used to synchronize processes, as well as analyze the ROI achieved across several Grimshaw projects.

Derek Kultgen, P.E. , PLT1625 | Digitalization Isn’t a Track Meet, It’s a Marathon: The METL Digitalization Journey Wednesday, Oct 16 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT

This session will explore how Argonne National Laboratory and Implexus Lab digitized the Mechanisms Engineering Test Loop (METL) to advance sodium fast reactors. By designing components with Inventor, assembling them in Navisworks, and generating construction documents with AutoCAD, they laid the foundation for a digital twin (DT) integrated with Revit. This journey demonstrates that digitalization is a marathon of incremental milestones, not a monolith, culminating in a DT with live data visualization within a virtual reality (VR) environment. The presentation will show how digital tools can help meet the advanced nuclear industry’s constraints of tight timelines, smaller budgets, and fewer workers.

Mika Miro Kazassoglou , AS2482 | The Power of Technical Education: Designing Innovative Housing Solutions in the UK with Autodesk Software Wednesday, Oct 16 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM PDT

Join Mika Kazassoglou, an 18-year-old high school student from Liverpool, England, as he explores the use of Autodesk Fusion, Revit, Autodesk CFD, and Dynamo in crafting a unique solution for a local housing project. This session will showcase Mika’s growth as a young aspiring engineer, highlighting his use of sustainable design principles and Passive House methodology to improve energy efficiency and living standards. Learn about his design process, including how Dynamo helped create a distinctive roof model and CFD analysis assessed its performance, demonstrating the transformative potential of technically driven education supported by Autodesk.

Andreas B?ving , SD3025 | Integrating Autodesk’s Ecosystem into BIM Data Management: A Case Study on Enhanced Data Accessibility Thursday, Oct 17 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM PDT

Discover the transformative integration of Autodesk data models with the AEC Data Model API and Data Exchange API in a new BIM data management system. This case study will demonstrate practical applications and strategies for using these powerful tools to centralize and improve data accessibility within BIM projects. Learn how this integration streamlines data management, ensuring all stakeholders—from architects to engineers—have instant access to critical information, thus enhancing collaboration, accuracy, and efficiency. Through real-world examples, we will highlight the seamless flow of information and its impact on project success, showcasing Autodesk’s comprehensive data ecosystem.

Artificial Intelligence

Dulce Nayree Lopez Parra , AS1458 | Revolutionizing Design-Proposal Production with Autodesk Forma: A Digital Transformation Journey Tuesday, Oct 15 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM PDT

This session will highlight SSOE Group ’s use of the Autodesk Forma cloud-based platform in the Caterpillar Pharaoh Industrial Facility Project to drive digital transformation and revolutionize proposal production. By enabling swift design iteration and insightful data analysis, Autodesk Forma helped evaluate design variations quickly and significantly improve sustainability outcomes. Strategic design interventions in the desert location reduced temperatures by up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit and minimized heat stress over facades, creating a more sustainable and comfortable environment. Join us to explore how these innovative architectural approaches are reshaping industrial engineering and architecture for a sustainable future.

Renwei Wan, AS3328 | AI-Driven Industrial Design in AEC: Exploring Robot Retrofitting Applications in Historic Town Heritage Conservation Thursday, Oct 17 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM PDT

This session will explore how Autodesk Generative Design software was used to create an adaptive connector bracket for robot-operated 3D scans of ancient structures, and detail the process in Autodesk Fusion 360, from entering design parameters to extracting constraints from historical sites, and rapidly iterating to find the best solution to investigate the architectural principles of ancient buildings in Southern China. Dynamo converted these insights into automated BIM scripting, bridging historical knowledge with modern technology for efficient restoration practices.

Gamification and Gaming

Abraham Kirubakaran Jebaraj, GA1937 | Cultural Tapestry and Design of “Unsung Empires Unsung Empires: The Cholas” Wednesday, Oct 16 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM PDT

Join us for an insightful session on how Ayelet Studio , with just three artists and an 18-member team, created the narrative-driven game Unsung Empires: The Cholas using Maya software as a pivotal tool. Discover how Maya’s powerful features for prototyping, modelling, and animation streamlined workflows to bring the game to life. Learn how the game’s immersive experience—enriched by captivating storytelling, unique artistic styles, memorable characters, engaging dialogues, and evocative music—resonated deeply within the gaming community and fostered a sense of pride among players. Gain valuable insights into using Maya for successful game development.

What about you? Have you selected what you want to attend yet? You can enroll in classes starting tomorrow, and I remind you that mine, “The Three-Horizons Problem: Using LEGO Serious Play for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Design” is here .

See you in San Diego!