BIM and OpenBIM – Outdated?
The most thought-provoking LinkedIn article from last week came from Artem Boiko . He wrote about the history of BIM and developers' efforts to access and use the data and geometry of proprietary file formats. He asserts that BIM and IFC are outdated approaches in the data and AI-driven future of the AEC industry.
I picked a few thoughts from Artem’s article An Era of Change: IFC is a thing of the past or why Autodesk and other CAD vendors are willing to give up IFC for USD in 14 key facts.
It is hard to access native BIM data
Data analytics and AI require access to design files to extract data from them. However, that is not easy since most major CAD and BIM software companies don't provide direct access to their application data. To do that, developers and users must use APIs or special software, which is not just a technical nuisance but can also be costly.
“...we need thousands of new API commands, which the vendor may change every year," Artem mentions.
Another solution is to export models using an application-neutral data schema, like IFC, and try to parse the data from those files.
IFC poses challenges
IFC is a popular solution, but many developers and users find it challenging to use effectively. Even Autodesk, which is said to have initiated IFC, “has not yet been able to independently implement full native support for IFC export in its products such as Revit,” Artem claims.
Furthermore, “their textual line-by-line organization looks archaic and not really suitable for modern digital data processing and analytics,” says Artem.
The IFC schema is extensive and can represent the same information in multiple ways, which leads to redundancy and ambiguity. IFC also has problems exchanging geometrical data and struggles with parametric modeling.
Could USD be the answer? ?
I recall a presentation from a seminar several years ago in which a game developer ridiculed CAD and BIM tools. Today, companies like NVIDIA and Epic Games have advanced their technologies even further and can produce mind-blowing results.
Like AEC, the entertainment industry has also faced the challenge of diverse software applications in the production pipeline. Creators often use incompatible formats, which complicates data exchange.
The recently emerged solution is USD, Universal Scene Description, an open-source framework developed by Pixar for 3D scene interchange and assembly. In 2023, Autodesk, NVIDIA, and Apple formed the AOUSD global alliance to promote and standardize the USD format.
Artem is enthusiastic about USD's potential for AEC applications. Compared to traditional formats, USD has a more straightforward and "flatter" structure. It also supports complex animations, which is beneficial when visualizing and simulating construction projects.
USD's efficient data management and modern formats like JSON can facilitate more manageable and streamlined data handling and sharing.
IFC could eventually integrate USD's graphical components into its framework and overcome its shortcomings in geometry representation.
NVIDIA Omniverse and USD
NVIDIA Omniverse demonstrates the power of OpenUSD, which it uses as its underlying fabric.
NVIDIA Omniverse? Enterprise is a technology platform that enables 3D design teams working across multiple software suites to collaborate in real time in a shared virtual space. Companies like the BMW Group, Ericsson, and Foster + Partners were among the first to implement it.
Ominverse is a noteworthy platform for the AEC sector. I found this out during my WDBE Talks interview with Pallavi Mohan, Senior Solution Architect at NVIDIA.
The future is data-centric
Technology should be a driving force for innovation and progress rather than a hindrance. Innovators have devised solutions to circumvent the restrictions of legacy BIM software, but it's certainly worth exploring modern alternatives.
Artem suggests using granular data, USD, and the Entity-component-system (ECS) approach?as the solution. They could lay a foundation for the efficient use of AI, LLMs, process automation, and data analytics.
Based on the examples in Artem’s article, there's a growing interest in looking beyond today's BIM applications. His post created lively discussion, which indicates that he touched on a hot topic.
FROM AEC BUSINESS
Onboarding Subcontractors with ShareFile
Construction is one of the most networked industries, with contractual relationships changing from project to project. Because of this, a general contractor (GC) frequently needs to onboard new subcontractors or trade partners and requires a simple, efficient process for managing documents and minimizing risk.
What are the best practices for GCs who want to use Progress ShareFile effectively for onboarding trade partners or subcontractors?
The Rise of Health and Well-Being within Real Estate
William Stewart MRICS WELL AP 's WDBE 2024 keynote in Tallinn was titled “The Rise of Health and Well-Being within Real Estate and Its Implementation within Business Models.”
William is a Health and Well-being Advisor at Ekkist, the UK’s first health and well-being consultancy for the built environment.
Solving Construction’s Productivity Puzzle: Quickbase’s New Work Management Platform
Quickbase has launched the Quickbase Work Management Platform for Construction. It connects teams and streamlines projects from pre-construction to close out.
领英推荐
The platform includes pre-built “Pro App” solutions, AI-powered tools for insights and workflow automation, and access to mobile form capabilities for field teams. The unified platform helps construction companies keep projects on time and on budget while maintaining job site safety and compliance.
Quickbase is a work management platform used by more than 12,000 organizations to boost productivity when managing large-scale projects and operations.
MY NEWS PICKS OF THE WEEK
6 contech startups raise a combined $196M
??? The contech sector, specializing in AI-powered solutions, estimating software, and modular construction, is experiencing robust investment growth.
?? Cemex Ventures highlighted a 32% increase in global contech investments, totaling $734 million across 85 deals for the third quarter.
?? Notable recent investments include
?? Austrian modular construction firm Gropyus, raising $105 million to expand its smart factory and complete projects in Germany.
?? French firm Cintoo secured $38.8 million to enhance its Reality Data platform.
?? U.S.-based Document Crunch, BiltOn, Outbuild, and Drawer AI also received substantial funding for innovations in construction operations, risk management, and estimating systems. Source: Construction Dive
SimpsonHaugh Architects connects its staff to the future of AI-enabled design
??? Architecture firm SimpsonHaugh uses virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and AI to build the foundations for digital transformation.
???? Introducing VDI has significantly reduced IT downtime, which equates to approximately 17% of SimpsonHaugh’s 2023 turnover, or ￡1.79 million in lost earnings saved.
?? The firm spent ￡1.21m on its technological platform, which includes Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktop, Citrix NetScaler, VMware vSphere Hypervisor, Dell Servers with vSAN storage, Nvidia vGPUs and ControlUp’s DEX platform, which provides VDI performance analytics and remediation.
World-renowned Japanese architect’s office utilises AI in design process
?? Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, 70, uses AI to streamline his work but also create new designs by getting ideas from images generated by AI, with the aim of “surpassing the current Kengo Kuma.”
?? AI has helped the 400-member staff manage 400 projects in Japan and overseas.
?? The time saved has been spent meeting with clients or developing new ideas. #AI
Exodigo is Leaning on AI to Help Map the Underground
A conversation with Exodigo CEO Jeremy Suard about how the company is using AI to more accurately map subterranean utilities.
Procore to add AI agents to its construction management software platform
Construction software firm Procore Technologies, Inc. announced plans to release a set of artificial intelligence agents in early 2025 that are tuned to enforce project efficiency, improve safety, enhance decision-making, and streamline workflows.
AI Keeps an Eye for Construction
Peggy Smedley’s report on how construction AI was discussed at the 2024 Groundbreak event.
Nemetschek Group Invests in US-Based Construction AI Solution Provider Document Crunch
The Nemetschek Group announced its participation in a Series B funding round for Document Crunch, a technology company dedicated to transforming document compliance and risk management for the construction industry. Document Crunch uses AI to simplify complex construction documents, offering faster contract reviews, standardized risk assessments, and improved project decision-making. Their solutions are a perfect fit with Bluebeam’s design and construction tools.
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1 个月findmydesignai.com AI fixes this AEC Business newsletter explores BIM.
Implementing DaaS - Data As A Service for CAD and BIM
3 个月I would suggest not to make quick conclusions, but to make some fact-checking https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/thought-leadership-fact-checking-action-alexander-borovikov-kwiuc/?trackingId=9rKPFDGWKOKfBz0KCFHFgA%3D%3D
Helping contractors with high-risk contracts | Posts and articles about the process.
3 个月Very informative!
DataDrivenConstruction.io | Data Analytics and Data Processing in Construction | Democratize Data Access | AI and LLM with CAD (BIM)
3 个月Aarni Heiskanen thank you very much for supporting this discussion ????♂?
Meet the BIM Pirate
3 个月As with the article of Artem the aspect of IFC being more than a file format is completely ignored. Read here why this matters and why just replacing IFC with USD won't help the industry. https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/ifc-just-file-format-why-matters-simon-dilhas-nivyf/