The Sustainable Design Toolbox

Going Native.....AutoCAD on the Mac is back

Rumours have been out there for some time and press announcements started in the last day or so, its now official, AutoCAD is soon to be available running natively on Mac OS X.

For me, the great thing is I have now got a MacBook Pro to play with so I can get up to speed on this exciting new development. 

AutoCAD for Mac supports the usual Mac functions such as Cover Flow, Spotlight, Trackpad and Magic Mouse gestures. It really is a full Mac product and is certainly looking good:

Autodesk Evangelist Shaan Hurley has a more in-depth overview on his Between the Lines blog.

For a trip down memory lane my colleague Simon Jones provided me with a screenshot (literally!!) of AutoCAD AEC on the Mac, circa 1990, how times have changed:

Take a look at the AutoCAD for Mac site for more information. In Europe, AutoCAD on the Mac will be available some time in the Autumn.

Also announced today is AutoCAD^® WS for iPad, iPhone and iTouch^®devices. You can read more here:

AutoCAD WS

Ecotect Analysis - Comparing Analysis Grid Results

Here is another Tip and Trick for Ecotect Analysis, this time showing how you can compare analysis results by exporting and importing the grid data. I always forget how to do this, so thought I would put this video together as an aide memoire:

 

Ecotect Analysis - Modelling Shading Effect of Wall Thickness

I thought it would be useful to start doing some video Tips & Tricks and Tutorials. In this one I cover a quick method to model the shading effect of the wall thickness when you have a model created in Ecotect or imported via gbXML:

I have also set up a YouTube channel you can also subscribe to:

Sustainable Design Toolbox YouTube Channel

Ecotect Analysis - Curtain wall mullions from Revit misbehaving

I have been rather slack on coming up with Tips and Tricks over the last year so thought I better crack on and start doing some more. I actually wrote this one last year and posted it to our UKAEC site, but omitted to post it here. As it is something I have come across several times and not many seem to know about it, here it is again to get the ball rolling:

You have exported geometry from Revit using the DXF file format for use in Ecotect Analysis. Curtain wall mullion geometry behaves incorrectly after import. In this example they extend up through the roof but on other models I have also seen them change axis, E.g. laying horizontal rather than being vertical:

 

 
  
This behaviour typically occurs with DXF files exported from Revit in AutoCAD 2004, 2007 and 2010 format. To overcome the problem, export the DXF from Revit in AutoCAD 2000 format:

 
You then get the mullions behaving correctly after import into Ecotect Analysis:

 

 

Analysis for Hydraulics and Hydrology - UK Event - 28th October

 
 
My Civil Engineering colleague Jack Strongitharm is running an event in the UK aimed at engineers and planners designing urban drainage systems and stormwater/foulwater sewers. Held at the Thames Barrier, London's main flood defence on October 28th 2010, you can learn how Autodesk analysis tools can help you with run off calculations, storage and pipe sizing, detention ponds, outlet structures and lots more.

For registration and the full agenda:

Register Here

Mastering Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011

I finally got into the office to pick up my copy of Mastering Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011 that has recently been released. From an initial quick flick through all I can say is this is a must have for all of you out there already using Revit Architecture or just starting to dip your toe in.

This is a really comprehensive book, so much so that it is also designated as an Autodesk Official Training Guide, and it also includes a section on Sustainable Design.

Well done to all those involved in its creation.

CarbonBuzz awarded three year grant

 

CarbonBuzz is a UK architectural and building services engineering community collaborative effort, providing an online platform to benchmark and track project energy use from design to operation.

As part of the UK Government Technology Strategy Board competition for Design and Decision Tools for Low Impact Buildings, CarbonBuzz has been awarded a three year funding grant to develop the platform further.

To me this is a critical area for improving building performance and it is exciting that Autodesk are helping provide software know-how as part of the consortium.

You can read the full press release here:

Carbon Buzz Press Release

Today is....

 
.....My 12th anniversary working at Autodesk.

I started in-between the releases of AutoCAD R14 and AutoCAD 2000. Things have certainly moved on when you look at how many products Autodesk now develop and what they are capable of. It will certainly be interesting to see where they get to 12 years from now.