This month, Autodesk will be rolling out its next generation of BIM 360 products that will include BIM 360 Design and BIM 360 Build modules (https://bim360.autodesk.com), making this suite the industry's first unified design-construction platform. BIM 360 is built on top of Forge, Autodesk’s cloud-based software platform, which the company launched in 2015.
In fact, all of Autodesk’s products are now built onto Forge, which makes it easier for the company to “expose the innards of technology” through a variety of application program interfaces, says Jim Lynch, Vice President of Autodesk’s BIM 360 Construction Line Group.
By opening Forge to the industry’s eco system, more of Autodesk’s customers have been building products that integrate seamlessly with that platform. One such example is Assemble Systems, a preconstruction planning tool. Indeed, since introducing this partnership program last November at its Autodesk University event, there have been 46 completed integrations on the exchange (https://integrations.bim360.autodesk.com), and another 90 in the works.
Expanding this eco system is important, explains Lynch, because it would be nearly impossible for Autodesk alone to meet all of the AEC industry’s different needs and requirements.
The goal, says Lynch, is the make the construction process easier, from design to commissioning, “so that there’s more end-to-end transparency.”
Third-party suppliers that want to become part of this network need to apply, although Lynch says that the entry bar is “pretty low.” In fact, competing companies that offer software that does pretty much the same thing as others on the exchange are welcome onto the Forge platform. (Lynch says that Autodesk might even invest in the ones it prefers.)
However, in building this app exchange, Lynch says Autodesk more interested in cultivating quality than quantity to help users connect and store their data. “What we’re trying to say is, if you work with Autodesk, you have the opportunity to put all of your information into one place. We’re putting everything on the cloud and offering customizable solutions.”
Related Stories
| Nov 27, 2013
Wonder walls: 13 choices for the building envelope
BD+C editors present a roundup of the latest technologies and applications in exterior wall systems, from a tapered metal wall installation in Oklahoma to a textured precast concrete solution in North Carolina.
| Nov 27, 2013
University reconstruction projects: The 5 keys to success
This AIA CES Discovery course discusses the environmental, economic, and market pressures affecting facility planning for universities and colleges, and outlines current approaches to renovations for critical academic spaces.
| Nov 26, 2013
Construction costs rise for 22nd straight month in November
Construction costs in North America rose for the 22nd consecutive month in November as labor costs continued to increase, amid growing industry concern over the tight availability of skilled workers.
| Nov 19, 2013
Top 10 green building products for 2014
Assa Abloy's power-over-ethernet access-control locks and Schüco's retrofit façade system are among the products to make BuildingGreen Inc.'s annual Top-10 Green Building Products list.
| Nov 15, 2013
Greenbuild 2013 Report - BD+C Exclusive
The BD+C editorial team brings you this special report on the latest green building trends across nine key market sectors.
| Nov 15, 2013
Metal makes its mark on interior spaces
Beyond its long-standing role as a preferred material for a building’s structure and roof, metal is making its mark on interior spaces as well.
| Nov 14, 2013
Behind the build: BD+C's 'Pedia-Pod' modular pediatric patient unit at Greenbuild 2013 [slideshow]
Next week at Greenbuild, BD+C will unveil its demonstration pediatric patient unit, called Pedia-Pod. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the construction of this unique modular structure.
| Nov 13, 2013
Installed capacity of geothermal heat pumps to grow by 150% by 2020, says study
The worldwide installed capacity of GHP systems will reach 127.4 gigawatts-thermal over the next seven years, growth of nearly 150%, according to a recent report from Navigant Research.
| Nov 11, 2013
The story behind 'Pedia-Pod,' BD+C's modular pediatric patient unit at Greenbuild
In the November issue of BD+C, you'll see our report on "Pedia-Pod," the modular pediatric patient unit we've helped design, outfit, and build at Greenbuild. Here's how it was developed.
| Nov 8, 2013
Can Big Data help building owners slash op-ex budgets?
Real estate services giant Jones Lang LaSalle set out to answer these questions when it partnered with Pacific Controls to develop IntelliCommand, a 24/7 real-time remote monitoring and control service for its commercial real estate owner clients.
