flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

GREENBUILD 2011: Software an architectural game changer

GREENBUILD 2011: Software an architectural game changer


By By BD+C Staff | October 5, 2011
The software can convert a fully BIM detailed standard Revit design file into an immersive collaborative 3D environment in under

 

SMARTBIM and Vizerra launched their new collaborative software project, VIMTrek, at the Greenbuild Exposition and Conference in Toronto. The VIMTrek software can convert a fully BIM detailed standard Revit design file into an immersive collaborative 3D environment in under five minutes while retaining the BIM data.

The application is able to rapidly convert Autodesk Revit designs into immersive and interactive environments and then share these over the Internet.

The idea came from advanced technologies in the video gaming industry where hyper?fast rendering algorithms are required to produce the immersive and highly detailed environments. The industry standard architectural rendering techniques, which convert design drafts into photorealistic visuals, typically involve a laborious and time?consuming process that can take 15 hours or more to complete and requires a high degree of expertise and computing power. The results of these traditional renderings produce visually stunning but static images, allowing no interactive or, more important, collaborative capabilities because of the large file size.

The software can convert the same Revit design file into an immersive 3D environment in less than five minutes with no extra training or experience required. The new rendering process utilizes unique compression technology that makes the file one?tenth the size of a traditional render and is completely interactive, allowing designers, architects, contractors, and their clients to navigate the environment and experience the building as though they were moving through a video game. BD+C

Related Stories

| Jan 13, 2014

Custom exterior fabricator A. Zahner unveils free façade design software for architects

The web-based tool uses the company's factory floor like "a massive rapid prototype machine,” allowing designers to manipulate designs on the fly based on cost and other factors, according to CEO/President Bill Zahner.

| Jan 13, 2014

AEC professionals weigh in on school security

An exclusive survey reveals that Building Teams are doing their part to make the nation’s schools safer in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook tragedy.

| Jan 13, 2014

6 legislative actions to ignite the construction economy

The American Institute of Architects announced its “punch list” for Congress that, if completed, will ignite the construction economy by spurring much needed improvements in energy efficiency, infrastructure, and resiliency, and create jobs for small business.

| Jan 12, 2014

CES showcases innovations: Can any of these help you do your job better?

The Consumer Electronics Show took place this past week in Las Vegas. Known for launching new products and technologies, many of the products showcased there set the bar for future innovators. The show also signals trends to watch in technology applicable to the design and building industry. 

| Jan 12, 2014

The ‘fuzz factor’ in engineering: when continuous improvement is neither

The biggest threat to human life in a building isn’t the potential of natural disasters, but the threat of human error. I believe it’s a reality that increases in probability every time a code or standard change is proposed. 

| Jan 12, 2014

5 ways virtual modeling can improve facilities management

Improved space management, streamlined maintenance, and economical retrofits are among the ways building owners and facility managers can benefit from building information modeling.

| Jan 11, 2014

Getting to net-zero energy with brick masonry construction [AIA course]

When targeting net-zero energy performance, AEC professionals are advised to tackle energy demand first. This AIA course covers brick masonry's role in reducing energy consumption in buildings. 

| Jan 10, 2014

What the states should do to prevent more school shootings

To tell the truth, I didn’t want to write about the terrible events of December 14, 2012, when 20 children and six adults were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. I figured other media would provide ample coverage, and anything we did would look cheap or inappropriate. But two things turned me around.

| Jan 10, 2014

Special Report: K-12 school security in the wake of Sandy Hook

BD+C's exclusive five-part report on K-12 school security offers proven design advice, technology recommendations, and thoughtful commentary on how Building Teams can help school districts prevent, or at least mitigate, a Sandy Hook on their turf.

| Jan 10, 2014

Resiliency, material health among top AEC focuses for 2014: Perkins+Will survey

Architectural giant Perkins+Will recently surveyed its staff of 1,500 design pros to forcast hot trends in the AEC field for 2014. The resulting Design + Insights Survey reflects a global perspective.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Warehouses

California bill would limit where distribution centers can be built

A bill that passed the California legislature would limit where distribution centers can be located and impose other rules aimed at reducing air pollution and traffic. Assembly Bill 98 would tighten building standards for new warehouses and ban heavy diesel truck traffic next to sensitive sites including homes, schools, parks and nursing homes.




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021