Originally aired on NPR affiliate WYPR 88.1FM Oct. 28th 2008

In this interview I had an opportunity to sit down and have a 1 on 1 discussion with Jay Bhatt at Autodesk in Boston. In this short interview we discuss BIM, alarming statistics of U.S. buildings impact to our environment and how software is aiding the development community.

Combining the annual energy required to operate residential, commercial, and industrial buildings along with the embodied energy of industry-produced building materials like carpet, tile, glass, and concrete exposes buildings as the largest energy consuming and greenhouse gas emitting sector.

“Unknowingly, the architecture and building community is responsible for almost half of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions annually. Globally the percentage is even greater.” (from www.architecture2030.org).

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In this interview we arrive at the Epicenter in South Boston and meetup with Andrew Motta, Operations Director to learn about the non-profit Artists for Humanity and to see 1st hand the very 1st Platinum LEED certified building in all of Boston. Before we enter the bulding and take a tour, Paul Sullivan of Autodesk gives us a little background about South Boston and the significance of this project in this area.

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As you approach the front door of the building you see prominently displayed their proud proof of Platinum LEED certification, the highest certification you can receive. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.

To enter the building you have to cross a small bridge from the street. Bordering the bridge they used glass instead of the typical iron rails. The glass isn't just any glass BUT recycled glass - specifically recycled from old Crown Victoria vehicles--this creative idea not only adds uniqueness to the design it also scored some "green" points.

Here is a beautiful photo taken by Paul Sullivan of Autodesk of the student work area. The students in this program learn creative skills and business skills, they are paid employees and the artwork is sold to area businesses and individuals and some of the profit from the artwork goes to the creator and to the organization. It's an awesome model for sustainability.

Finally on the rooftop, behind us are the solar panels that line the rooftop, they are on a slope to attract the optimum amount of sunlight to be effective. As you can see the solar panels are about 3-4 feet above the roof, this gives the solar panels some air to breathe among other benefits.

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Originally aired on: NPR station WEAA 88.9fm Sept. 30th & 1club.fm on Oct. 1st & Sirius XM Satellite Radio Oct. 4 & 5th.

Encore presentation aired nationally on XM Sirius Satellite radio oct. 18th & 19th!

What is BIM you ask? Well it stands for Building Information Modeling. Defined by wikipedia as: the process of generating and managing building data during its life cycle^[1]. Typically it uses three-dimensional, real-time, dynamic building modeling software to increase productivity in building design and construction.^[2] The process produces the Building Information Model (also abbreviated BIM), which encompasses building geometry, spatial relationships, geographic information, and quantities and properties of building components.

The NIBS council defines BIM as: Building Information Models (BIM) for the facility industry are comparable to the transformation that occurred in the aircraft, microprocessor and automotive industries. There are some definitions being circulated that say BIM is simply a 3D model of a facility which is far from the truth. BIM is intended to be an open standards based repository of information for the facility owner/operator to use and maintain throughout the life-cycle of a facility.

Autodesk building information modeling (BIM) software facilitates a new way of working collaboratively using a model created from consistent, reliable design information – enabling faster decision-making, better documentation, and the ability to evaluate sustainable building and infrastructure design alternatives using analysis to predict performance before breaking ground.

In this show we speak with:

Jay Bhatt, Autodesk Senior Vice President, Architecture, Engineering and Construction Solutions, Phil Bernstein, Architect and Technologist and Yale Professor and Jennifer Caffrey, who teaches technology education at the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School in Connecticut and uses Autodesk software in the classroom, she's also the teacher responsible for 4 middle school students winning the School of the Future National design competition.

Jay Bhatt

Phil Bernstein

The Revit Kids

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