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With the Revit platform for BIM, University of Wyoming engineering students learn interdisciplinary collaboration
The University
The University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science offers accredited degree programs in a wide variety of disciplines, including computer science, earth systems, and civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering. In each area of study, faculty prepare the students for future
career success by providing numerous opportunities for hands-on learning, research, and teaching.
Their goal is to ensure that graduating students are able to apply real-world problem-solving skills
to the challenges modern engineers face. That’s why the Department of Civil and Architectural
Engineering (AE) recently incorporated Revit® Architecture, Revit® Structure and Revit® MEP
building information modeling (BIM) software into its introductory and advanced architectural design
studios.
“Our curricular emphasis is the analysis and design of the structural and mechanical systems of buildings,” says Keith E. Hedges, AIA NCARB, Academic Professional, University of Wyoming. “However, we offer two design studios for our engineering students to understand the collaborative nature of a comprehensive architectural project.”
A Paradigm Shift
 Such an approach is extremely valuable in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven design environment, where innovative new practices—such as integrated project delivery and sustainable design—demand early and ongoing interdisciplinary collaboration. In response, many AE programs have begun to adopt BIM, an integrated process that enables architects and engineers to work simultaneously from a single digital model of a project.
Recognizing the value that BIM brings to their learning, the students have eagerly embraced it. “Opening up a building and the ability to explore room to room gives designers a stronger sense of balance,” says student Jordan Hague. “The ability to represent the project so accurately ensures that the project is meeting its intended purpose.” says student Jordan Hague. “To see how a taller ceiling would appear, you just raise the walls and then view the interior. That gives you a lot of freedom when designing.”
The faculty believe that these visualization capabilities provide significant benefit. “The students readily take advantage of interior and exterior 3D views and discover new design alternatives that were not previously available,” says Hedges.
The Revit platform for BIM and its parametric change engine also enable students to save time. “In Revit, you can cut anywhere in the building and it will give you a real time isometric view of where you cut,” says student Peter Irey. “ Also, if you change anything after you make the section cut in Revit, the view is automatically updated.”
A Powerful Collaborative Tool
 During the introductory studio, BIM enabled the students to work simultaneously within the same digital model and to add previously unavailable areas of expertise, such as structural expression and illumination. “BIM has created an opportunity for the progression of design, enabling realistic representation. This new tool allows solutions to be developed for complex problems limited simply by the imagination,” says student Scott Groshans. “Without a doubt, the capacity for conceptual complexity has been one of the greatest rewards of using BIM in the introductory studio,” says Hedges.
In the terminal studio, teams imitated a real world design team by having three students work as architects during the conceptual and schematic design phases. Then, to develop greater detail, each assumed one of three roles: architect, structural engineer, or mechanical engineer. “Establishing cross-disciplinary teams yielded clear benefits,” says Anthony S. Denzer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Wyoming. “The students explored this project to a greater level of resolution than any of our students have ever done.”
In their final presentation, the students credited their success to BIM and cross-disciplinary collaboration. “BIM was particularly beneficial because it enabled them to visualize how the structural members and architectural elements interacted,” says Denzer.
Critical Thinking for Sustainable Design
Revit Architecture for BIM enabled the students to consider sustainable design and make relatively sophisticated choices early in the design process. For example, Revit Architecture and its solar study visualization capabilities helped them understand how to best orient the building. Students also used Revit Architecture to critically evaluate sunshade placement and materials.
Realizing their designs
 Recently, the students used knowledge gained from the integrated studios to design twelve homes for Habitat for Humanity. “They deployed the Revit platform for BIM because of its well-developed internal consistency between plan, section, and elevation,” says Denzer. They also appreciated that several students could work on different aspects of the same model simultaneously. After producing a full set of construction documents, the students communicated design intent with high-quality, visually persuasive 3D renderings generated using Revit Architecture and quickly secured approval from stakeholders. Some homes are currently under construction and others have been completed with a variety of envelope materials for performance evaluations.
The Result
“In our experience, the Revit platform products optimize and define the disciplinarity within integrated teams,” says Hedges. “BIM has facilitated real-time, simultaneous collaborative architectural design environments. This allowed us to cultivate a broader understanding of how our students will eventually communicate in integrated practice” says Denzer.
To learn more about Revit Architecture, Revit Structure and Revit MEP in Education, please visit the Autodesk Student Engineering and Design Community: www.autodesk.com/edcommunity
The design process has transformed where architectural design students now evaluate and illustrate representational space during the journey (new paradigm) as opposed to the final destination (old paradigm), thereby deepening the exploration of design alternatives. This was not possible prior to using Revit Architecture for BIM.
Colorado District Raising Funds To Continue PLTW Program
The Reporter Herald (CO) (3/23, Dailey) reported on the Project Lead the Way classes at Berthoud and Mountain View high schools, which over "the last two years...have grabbed and held the interest of  students" through projects that include creating "an engine out of aluminum cans, a tea light and copper wiring." While the program has been a success, "the $106,000 grant that funded the program has run out and now some Thompson School District staffers and parents are trying to raise $60,000 to ensure the classes can continue at both schools for at least another two years." Among other efforts, teacher Robb Sommerfeld "is even auctioning off advertising space on his class lab coat or truck on eBay, and to really make some money, he set the starting bid at $1,000." Additionally, "organizers have sent out letters to all the parents with students in the programs as well as about 190 engineering firms in the region to tell them about their efforts and ask for donations.
Animation Emmy Win
 Brigham Young University's Animation Department received word from Hollywood on Wednesday that
its last two films, "Pajama Gladiator," which was finished in 2008, and "Kites," which was
completed in 2009, have won student Emmys.
In the past six years, students in the program have produced nine Emmy-winning short films.
"We barely missed the deadline with 'Pajama Gladiator' last year," said Brent Adams, director
for the BYU Center for Animation. "We barely made the deadline for the second film."
Only three films are chosen for student Emmys each year, said university spokesman Michael
Smart. BYU secured two of them.
-Elizabeth Stuart - March 18, 2009
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