Last week several Reed employees that are part of the SmartBIM Team were at the AIA show in San Francisco demonstrating our SmartBIM products and services to Architects, Contractors, Owners and Building Product Manufacturers (BPM's) and have contributed to this recap.

Attendance
The attendance was down considerably from last year, while this meant that we had less architects to talk with it also meant that we had more time to spend with BPM's. It also meant that we had as much time as desired by the architects to show them our entire suite of products and services.

BPM's
I believe this was a milestone year on the road to BIM acceptance and use. Four years ago we went booth by booth through the show talking about BIM and Revit; I do not remember one BPM that had heard of either. We asked if architects were asking for Revit objects and the answer was no. Two years ago most BPM's had heard of BIM and Revit but were not sure why they needed to take any actions. Now we most BPM's understand that BIM is a big part of their future. Architects are asking for Revit objects which is driving BPM's to create their products is Revit.

Architects
More architects are using BIM than ever before, we continue to hear that those that are not yet on BIM understand that they will be using BIM in the near future. Architects are seeing increased productivity and tremendous value with BIM, they are also sorry to see that they need to spend time and money getting into BIM, but are accepting this reality. Our solutions for architects certainly make BIM more productive and easier to use.

Reed Product and Services
Many of us have been attending AIA shows for many years, in my case for decades. We are at the threshold of an epic change as we move from CAD to BIM. While change seems slow when you are inside looking out, the speed of the change to BIM is happening quickly even for me. Two years ago I predicted that the movement from CAD to BIM would happen in 1/3 the time it took to go from hand drawing to CAD. CAD took 15 years.

Reed has developed an integrated suite of products that tie together BIM for all the design/build/manage parties. The power of BIM is the creation of a centralized location for graphics and data as well as BIM serving as the index for pointing to external information.

SmartBIM Library

• 1.Drag and Drop - The new version with drag and drop of folders and projects from which the catalogs are automatically generated was a tremendous hit. With this feature it is very easy and fast to organize the content for the management of the architects own existing libraries.
• 2. Architectural Content - The content expansion was impressive. In the last few months we have added several hundred generic SmartBIM Objects and over 1,000 BPM SmartBIM Objects. A year ago we had 6 BPM's under contract, now more than 30.
• 3. MEP Content — Reed will be adding hundreds of MEP Objects that have been designed specifically for the needs of engineers. MEP content has been lacking in the SmartBIM Library so this was a significant event and well received as many of the architects we present to have firms that provide both architectural and engineering services.
• 4. The reduced pricing of 2 for the price of 1, which essentially takes the cost to $250, was well received. We demonstrated our ROI calculator that shows in most cases the SmartBIM Library pays for itself in a couple of weeks through increased efficiency in managing and finding objects.

SmartBIM QTO

• 1. This was the introduction for our SmartBIM QTO product. Reed is in the final beta testing of the product and it will be available in the next few weeks. The response was tremendous. With SmartBIM QTO a model can be analyzed and a bill of materials (BOM) generated in a few seconds. When we then demonstrated that the architect can select a city, a building type and push a button and have a cost estimate generated in a few more seconds with costs coming from the RS Means database the response was a look of amazement. SmartBIM QTO is accomplishing in seconds what used to take days.
• 2. We are already starting on a wish list of new features that have been suggested by the audience.
• 3. The pricing on this product is very attractive, $500 if purchased alone, or $250 if purchased in conjunction with a SmartBIM Library (or for customers that already have SmartBIM Library).
• 4. Architects are shocked to learn that more money is spent on counting and costing than is spent on architects and engineers fees. Automation of quantities and costing will significantly reduce owner's costs.

SmartBIM Spaces

• 1. The new concept from Reed, SmartBIM Spaces, is designed to deliver completed spaces populated with SmartBIM Objects. The goal is to eventually have hundreds of SmartBIM Spaces for scores of building types. We have started with Schools and have identified over 50 SmartBIM Spaces that we are currently creating. For each space we will also link specific BPM products that are appropriate for the specific space.
• 2. This is a bold concept for both the architects and the BPM's.
  • a. Architects — We are careful to point out that we are not creating architecture; we are creating the equivalent of "bubble diagrams". We envision that architects will download the spaces they need for a project. The spaces come with glass walls so you can see inside easily. The response from architects was excellent as there was recognition that these SmartBIM Spaces will make it easier for them to find the SmartBIM Objects they need as well as providing them layout and geometry that is appropriate for the Spaces.
• 3. BPM's — BPM's have thousands of products that are often space specific so they have the challenge of getting the right product in front of the architect at the appropriate time. Architects have the challenge of finding the product. SmartBIM Spaces is ideal for BPM's, as the products are tied to the space, if you sell kilns you can be part of art rooms spaces, if you sell drop down projector units you can be part of conference rooms.
• 4. BPM's also need to know who is designing buildings, as part of SmartBIM Spaces they will be notified of the architects that have been provided SmartBIM Spaces information for specific building types through the Reed Project Lead service.

SmartBIM Distribution

• 1. Manufacturers have created their own objects or have had them created by consultants. These companies recognize that distribution of their objects through Reed will increase exposure. To date, Reed has only distributed SmartBIM Objects that we have created as we strongly believe that architects appreciate and trust our work. We have now implemented a program where we will review and accept or reject objects for distribution within our system. We are currently in the process of reviewing the objects from several BPM's.
• 2. At the show many architects, who have found their work load decreased, are going to BPM's to create their Revit objects and asked if we could help in distribution. Our new program is designed specifically for this event and we look forward to receiving their objects.

BIM 1.0, BIM 2.0, BIM 3.0, Where are you?

• 1. I was selected by the AIA to give a talk at the show. It was Friday evening from 6-7pm so I expected only a few architects to show up on a Friday night in San Francisco, over 600 did. About half of the audience was using BIM; I predict next year this will move to three-quarters. AIA Members can find copies of the presentation on the AIA show site, the Session number was F-102. The presentation covered:
  • a. BIM 1.0 — BIM today is mainly used for the creation of contract documents and renderings
  • b. BIM 2.0 - Analysis will be the next phase of BIM where analysis is a byproduct of the model. While a few architects are currently using their models for analysis the use is growing and the analysis software is getting easier to use and more powerful. Analysis will lead to better design, more efficient buildings, and better controls over maintenance and operations.
  • c. BIM 3.0 — Simulation is the future that awaits us all. As you design you will see costs, energy usage, code violations, time to construct, and real time simulations on wind, shadows, construction sequencing, etc. Do not expect this in the next few years, but it will be part of the architect's future practice, this is very exciting.
• 2. Many in the audience stayed on for over one hour for questions and answers.
  • a. What about sharing models? Answer: They should be shared, I know there are concerns about liability, but that can be covered with legal documents. If architects do not share their models the owners and contractors will create them and the architect will have less value. The models have long term value.
  • b. Why is Revit MEP less complete than Architectural? Answer: I cannot answer specifically, but software is in constant development and the product that is next released will be the most powerful, so use what is available today.
  • c. How do we know that contractors are saving money with BIM projects, would not the conflicts be found anyway? Answer: In construction conflicts are eventually found, but it is a lot less expensive to find them in the electronic model than standing in the rain at the construction site.
  • d. Which BIM product should a new user select? Answer: All of the major vendors have excellent products; at Reed we develop our solutions for the Revit applications because of the large market share of users.

Conclusion
The AIA show has great significance to me. In the mid eighties we introduced the application we created and licensed to Autodesk, AutoCAD AEC Architectural at the AIA show. That first show was in San Francisco, in a small 10'x10' booth in approximately the same location on the show floor as the Reed booth this year. In that show not one architect that looked at the product indicted they would ever use PC CAD. In the 24 years I have watched our profession adopt technology in significant ways, and yet I know that we are at the threshold of an even more significant adoption that will make the last 24 years seem insignificant. I look forward to 2010.