recognise outstanding use of advanced 3D building design

Autodesk, Inc. is the world leader in 2D and 3D design software for the manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment markets. Since the introduction of AutoCAD in 1982, Autodesk has developed the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art digital prototyping solutions to help customers experience their ideas before they are real. Fortune 1000 companies rely on Autodesk for the tools to visualize, simulate and analyze real-world performance early in the design process to save time and money, enhance quality and foster innovation. On 28th August, 2009 Autodesk, Inc., presented the “Autodesk HK BIM Awards 2009 – Winning by Design” to five local building organisations, in recognition of their outstanding applications of Building Information Modelling (BIM) design software. The presentations were made at a stunning ceremony at the W Hotel.

This is the third Autodesk HK BIM Awards in Hong Kong. The award celebrates building industry professionals and educators in Hong Kong who are helping to drive transformation of the building industry through BIM. Winners are selected for a range of accomplishments, including innovative use of BIM in building design decisions, sustainable design decisions and business practice transformation.

BIM methodology, leveraging the capabilities of Autodesk Revit software has played a pivotal role in each of the five winners’ projects: 1 Hong Kong Housing Authority, for Towards Customization with Standard Modular Flats in Mass Housing Design.
2 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, for The PolyU Campus in the Shenzhen Virtual University Science Park. “The building users could easily look at a 3D model, and found it impressive.” Margaret Lam, Project Manager, Campus Development Office, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

3 InteliBuild Ltd, for Goodman Interlink Logistics Centre. “Goodman’s revenue will be tied in to the delivery time of the building and there will be better assurance it can be delivered on time. We can mitigate delays and costs during the project planning stage.” Ir. Ronan Collins, founder and managing director, InteliBuild.
4 Kerry Properties Ltd, for 863-865 King’s Road, Quarry Bay Project. “This is beyond what we could imagine with using traditional 2D drawings. BIM helps us to visualise projects, as we see things in 3D.” Albert Yeung, Project Director of Kerry Properties Ltd.
5 HOK, for Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Air Traffic Control Tower & Technical Block. “An unusual design calls for an unusual work flow, and Revit is our software of choice.” Dickson Mak, Associate / Design Architect, HOK.

After the ceremony PRC sat down with Patrick Williams Senior Vice President – APAC, Autodesk. “BIM is transforming the building industry worldwide and as the awards show, Hong Kong is at the vanguard of the transformation.
Rather than using traditional 2D design techniques, BIM focuses on 3D modelling and can integrate and coordinate information from architects, engineers and contractors. It removes the guesswork and clashes that are inherent in traditional design; BIM is what-you-see-is-what-you-get design methodology.” Williams, who has been with Autodesk for almost three years after a career in the semi conductor industry, spoke about Autodesk in the Asia Pacific. “Japan is our largest market by volume but China is now a close second and with all that is happening in the Mainland it’s a very interesting place to be.

Autodesk chose Shanghai as a hub because it is well positioned to key markets from Beijing to Hong Kong, Korea and Japan. Also the company acquired a local software partner with whom Autodesk had been working very closely.

Plus, China users are very significant with over 55,000 licensed users of our Revit software.” “Autodesk has had a presence in China since 1994. Infrastructure is now very developed with over 14,000 personnel spread over two campuses working in research and development (R&D) alone. And what’s really impressive is the education there, with 60% of those in R&D holding a Masters Degree and a whopping 30% owning a PHD.” In terms of growing the Autodesk brand in Asia Pacific Williams states, “For some time the company has been less focused on trying to sell into markets, rather Autodesk has been trying to gain access into markets and there’s been a deliberate change in how we approach the education market, we try to build communities and be viral and have the students build the communities themselves because they are passionate about the product and then work with the professors to have BIM built into the curriculum.”

Autodesk has had a targeted corporate outlook for several years to assist in sustainable building, which in last few years is accelerating. “A lot of the software’s ability to help design green has to do with what the architects themselves are trying to achieve,” states Williams. “Building information modelling allows checks and balances and allows for various certification criteria, such as LEED compliance to be built into the design and measured accordingly and once in the model it can be replicated upwards. But being green has more to do with the vision of the architect or engineer than the software itself. Rather than setting green standards we work with the associations who design the standards.” Wendy Lee, Branch Manager – HK & Macau, Autodesk added, “BIM greatly helps with creating sustainable buildings, which is of increasing importance, especially as the Hong Kong Government is committed to putting into practice green and sustainable building principles.”

Aldous Wong, Vice-President – Greater China Region, Autodesk, concluded, “The principle of BIM is not new, but it is only in recent years that the technology has begun to deliver on the promise. Autodesk Revit software is purpose-built for BIM, and we are making constant improvements, so project teams can explore remarkably detailed building design visualisations, and conduct sophisticated simulation studies. As the awards show, Hong Kong building organisations are among the leading exponents of BIM, and leveraging its capabilities in various ways – including enhancing designs, reducing construction costs, and ensuring projects are completed on time.”