BIM Helps Students Design, Engineer, and Build a Sustainable Future

The Pennsylvania State University Education Success Story

“Architecture is changing. More and more, the emphasis is on the environment and sustainable design—as part of good design ideas. To compete BIM helps students design, in the marketplace, our students’ skills and thinking must reflect those changes. That’s where Revit Architecture and BIM really interest us. Revit Architecture can help the students think engineer, and build holistically.” Ute Poerschke a sustainable future. Associate Professor of Architecture The Pennsylvania State University Top-rated Pennsylvania State University Departments of Architecture and Architectural Engineering deliver cutting- edge architectural instruction—and prepare students for successful careers—by integrating Revit® Architecture

BIM developed by AE students at Penn State University for the software into the curriculum. Long and Foster Companies, the nation’s largest privately owned real estate company, operating in the mid-Atlantic area. The project is in Chantilly, VA. Project Summary information modeling—and in high demand by At Pennsylvania State University, the Architecture potential employers—Revit Architecture provides and Architectural Engineering departments are an exceptional way for both departments to meet committed to preparing students for the rigors of their commitment to students. a career in design, engineering, and construction. Accredited by the NAAB (National Architectural The Challenge Accrediting Board) for architecture and ABET “Implementing Revit Architecture—and therefore (Accreditation Board for Engineering and BIM—in a project or class is very useful,” says Technology) for architectural engineering, both John Messner, an assistant professor in the departments provide a solid foundation in the Architectural Engineering department. “That’s why fundamentals of each field, as well as additional our core goal is to integrate Revit Architecture instruction in cutting-edge methodologies, such for building information modeling into the as design/build or digital fabrication. Of particular entire curriculum as consistently and as early as importance is a relatively new technology known possible.” as building information modeling (BIM). Designed to mirror the real world of architecture, BIM “We’re having a similar discussion in the involves the creation of a single digital model that Architecture department,” says Ute Poerschke, contains all project information—everything from associate professor of architecture. “Last semester floor plans, sections, and elevations to accurate we began integrating Revit Architecture into a area takeoffs, quantities for cost estimating, and Technical Systems Integration course for fifth- scheduling. That’s why both departments have year students. But, our plan is to introduce Revit begun integrating Revit Architecture software Architecture in the third year—giving the students into the curriculum. Purpose-built for building the double benefit of becoming proficient earlier The Pennsylvania State University Education Success Story

BIM developed by AE students at Penn State University for the Long and Foster Companies, the nation’s largest privately owned real estate company, operating in the mid-Atlantic area. The project is in Chantilly, VA.

in their academic careers and having the option of lab, and we quickly filled it to capacity. We actually using it for their final thesis.” had to turn people away.”

Powerful Capabilities Information at Your Fingertips “Revit Architecture is without question a rapid “One of our main goals is to tie all the information modeling tool,” adds Messner. “It’s a great way to in the model together with some of the analysis put together floor plans, sections, and elevations tools we use,” says Messner. “Revit Architecture very easily, and that’s quite valuable. But we plays a key role in this process because it is the also want students to be able to leverage all of primary authoring tool for much of the core the software’s BIM capabilities, such as using building information. That’s really valuable.” quantities for cost estimating, automated area takeoffs, and integration with engineering analysis “For example, our students will use Revit Laura E. Sinn - The Pennsylvania State University and construction visualization applications.” Architecture for rendering in their Architecture courses,” says Messner. “Equally important to “Learning Revit Architecture as a modeling The Solution their work is a variety of analysis tools that can tool is just the first step. What makes it much For help exposing students to Revit Architecture, easily interoperate with and analyze the data more interesting is the emphasis on holistic both departments turned to Autodesk. “As part within the model. This feature is critical for the building design. BIM means that we can of the Technical Systems Integration course I implementation of Revit Architecture into our better integrate information from a variety of taught last semester, I included a voluntary Revit curriculum. We’re very interested in the possibility sources—construction, mechanical engineers, the Architecture workshop taught by an Autodesk of integrating Revit MEP and Revit Structure into environment, and more—into our designs. That our curriculum in the near future.” capability has a direct effect on our teaching.” employee,” says Poerschke. “The students greatly appreciated how the workshop was taught. By the Ute Poerschke time it was over—after only two days—they had The Result Associate Professor, Architecture almost all used Revit Architecture to design their “Architecture is changing,” says Poerschke. “More The Pennsylvania State University own projects.” and more, the emphasis is on the environment and sustainable design—as part of good design ideas. More Than a Modeling Tool To compete in the marketplace, our students’ skills “The workshop taught them more than just and thinking must reflect those changes. That’s modeling,” says Poerschke. “They also began to get where Revit Architecture and BIM really interest a sense of how to use all the additional information us. Revit Architecture can help the students think in the building information model—and for what holistically.” BIM can really be. For example, after completing their designs, they used Revit Architecture’s sun Sharper, More Competitive Students study module to perform a daylighting analysis “The Autodesk Student Engineering and Design that showed how the light would enter the Community has been an invaluable resource in designed buildings at their particular sites.” helping us make that transition,” says Messner. “We point all of our students to the community for A Competitive Edge additional help and to download student edition “This workshop was entirely voluntary,” says software that helps them to prepare for and adjust Poerschke. “My students took it because they to changes in the marketplace.” wanted to learn. But they also knew that it would give them a definite advantage when they go To learn more about Revit Architecture, visit out looking for a job. That, in particular, is a very www.autodesk.com/revitarchitecture. positive argument in favor of the workshop.” To learn more about The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Architecture, visit In 2004, the Architectural Engineering department www.arch.psu.edu. had similar success with an optional, one-credit To learn more about The Pennsylvania State Revit Architecture course, taught by the same University, Department of Architectural Autodesk representative. “It was quite successful,” Engineering, visit www.engr.psu.edu/ae. says Messner. “We had room for 30 students in the

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