For the second consecutive year, NASCC: The Steel Conference provides a glimpse into the future of technology in steel construction with the Technology in Steel Construction Conference (TSCC). This special track features nine informative sessions that focus on advanced technology use throughout the steel construction industry, from various topics on building information modeling (BIM) to interoperability.
TSCC sessions are part of the more than 100 top-notch educational sessions being offered at The Steel Conference in St. Louis, April 17-19 at America's Center Convention Complex. Admittance to all TSCC sessions is included with conference registration. To register or view an advance program, visit www.aisc.org/nascc.
Here's a look at this year's TSCC sessions for steel design and construction professionals:
T1: Leveraging Technology to Improve Project Communication (Wednesday, 3:15 p.m. — 4:15 p.m.) — How do you convey information clearly and succinctly and ensure it is understood by others? How do you know you are interpreting the information you receive correctly? This session, aimed at all roles within the structural steel industry, will discuss how to use the technology you already have, or have easily accessible, to improve communication within the project team and your own organization. Various technologies will be examined, from tools for building and reviewing BIM models and drawings, to web-based software designed to accommodate virtual meetings, to free tools to help you share files and stay mobile.
T2: IFC - Interoperability for Construction? A Practical Take for the Steel Industry (Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. — 6 p.m.) — IFC does not stand for Interoperability for Construction; but it could! It's actually an acronym for buildingSMART's Industry Foundation Classes, an industry-wide open standard that is gaining traction in the construction industry, as it offers a promise unmatched by previous standards: that a single standard can be used across various trades and professions in the industry. This session will explain why AISC adopted IFC at the core of its interoperability strategy and examine the nuances of IFC files, dispelling some myths and perceptions along the way. In addition, the session will take a look at the progress being made toward actual IFC exchanges in the structural steel industry.
T3: Risk and Model Hand-Offs (Thursday, 8 a.m. — 9:30 a.m.) — In this session, you'll learn how to address risk and model hand-offs and the challenges of working with design and construction models. The discussion will also consider the new AIA BIM Protocol Exhibit 202 that defines the Level of Detail (LOD) in models on a scale of 100 to 500. These LOD concepts will then be demonstrated with case studies on projects in three different phases: design, construction and facilities management (FM).
T4: Next Generation Approval: Using BIM for the Shop Drawing Review and Approval Process (Thursday, 10 a.m. — 11:30 a.m.) — BIM models hold tremendous potential, yet they are often underused beyond the visualization and coordination stages. This session will introduce you to three pioneering companies that are taking models to the next level by using them in the review process in concert with, or even in lieu of, traditional shop drawings. Speakers will discuss various methodologies and benefits they've experienced using model review.
T5: Bridging the Gap from Design to Fabrication (Thursday, 1:15 p.m. — 2:15 p.m.) — Do you still use traditional PDF drawings? You may be running the risk of inefficiencies and opportunities for mistakes. In the new and evolving world of BIM, more designers are creating 3D models that contain an immense amount of information that can be easily accessed by steel detailers, who have the opportunity to incorporate lean processes in their workflow -- benefiting the bottom line for the entire project team. In this session, you'll hear about the steel detailing challenges, successes and lessons learned from a major healthcare project related to the structural design model and project team coordination, and how to apply these to your own projects.
T6: The True Benefit of BIM for the Structural Engineer and the Pivotal Role They Play in the BIM Process (Thursday, 3 p.m. — 4 p.m.) — Do you typically use software packages for your own domain and find that it can sometimes be a bottleneck in the BIM process? Structural engineers and designers will often use their own BIM models for design, but, for most projects, the construction documents will be produced as drawings for the steel detailer/fabricator, who then interprets the drawings for building their own BIM models for fabrication purposes. This session will examine and discuss various topics related to improving workflow both within the structural engineering office and as it pertains to sharing models with steel detailers.
T7: What Does it Mean to Be a BIM Coordinator? (Thursday, 4:15 p.m. — 5:15 p.m.) — This session will delve into the role and requirements of a 3D/4D BIM coordinator and provide objectives from the perspectives of a steel detailer and general contractor. The purposes and goals of a BIM Contract will be reviewed, as well as the expectations of each project stakeholder. The session will also examine the different BIM platforms each party uses and the benefits of identifying discrepancies earlier in the design and detailing process.
T8: Steel Procurement in the 21st Century: Current Best Practices and Future Possibilities (Friday, 8 a.m. — 9:30 a.m.) — In today's brave new technological world, paper, faxes and basic spreadsheets still dominate the world of steel procurement. This session will offer practical ways to take advantage of the technology you already own, or have easily accessible, to improve the procurement process, which will be investigated in four primary areas: Inventory availability; Request for Quotation (RFQ); order placement; and order status/delivery. It will also discuss promising future initiatives and opportunities in this area.
T9: Laser Scanning and Steel Construction (Friday, 10 a.m. — 11:30 a.m.) — In this session you'll gain a solid foundation in using laser scanning for your projects, including how to budget and specify laser scanning work. The presentation will also provide practical examples of how laser scanning is adding value, accelerating schedules, and improving quality and safety for steel projects.
More information on this year's TSCC sessions at The Steel Conference can be found in the Advance Program (pages 29-31). For more information about the conference, visit www.aisc.org/nascc.
About the American Institute of Steel Construction
The American Institute of Steel Construction, headquartered in Chicago, is a not-for-profit technical institute and trade association established in 1921 to serve the structural steel design community and construction industry. AISC's mission is to make structural steel the material of choice by being the leader in structural steel-related technical and market-building activities, including: specification and code development, research, education, technical assistance, quality certification, standardization, and market development. AISC has a long tradition of service to the steel construction industry of providing timely and reliable information.
Related Stories
| Sep 27, 2013
NYC releases first year-to-year energy performance data on commercial properties
A new report provides information on energy performance of New York City's largest buildings (mostly commercial, multi-family residential). It provides an analysis of 2011 data from city-required energy “benchmarking”—or the tracking and comparison of energy performance—in more than 24,000 buildings that are over 50,000 square feet.
| Sep 27, 2013
ASHRAE/IES publish first standard focused on commissioning process
ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 202, Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems, identifies the minimum acceptable commissioning process for buildings and systems as described in ASHRAE’s Guideline 0-2005, The Commissioning Process. Standard 202 is ASHRAE’s first standard focused on the commissioning process.
| Sep 26, 2013
Sheep's wool insulation, bio-brick among Cradle to Cradle product innovation finalists
Ten finalists are competing for $250,000 in prizes from the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute and Make It Right.
| Sep 26, 2013
6 ways to maximize home-field advantage in sports venue design
Home-field advantage can play a significant role in game outcomes. Here are ways AEC firms can help create the conditions that draw big crowds, energize the home team to perform better, and disrupt visiting players.
| Sep 26, 2013
Literature review affirms benefits of daylighting, architectural glazing
The use of glass as a building material positively impacts learning, healing, productivity and well-being, according to a white paper published by Guardian Industries and the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. The findings highlight the significant influence daylighting and outside views have on employees, workers, students, consumers and patients.
| Sep 26, 2013
Mobilizing your job site to achieve a paperless project: fact or fiction?
True mobility in the field has rapidly evolved from lock-box kiosks on each floor to laptops on rolling carts to tablets and iPads loaded with drawings sets stored in the cloud. And WiFi-ready job sites have gone from “nice to have” to “must have” status in just a little over a year.
| Sep 26, 2013
Leading in the face of change
As AEC firms navigate toward an uncertain future, the most effective leaders are those who eagerly adapt to change. Here are three attitudes that drive leaders who are of most value to their firms.
| Sep 24, 2013
See who's attending BD+C's Under 40 Leadership Summit in SF
Balfour Beatty, Gensler, HDR, and JE Dunn are among the AEC firms sending their rising stars to BD+C's Under 40 Leadership Summit in San Francisco, October 9-11.
| Sep 24, 2013
8 grand green roofs (and walls)
A dramatic interior green wall at Drexel University and a massive, 4.4-acre vegetated roof at the Kauffman Performing Arts Center in Kansas City are among the projects honored in the 2013 Green Roof and Wall Awards of Excellence.
| Sep 23, 2013
The art of rewarding employees
What’s the best way to reward those employees who go the extra mile, particularly when it’s not always feasible to give large financial bonuses? According to author and “recognition expert” Dr. Bob Nelson, the most effective employee rewards are also the least expensive.
