Schneider Electric has announced the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding. According to this agreement, Schneider Electric and Autodesk plan to collaborate to enhance current practices for building lifecycle management based on Building Information Modeling (BIM).
As part of the collaboration, the two companies are exploring ways to complement each other’s strengths to make buildings more energy efficient from the design and construction through operation and end-of-life phases. The collaboration may include new solutions and services in the areas of energy management, building automation and control, and workspace management.
The joint efforts look to combine Schneider Electric’s expertise in electrical distribution, energy and building management solutions with Autodesk’s portfolio of BIM-based design and construction software such as Autodesk Revit and Autodesk BIM 360.
Today, buildings consume about 40 percent of global energy, 25 percent of global water, 40 percent of global resources and they emit approximately one-third of GHG emissions. Residential and commercial buildings consume approximately 60 percent of the world’s electricity. Yet, buildings also offer the greatest potential for achieving significant GHG emission reductions. The shift toward digital BIM processes is part of the solution to more energy efficient homes and buildings by delivering greater agility and long-term sustainability.
BIM is a process that begins with the creation of an intelligent 3D model to capture, explore, and maintain building data associated with planning, design, construction, and operations. The information in the model remains coordinated and consistent throughout the project and supports simulation, analysis, and collaboration for better decision-making.
“The journey to sustainable high performance buildings starts with taking a comprehensive holistic view of a building lifecycle, from design, construction, and operation including adaptation to ever changing needs of businesses and organizations,” says Jean-Luc Meyer, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Innovation, Schneider Electric. “Today’s announcement builds on decades of Schneider Electric integrated approach to building management that can reduce energy, reduce capital expenditures, decrease operating expenditures and improve overall business performance. We see a huge potential in digitizing buildings project lifecycle. We believe that the cooperation with Autodesk will help drive a deep and long-term transformation in the construction industry, providing greater value to each user and contributing to solve the energy challenge.”
“Autodesk has been an active proponent of sustainable building design and construction for years, in part by equipping our customers with BIM tools to do rapid and meaningful energy analysis. The operation and maintenance phase of the building presents a huge opportunity to drive greater energy efficiency over the long-term for building owners, and we’re thrilled to be teaming with Schneider Electric to explore how we can bring new solutions to market that connect energy efficiency throughout the entire building lifecycle,” said Amar Hanspal, Autodesk Senior Vice President, Information Modeling & Platform Group.
Related Stories
| Jul 11, 2014
Are these LEGO-like blocks the future of construction?
Kite Bricks proposes a more efficient way of building with its newly developed Smart Bricks system.
| Jul 1, 2014
Hyper-speed rendering: How Gensler turns BIM models into beauty shots in seconds
In search of a fast rendering solution, Gensler looked to the gaming and moviemaking industries for the next breakthrough tool: Octane Render.
| Jul 1, 2014
Sochi's 'kinetic façade' may steal the show at the Winter Olympics
The temporary pavilion for Russian telecom operator MegaFon will be wrapped with a massive digital "pin screen" that will morph into the shape of any face.
| Jul 1, 2014
7 ways to cut waste in BIM implementation
Process mapping, split models, and streamlined coordination meetings are among the timesaving techniques AEC firms are employing to improve BIM/VDC workflows.
| Jun 30, 2014
Autodesk acquires design studio The Living, will create Autodesk Studio
The Living, David Benjamin's design studio, has been acquired by Autodesk. Combined, the two will create the Autodesk Studio, which will "create new types of buildings, public installations, prototypes and architectural environments."
| Jun 30, 2014
Report recommends making infrastructure upgrades a cabinet-level priority
The ASCE estimates that $3.6 trillion must be invested by 2020 to make critically needed upgrades and expansions of national infrastructure—and avoid trillions of dollars in lost business sales, exports, disposable income, and GDP.
| Jun 25, 2014
Taking a page from Lean manufacturing for improved design review processes
SPONSORED CONTENT As more building project teams look for ways to collaborate better, technology continues to provide solutions. Yet, as I learned from the experience of one of my customers, choosing the wrong technology can have an underwhelming effect, causing a team to simply swap out old challenges for new ones.
| Jun 18, 2014
Arup uses 3D printing to fabricate one-of-a-kind structural steel components
The firm's research shows that 3D printing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste, and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.
| Jun 10, 2014
Site optimization: Paving the way for smoother land development projects
The biggest cost differential when dealing in site development from one site to another is the earthwork. So, when selecting a site, it is critical to not only take into account the initial purchase price of the property, but also what sort of investment it will take to prep the site for development.
Smart Buildings | Jun 8, 2014
Big Data: How one city took control of its facility assets with data
Over the past few years, Buffalo has developed a cutting-edge facility management program to ensure it's utilizing its facilities and operations as efficiently, effectively, and sustainably as possible.
