Architecture 2030 in American Cities

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Industry News
Architecture 2030 in American Cities
By Susan Smith

Several American cities have launched 2030 Districts are forming in great American cities to meet the energy, water and transportation emissions reduction targets called for by Architecture 2030 in the 2030 Challenge for Planning.

Recently Pittsburgh joined Cleveland and Seattle by launching their own Pittsburgh 2030 District.

Pittsburgh has long been known as an industrial center. It is shedding this persona to become a low-carbon, upbeat city, when it joins the emerging 2030 District network. The announcement of a collaborative effort creating a Pittsburgh 2030 District, containing 61 properties and over 23 million square feet in the downtown area, is the most recent effort in this city’s evolution.

Cleveland has launched its own Cleveland 2030 District. This city ranks 14^th Best City for Public Transportation. The Cleveland 2030 District evolved from a Sustainable Cleveland 2019 working group that engages citizens creating a self-sustaining greater Cleveland area.

The Green Building Alliance, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, is leading the Pittsburgh 2030 District. The 2030 Districts were first established in Seattle as unique “private/public” partnerships to create “durabale coalitions focused on creating and maintaining sustainable and resilient urban growth.” This initiative for urban developments sets feasible, long term goals. This 2030 Districts bring together stakeholders such as property owners and managers with architects, planners, businesses, and community stakeholders to use state-of-the-art measurement tools for best practices and strategies aimed at meeting the 2030 Challenge targets.

Further explanation of 2030 Challenge targets is outlined in the blog post below:

Architecture 2030 keynote focuses on building’s contribution to global warming

October 6th, 2011 by Susan Smith

As part of the recent AIA New Mexico convention, Edward Mazria, founder of the Architecture 2030 Challenge, delivered a keynote recently on the topic, “Architecture on the Brink.”

Mazria said in working backward from the 2030 date, which was a data set by the scientific community, coal energy production will peak and phase out, then the world will get to where it needs to be to stabilize climate.

On an even more hopeful note, nearly 3/4 of the top 30 architecture and engineering firms in the world have adopted the 2030 targets, as have 41 percent of U.S. architecture firms.

In citing what would make design move forward with carbon neutral, Mazria offered changes in glazing, use of air conditioners, good construction, more efficient lighting, appliances, passive solar systems and photovoltaics.

It was not clear in his talk how this would take place, as currently building in the U.S. is not very active. Perhaps he was directing this toward retrofits and building in other nations.

The convention featured more than a dozen seminars on topics including Google SketchUp, innovative building systems and sustainable water systems. Tom Kundig, principal and co-owner of Olson Kundig Architects of Seattle, spoke about “kinetic architecture,” which he says refers to “architecture that can respond to whatever the existing conditions are, cultural or environmental.”

Top News of the Week

Autodesk reported financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2013.

Second Quarter Fiscal 2013

Revenue was $569 million, an increase of 4 percent compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2012.
GAAP operating margin was 16 percent, compared to 17 percent in the second quarter of fiscal 2012.
Non-GAAP operating margin was 25 percent, consistent with the second quarter of fiscal 2012. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP results is provided in the accompanying tables.
GAAP diluted earnings per share were $0.28, compared to $0.30 in the second quarter of fiscal 2012.
Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share were $0.48, compared to $0.44 in the second quarter of fiscal 2012.
Cash flow from operating activities was $107 million, compared to $132 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2012.

Autodesk Inc. will cut more than 500 jobs, the company announced Thursday, the same day it released disappointing financials that sent shares tumbling more than 21 percent.

Autodesk will cut about 520 jobs from its global workforce of more than 7,000 employees amid a shift away from traditional software hosted on individual computers toward mobile and Internet-based computing, company officials said. The company will rehire a similar number of people during the next 12 months.

Company officials declined to specify where the cuts will take place, but employees said at least some will be in San Rafael. – Marin Independent Journal

Design software maker Autodesk Inc.'s ADSK+2.74%fiscal second-quarter profit fell 9.3%, and the company said it plans to reduce its staff in a restructuring effort.

Shares fell 21% after hours to $28.25. Through the close, the stock was up 18% so far this year.

"Our own execution challenges, combined with an uneven global economy, resulted in disappointing revenue results during the quarter," said Chief Executive Carl Bass.

Autodesk lowered its full-year revenue outlook, now expecting growth of 4% to 6%, from its previous estimate of 10% growth.

For the current quarter, the company expects adjusted per-share earnings of 40 cents to 45 cents a share on revenue of $550 million to $570 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters recently projected a profit of 50 cents a share, with revenue of $601 million.

Mr. Bass said that organizational changes within the company slowed results in the latest quarter, but said that the changes better position the company to meet the needs of its customers.

In a restructuring effort intended to shift toward cloud and mobile computing, Autodesk said it will consolidate certain leased facilities, in addition to cutting staff in the near-term. The company anticipates a pre-tax charge of $50 million to $60 million in connection with the restructuring effort, with around $40 million to $45 million of that expected in the third quarter of fiscal 2013. - MarketWatch

Deltek, Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which Deltek will be acquired by leading private equity investment firm Thoma Bravo, LLC in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.1 billion.

Pursuant to the agreement, Deltek’s stockholders will receive $13 in cash for each share of Deltek stock when the transaction closes. The $13 per share offer price represents a 7% discount to Deltek’s stock price on August 24, 2012 and a 24% premium over Deltek’s stock price on June 11, 2012 – the day before Deltek broadly disseminated information on the sales process to interested parties and their respective advisors on a confidential basis. The offer price also represents a 14.6x multiple of enterprise value to Deltek’s trailing twelve months Adjusted EBITDA as of June 30, 2012.

Partnerships

Cadsoft Corporation announced a distribution partnership with BIMage Consulting Pte Ltd, a provider of BIM solutions headquartered in Singapore for the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry across Asia.

The partnership further extends the global presence of Cadsoft’s award-winning BIM solution, Envisioneer™. Version 8, the latest release of this award -winning software, brings powerful advancements to the rapidly-evolving field of BIM including strategic design enhancements, precision documentation, and productivity gains in on-screen quantity takeoff. As this latest release accelerates Cadsoft’s mission to deliver the easiest to use, most complete BIM solution for the residential design, construction, and building materials supply chain, the partnership with BIMage will introduce the product to a well-established client base in the AEC industry already using BIMage’s revolutionary consulting programs.

Announcements

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Computer-aided Design Market in India 2011-2015" report to their offering.

TechNavio's analysts forecast the Computer-aided Design (CAD) market in India to grow at a CAGR of 13.5 percent over the period 2011-2015. One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is the increasing investment in the Automotive industry. The CAD market in India has also been witnessing the emergence of 3D printing in CAD design. However, the emerging threat from open-source CAD software could pose a challenge to the growth of this market.

TechNavio's report, the Computer-aided Design Market in India 2011-2015, has been prepared based on an in-depth analysis of the market with inputs from industry experts. The report focuses on India; it also covers the CAD market landscape and its growth prospects in the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.

Crossrail and Bentley Systems launched a dedicated Information Academy to provide hands-on training to the Crossrail supply chain on the latest technology and software being used to design and build the new railway including Building Information Modeling (BIM).

The Academy is an undertaking of the technology partnership created earlier this year between Bentley Systems and Crossrail Limited. The Information Academy will capture, develop and share BIM best practices with the Crossrail supply chain. The increased use of BIM by industry is a key element of the Government Construction Strategy.

New Products

Autodesk, Inc.launched Autodesk SketchBook Pro 6 for Windows and Mac, the latest release from the company’s popular SketchBook family, which has more than 11 million downloads to date. This new version of the award-winning SketchBook Pro software features a streamlined interface, multi-touch navigation, French curves, synthetic paint and smudge brushes, plus even more brush controls to customize.

AVEVA announces the release of the AVEVA Structural Analysis Interface - SP for Bentley’s STAAD.Pro. The new product fulfils customers’ needs for an interactive and intuitive method of analysing structural models generated by AVEVA PDMS. The new product supports an improved workflow which saves time and effort by automating the two-way exchange of information between 3D structural design and structural analysis disciplines.

ZWSOFTannounced that ZW3D 2012 advances as the release of SP1 has been well-received, making CAD/CAM work with the software become much easier. In order for more users to enjoy the affordable and all-encompassing CAD/CAM solution, ZWSOFT is offering a 50% discount in September for those who migrate to ZW3D 2012.

Ideate, Inc., an Autodesk Authorized Developer and Autodesk solutions provider offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the AEC industry, today announced today announced the publication of its latest Study in Success, “PAE Consulting Engineers Creates Built Environments that Give Back.”

The subject of the study is the adoption of 3D design technology by PAE Consulting Engineers, Inc. (PAE), and the role of Ideate, Inc. in furthering the success of PAE in its sustainable designs for the built environment. Highlighted in the Study in Success are the classroom training, informal lunch & learn sessions, and consulting services Ideate provided throughout PAE’s Building Information Modeling (BIM) adoption and implementation process. Five featured project summaries delineate ways in which Autodesk Revit® enabled PAE to meet and exceed U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and other sustainability standards:

Bullitt Center – Headquarters for the Bullitt Foundation, Seattle, Washington; Pursuing: Living Building Status, Net Zero Energy, Net Zero Water, Architecture 2030
PGE Park Stadium Conversion and Addition, Portland, Oregon; now Jeld-Wen Field; Awarded: USGBC LEED Silver. In its 2012 Design Awards program, the American Institute of Architects, San Francisco Chapter (AIA San Francisco) has named the Jeld-Wen Field Renovation as Merit Award winner, Architecture, with PAE Consulting Engineers receiving recognition as Mechanical Engineer on the project.
Portland State University (University Pointe at College Station) Housing, Portland, Oregon; Pursuing: USGBC LEED Gold
Trillium Creek Elementary School, West Linn Wilsonville School District, West Linn, Oregon; Pursuing: USGBC LEED Gold
Edith Green Wendell Wyatt Federal Office Building Renovation, Portland, Oregon; Pursuing: USGBC LEED Platinum

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Professional Development Short Courses
Date:	March 27 - November 23, 2012
Place:	Level 8 & 9 1 Macquarie Place, Circular Quay, Sydney, Australia
To meet these educational needs the SBRC, with support from the NSW Government, is offering professional development short courses for professional engineers and other interested participants. Each short course is designed to be delivered over two days, with a significant component dedicated to hands-on, interactive, or discussion based activities. Each short course is offered on a stand-alone basis, while also remaining complimentary to the overall programme.

Bentley's SidePlate Seminar Washington, DC
Date:	September 11, 2012
Place:	Courtyard Washington Embassy Row washington, DC, DC USA
Event Title: Bentley's SidePlate Seminar Washington, DC Date & Time: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 8:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Location: Courtyard Washington Embassy Row Description: Bentley is excited to partner with SidePlate Systems, Inc. to deliver a series of technical seminars for engineers across the United States. Along with relevant information for practicing engineers, these complimentary, 4-hour events will also include a presentation from The American Institute of Steel Construction on the state of the construction industry. REGISTER HERE: http://sideplate.com/seminars.php

e-SPECS for ArchiCAD Webinar
Date:	September 12, 2012
Place:	USA
Date: September 12, 2012 \| 2:00PM - 3:00 PM \| Eastern Time Location: Online Description: e-SPECS continues their webinars for ArchiCAD this September! For more information on the relationship between e-SPECS and ArchiCAD check out our blog post at http://blog.graphisoftus.com/graphisoft/when-we-integrate-we-help-you-automate To register & for more information, please visit: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/711998922

Meet Thousands of Specifiers That Will Spend Ample Time Engaging With You
Date:	September 12 - 14, 2012
Place:	Phoenix Convention Center Phoenix, AZ USA
Have discussions, one-on-one, with professionals that spec and source commercial building products at CONSTRUCT. On average, each CONSTRUCT attendee specifies for multiple architects and 100s of projects, specifying billions of dollars each year. 100% of our attendees spend hours on the exhibit hall floor. Over 80% attend to visit ONLY the show floor to see you. Our attendees engage with you to find the solutions and answers they need to build high-performance projects, on time and on budget.

Bentley's SidePlate Seminar Philadelphia, PA
Date:	September 12, 2012
Place:	Hyatt Regency Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA USA
Event Title: Bentley's SidePlate Seminar Philadelphia, PA Date & Time: Wednesday, September 12, 2012, 8:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Location: Hyatt Regency Philadelphia Description: Bentley is excited to partner with SidePlate Systems, Inc. to deliver a series of technical seminars for engineers across the United States. Along with relevant information for practicing engineers, these complimentary, 4-hour events will also include a presentation from The American Institute of Steel Construction on the state of the construction industry. REGISTER HERE: http://sideplate.com/seminars.php

eSeminar: Get As-Built Redlines Straight from the Field
Date:	September 12, 2012
Place:	USA
Event: eSeminar: Get As-Built Redlines Straight from the Field Location: 12-September-2012 Time: 11.00 am EDT 8.00 am PDT Description: Up-to-date construction records let utilities increase productivity, safety, and regulatory compliance. However, accuracy is lost as paper-based redlines wait months or even years before being scanned and archived. REGISTER HERE: http://appsnet.bentley.com/eventregistration/registration.aspx?EID=c8a5beddb6654bee9bb4173b&CID=CO_ESEMB_PW4U_FIELD_1

Microsol Resources Presents: BIM Perspectives from Architectural, Engineering and Construction Firms & Legal Perspective of BIM
Date:	September 20, 2012
Place:	Racquet Club of Philadelphia 215 South 16th Street, Philadelphia, PA USA
This event is tailored to look into the multi-disciplinary project team and their best practices for using building information modeling (BIM) as a basis for a collaborative design and construction process. We will hear from leading practitioners from architectural, engineering and construction perspective as well as how to navigate the legal aspects of BIM. In recent years, designers in the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) community have embraced a new methodology using building information models as the basis for a collaborative design process to meet the challenges of today’s increasingly complex and demanding project requirements.

BIM Perspectives from Architectural, Engineering and Construction Firms & Legal Perspective of BIM
Date:	September 20, 2012
Place:	Racquet Club of Philadelphia, 215 South 16th Street, Philadelphia, PA USA
This event is tailored to look into the multi-disciplinary project team and their best practices for using building information modeling (BIM) as a basis for a collaborative design and construction process. We will hear from leading practitioners from architectural, engineering and construction perspective as well as how to navigate the legal aspects of BIM.

Bentley's SidePlate Seminar Portland, ME
Date:	September 26, 2012
Place:	Embassy Suites Hotel Portland, ME USA
Event Title: Bentley's SidePlate Seminar Portland, ME Date & Time: Wednesday, September 26, 2012 8:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Location: Embassy Suites Hotel Description: Bentley is excited to partner with SidePlate Systems, Inc. to deliver a series of technical seminars for engineers across the United States. Along with relevant information for practicing engineers, these complimentary, 4-hour events will also include a presentation from The American Institute of Steel Construction on the state of the construction industry. REGISTER HERE: http://sideplate.com/seminars.php

Bentley's SidePlate Seminar Boston, MA
Date:	September 27, 2012
Place:	Boston Marriott Cambridge Boston, MA USA
Event Title: Bentley's SidePlate Seminar Boston, MA Date & Time: Thursday, September 27, 2012 8:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Location: Boston Marriott Cambridge Description: Bentley is excited to partner with SidePlate Systems, Inc. to deliver a series of technical seminars for engineers across the United States. Along with relevant information for practicing engineers, these complimentary, 4-hour events will also include a presentation from The American Institute of Steel Construction on the state of the construction industry. REGISTER HERE: http://sideplate.com/seminars.php

2011 ASLA Annual Meeting & Expo
Date:	September 28 - October 1, 2012
Place:	Sheraton Phoenix Downtown 340 North 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004 USA
ASLA continues to reduce the carbon footprint of the annual meeting. The hotels, convention center, show decorator, transportation company, and other vendors with whom ASLA contracts services each maintain an ongoing commitment to sustainable practices. ASLA’s printed materials, signage, and decorations are recycled, recyclable, and printed with soy ink. The meeting handouts are distributed electronically.

PLM Road Map™ 2012
Date:	October 2 - 3, 2012
Place:	The Inn at St. John's Plymouth, MI USA
PLM Road Map™ is a strategic conference focused on the critical trade-offs that shape product development. At PLM Road Map™ 2012, find out first hand which issues are confronting end users. Presentations will cover simulation-based design, embedding simulation across the entire product lifecycle, mechatronics, transforming PLM into a dynamic infrastructure for business decisions, optimizing processes for the extended enterprise across the full product lifecycle, critical issues in simulation, success stories from leading end users, transforming engineering processes, and more.

IDDEA Annual Conference
Date:	October 3 - 5, 2012
Place:	Scheman Center Iowa State University, Ames, IA USA
We are an independent user group, representing city and county governments, utility companies, engineering and consulting firms, universities, area colleges, the Iowa DOT, and various other state(s) agencies. Most of our conference attendees are from Iowa, although there are routinely attendees from most surrounding states, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Our Special Interest Groups are MicroStation, GIS, Transportation, and Systems Management. Most of our speakers and trainers are nationally, and even internationally known.

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