Autodesk, Inc. has introduced Autodesk Informed Design, a new cloud-based solution designed to integrate design and manufacturing workflows with the aim of improving efficiency in the building design and construction process.
The tool allows architects to utilize customizable, predefined building products that ensure valid outcomes and enables manufacturers to make their products accessible to design stakeholders. The introduction of Informed Design is intended to facilitate the application of manufacturing principles within the construction sector, a concept referred to as industrialized construction.
Solving an increasing problem
The architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO) industry is currently challenged by the need to accommodate increasing populations and urbanization, alongside addressing a significant global housing shortage. To meet the housing needs of approximately 3 billion people by 2030, nearly 100,000 new affordable homes must be constructed daily. Furthermore, the industry significantly contributes to global CO2 emissions, accounting for almost 40% of the total, highlighting a critical need for improvement in sustainability practices.
Ryan McMahon, director and general manager of Informed Design at Autodesk, emphasizes the current practices within the AECO industry as unsustainable and not scalable for future demands. He advocates for industrialized construction as a solution to build more efficiently and sustainably.
According to McMahon, Autodesk Informed Design facilitates a direct connection between design and manufacturing from the onset, aiming to realize industrialized construction workflows. This approach is suggested to lead to faster project completion, enhanced quality, and reduced waste.
Cloud-connected software
Autodesk Informed Design is integrated into Autodesk’s Design and Make Platform, a suite of cloud-connected software solutions that aim to unify teams, data, and workflows across project lifecycles. The platform is available worldwide as a free add-in for Autodesk’s Revit 2024 and Inventor 2024, targeting different aspects of the design and manufacturing process.
For Revit 2024, Autodesk Informed Design offers features such as template discovery for integrating manufacturing details into design files, customization to meet specific building requirements, and validation of design decisions to minimize project risk.
For Inventor 2024, the tool facilitates collaboration between designers and manufacturers, enables the creation of parametric models of building products, and simplifies the generation of product documentation.
Feedback from users
Early feedback from users, such as Green Canopy NODE, a construction technology company, suggests that Informed Design supports the integration of customized details and engineering into mass-produced products without compromising creativity or environmental sustainability.
“Autodesk Informed Design has shown that there’s a way to bring customized details, good aesthetics and quality engineering into a product that can be mass produced,” said Benjamin Hall, senior product manager, Green Canopy NODE. “Designing with constraints doesn’t curb my creativity – it gives me choices I know will work. And that is good for the planet, the building’s inhabitants and for the building industry.”
The International Data Corporation (IDC) also recognizes the potential benefits of Autodesk Informed Design in streamlining the connection between asset design and the Building Information Modeling (BIM) process.
Jeffrey Hojlo, Research Vice President at IDC, notes the ease of optimizing supplier performance and delivering quality products through a connected, bidirectional digital thread that facilitates data sharing across the AECO ecosystem.
Autodesk Informed Design represents an effort to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the AECO industry through the integration of design and manufacturing workflows. Its adoption could improve project delivery, quality, and environmental impact.
Source: PR Newswire, images: Autodesk, Inc.
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