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Showing posts with label Pro Case Studies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pro Case Studies. Show all posts

Reimagining the Veterans Memorial Tunnels

Jon Altschuld is a landscape designer for THK Associates in Aurora, Colorado. THK developed the aesthetic design for the Veterans Memorial Tunnels, a major highway infrastructure project currently being constructed along Interstate 70 near Idaho Springs, CO. (If you�ve skied in Colorado, you�ve probably driven through this stretch of highway). We talked with Jon about how SketchUp was used in this project.

One of the final renderings of the proposed tunnel design � SketchUp model rendered with Vue.


Tell us a little more about this project.

These tunnels (formally known as the Twin Tunnels) were originally built in 1961. This project focused on improving mobility within the I-70 corridor by widening both tunnels to three lanes with wider shoulders. The project also focused on addressing safety and creating unique features to serve as gateways for the area.

The previous design of the tunnel portals created a feeling of driving into a headwall, which caused motorists to brake and slow down when approaching the tunnels. The new design resolves this problem by integrating a spiraling tunnel portal that welcomes motorists into the tunnel gradually. These spiraling tunnel portals are the result of evaluating multiple design options on a variety of criteria.


Did you work with any data that was imported into SketchUp? 

Yes, most of this 3D model was based on imported data. The existing terrain information was collected in the field with LiDAR, and the LiDAR data was converted into a TIN (Triangulated Irregular Network) mesh in Microstation. Microstation was used because that�s the main software the transportation engineers use. The Microstation mesh was then exported to AutoCAD .dwg files as both a mesh and as contour lines. We were able to import the mesh file directly into SketchUp, and the contour file was used to create proposed grading files in AutoCAD. The proposed grading files, as well as the plan view geometry (road layout, tunnel layout, retaining walls, etc.) were all created in AutoCAD and the .dwg files were imported into SketchUp. Once in SketchUp, the proposed contours became meshes via the From Contours Sandbox tool, and they were then combined with the existing grade meshes.


How did SketchUp help in the decision-making process? 

This project used a Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) approach, which involves creating and evaluating a number of options based on a variety of criteria. SketchUp was used to arrive at the final options that were evaluated in the CSS process, and for evaluation during the actual CSS process. Leading up to CSS, over a dozen different design options were created and explored in meetings. For these meetings, SketchUp was more useful than final renderings because we were able to look at any view in real time, as well as make design changes to explore additional options. During the CSS evaluation, SketchUp was used to compare four options side-by-side.

One of the west portal options in SketchUp. The pinkish area is existing terrain, and the purplish area is proposed (the big wall of purple is a large cut where rock was blasted away to create enough space for the wider tunnels).


How did you communicate or collaborate with other colleagues and consultants? 

We used one main SketchUp model with multiple groups and layers. I�m a bit of a grouping (and components) fanatic; it keeps models organized and the file size down. I mainly use layers for separating visual options, which was perfect for this project. One little trick was to place 3D text with the name of the design option in a visible place in the model (as seen in the image above) and put it on the same layer as the geometry for that layer. Whenever Option B was being shown, �Option B� text was visible; this helped reduce confusion.

I think the SketchUp images do a pretty good job of showing how we used SketchUp as a design tool, but what isn�t shown is how interactive it was for meetings. Being able to analyze and compare over a dozen options from any view, modify those options on the fly, and create new options while in meetings was invaluable. To work efficiently on the fly, the model needs to be created with that objective in mind. For example, having the different options on appropriately named layers allows you to quickly compare the options at the request of meeting attendees. Having the model neatly grouped allows you to easily modify pieces without affecting the whole model (be sure to know which pieces are groups and which are components). These in-meeting modifications to the model often are not as clean as the overall model and may require some clean up back at the office. Typically, I will save the �meeting� version of the model, but only use it as a reference to make the refined edits to the final model.


Were there any SketchUp extensions that helped with this project? 

I use extensions every time I open SketchUp. Some that I use on almost every project � including this one � are Weld, Tools On Surface, Joint Push/Pull Interactive, Selection Toys, Bezier Spline, and PathCopy. 

The most challenging piece of the model to create was the spiraling tunnel extensions. I went through a number of trials to get the geometry correct; some of these trials used extensions such as Extrude Tools, Artisan, Curviloft, and Follow Me & Rotate. ThomThom recently released an extension called Bezier Surface that would have been really helpful had it been available when I was working on this model! 

Also, the ivy that is seen in the final Vue renderings was created in SketchUp using the SketchUp Ivy extension � this wasn�t added to the design until I was already working in Vue; that�s why the ivy doesn�t show up in the SketchUp images.

SketchUp view of the east portal exploring the spiraling hood extension at the tunnel entrance.

Tell us about the transition from SketchUp model to the final Vue renderings.

The transition from SketchUp to Vue is fairly simple. I typically change the SketchUp materials to bright solid colors so that I can easily differentiate them in Vue (unless there�s a SketchUp image texture I want to use in Vue). After cleaning up any unnecessary pieces of the model (such as unused options), I export the model to an .obj file and import that into Vue. All of the vegetation (except the ivy) is added in Vue. The boulders and talus slopes were also created in Vue. Vue recognizes objects based on material, so it is fairly easy to create and assign materials one-by-one for the model. The process typically involves a lot of quick, low quality test renders to fine tune the materials, lighting, camera, and atmospheric settings. Once these are all finalized, the high quality final renderings can be created � which can take a while. Some of the renderings for this project took 16+ hours to render! All that remains after that is post-processing work in Photoshop.

Final rendering of the east portal.


How do you go from SketchUp model to tunnel construction? 

For this project, much of the �base pieces� were already engineered and into construction documents when the SketchUp modeling began. For example, the core tunnel structure/bore, the roadway alignment, and the utilities were all pretty much set. The configuration of the tunnel extension walls, retaining walls, and proposed grading were all items that became defined by decisions from the SketchUp model. For these items, the beginnings of the construction documents were already in place from creating the linework in AutoCAD. From there, we simply had to bring these drawings to 100% construction documents and the General Contractor installed them. The General Contractor was involved in many meetings leading up to construction where we used the SketchUp model to better explain details of the design. 


Posted by Josh Reilly, SketchUp Team

Modeling with architectonic tile: a conversation with Tilelook

Based in the Veneto region of northern Italy, Tilelook is a technology services company that works with manufacturers in the bathroom flooring, coverings, and furnishings world. Now, as a 3D Warehouse content developer, Tilelook makes those products available to SketchUp designers around the world via 3D Warehouse. We spoke with Marco Rossi from Tilelook about their recent work building out the 3D Warehouse catalog for FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE tiles from the manufacturer Ceramica Sant�Agostino and designer Philippe Starck.


Ciao, Marco. Can you tell us a bit about who�s behind the FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE catalog you recently posted to 3D Warehouse?

Ceramica Sant'Agostino produces floor and wall products made of ceramic and gr�s, with a range that covers both interiors and exteriors for residential and public use. The company has a 50+ year history in the ceramic tile sector and a reputation for high quality, cutting edge technology, and respect for the environment.
The collaboration between the creative genius of French designer Philippe Starck, and the immense industry know-how of Ceramica Sant�Agostino, has resulted in a project called FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE.

The FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE modeling set by Philippe Starck (modeled by Tilelook)

What�s unique about FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE?

FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE represents a new vision in the tile world, brought to architects by an iconic designer. It�s a new territory, a different point of view: the wall tile leaves the two-dimensionality to �invent� the three-dimensional.

The idea behind it is to move beyond the decorative nature of tile as simply a wall covering and use it a modular element that is part of the architecture. With FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE, the wall covering takes on a totally new potential: from customary decorative element to architectonic system.



Who will be interested in the FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE tiles you�ve posted on behalf of Ceramica Sant�Agostino and Philippe Starck?

SketchUp users who are professional architects and interior designers will definitely be interested in these tiles for their designs. Students who are studying architecture and interior design will also probably be interested in using these tiles in projects. Maybe even amateur designers who are looking to explore ideas for an upcoming project will like to use these too!


Do you have any advice to SketchUp users who want to best utilize these tiles in their SketchUp model?

As Philippe Starck has said, these tiles should be treated as more than just a decorative element. Unlike traditional tile represented as a SketchUp material, the FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE models give SketchUp designers the freedom to create their own 3D tile designs. Each element of the FLEXIBLE ARCHITETURE line is represented as its own SketchUp model, so designers can combine elements to create their own unique combination and apply them to their designs.


Have you posted any other tile catalogs to the 3D Warehouse besides the FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE catalog?

In addition to the FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE catalog, we�ve also uploaded the Folli Follie catalog by Ceramiche Brennero and Tavolato by Casalgrande Padana. We�re working on posting more content soon!


Can you tell us a little bit more about your company Tilelook?

Tilelook is both a technology and services company. The Tilelook web application is our main technology. Users of it can find over 60,000 tile and bathroom products by 200 well-known brands from 23 countries around the world. They can also create and share photo-realistic rooms decorated with the authentic tile products . This is what makes Tilelook unique: it�s an ecosystem where all the stakeholders in the tile industry -- manufacturers, distributors, resellers, architects, designers and private users -- can benefit from being part of the Tilelook community.

In addition to posting content to 3D Warehouse, we�ve also created a Tilelook extension for SketchUp that accesses the Tilelook web application. Users can find this extension, along with an instructional video about how it works, on Extension Warehouse.

Finally, from a services standpoint, we�re interested in building out SketchUp models of bathroom tile, coverings or furnishings for manufacturers in Italy and around the world as part of the 3D Warehouse content developer network.

Grazie, Marco.

If you�re interested in getting your tile or bathroom products built for 3D Warehouse by Tilelook, you can find Tilelook on the 3D Content Developer page, or visit their website here.


Posted by Chris Cronin, Business Development Manager

SketchUp Pro for set design: A conversation with Andy Walmsley

Andy Walmsley (AndyWalmsley.com) is an Emmy award-winning set and production designer whose work has appeared in television, Broadway, Las Vegas, and beyond. Andy uses SketchUp Pro extensively in his design work, and, in this post, shares how he came to production design as a career and how 3D has changed his work.

Walmsley�s set model for America�s Got Talent, designed in SketchUp Pro

What kind of sets do you work on?

I�m very diverse, especially for someone in my field. I am essentially a set designer although there are many fancier names for my job: art director, production designer, scenic designer, scenographer. Most people in my line of work tend to specialize in one genre. For example, the guys who do Broadway theater set design rarely (if ever) work on TV sets. Television designers who do �drama� don�t do entertainment shows (like award or game shows). And the designers who do opera and ballet don�t do musical theater. Movie designers just do movies. Rock n� roll touring designers also specialize. I am very unique in that I design for major TV entertainment shows, Broadway musicals, Las Vegas spectaculars, museum projects, ice shows, cruise ship performances, theme parks, circuses, corporate events: essentially, I�ll design a set for any genre as long as it�s entertainment.

The production design for the Tennis Channel's Wimbledon Primetime

How did you get into set and production design as a career?

I come from a family of performers. My great grandfather was a very famous British comedian; my grandmother was a silent movie piano player; my grandfather a big band bass player; my dad was a famous comedian; and my mom a fire eater (yes, a fire eater). So I grew up backstage in Vaudeville theaters, TV studios and the circus. For a while I wanted to be a TV cameraman, so my mom bought me a little Lego TV camera crew and I built Lego TV sets and had my little plastic crew shoot my masterpieces. The models got more and more elaborate, and one day a family friend, magician Paul Daniels (the UK�s David Copperfield) saw my models and said, �You know, people actually do this for a living.� I owe a lot to Paul and even more to Lego.


Have you worked on any projects that folks might have heard about?

Just a few. Most famously, I designed Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (before I started using SketchUp). My original design for that show is the most duplicated scenic design in history, as the set has been built to every identical detail in 108 countries around the world. That set was also used in the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire. I designed for American Idol which is often considered the most successful show in the history of American television. I was nominated for three Emmys for that show and won the Emmy for �Outstanding Art Direction.� I�ve worked on America�s Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance, and a bunch of other well-known TV projects.

Walmsley's 2009 Emmy-winning production design for American Idol

I�ve designed about 14 Las Vegas shows now, which is more than anyone else I know. In theater my most famous show was Buddy � The Buddy Holly Story. That production was duplicated in 13 countries. My other big theater gig is Blood Brothers, a fantastic musical which is still running in the UK nearly 20 years after I first designed it.


What is your favorite part about your job?

The ultimate satisfaction for me is to spend a few days creating a model, virtually walking around every inch of it, then only a couple of months later find myself walking around the real set. Most of my sets are huge; they usually occupy sound stages that are 100 feet by 200 feet in size. To be walking around something that you visualized and that came out of your head (via SketchUp) 10 weeks previously is an amazing feeling of power. I think a lot of designers are megalomaniacs, and I think I can see why.

A concept design for an "extreme musical chairs" variety show

How long have you worked with 3D modeling software?

I initially invested in a full Mac set up in the 90�s. As if by destiny, the week my hardware and software arrive in the mail, I also landed a huge job and didn�t have the time to learn how to make the leap from a drafting table and pencil to digital tools. Then another job came in, and another, and from that moment I have never been out of work, but also couldn�t find the time to learn to work with the new tools.

Fast forward ten years. I had moved to The States to work on American Idol. Shortly after arriving, I purchased a bells-and-whistle drafting table and rented some office space at Henson Studios so that I could set up a model-making office. Pretty soon, I was being mocked by colleagues for still drafting on paper. I signed up for a Vectorworks course that the Art Directors Guild was offering and struggled for the first month. The instructor, Don Jordan, had the patience of a saint, and during one of the class breaks he showed me a new program that he thought I might find easier to grasp � and that was SketchUp. I remember staring at the screen like a caveman looking at the first wheel: I was in love immediately.

I�m musically inclined so I often relate my experience with 3D modeling to this metaphor: musicians can pick up some instruments and just instinctively be able to play them. I can grab almost any instrument that you blow into and get a tune out of it in seconds. But string instruments, I am hopeless with. SketchUp is just one of those instruments that I could play instantly.


Why is 3D important in set design?

Let me describe the process as it was prior to SketchUp Pro. I would go to a meeting about a new show and get briefed, go back to the office and start drafting roughly in pencil, then take those drawings to my two or three model makers (who I had to pay every Friday). They would then spend a week or longer building the models. I would take the model (often on a crowded London train) to show to the producer, he would inevitably want to make changes, I�d take the model back and the assistants would break the model apart to rebuild it with the adaptations. All of this was extremely time consuming, very expensive. Model materials aren�t cheap, and model-making employees (and their models) take up a lot of space. I also don�t miss constantly breathing in toxic glue and paint fumes.

One of Walmsley's older, physical production models for American Idol

Now with SketchUp Pro, I don�t even need an office. I go for the initial briefing and can usually turn around a very complex SketchUp model in one (or max) two days with no office, no employees, no equipment, no fumes. The best part: I can now email designs to my producer without travel and I can make changes by quickly editing the SKP file, often in a hotel, an airport or a Starbucks. Now, that is Freedom. I have said it many times, and it sounds a bit overdramatic, but SketchUp literally changed my life.


Tell us about a particular design problem that you�ve been able to address in SketchUp.

Glossy floors. So much of entertainment involves GLOSS. We love glossy floors and reflective surfaces: it�s all glitzy showbiz stuff. It�s also a curious modeling problem to solve. Sometimes I will assign the stage floor a smoky, transparent surface and then copy the entire model above and scale it inside out underneath my transparent floor. It will really look like the above scenery is reflected in the floor but really you are looking at a complete copy of the model under the floor.


Do you have any advice for other SketchUp users?

My problem is that I have gotten super fast on SketchUp, but done so using my own little tricks and not really utilizing the software properly. Have you ever seen a bad driver in a car? They can drive well enough but they are using the wrong hand on the wrong side of the steering wheel. Doesn�t seem so safe, right? That is me with SketchUp: I make it do great things, but I always think there may be a better way to save time beyond just working quickly. One of my resolutions this year is to get some one-on-one training from a real expert to help me master some of the fundamentals. That should help me get up to super, scary modeling speed but with my hands at 10 and 2 on the steering wheel.

Posted by Mark Harrison, SketchUp team

SketchUp for crime scene reconstruction

We�re never surprised to hear that SketchUp is being used in ways we didn�t expect, but we were particularly impressed when we came across this article about SketchUp�s knack for reconstructing crime scenes. We wanted to learn a bit more about how 3D plays into crime scene reconstruction (and yes, some of us are Dexter fan boys), so we tracked down Detective Albert Schade, the article�s co-author and the mind behind Crime Scene Interactive, a website that details workflows for modeling crime scenes in 3D.

A SketchUp model used as the basis for crime scene reconstruction

How long have you worked with 3D modeling software?
I�ve been 3D modeling since the mid 90�s; I got my feet wet with Animation Master and Milkshape: those really broadened my use of computer generated animation and modeling. Since then I�ve toyed with 3D Studio Max, Maya, Blender and SketchUp.

So what is "Crime Scene Interactive?" Who is it for?
Crime Scene Interactive has gotten a lot of attention since the publication of our article in the Association of Crime Scene Reconstruction Journal. Crime Scene Interactive is a workflow that allows you to make interactive courtroom exhibits through the use of SketchUp, Blender, Gimp or Photoshop, Ultimate Unwrap3d and the Unity 3D game engine.

SketchUp, in particular, is a huge part of that workflow thanks to its ease of use and the ability to quickly model in real world measurements. SketchUp also happens to be very expandable with the ability to add features via Ruby and its nice assortment of import/export options.

What role does 3D modeling play in your detective work?
I�m a Detective in the Forensic Services Unit for the Berks County District Attorney�s Office. I investigate homicides, serious bodily injury cases and fatal crashes. I also instruct police officers in fingerprint comparison, blood spatter, evidence processing, and 3D crime scene creation. 3D modeling is a great way to make exhibits for all of these disciplines.

In law enforcement, we face several hurdles when bringing cases to court. During evidence collection and processing we obtain a large amount of information. When we testify in trial, we need to relate that information to juries -- groups of people with very diverse educational backgrounds -- in a very short period of time. Demonstrative exhibits help visually display that information. So 3D models and walkthroughs are incredibly useful for taking the vast data we�ve collected at a crime scene and relaying it in court so that a jury panel can make an informed decision.

Depending on the victim condition or amount of blood in a scene, judges will sometimes not allow actual crime scene photos in a courtroom. SketchUp models afford a neat and clean depiction that still articulates the positioning of the victim.

3D is also important for investigations. Most people don�t realize that police departments spend a lot of resources not only proving what did happen, but what didn�t happen. In pursuit of the truth, rapid availability of reconstruction information helps us decipher witness or suspect statements. We can focus on the right people and not waste time on bad leads.

How did you first come across SketchUp?
I first used SketchUp for personal projects. I like woodworking, so I used SketchUp with the Cutlist plugin to help organize my project and develop a shopping list. Learning how engineers and various other artists and professionals around the world were using SketchUp is what led me to start using it for crime scene work.

Now, SketchUp fits perfectly in my workflow. With a large caseload, I need to keep investigations moving. With SketchUp, I can mock crime scenes very quickly, and then communicate the spatial relationship of items in the scene to other investigators in a clean, concise fashion. From there, we can start the process of testing theories and corroborating witness accounts to physical evidence.

Small apartments often make photography and camera views difficult to share. SketchUp's X-Ray mode provides a good overview of a room and makes it easier to navigate the 3D space.

Are there specific tools in SketchUp that are particularly helpful for your work?
LayOut is a great tool for turning sections of scenes into illustrated visuals for a presentation slide. SketchUp Pro�s reporting function is also very useful, because I often have to provide defense attorneys with data that shows my scene model is accurate. The report option lays out this data in a spreadsheet, saving me a lot of time.

The ability to export models to .FBX format is also important because I currently use the Unity game engine to animate interactive walkthroughs of a scene. The DXF import option also helps because some of our measuring equipment saves to DXF; that import ability makes it easy to load control points directly into SketchUp Pro.

It sounds like you use several 3D tools in cooperation with SketchUp; what else is in the quiver?
I use Blender to make human models animate and any organic models that would otherwise be difficult to create in SketchUp. HemoSpat is a blood spatter analysis suite that allows me to create a 3D model of a bloodletting event�s area of origin. It can then be imported into SketchUp for placement in the crime scene model.

A SketchUp model (running in Unity 3D) with the blood spatter model accurately position. The lines show the trajectory of the blood, and where they intersect shows the area of origin in 3D space.

I also use Unity, a game engine that brings crime scenes to life in an interactive animation. This lets you walk through the crime scene in a courtroom just like a video game. You can interact with items of evidence, and display images from the crime scene in relation to the model.


Posted by Mark Harrison, SketchUp team

SketchUp Pro Case Study: Environmental Air Systems

Environmental Air Systems (EAS) is a full service mechanical contractor based in North Carolina specializing in mechanical systems for health care, pharmaceutical, and data centers. EAS also has unique capabilities for Off-Site Construction (OSC), which allows for the manufacture of a wide range of products from mechanical skids and air handling units, to full central utility plants and large scale modular data centers.


With SketchUp Pro, Environmental Air Systems has been able to improve communication with their clients as well as increase their Off-Site Construction productivity. Carroll Shephard is the Production Design Coordinator for EAS, and also one of their SketchUp champions. He spoke with us about how EAS uses SketchUp.

SketchUp at EAS
Back in 2007, EAS was working on two data center projects. In an effort to create a more accurate and visual as-built of the product, we switched to SketchUp. We provided our client with an AutoCAD version along with the SketchUp as-built model. The client really liked that we gave them something more visually rich through SketchUp. Since then, we have transitioned all of our production drawings to SketchUp. Now, we are adding SketchUp to more processes than ever.

With SketchUp, we don�t spend a lot of time learning the software, and because it�s so intuitive, we�ve reached a point where we can rapidly turn detailed models into coordinated production drawings for our manufacturing facilities. Then, we generate material lists with an extension plugin.

The use of 3rd party plugins, like Space Design by RenderPlus, allows  for custom report generation directly out of SketchUp

SketchUp has changed the way we design as it enables us to transition from 2D to 3D. The advantage of working in 3D is that our product is �virtually built� before materials are ever ordered. Previously, we coordinated parts by calculating the clearances needed using a calculator or spreadsheet. Now, all the drawings (previously made using AutoCAD) are produced in SketchUp. From there, we have been able to coordinate our products using Navisworks (and we�re now experimenting with Tekla BIMSight).

SketchUp Pro & Client Communication
While communicating with clients, SketchUp most often plays the role of a visual aid. For example, we recently worked on the preliminary design of a pipe rack system to be installed in a pharmaceutical facility. With SketchUp, we were able to model the pipe rack exactly as it would be installed (a retrofit situation). The SketchUp model helped the marketing group clearly communicate the scope of work and make sure that our design was meeting or exceeding client expectations.

Rendered models help clients visualize how projects will look after completion

We also generate concept renderings for potential clients. These allow our clients to see what their project will look like once completed. So to a real extent, we also use SketchUp as both a sales and design-build tool: it enables us to show potential clients our solution for their specific application and then it helps us produce accurate, detailed drawings quickly. Both of these advantages enable us to be more successful and it has been a driving force on many projects.


Guest authored by Carroll Shephard, Environmental Air Systems, LLC

Creating complete construction docs in LayOut

When we profiled architect Nick Sonders' amazing use of LayOut to create full sets of construction documents for his houses, we knew we were on to something big. The deluge of "TELL ME IMMEDIATELY HOW HE DID THAT" sentiment that ensued prompted us to follow up in two ways:

We invited Nick to present his workflow at our 3D Basecamp event last month. The house was packed and Nick was great, but the audio in the video recording was a little rough, so...

Our videograhper Tyson traveled to Truckee, California to record an in-depth series of videos that document Nick's process in delectable detail.

Half tutorial, half motivational speech and half religious experience (for SketchUp people, at least), the "Sonder Series" is 150% better than anything else we've created for aspiring LayOut users. If you believe in your heart that your SketchUp models deserve to live on, that CAD drafting separate 2D orthographic views is a terrible way to spend your evenings, and that there has to be a better way, this is your path forward. Pop some corn and kick back for some serious edification.

The first video is below; the other five are on online when you're ready.



Posted by Aidan Chopra, SketchUp Evangelist

SketchUp Pro Case Study: Green building design with Sefaira and SketchUp Pro

This post comes to us from our friends at Sefaira. In this blog, we�ll see how Booth Hansen, a nationally recognized Architecture, Planning, and Interior Design firm, uses Sefaira Concept and the Concept plugin for SketchUp Pro to incorporate green building analyses into the earliest stages of design.

Sefaira Concept + SketchUp Pro for Green Building Design
Traditionally, thermal simulation packages or energy models assess compliance at the end of the design process. Using Sefaira Concept, Booth Hansen can rapidly analyze and evaluate �what-if� scenarios at the earliest stages of design. These scenarios provide clients with the relative energy savings of various design strategies. Using the Concept plugin for SketchUp Pro, Booth Hansen ensures the accurate representation of their models during these early stage sustainability analyses. Simply, it's important that Sefaira Concept knows that a door is a door, and a window is a window; it turns out that SketchUp Pro's dynamic components are pretty good at this. Let�s look at two project examples.

Deming Place
The first step in performing early stage sustainability analysis with Sefaira Concept is to import building geometry from a SketchUp file. Sefaira Concept automatically identifies the physical elements of a model � including floors, walls, glazing, and roofs � so that the software can deliver real-time, iterative analyses that may inform design choices.

Deming Place is located mid-block in an urban context and shares party walls with neighbors on either side. Sefaira Concept initially identified the party walls as standard walls. However, modeling these as standard walls would incorrectly simulate thermal transfer to outside air.

Sefaira Concept classifies the geometry within a SketchUp model for energy analysis:  here, the distinction is only made between walls and glazings.

The Concept plugin for SketchUp allows designers to visualize Sefaira Concept�s interpretation of the model within SketchUp, make adjustments to this interpretation, or provide additional information as necessary. In this case, Booth Hansen designers chose to override the initial designations: the side walls of Deming Place were selected and changed to party walls, which more closely represented the actual building conditions.

Here, the Concept Plugin for SketchUp is used to reclassify walls that are shared with neighboring structures; now Sefaira Concept knows to treat these differently in scenario forecasting

Sefaira Concept then used the party walls to define the enclosed space earmarked for analysis. Ultimately, Booth Hansen determined there was no significant thermal transfer through these walls, under the assumption that the interior of buildings on either side are kept at roughly the same internal temperature as Deming Place.

Children�s Center at the Chicago Botanic Gardens
For the Children�s Center at the Chicago Botanic Gardens, Booth Hansen utilized a series of concentric circles to define the building�s floor plan. This design resulted in a geometrically complex roof structure at the clerestory windows.

The base SketchUp model for the Children's Center at the Chicago Botanic Gardens

To make sure that the energy analysis was accurate, Booth Hansen�s architects needed to know that Sefaira Concept had correctly identified and categorized the building�s different elements.

Sefaira Concept's initial analysis of the model: the clerestory roofs have been classified as a hybrid of wall and roof planes

Using the Concept Plugin, Booth Hansen could see that Sefaira Concept had identified the clerestory roofs as a combination of wall and roof planes. Booth Hansen corrected this initial interpretation using the Concept plugin, so that all clerestory roofs would be correctly analyzed as �roof.�

Using the Concept plugin for SketchUp, the roof geometry is correctly reclassified; the model is now ready for analysis.

Once uploaded into Sefaira Concept for analysis, Booth Hansen was able to parametrically manipulate the properties of the roof surfaces (such as R-value and construction type).

Results
In these projects, Booth Hansen was able to use limited information available in conceptual design (such as basic massings, floor plan layouts, and site location) to measure sustainability impact across their design choices. Particularly with Deming Place, Sefaira Concept and the Concept Plugin for SketchUp helped establish a best practice model for sustainable design of similar buildings.

Posted by Sam Somashekar, Sefaira
Interested to demo Sefaira Concept and the Concept plugin? Check in with Sefaira.

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