I just finished reading Finith Jernigan’s new book Makers of the Environment: Building Resilience Into Our World One Model At A Time. I borrowed a copy from the public library, but it’s so thought-provoking that I intend to buy a copy for myself. You can read more about it here.
Don’t be put off by the unwieldy title. This book gives us a big-picture glimpse into the rich and fascinating potential of information modeling in general, not just building information modeling. It’s not a software manual. It’s a prediction of what information modeling will be able to do for everyone who deals with the built environment, not just those of us in the AEC business, in the very near future.
The author explains BIM’s future capabilities by the literary device of a “fictional case study” set a few years in the future, of a community’s response to twin disasters: a terrorist attack and a very destructive hurricane.
Makers of the Environment is not an easy read, but I heartily recommend it to anyone interested in the future of the AEC industry.
Next, I'm going to read Mr. Jernigan's previous book BIG BIM little bim.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
A question from one of my students about how products and work results are categorized in CSI’s MASTERFORMAT got me to thinking about one particular number/title that seems to me to be an anomaly.
MASTERFORMAT has a great keyword index, and is indispensible in my efforts to organize and package construction information. And what I do all day, every working day as a spec writer, is package construction information for my firm’s projects.
What the Dewey Decimal System or the Library of Congress System do for librarians, CSI MASTERFORMAT does for spec writers.
So here’s the anomaly I’m thinking about: Unframed mirrors.
MASTERFORMAT puts unframed mirrors in Section 08 83 00 - MIRRORS, subordinate to Section 08 80 00 - GLAZING. This is in Division 08 - OPENINGS. So the question that occurs to people, me included, is: In what sense is an unframed mirror an opening? Unframed mirrors are only fixtures for reflecting images. They’re for grooming or decor purposes, and don’t open in any sense. Nothing passes through a mirror, not people, not air, not even light. I know, I know. We’re supposed to be talking about work results, not products, and in a sense glazed mirrors are glazing because most of them are made of glass, and maybe installed by the glazing trade. But they’re still not openings.
Framed mirrors - at least the ones in bathrooms and toilet rooms - don’t open either, except for mirror-door residential medicine cabinets which are definitely in Division 10.
It seems logical to at least consider putting unframed mirrors in Division 09 - FINISHES. Some mirrors are used as wall finish, decor if you will. You can see such applications of mirrors in restaurants and sometimes in retail situations.
Maybe the authors of MASTERFORMAT put unframed mirrors in Division 08 - OPENINGS because of a wistful hope that mirrors will one day work as openings to another world, like the mirror in Lewis Carroll’s ThroughThe Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There?
MASTERFORMAT has a great keyword index, and is indispensible in my efforts to organize and package construction information. And what I do all day, every working day as a spec writer, is package construction information for my firm’s projects.
What the Dewey Decimal System or the Library of Congress System do for librarians, CSI MASTERFORMAT does for spec writers.
(Before you read the next few paragraphs, I need to apologize to all those public-spirited volunteers who participate in the consensus processes that generate and update CSI’s MASTERFORMAT. I really appreciate what you do. I really do. I use MASTERFORMAT every day of my professional life. I was just too busy - doing what I can’t remember right now - to participate in the last review of MASTERFORMAT. I don’t mean to criticize your work. I promise I’ll make time to comment on the next update of MASTERFORMAT.)
So here’s the anomaly I’m thinking about: Unframed mirrors.
MASTERFORMAT puts unframed mirrors in Section 08 83 00 - MIRRORS, subordinate to Section 08 80 00 - GLAZING. This is in Division 08 - OPENINGS. So the question that occurs to people, me included, is: In what sense is an unframed mirror an opening? Unframed mirrors are only fixtures for reflecting images. They’re for grooming or decor purposes, and don’t open in any sense. Nothing passes through a mirror, not people, not air, not even light. I know, I know. We’re supposed to be talking about work results, not products, and in a sense glazed mirrors are glazing because most of them are made of glass, and maybe installed by the glazing trade. But they’re still not openings.
Framed mirrors - at least the ones in bathrooms and toilet rooms - don’t open either, except for mirror-door residential medicine cabinets which are definitely in Division 10.
It seems logical to at least consider putting unframed mirrors in Division 09 - FINISHES. Some mirrors are used as wall finish, decor if you will. You can see such applications of mirrors in restaurants and sometimes in retail situations.
Maybe the authors of MASTERFORMAT put unframed mirrors in Division 08 - OPENINGS because of a wistful hope that mirrors will one day work as openings to another world, like the mirror in Lewis Carroll’s ThroughThe Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There?
Saturday, February 4, 2012
MICROSOFT TAGS AND FINITH JERNIGAN’S NEW BIM BOOK
This week I started reading Finith Jernigan’s new book Makers of the Environment - Building Resilience into the Environment One Model at a Time .
I’m not far enough into the book yet to say much about it’s premise, but the book already introduced me to something new: Microsoft Tags. Tags printed in the book are part of the author’s goal to “...make this book an information model itself...”
Surprisingly none of my friends, online or offline, had heard of Microsoft Tags either.
Finith Jernigan says that Microsoft Tags “...establish direct links to more information and let one embed information into a printed book. Think of them as a glossary on steroids.”
I’m not far enough into the book yet to say much about it’s premise, but the book already introduced me to something new: Microsoft Tags. Tags printed in the book are part of the author’s goal to “...make this book an information model itself...”
Surprisingly none of my friends, online or offline, had heard of Microsoft Tags either.
Finith Jernigan says that Microsoft Tags “...establish direct links to more information and let one embed information into a printed book. Think of them as a glossary on steroids.”
Microsoft Tags seem to act like the QR codes that are now appearing frequently in print ads for construction products. Once you download the free Microsoft Tags app, you can use your smartphone to access the links in the book. Once in the Microsoft Tags app, you simply point your camera phone at the tag. The app takes you directly to the link.
Check out the website for the book at http://4sitesystems.com/iofthestorm/
If you’re an Android phone user, go to the Android Market to download the free app for your phone. The Apple App Store has it too.
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