Collaboration with SEArch+ in
NASA's 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge

Modulus Consulting created the 4D construction timeline of Space Exploration Architecture's (SEArch+) Mars habitat design, converting their Rhino & Grasshopper 3D geometry for use in Revit & Navisworks. Having already placed 1st in prior stages of NASA's $3.15M 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge - including the initial conceptual design, foundation construction, and material seals/durability test - SEArch+ also took top place for the Complete Virtual Construction phase.

NASA's comment on the video:

SEArch+/Apis Cor of New York won first place in Phase 3: Level 4 in NASA’s 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge. This team focuses on regolith construction to provide radiation shielding and physical protection.

The competition for this stage challenged teams to use modeling software to create a full-scale habitat design. This level built upon an earlier stage that required 60 percent design completion; for this round, submissions were 100 percent complete.

Entries were scored on architectural layout, programming, efficient use of interior space, and the 3D-printing scalability and constructability of the habitat. Teams also prepared short videos providing insight into their design as well as miniature 3D-printed models that came apart to showcase the interior design. Points were also awarded for aesthetic representation and realism.

NASA’s 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge aims to further the progression of sustainable shelters that will someday occupy the Moon, Mars or beyond by pushing citizen inventors to develop new technologies capable of additively manufacturing a habitat using indigenous resources with, or without, recyclable materials.

The 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge is managed through a partnership with NASA’s Centennial Challenges Program and Bradley University. Bradley has partnered with sponsors Caterpillar, Bechtel and Brick & Mortar Ventures to administer the competition. NASA’s Centennial Challenges program is part of the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, and is managed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

For information about the 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/3DPHab

Modulus Consulting Recognized
for Role on Sutter VNGC Hospital Project

We are pleased to report that the Sutter Health California Pacific Medical Center: Van Ness & Geary Campus (CPMC VNGC) project—a complex 12-story, 1 million square foot hospital—won the Healthcare Project of the Year Award at the 2017 Bluebeam eXtreme Conference in August 2017. The Modulus Consulting team provided BIM coordination, structural design modeling, and trade contractor modeling on the project.

Modulus Consulting Receives San Francisco
Local Business Enterprise Certification

Modulus Consulting, a San Francisco-based consulting firm specializing in the practice and implementation of Building Information Modeling (BIM), is pleased to announce that it has renewed its San Francisco Local Business Enterprise (LBE) certification with the San Francisco City Administrator Office.

“Our BIM experts help companies in every stage of a building life cycle save time, reduce costs, and meet contractual obligations,” said Peter Michealsen, Modulus managing principal. “By maintaining this Local Business Enterprise certification, Modulus offers the added benefit of helping companies that design and build large private and public buildings in San Francisco meet their LBE requirements.”

San Francisco established the LBE program to promote the use of local businesses in city contracts for infrastructure improvements, and has extended it to private developments as well. Companies working with Modulus on San Francisco projects get certain benefits that make their bids, proposals, and qualifications more competitive than those submitted by non-LBE businesses.

About Modulus
Founded in 2010, Modulus Consulting is a San Francisco-based consulting firm specializing in the practice and implementation of Building Information Modeling, or BIM. Modulus provides guidance, support, and services to building project teams. With diverse backgrounds and extensive experience in a broad range of project types and BIM requirements, Modulus employees are well-versed in the practical challenges presented by BIM to companies and their project teams. Services provided include BIM coordination, 3D modeling, laser scanning, BIM for FM, BIM mentoring, and BIM strategy.

Ideate, Inc. and Modulus Consulting Enter Into Partnership
to Offer Deeper Bench of BIM Services and Solutions

Ideate, Inc., a multi-decade veteran Autodesk Developer Network member and Autodesk Platinum Value Added Reseller (VAR) today announced that it is entering into a partnership with San Francisco-based Modulus Consulting.

Modulus provides BIM guidance, support, and services to building project teams. A long-time industry ally of Ideate Software, Modulus specializes in BIM Consulting, BIM Coordination, Architectural & Structural Modeling, MEPS Systems Modeling, Laser Scanning (LiDAR), and in-sourced BIM support.

Bob Palioca, President of Ideate Inc. and Ideate Software, said, “Our mission for 33 years as a trusted VAR has been about empowering our customers with tools and training so they can make the transition to BIM and succeed. Our new partnership with Modulus will now enable us to offer our clients superior project assistance, broadening our effectiveness. Modulus performs extremely valuable services and I’ve been referring customers to them for years.” He added, “While Ideate will remain Ideate, and Modulus will remain Modulus, we are confident that we will complement each other in bringing a deep bench of BIM services and solutions to the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) community.”

“Bob is a trusted and respected leader in our industry,” said Peter Michealsen, Managing Principal of Modulus Consulting. “Modulus is excited to bring on a partner with a long history of serving and supporting the technology side of the AEC community in ways that perfectly complement our own services and support. With Ideate's expertise in BIM software development, implementation and training, and Modulus' expertise in BIM production and project support, together we offer a more complete solution to our clients.”

“Modulus continues to be independent with respect to software; we will not be selling or developing software and we will always use and recommend the tools we think are best for each specific job,” he added.

Staff members from the two companies will gather together at an Ideate Inc.-hosted Customer Appreciation and Holiday Party event at the Autodesk Gallery on December 17th.

About Ideate, Inc.
Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years’ experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM). As an Autodesk solutions provider, Ideate has offered quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industries since 1992. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and operating Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in California, Oregon and Washington, Ideate is recognized as an Autodesk Gold Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, one of Autodesk’s highest levels of authorization.

About Ideate Software
Ideate Software allows Revit users to have unprecedented control over their data. Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer for Revit, and Ideate Sticky were all developed to solve persistent problems in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) workflows. Ideate Software solutions enable Revit users to save time, increase accuracy, improve project deliverables, and elevate design.

About Modulus Consulting
Modulus Consulting is a San Francisco-based consulting firm with branch offices in Oakland, CA, Portland, OR, and Washington D.C., specializing in the practice and implementation of Building Information Modeling, or BIM. Modulus has supported hundreds of projects from small tenant improvements to multi-billion dollar hospitals. Founded in 2010, the company provides guidance, support and services to building project teams across the country.

Autodesk, Autodesk Revit and ATC are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Microsoft Excel is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

Our team wears many different hard hats in the AEC industry. This is especially true when it comes to Sutter's $1.3 billion VNGC hospital in San Francisco. We have had the pleasure to work side by side HerreroBoldt, Otis, Harrison Drywall, George Family Enterprises, and Degenkolb Engineers on this project. It is very exciting for us all to see everyone's efforts come to fruition.

Modulus recently had a great opportunity to combine our expertise in point cloud technology and as-built models to provide The Strand Theater in San Francisco with a useful set of documents that will last them for years to come. Point cloud technology is steadily becoming the norm for documenting historic buildings. We also utilized similar methods on the War Memorial Veteran's Building and UCSF Parnassus.

Top 5 BIM Lessons from working at Massive-Scale High Tech Facilities Brett Young · 2014 November 19 · permalink

Modulus Consulting has worked on various confidential, high tech facilities of various sizes. Some of these buildings can only be described as “massive”, both in terms of size and complexity. In reading some headlines this week, we were reminded that working on these types of projects can be very unique and we thought we’d share some lessons we’ve learned. Without providing specifics.

(And –hey – Tesla. We’re waiting for you to call us about your Gigafactory in Nevada.)

1.

Know Who Gets Stuff Done.

Red tape is everywhere on mega tech projects. This often means you can’t get the info you need. Within an organization, you’ll find that there are people who can get you the info you need while others make excuses. Find those people. Buy them coffee. Donuts. Anything they need because they are priceless.

2.

Don’t Assume Everyone has the Same Understanding.

Much of our time on a particular project was spent converting 2D work by various consultants into 3D for coordination. Much of the structure was complicated. Even though we were only on the project for a couple of weeks, we were able to visually demonstrate areas of significant challenges. The structural engineer, who had been on-site for years, achieved a new understanding of the challenges which were initially downplayed. Just because someone is experienced does not mean they can’t achieve a new understanding of complexity.

3.

Focus on the Field.

As you near construction, you have to constantly make sure your work is relevant and correct for the builders. We spent a lot of time in the field doing verification of models. We were able to double check work and develop a strong relationship with the people building what we were modeling. This helped because they knew who to come to for questions.

4.

Understand Your Technology.

LIDAR is a double-edged sword. It has outstanding benefits but also requires careful planning and lots of office-side work. At various points, team members didn’t understand that LIDAR wasn’t “Automatic X-ray 3D Modeling”. All tech has limitations and part of our role sometimes is communicating the significant processes that support the tech.

5.

Be Prepared for the Whole Experience.

Individually, projects or clients throw you individual, unusual new experiences. For example, many contractors do a stretch-and-flex in the morning. But massive projects throw you a whole raft of new experiences.
Booties for your shoes, 5 hour safety orientations, 7 types of alarm sounds onsite, the sticker that goes over your cell phone lens, pre-task checklists, the sticky mats for trapping shoe debris, gowning up, gowning down, acronyms for buildings, acronyms for people, acronyms for phases. Be prepared for the whole experience.

Modulus Consulting worked on the 140 New Montgomery project for Plant Construction and we wanted to link to some of the articles and sites that show off the amazing historical features of this building.

For many of us who work in the city, 140 New Montgomery was one of those shuttered buildings that you could walk past daily with hardly a sideways glance. (Kind of like 350 Bush St, which is slated for a dramatic change.) 140 New Montgomery had been vacant since 2007.

With its renovation, the makeover is spectacular. Visit this page and you can see the outstanding historic details inside. There's even a very nice video that tells the story of the building. Enjoy!

Every building is unique. But some buildings are more unique than others.

FlexLab is above the city of Berkeley at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. It is a series of buildings that serve as physical testing and demonstration labs for low energy building technologies. Got a smarter window coating? It can be tested. Got a high R value wall assembly? It can be tested.

Oh. And by the way, all this testing can happen on a rotating turntable that turns the building mockups and mimics different solar loads.

Modulus Consulting, as part of our work for Overaa and Lawrence Berkeley Lab, modeled the infrastructure beneath the turntable to examine maintenance issues and coordination. If a turntable can move, all the connections beneath and within the structure also has to move. And maintained. And replaced. Unique building - unique challenge.

You also might find it interesting that Modulus Consulting provided some aerial photography to the project. Here are some progress photos of the project during construction.

I used to spend time with the engineering staff at the Marriott Marquis, which is next to Moscone Center. From talking with them, I began to realize the complicated nature of the buildings around Moscone, how they operate, and their tight proximity. For example, the loading dock of the Marquis serves many of the other buildings in the area and the ballroom of the Marquis is mostly below the Metreon, which above grade is across Mission Street. Sometimes that type of complication just isn't clear.

And then there's the Moscone Expansion.

Moscone is a major draw to San Francisco, hosting conventions throughout the year for millions of people and driving a large part of the tourism industry in the area. Modulus Consulting is a part of the team that's expanding Moscone so San Francisco can continue to compete with other convention cities.

In terms of large projects in urban settings, it has every type of complication you can imagine. Imagine excavation in tight areas, reuse of existing MEPS infrastructure, temporary routing and spaces for conventions occurring during construction, and world-class final finishes.

You can see from the article above and this article that Moscone is moving forward. We look forward to working on this world-class, and complicated, project.