“We were driving BIM technology before BIM was BIM. We made symbols smart and tied them product databases which allowed us to offer accurate pricing and eCommerce fulfillment. We have been operational in this field since early 2003” said Douglas Lopez, Founder of 1st Pricing. Lopez continues “Our original patent was one of the first BIM patents issued and, primarily, covered comparison pricing. Now it has been expanded to cover many more critical issues like accessing a “Live Data Feed” from within CAD and eCommerce emanating from BIM.”

Some of the items covered in the additional intellectual property protection are:

 Inserting a price schedule into a construction plan drawing
 Component cost/pricing and comparison cost/pricing
 Live Data Feed (static or dynamic)
 Building Code
 Accessing BIM Data Outside of CAD
 eCommerce (5e or E-BIM)
 Exporting a BOM price schedule into a separate data base.

“We feel that this protection solidifies 1st Pricing’s leading role in the BIM process as the sole provider of critical product data including pricing, features and availability. We know that we have delivered a proven, practical solution to the 5D supply chain part of BIM that really no one else has addressed” said Lopez. “We are excited that the USPTO continues to reward our hard work and that we can deliver a segment of BIM that will transform the process of building a building. So many of our solutions are from my days as a general contractor and, in my opinion, it is about time we utilize useful technology to improve this process that needs it so badly.”

With the click of a button, the 1st Pricing technology accesses an internet portal and pulls comparison pricing of multiple brands to fill out a detailed bill of materials with all related content on demand. An online shopping cart is also automatically created for easy fulfillment from a local material distributor. Changes and updates are made within seconds so that everyone is on the same page. Today, the Company is focused on building materials for residential construction but plans to add commercial building products in the near future. In the CAD industry, the supply chain component is often referred to as the “fifth dimension of CAD” or 5D.

“Our technology transforms a set of plans from an interpretive document to a declarative statement,” adds Lopez.

About 1st Pricing

1st Pricing currently offers free plug-ins for users of TurboCAD® AutoCAD Architecture and AutoCAD Revit®. A Plug-in for Graphisoft’s ArchiCAD® is currently in beta and is expected to be released in the second quarter of 2010. More platforms will be released during 2010. The 1st Pricing technology was initially released in TurboCAD in 2003.

1st Pricing is part of California Distribution Center (CDC), a building material distribution company focusing on fenestration products. CDC Also operates 1st Windows.com – the only site on the Internet that offers instant, real-time, dynamic pricing and purchase of both replacement and new construction windows. The website, which also offers doors, skylights and acrylic glass block windows, has been online since April of 2000.

Currently the application will only handle small files and is primarily web-based, so there are still limitations. However, kudos to Mr. Keough for being the first to provide a solution with such tremendous potential.

Having the ability to access Building Information Models on portable devices will someday allow facility managers to easily identify issues, create work orders, and aid in critical response by using Augmented Reality. During the construction phase of a new project, contractors will be able to walk through a site with their iPhone, Android or iPad and see any phase of the project overlaid on the portable device using the its digital camera. The benefits and possibilities are endless.

BIMable will be keeping a close watch on this technology and will post updates as it matures. In the meantime, be sure to congratulate Mr. Keough and provide input on his contribution to the industry.

Venue: Wyndham Chicago

Schedule | Session Descriptions | Online Registration | Print Registration Form | Transportation | Things to Do | Restaurants

Architects practice in a world that is changing at a breathtaking rate, requiring near-constant reassessment of business models and professional practices. Join us in Chicago for a conference aimed at providing you with the resources and skills that will give your firm an advantage in today’s unstable economic climate. “Changing Times | Time for Change” will explore the major areas of challenge and opportunity that are reshaping architecture practice, including BIM, sustainability, and interoperability.

Five tracks of interdisciplinary presentations will explore how design professionals can apply cutting-edge technology, collaboration, networking, and knowledge to respond swiftly and effectively to natural, cultural, and economic forces.

Office: business process systems and best practices for efficiency
Tools: design tools, including BIM, and interoperability
Delivery: integrated project delivery and design-build
Market: new economic realities and changing client needs
Green: environmental forces and sustainable practice

One Conference, Two Knowledge-Boosting Events
An optional half-day workshop, “Design-Build 101,” adds a compelling overview of basic designer-led design-build practice. The course—from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Thursday, September 24—offers 3 additional AIA/CES LUs. “Design-Build 101” is not available as a standalone event; only conference registrants have access to this extra opportunity for an additional fee.

Networking Site
We are pleased to present a networking site in conjunction with this conference. This site provides a venue to network with conference attendees and other practitioners through blogs and discussion groups, see pictures from the event, post your own comments, and react to the knowledge that is being shared. Create an account and participate at the Changing Times | Time for Change networking site.

This conference is presented by AIA Small Project Practitioners (SPP) Knowledge Community, AIA Emerging Professionals, AIA Practice Management (PM) Knowledge Community, AIA Technology in Architectural Practice (TAP) Knowledge Community, AIA Design-Build (DB) Knowledge Community, and AIA Integrated Practice / Integrated Project Delivery Discussion Group (IPDiG), with the support of AIA Illinois and AIA Chicago.

We would like to thank Reed Construction Data and Graphisoft for their sponsorship of this event.

Interested in sponsoring this event? Contact Kimberly Yoho.

Registration Fees

Register before July 31 and save!

Design-Build 101:  Preconference Workshop
Separate ticketed event: $50.00
Thursday, September 24, 2009
8:30am - 12:00pm
3 Learning Units
(Conference registration required to attend)

Conference Registration

Please choose one of three ways to register:

> Register Online (if you experience difficulties registering online please contact register@aia.org)

(***Please note that the online registration site may not work properly with browsers other than Internet Explore. If you are using a different browser and experience difficulties, we recommend that you complete and submit the registration form per the instructions below. We are working to correct this issue and apologize for any inconvenience***).

> Mail the completed registration form with payment to

Changing Times
P.O. Box 64591
Baltimore, MD 21264

Please make checks payable to the American Institute of Architects

> Fax the completed registration form with payment information to 202.626.2569 or email to register@aia.org

Special Needs
The AIA is committed to making meetings and conferences accessible to all to the degree reasonably possible. Please notify us at the time of registration if you have special accessibility needs or specific dietary requirements. Contact Chris Capistrant, 202-626-7355.

Registration Confirmations
Registration confirmations are received immediately upon submission of registration. If you do not receive confirmation, please contact AIA Meetings. If you fax the registration form, please keep the fax transmittal confirmation for your records. For registration questions, please contact AIA Information Central, 800-242-3837.

Registration Policy
Registrations postmarked after September 11, 2009 will not be processed in time to be included on the attendee roster. Registration and nametags will be produced on-site. All registrants will receive a registration confirmation via mail within 10 business days of sending your registration.

Cancellation Policy
Refunds, less a $100 cancellation fee, will be made for cancellations received in writing by Friday, September 11. No cancellation refund is available after September 11, 2009. Please fax your cancellation requests to AIA Registrar, 202-626-7365 or email to register@aia.org.

Accommodations
A limited block of rooms has been reserved at the Wyndham Chicago at 633 North St. Clair in Chicago. Reservations must be received no later than September 2, 2009 for the group rate; however, the block may sell our prior to the deadline. You are responsible for making your own reservations. To make your reservation, contact the hotel at 312-573-0300 or 800-006-3426. Mention that you are with the AIA Changing Times conference to receive the group rate of $199.00 for a single/double occupancy plus 15.4% percent state and local taxes. All reservations must be guaranteed with a credit card when you make your reservation. The group’s cancellation policy requires cancellations be made 24 hours prior to arrival.

Travel
The AIA is pleased to offer discounted airline and car rentals for this conference. To make your reservations, contact the AIA’s official travel agency,Ovation Corporate Travel, at (800) 925-4055 (or 516-624-0308 for international callers). Please note, you are responsible for your travel.

Air
American Airlines offers special rates and numerous discounts on round-trip fares in the United States. Attendees will receive a 5 percent discount off coach and first-class fares by using discount code A2199AC. Please note American Airlines only services O’Hare International Airport (ORD).

How to book on American:

• Contact your travel agent and advise them to call the American Airlines Meeting Services Desk toll-free, 800-433-1790, and refer to discount code A2199AC. The hours of operation are 5 a.m. to midnight Central Time every day. Reservations for the hearing and speech impaired are also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-543-1586.
• Call American Airlines Meeting Services desk directly toll-free, 800-433-1790, and refer to discount code A2199AC.
• Reservations may also be made directly through Ovation Corporate Travel at 800-925-4055, or by logging on to the AIA Web site.
• Or online directly through American Airlines

Delta Air Lines is offering 5-10% discounts off eligible published fares to AIA members.
How to book Delta:

• Call Delta’s Association Desk (booking fee applies), 800-455-2720. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST (Mon. – Fri.). Reference number: DP4J

Train
Amtrak offers a 10 percent discount off the lowest available rail fare to Chicago from September 21 to September 29. Although convention travel cannot be booked via the Internet, you can make your reservation through the AIA’s official travel agency, Ovation Corporate Travel 800-925-4055. Please be sure to refer to convention fare code X56V-953 when making your reservation. Fare is valid on Amtrak Regional and Acela service for all departures seven days a week, except for holiday blackouts. This offer is not valid on Auto Train but it is valid with sleepers, business class, and first class seats with payment of the full applicable accommodation charges.

Car Rental
Hertz: Special meeting rates are yours with Hertz. Hertz operates in more than 150 countries with almost 1,800 locations in the Unites States alone, including more than 1,000 suburban locations. Call 800-654-2200 to make a reservation. To receive the special meeting rates, use code CV#022Q3890.

Hertz Green Collection: Now you can reserve fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly cars that are easy on the wallet and suitable for families and small groups traveling together. Reservable by specific make and model, with an EPA highway fuel efficiency rating of 28 miles or more per gallon, the Hertz Green Collection includes the following models:

• Toyota Camry
• Ford Fusion
• Buick LaCrosse
• Hyundai Sonata
• Subaru Outback

Please note the Green Collection is available in select cities and based on availability.

Avis: Avis is pleased to offer special discounts to all AIA meeting attendees. Reservations can be made directly with Avis by calling 800-331-1600 (refer to Discount Code A991499), visiting the AIA Web site and clicking on the Travel Accommodations tab or visiting the Avis Web site.

Continuing Education
Participants may earn up to 17.5 AIA Continuing Education System (CES) learning units (LUs) for attending the entire conference, including the preconference workshop. A participant will not be eligible to receive credit for LUs unless we have received a completed registration form and payment.

Greening the Meeting
To help create an environmentally sustainable conference and reduce waste, the AIA is not distributing printed handouts and printed attendee rosters. As an alternative you will receive the advance attendee roster via email a week prior to the meeting if you register by the September 11 deadline.

You are encouraged to do your part as well to assist in greening. For example, offset travel emission by participating in a “carbon balanced traveler” program such as www.my-climate.com or www.greentagusa.org.

Contact
If you have questions about this conference please contact Kimberly Yoho. If you experience difficulties registering for this event please contactregister@aia.org.

Force Majeure
The performance of this agreement by either party may be affected by force majeure (including, but not limited to, acts of God, acts of war or other acts of enemies, government regulation, disaster, strikes, floods, civil disorder, curtailment of transportation facilities, or other emergency or event beyond the control of the parties), thus making it inadvisable, unsafe, illegal, or impossible to provide required accommodations and/or meeting facilities, hold the meeting, or travel to the meeting. In event of force majeure, either party to this agreement may terminate the agreement upon providing written notice to the other party without penalty or obligation. Such right of termination shall not be unreasonably exercised.

In addition, the AIA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel this meeting. In that event, the AIA shall refund you all registration fees that it has received from you for this meeting, but shall have no further obligation to you of any type, whether monetary or otherwise. Accordingly, the AIA shall in no event have any liability to you based on claims for indirect, special or consequential damages of any type whatsoever, and shall have no other obligation to you of any type except as expressly stated in the preceding sentence.