M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal — 2020 Forecast — January 31 - February 13, 2020 — 7C
www.marej.com
E ngineering L eadership
By Brad Lownsbury, AKF 2020 Trends and Predictions
E
upon thousands of design options, permitting engineers the ability to test the feasibil- ity of each solution. Not only has generative design been used to design objects such as chairs and power tools, it has even been used on largescale aircraft, and will be a critical tool in 2020 and years to come. Imagine being able to design and build something virtually to see how everything comes together before expending real-world resources. Digital twins create an exact virtual replica using data and algo- rithms instead of materials.
will perform under a variety of circumstances. As technology advances, and systems and codes be- come increasingly complex, mission-focused commis- sioning that meticulously analyzes systems and pro- vides practical solutions to intricate challenges has never been more critical to building performance. This ensures complicated systems run cohe- sively, offers a pillar of safety, and helps clients achieve unique goals. It should never be treated as a simple “check- the-box” exercise.
very new year presents an opportunity to re- flect on successes, es-
While the concept for digital twins has existed for quite some time, the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) has made the use of digital twins more affordable. The transformative potential of digital twins is incredible. The technology has already been deployed in Formula 1 car racing to evaluate the perfor- mance and reliability of new parts. Building design isn’t far off. Ultimately, a digital twin provides designers and engineering teams with real- time information about how whatever they are creating
As we look to 2020, it is important to remember that while trends come and go, solid engineering principles must remain. At AKF, we call it Engineering Leadership: the ability to listen to our clients, inform them of their options, and discover ways to meet their needs today and tomorrow. It’s recognition that the best way to do something isn’t always the most obvious, and true ingenuity requires dedication and understanding. Brad Lownsbury is prin- cipal in charge of AKF’s Richmond, VA office.
tablish fresh g o a l s , and a n t i c i p a t e the future . Technology is evolving, sus- tainability is growing, and as AKF en- ters a new de-
Brad Lownsbury
cade, we believe there’s never been a greater opportunity for Engineering Leadership to have a positive and lasting im- pact on the built environment. Here’s a quick snapshot of what we expect to see in 2020: Owners, developers and managers will continue to rec- ognize the environmental and economic value of sustain- ability efforts . Launched on Earth Day 2019, New York City’s ambitious “80x50” campaign to retrofit existing buildings and curb city carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050 will serve as the model for other urban centers in 2020. Washington, DC plans to introduce similar regulations this year, with others likely to follow suit. As we enter this new era of sustainability, it is incumbent upon all of us in the AEC community to fa- cilitate guiding principles and lead our clients through these uncharted waters. Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to be one of the fastest-growing emerging technologies in recent years. As such, we aren't surprised that it is disrupting design and engineering initiatives now that Industry 4.0 is here. We need to learn how to col- laborate with AI to produce better designs, remain open to working with the latest tools available, and embrace flex- ibility and adapt to changes AI will bring in working with robotics, natural language processing, automation, and more. Generative design algo- rithms use AI software and the computing power of the cloud to create design solu- tions that would typically take the human mind years to develop. This gives engi- neers a powerful new partner to collaborate with—input- ting design parameters into the algorithm, allowing the software to explore all pos- sible combinations. This ap- proach generates hundreds
POWERING HUMAN POTENTIAL MEP/FP Engineering, Architectural Code Consulting, BIM Management, Building Controls, Central Utilities, Cogeneration, Commissioning, Critical Systems, Energy + Performance, Fire & Life Safety, IT/AV/Security, Lightcraft Lighting Design, Special Inspections, Vibration Analysis & Testing akfgroup.com
Made with FlippingBook HTML5