2019 Directory

10 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .19 | www.aia-wyoming.org Cross Reality (XR) The AIA Strategic Council’s Cross Reality (XR) Workgroup has embraced Digital Trans- formation Practice (Virtual/Augmented/Mixed and Artificial Intelligence) as the future of our profession. The group’s three-year effort has advanced the profession through the lens of the digital age by exploring opportunities inherent in the technological advances in the business and the AEC Industry. By developing a cohesive data collection and exchange platform, the AIA will aid the Knowledge Communities (KC’s), the members, and allied partners in understand- ing future best practices and benchmarks for a high-performance built environment. The use of a data and analytical collecting platformwill empower small architectural firms to act as large firms to deliver well designed, high performance, net-zero buildings. The AIA is poised to be the authoritative and trusted resource of building data collection, validation, and distribution. AIA XR Workgroup In the Age of Building Information, data is everything. AIA leadership has recognized that the Institute with Hive-Mind members is uniquely positioned to be an authoritative source when it comes to data collection, validation, and analysis in the built environment. The goal of the XRWorkgroup is to develop a framework and platform embracing cutting edge technology that aids our knowledge communities, members, and outside partners. Understanding the information within our buildings (metadata), we can make better, more rapid decisions. On Data Collection The XR workgroup recognizes that to provide a useful database, we must first have valid data to collect. To do this, we recognize the value of all the KC’s in the Institute. They are key players when it comes to identifying useful data sets and in providing informed life-cycle analysis on that data after it’s collected. On Data Validation Data Validation is the most critical portion of the focus of the workgroup, as Data Integrity is critical to ensuring value in research. By tying metrics to an award process, we build in a data validation phase that recognizes a design application in the context of high-perfor- mance buildings. Such data may be necessary as criteria in AIA’s Design awards programs. The collection and analysis of this data will demonstrate how exceeding performance benchmarks can achieve AIA’s climate action goals and benefit its big data collection. 2020 XR Workgroup Recommendations • Continue to monitor evolving digital technology in collaboration with the TAP KC and Design Data Exchange (DDX). They are already working on a Project Benchmarking Tool. • Partner with COTE to create awards criteria for best-practice performance results. • Formalize relationships with KC’s to integrate forecasting of the profession’s future. • Collect useful data addressing the release of intellectual property from members. • Request Workgroup Budget for meet- ings with KC’s and technology/ industry experts. Big Data Junior Director Dino Sakellar is a member of the Big Data workgroup, and over the past nine months, his team has investigated the impact that Big Data will have on the AIA, our mem- bers, and our industry. The workgroup calls this a ‘Sputnik” moment for us all. The new digital technologies that are known, unknown, and to be known to the AEC industry is transform- ing our industry at a rapid pace. The Big Data group has focused on BIM, ARC/GIS model- ing software to block chain and computer to construction technologies, and concludes that our institute and its members will face severe disruption in the AEC industry, and the AIA needs to be leading this transformation, not following. “Our industry is broad, with large firms, who are at the cutting edge of this trans- formation, to mid and small firms that may not have the financial resources to engage in this important realignment of the services that we provide, the work that we engage in and the products and buildings that we design.” Big Data has recommended that it’s critical for AIA to take a leadership position in the information, integration, and integrity of how data is incorporated and managed in the ar- chitecture profession. For AIA to help set the standard so all firms can benefit, and suggests that the Architecture profession is not the only industry that has reached this milestone. Contractors, Property Companies, Quantity Surveyors/Cost Estimation, Engineering are all moving to position themselves to address the future digital disruption that we face. The Big Data group proposes that AIA be- comes a clearinghouse that will aid our mem- bers and firms with respect to data. “There is a precedent for this role. AIA Graphic Stan- dards, Masterspec, AIA Contract Documents were all created to establish standards and provide members with resources. AIA needs to develop its platform with its strategic partners to undertake this important mission.” Innovative Business Models In both a reactive and proactive way, the IBM group seeks to understand the implications of the various forces affecting the business models of our profession. Current activities • Reviewing the business implications of the various workgroup proposals to explore alternate business models opportunities. • Finding case studies of alternative ser- vices or alternative models, approaches, and delivery methods to springboard more innovative practice. Next steps • In order to develop a culture of In- novation, the AIA should make the Innovation Lab a permanent part of the AIA, grow the work of the Innova- tion Lab concept, and celebrate these innovations. • Interject the topic of business innovation into the conversations of each of the AIA Knowledge Communities with a special focus on the Practice Management, Proj- ect Delivery, and Technology in Practice Knowledge Communities. • Fully develop R&D in practice: • Define what research is. • Define what R&D means as a business model. • Propose a Vision 2050 report to be con- ducted (similar to Vision 2000 report conducted in 1988 b