Stantec: Aligning architecture and engineering workflows with Forma, Revit and InfraWorks

Discover how Stantec’s Joseph Huang, and Raghavendra Bhat combine the strengths of tools like Forma, Revit and InfraWorks and put them into action when designing infrastructure and renewable energy projects. This innovative process – which Joseph and Raghavendra presented in their popular class at Autodesk University 2024 – is a big win for aligning architecture and engineering workflows. 

A great example: pairing traffic simulation in InfraWorks with noise analysis in Forma helped the team study and minimize the impacts of traffic noise in neighborhoods.  

This workflow helps us get a comprehensive view of the project from an architecture and engineering perspective.

– Raghavendra Bhat, Senior BIM Integration Specialist at Stantec 
 

Thanks to Stantec, Joseph and Raghavendra for sharing their insightful workflow and collaborating with us on this story. Watch the full video here:

[Transcript]  

Raghavendra Bhat: As architects and engineers, we use different applications and tools. We need to connect all these platforms together, the data together. 

Joseph Huang: We use the IPD, integrated project delivery. So, in the same time as we think for the digital delivery, we also need to find a way to synergize the good applications and optimize the value. 

So, we combine Forma, Revit, and InfraWorks as a new proposed integrated BIM workflow to streamline the design process.  

Raghavendra Bhat: This has helped us to bridge the gap between concept design and detail design and enhance several project outcomes. 

Some of the workflows that we use are using Autodesk Forma for concept urban planning, solar analysis, wind analysis, and taking this design data into Autodesk InfraWorks and produce infrastructure design models. And also integrate Revit to have seamless integration between data from one application to another. This helps us get a comprehensive view of the project from an architecture and engineering perspective. And with Forma being able to talk to Autodesk Construction Cloud and also InfraWorks, it will help us integrate better. 

Joseph Huang: We have a good success applying Forma and InfraWorks on different project types, from buildings to energy, hydropower projects. Imagine a good living environment. We should not have a lot of noise. Then, as transportation engineers, they can use InfraWorks and to design the roads to control a traffic pattern in order to reduce the noise. So, we can use the traffic simulation in InfraWorks. Then, we can bring the model to Forma, and run the noise analysis. For the hydro power project, we use InfraWorks to build the water body. We model wind turbines. We model solar panels. Then, we can bring those models to Forma for wind analysis or solar energy analysis. 

Raghavendra Bhat: As architects and engineers, we need to broaden the ecosystem of tools that we use. If you’ve been using Forma for concept urban planning, I think you also have to look at how are you going to use this data for further detailed design development. I think Autodesk InfraWorks is a really great tool to bring this data into and prepare your design models.  

Joseph Huang: At the same time, if engineers use Forma, they can understand the energy and analysis. Using that is a great visual tool to communicate with architects, with our client, and to optimize the value for the early phase decision making. 

Raghavendra Bhat: Put yourself out of the comfort zone and use new tools, just like we have been able to establish a seamless integration between Autodesk InfraWorks, Forma, and Revit. This has helped us enhance our workflows, not just by allowing the architects and engineers to produce better design, but also be able to create sustainable spaces and meeting real world challenges.