Antony McPhee provides consulting services to architectural practices and building engineering practices.
My area of expertise is IT solutions, practice management of IT, and integrating IT into project management. My particular skill is bridging IT based processes with practice deliverables. Those employed or consulted for IT management often don’t appreciate the requirements of an architectural practice, both in production of architecture, and running of a profitable business.
Some information about myself:
I have worked as an Architect for over 35 years on on projects ranging from house extensions to large commercial and cultural developments. Registered architect since 1986, I developed CAD systems between 1988 and 2005, and have been involved in BIM since 2000 concentrating on Revit implementation. I have also developed IT office management systems and managed office IT infrastructure.
Past member RAIA National Integrated Practice Task force and RAIA Victoria Chapter Practice Committee.
SERVICES
Antony McPhee can provide advice on specific issues a practice may be having, or practice wide assessments such as:
• Inspect current IT systems, ascertain real and perceived problems.
• Identify desired practice outcomes.
• Suggest strategies to overcome problems and achieve outcomes.
• Report to management team.
Improve your current situation
• In conjunction with staff develop processes and procedures.
• Produce, or oversee production of, documentation of processes and procedures.
• Review progress and implementation.
• Review implementation against desired practice outcomes.
Review your future direction
• Identify future opportunities for improving the efficiency of your practice.
• In conjunction with management set future goals.
• Produce a roadmap to meet future goals.
• Set goal targets that can be used to measure progress.
ISSUES
I am involved in a number of groups and organisations. This section provides links to work I have done, and work still in progress. It provides access to the issues I am trying to promote in the AEC industry.
Integrated Practice
The idea behind Integrated Practice is for the design team to work much closer together, sharing information much more freely and frequently than at present. The imperative for this has come from the availability of B.I.M. software (see below). In theory Integrated Practice could produce major advances in building procurement, from better thought out designs, to eradication of documentation mistakes during construction. Integrated Practice also has the potential to open new marketing opportunities for architects and engineers. But the reality is not so rosy. Technology alone won’t produce these outcomes. There are a range of risk & reward, responsibility, management and work practice issues that need to be worked through for Integrated Practice to be successful for all parties.
Standards
There are a number of initiatives around the world attempting to set up standards for BIM. I have been an advisor to NatSPEC who are developing standards in Australia.
BIM Community
My blog, practicalBIM has been operating since 2012. I use it raise issues that day to day architects and engineers face when dealing with BIM, from how to use it effectively to the onerous demands made of us in the name of BIM.
BIM
BIM is Building Information Modeling, best described as the creation of a virtual computer model of a building before actual construction starts.
Although always done in 3D the real power, from an architect’s and engineer’s point of view, is in BIM software’s ability to mimic the relationships between building elements. It knows a window sits in a wall; that a duct sits above a ceiling, providing a known flow rate; that a column meets floor slabs at each end, and has to support a known load. Because all information about the building is in the model, data can be extracted in many formats, as drawings, schedules, or directly into analysis software.
BIM software has only matured in recent years, both in functionality and affordability. There are a number of BIM software packages available, the most common is Revit from Autodesk.
REVIT
AutoDesk Revit is my choice of BIM software. I started messing around with it in 1999 and have been using it since 2005. I was impressed back in 1999 by the originator’s aim of making it easy to use, and the fact it is the most recently developed BIM software for architects and engineers, so has the most recent underlying BIM engine.
I believe it is the easiest to use, but Apple aficionado may prefer ArchiCAD, also a very good product. Revit was bought by AutoDesk in 2002 and so now has their immense wealth behind it. It is available for Architects, Structural Engineers and services engineers (MEP:- Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing).
I have developed a range management techniques for project architects overseeing Revit projects, including management tools, like naming conventions and scheduling methodologies.
Antony McPhee 