Contact Information

• Contact Advisor
• School Directory
• Other Questions

Brad Workman
Bentley Systems, Inc., Exton, Pa.
21st Century Chair in Integrated Practice

2:30 p.m., January 14
Giffels Auditorium, Old Main

First, build it virtually, then take the savings to the bank. Next Monday, Brad Workman, who holds the new Twenty-first Century Chair in Integrated Practice, will launch the School of Architecture’s spring lecture series with a lecture on building information modeling (BIM) a powerful new tool that cuts costs and drives innovation in the building industry.

For savings generated by BIM, Workman points to General Motors’ 2.4-million-square-foot vehicle assembly plant in Lansing. Mich. A 3-d virtual model of the building allowed architects, engineers and subcontractors to work out problems before materials were shipped and workers arrived on site.

“GM was able to save six figures in trash removal alone, because the project generated less waste,” Workman said. “That’s sustainable in my opinion, when you consider the impact of just that one factor, multiplied over many projects.”

BIM technology also enables architects and engineers to test new systems that generate savings throughout a building’s life span. One example: the San Francisco Federal Building, designed with BIM by Thom Mayne of Morphosis, is the first naturally ventilated high-rise office building on the west coast since the advent of air conditioning.

“That’s a huge savings in equipment and in construction because the building doesn’t have to support so much weight,” Workman said. Not to mention lower operating costs – the building's tower uses only 33% of the energy used by a typical California large office building thanks to natural ventilation and daylight harvesting systems.

A 1978 graduate of the School of Architecture, Workman has helped design, develop and pioneer building information modeling for software firm Bentley Systems, Inc., where he currently serves as vice president of building and plant solutions. In his new role as Twenty-First Century Chair in Integrated Practice, Workman will assist school leaders and faculty to determine how the School of Architecture may best prepare students for a new era in design.

“How can we address this new technology in education? That’s the big challenge,” Workman said.