Germany/Munich, June 30, 2011 – “Yes, we can!” was the conclusion of the participants at the first “Expert Forum for Engineering” once all presentations on current and future changes for engineering offices had come to an end. The four experts from business and science captivated the audience in Munich, Essen and Hamburg with detailed and interesting information. Structural engineers, testing engineers and technicians benefited in particular from the numerous recommendations and the lively discussions during the breaks. The event was moderated by IT consultant Gunther Wildermuth.

The expert presentations and tips in brief:

The effects of Eurocode in practice
According to Dr. Frank Fingerloos, from the German concrete and construction engineering association DBV, engineers have an advantage if they apply the 7,000 page Eurocode (EC) early − before it becomes mandatory in July 2012. The changeover is easier if EC and the existing standard are applied jointly. In the transitional phase, the law states that it is necessary for one specific standard to be defined for contracts and approvals; otherwise EC has applied as standard since January 2011.

A paradigm shift in data exchange
In his presentation on building information modeling (BIM) and the industry data format IFC, Prof. Rasso Steinmann, chair for building informatics at the University of Munich, drew parallels with the automotive industry, which changed its work processes many years ago and is benefiting for the resulting economic advantages. In short: the AEC industry can learn a lot from this.

The EnEV revision 2012 – a task for engineers
The EnEV revision 2012 and the energy targets laid down in this by the German government for the building sector – new buildings and modernization – have numerous consequences for engineers, but at the same offer a huge potential for orders. According to Martin Wenning, TÜV SÜD expert, intelligent energy planning and the more complex certification calculations for the asset will become the focus of future tasks. For example, air conditioning systems with heat recovery will become established as the standard in new buildings. The challenge for engineers will be to prevent an explosion in building costs.

Benefits and opportunities of 3D planning
The final speaker, Joachim Mellor from Heitkamp-IKB, made the case for the numerous advantages and benefits of 3D. Using examples from his own experience, he explained the numerous benefits and cost advantages in all building process steps. Regardless of whether the building is a single-family home or a large project, the company is a construction firm or engineering contractor – the small additional expense compared to 2D always pays off. He also argued for the additional benefits gained by training employees to think spatially, the higher identification with the project on the part of all concerned, and the reduction in errors and risks combined with the optimization of interfaces and costs.

In short: both the organizers and participants regarded the event as a success – a strong argument for repeating it.

For more information, visit: http://www.nemetschek.de/expertenforum

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Picture: Event photos


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About Nemetschek Allplan
Nemetschek Allplan GmbH, with headquarters in Munich, is a leading European vendor of software for the design and management of buildings.
As a one-hundred percent subsidiary of Nemetschek AG, the company develops intelligent IT solutions for architects, engineers, building contractors and facility managers. The flagship product, Allplan, optimizes the entire creation process for buildings with regard to quality, costs and time and is used by more than 65,000 customers in 16 languages. Allplan covers all levels of a modern CAD system: from simple 2D drafting and 3D design to object-oriented building modeling with cost determination and quantity takeoff. Additional information is available at www.allplan.com/de.html.


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Katrin Henschel
Tel. +49 (0)89-92793-1360
khenschel[at]nemetschek.com