Scott Green, LEED AP, Senior Project Engineer -- Attending Autodesk University was time well-spent. The quality of the presentations, activities and networking were all first class. I can hardly wait until next year.

First off, I need to thank the management of Tarlton for letting us go to AU2009. Given the current economic conditions, especially in the construction industry, it is not an easy decision to make. That’s one thing about Tarlton, they understand the importance of training and keeping us at the top of our games.

One of the greatest things about AU is the instructors – real-life, practicing professionals who get their hands dirty each and every day with the products and processes they are teaching. Laura Handler with Tocci, David Epps from Holder, Dan Russell from Sundt, and Josh Lowe and Mike Whaley with J.H. Findorff all had great presentations showcasing their BIM use and capabilities. They are definitely the leaders in the industry and pushing the limits daily. The other thing that impresses me with these folks is their willingness to share information to further the industry instead of hoarding information in fear.

What are we doing on our BIM front? Productivity is our next big challenge. Our goal is to improve the productivity of our concrete crews in the field by modeling the structural concrete and improving the planning process. Look for updates as we dive deeper into the uses of a BIM.