Texas ASLA - Educational Sessions

Earn educational credits and learn about relevant and important topics in the world of landscape architecture.&nbsp:

Speaker: Eric Gilbey, PLA, ASLA, Prof. Member of APLd, Product Marketing Manager at Vectorworks, Inc.

Session 1:&nbsp:

Title: Augmenting Design Workflows with Information Modeling

Description: This presentation will demonstrate some ways in which building information modeling (BIM) tools can be adapted to the practice of landscape architecture resulting in what is known as site information modeling. Using case studies of built projects, the presenter will show how these tools are employed for site planning and detailed project design development, representing more comprehensive, innovative, and intelligent design workflows that help design professionals make appropriate design decisions early in the process, through design development, and into credit documentation. Often improved landscape performance can be achieved when designing with built-in smart object tools. Whether it be for meeting a jurisdictional design code, or designing with meeting sustainable and energy efficient site design guideline objectives, augmenting existing workflows rather than changing processes, means that the site designer can more efficiently confirm the design meets these guidelines, or make the necessary changes until it does, during design development stages. Case study projects included in this presentation were successful in gaining jurisdictional approval as well as LEED Sustainable Sites (SS) and Water Efficiency (WE) credits based on the project meeting or exceeding the expectations in the published guidelines.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the benefits of augmenting existing design workflows with a combination of standard information modeling tools available in design technology, drawing file organization best practices, and parametric, smart objects to model site data and store information beyond the visual representation of the project.

2. Recognize how to apply database, reporting, and spreadsheet functions in worksheets to derive site data from the geometry and smart objects in a design file, simplifying calculation tasks and producing more accurate and construction documents used for project bidding.

3. See how using a plant database to store plant data can aid in preparing worksheets to calculate landscape water use reduction from a calculated baseline to meet water efficiency project goals or earn green building credits.

4.&nbsp: Become aware of how firms use worksheet calculations to test the effects of design decisions in real time and verify compliance with green codes, zoning/landscape ordinances, and LEED/SITES credits.&nbsp:

Session 2:

Title: Water Efficient Landscape Design with Design Technology

Description: Designing landscapes with sustainability in mind is no longer a matter of preference but one of meeting jurisdictional requirements. Landscape Architects can expect Computer Aided Design (CAD) software to make their current design workflows easier, and also to help meet the new obligations in water-efficient site design. By incorporating the water needs of proposed plants designing hydrozones for irrigation and calculating water budgets CAD applications help you to design beautiful landscapes that maximize water efficiency.

Learning Objectives:&nbsp:

1. Observe how customizable data fields in a Plant Database and Plant Symbol can sort and create plant palettes based on each plant's water needs.

2. Discover how polygons and tags can assist in creating informative Hydrozones, making Water Budgets easier.

3. Understand how customizable Spreadsheets become a tool for calculations, to determine the amount of water needed.&nbsp:

4. Learn how tools can assist in quantifying non-potable water sources (i.e. rainwater) reduce the use of potable water sources.&nbsp: