Fox Blocks Goes to Washington

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Insulated Concrete Form Manufacturer Fox Blocks brings its newly developed web-based BIM tools to a forum focused on Federal Asset Management.

Fox Blocks is participating in the 3rd Annual Federal Asset Management Forum in Washington, D.C. from October 17 – 20. Co-hosted by the Federal Facilities Council of the National Academies of Sciences and the Asset Leadership Network, the week-long Forum is guiding Federal thought leadership regarding the expanding business concentration on asset management.

The series of interrelated events include Fox Blocks Vice President Mike Kennaw speaking on a Risk and Review Panel addressing improved physical resiliency in buildings. Kennaw is also participating the Association Asset Management Summit and making educational materials available in the National Academies of Sciences historic facility on the National Mall.

In addition to explaining the resilient nature facilities built with its products, Fox Blocks is using the occasion to announce a new array of web-based BIM tools intended to help building owners more efficiently and effectively plan, design, construct and operate resilient facility assets.

A Building Information Model (BIM) is a virtual representation of facility that allows visual clarity and data consistency throughout a project’s entire life cycle. Fox Blocks is helping those who model buildings through inclusion in the BIM Smith Forge web-based Revit wall system family configurator from Anguleris.

Anguleris also created 3D BIM objects of all Fox Blocks products in Revit. Also included are sample details that can be customized in Revit. This content will be available on the web in multiple locations including the Fox Blocks website, BIMobject.com, CADdetails.com and the SketchUp 3D Warehouse.

Mike Kennaw, Fox Blocks Vice President says, “It is an honor to roll out the beginning of our long-term commitment to web-based BIM business processes that can drive dramatic benefits for owners of large portfolios. The ability of Fox Blocks to support requirements for highly resilient Federal buildings allows us to proudly support the mission of protecting U.S. buildings, staff and citizens.“

The ability of sufficiently reinforced Fox Block wall systems to protect a building from natural and man-made forces not only protects real property assets but also the personal property assets and human resources inside facilities, according to Kennaw.

Fox Blocks is also participating in the 2016 BIMStorm Data Independence that is being presented during the week and will be highlighted in the National Academy of Sciences. BIMStorm Data Independence continues the 9-year history of online “brainstorms” using web-based Building Information Models.

During the BIMStorm, Fox Blocks has used it’s new, web-based BIM tools to show how owners can gain benefits from having more detailed information earlier in their planning processes that can accurately show costs and performance while also keeping the initial information available for real time access throughout the lifecycle of a building.

The BIMStorm Data Independence business processes are using real data from the Department of Defense, Defense Health System, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the California Community College. Demonstrating what is possible in the virtual world helps owners gain confidence for introducing proven processes into their real world projects.

Established by Kimon Onuma, FAIA, BIMStorm processes have been adapted by the Federal government and have been connected to the MAX.gov platform from the Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget. Initially established for the DoD and VA, the processes are now being explored by the U.S. Department of State, which wants to bring together many Federal agencies to use the same web-based processes that Fox Blocks now supports.

People in the Washington, D.C. area can register for the event at: http://assetleadership.net/policy-forum-2016/registration/

Federal staff can attend for free.