Do Building Codes Really Do Us Any Good? - Fine Homebuilding

Do Building Codes Really Do Us Any Good? - Fine Homebuilding

Free AutoCAD Student Software Downloads

Free AutoCAD and Autodesk software downloads for students at Autodesk Education Community. 25 products available with a new extended 3 year license.


http://students.autodesk.com/

This is a great way to get started using AutoCAD!

AUGI's Top 10 Reasons to Attend Autodesk University

Autodesk University 2010 is coming sooner than you think. Registration is open and you can sign up now. Selecting classes is easy and there are plenty to choose from.

Click on the link below to see the article;

http://www.augi.com/publications/hotnews.asp?id=2122

Have a great day!
Kevin

AutoCAD Video Tutorial - Creating a Lighting Plan

This is Part 2 of the AutoCAD video tutorial series called "Creating a Lighting Plan". I will cover how to place wiring arcs from your wall switches to your lighting fixtures. Included is the tip on how to create tangent arcs for smooth serpentine wiring. Nothing looks worse that seeing connected arcs in a AutoCAD drawing that aren't tangent! Also covered is the Polyline Arc option to create wiring arcs that are one continuous object.


Please leave any comments about this video, I would love to get some feedback. Also, let me know if there is any subjects that you would like to see in a AutoCAD video tutorial.

Thank you!

Good luck on all your projects!
Kevin

AutoCAD Video Tutorial - Creating a Lighting Plan - Part 1

Here is Part 1 of my two part AutoCAD video tutorial series on Creating a Lighting Plan. This AutoCAD video shows you how to insert CAD electrical symbols into your lighting plan project drawings. Part 2 shows you how to add your wiring to the switches and lighting fixtures.

AutoCAD Tutorial ~ Introduction to Design Center

Just wanted to let everybody know that I just finished my first AutoCAD video tutorial. it's called: "Introduction to AutoCAD Design Center". My goal for these free AutoCAD tutorials is to provide you with short AutoCAD tutorials that will cover not only the features of AutoCAD, but also how to actually draw projects like floorplans, elevations, etc.

Click on the Play button below
to start the video;

So, enjoy my very first video tutorial, and please feel free to add any comments on how I can improve these videos. Thanks, Kevin

 

Affordable OnLine AutoCAD Training

In working with KnowledgeCity.com, I have completed a 10 hour Introduction to AutoCAD on-line video training tutorial. Not only do you get a great 10 hour AutoCAD video tutorial, you also get access to their entire video library that includes all Microsoft Office programs, accounting tutorials, operating systems, Adobe software, Apple basics, selling on eBay, and programming tutorials.

All this has unlimited access for one low fee of $29.00 a month! This is a great way to get started with some AutoCAD training at a VERY affordable price!

Free trials are available too!

Just click on the image below to get started!




If you have any questions about the AutoCAD tutorial, just send me a note:  Contact Kevin
 
Good luck on all your projects!
Kevin

AUGI annouces that the latest issue of AUGIWorld is now available for download.

What's New for 2011? - AUGIWorld writers dive into the newest releases of popular Autodesk products including AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, AutoCAD Civil 3D, and Autodesk Revit. You'll learn about all the new features and major enhancements in this year's products.

Guest Post by: Jack Lundee

Green Spaces Provide Great Economic Potential

Some of the more heavily discussed topics of early 2010 include obesity, green infrastructure, clean water, and more. In particular, the addition and/or substitution of green spaces have been quite controversial as of late. Senior resident of Urban Land Institute Ed T. McMahon states "Green space adds value to property." Not only would these areas of conservation drive economic trends upward, but they also improve the overall health of the surrounding community. For example, substituting things like golf courses with conservation areas would essentially increase surrounding property value while diminishing overpriced maintenance fees. The same holds true for airports and other large acre-eating developments.

Some of these areas are already abandoned or unkempt. For instance, park and recreational areas that were once highly visited have become urban wastelands. In an article from the Salt Lake Tribute, Lindsay Whitehurst discusses how an area that was capped with tennis courts to replace an old reservoir had been empty for some time now. She further explains how the University of Utah received a loan to fill the old reservoir and turn the land into a conservation area. Bob Sperling, manager of the water design team for Salt Lake City public utilities, infers high costs when he mentions challenging structural design. Aside from this, safety was a tremendous issue which was later justified when a large piece of slate gave way. It wasn't soon thereafter that it was noticed by Sperling during a routine inspection.

Much larger metropolitan areas are also playing their role in promoting sustainability by implementing many Green Spaces within the city. In Meg Muckenhoupt's new book Boston's Gardens & Green Spaces, she discusses different green space within the city of Boston. With very low cost maintenance fees and little liability, these areas are perfect for protecting our wildlife and the environment. They also attract further tourism; which would in turn generate revenue from ticket/tour sales.

This aligns with the implications of "economic viability" and long term sustainability, posing the question, "Would the substitution of golf courses and airports in the short term lead to an abrupt economic downfall? It's true that this type of architecture provides undoubtedly high revenue. On the contrary, they both come with ridiculously high expenses and maintenance. Incorporating various elements of green architecture implies things like green roofing, which could in turn drive down electrical/gas costs dramatically.

Guest Author:

Jack Lundee

http://everythingleft.wordpress.com/

http://twitter.com/j_lundee

AutoCAD eBook Tutorials now at ArchBlocks.com

ArchBlocks.com now offers AutoCAD ebooks by Ralph Grabowski!

Ralph Grabowski is Editor of upFront.eZine e-newsletter and the former Senior Editor at CADalyst magazine. He is the author of more than 100 books about AutoCAD and other graphics software. All the ebooks that are offered are downloaded immediately and come in PDF format.

List of ebooks that are now available:

What's Inside? AutoCAD 2011: Covers all the latest new featues of AutoCAD 2011 that started shipping in April 2010.

Tailoring Dynamic Blocks AutoCAD 2010: a complete tutorial for creating and understanding dynamic blocks.

Tailoring AutoCAD 2010: getting the most out of your AutoCAD environment from basic to advanced topics.

Tailoring AutoLISP-DCL-Diesel: learn AutoCAD customization from basic to advanced topics.

Tailoring AutoCAD 2010 CUI: increase your productivity by creating a custom user interface specific to your production needs.

See sample pages from all the above ebook by clicking on the botton below:

Lynn Allen's Latest AutoCAD Tips!

You can now download from AutoCAD Exchange, "Lynn Allen's AutoCAD 2011 Tips" in PDF format. It gives you some great insight on the new features of AutoCAD 2011.

http://autocad.autodesk.com/?nd=autocad_tips_tutorials_detail&adsk_tip_id=1003&jid=2036

Have a great day!
Kevin

CAD Hatch Patterns now at ArchBlocks.com

100 Plus Hatch Patterns

The AutoCAD hatch patterns library called 100 Plus Hatch Patterns from CompugraphX has just been added to the list of products available on ArchBlocks.com. There are over 365 hatch patterns in this library for the architectural and civil engineering designer. Great CAD hatch patterns for wood, natural stone, roofing material, brick, and floor tile.

Check out all the great CAD hatch patterns available by clicking HERE.

ArchBlocks Design Contest Winner

The first ever ArchBlocks Design Contest had many great submissions.

Remember to send in an entry for Janurary 2010!

The winner receives $100.00

December 2009 Winner

Jason Harris of Cordova Tennesee, is our December 2009 ArchBlocks Design Contest Winner. Jason used the add-on software to AutoCAD called "M-Color" to add the color fills and textures.


If you have any any great designs that you would to send in, just attach them to an email and send them to me at: Kevin@ArchBlocks.com

We accept any digital format, .dwg, .pdf, .jpg, etc.

Be sure to stop by the http://www.archblocks.com/ website to see the many new products being offered.

Everyone have a great New Year! ~Kevin