More and more government agencies are using Autodesk software to improve communication and collaboration between agencies, gain cost effectiveness and improve the productivity of design and manufacturing projects. Here’s our lowdown of the top five ways AutoCAD is being or can be deployed by agencies to improve workflow processes and reduce cost without sacrificing the quality of work.

Starting February 2012, students at three Alabama schools have been part of a pilot project designed to enhance child safety between home and school! Using ID cards with radio frequency identification device (RFID) technology built-in, students are scanned as they get on and off school buses. Combining the RFID data with GPS, the system transmits the student’s location data to a remote server, which allows a Huntsville school official to access it if they need to. The technology is called ZPass and was developed and by Zonar Systems. ZPass is intended to improve child safety so that parents know if their kids are on their school bus.

Virginia’s Governor, Bob McDonnell, made efforts to push “Shovel Ready” projects into high gear recently by stating: "Without an adequate transportation system, almost every aspect of our daily lives and government are negatively impacted…Therefore, we must get serious and start treating transportation like a core function of government."

Engineers should be thrilled with the new LiDAR 3D technology that is being integrated to improve mapping applications. By fusing LiDAR 3D data with existing geospatial image analysis workflows, users can now create a more complete visual reference of geographical areas. With traditional geospatial data collection, users weren’t able to manipulate the images in a timely manner resulting in longer wait times to figure out how and why the data could be applied to present and future mapping projects.

You may not be surprised to hear that Washington, D.C. leads the nation when it comes to green buildings. According to a report released this month by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Washington, D.C. has the most LEED-certified commercial and institutional buildings in the U.S. In fact, Washington, D.C. had more than 31 square feet of LEED-certified space per person in 2011. “This is a great accomplishment for the D.C. metropolitan region and a testament to the drive, commitment and leadership of all those who live, work and play in our community,” said Mike Babcock, board chair of the National Capital Region Chapter of USGBC. “We also realize there is still more to do and hope to effectively guide the effort by engaging, educating and encouraging the dialogue around the value of sustainability."

The CAD world is buzzing about the introduction of AutoCAD WS app for the Kindle Fire – now Kindle Fire users can view, edit and share drawings on the go! Released this past December, the app has been the topic of discussion ever since (You can download the app from Amazon). In fact, since its launch in 2011, there have been over four million downloads of the AutoCAD WS app which is also available for the iPhone, iPad and Android. Wow! I’m guessing this would be considered a hot commodity.

Did you know that the Geographic Information System (GIS) Services Division in Monroe County, New York now has its own GIS technology vehicle? “While Google’s Street View picture-snapping cars are out and about in most countries in the U.S., in New York state only Monroe County has its own GIS technology vehicle.” (Mobile GIS Vehicle Puts Monroe County, N.Y., on the Map). Google Street View launched for five U.S. cities in May 2007 and now their 360-degree panoramic views include locations on all seven continents. Google currently uses cars, trikes, snowmobiles, and trolleys to collect imagery. (Cars, Trikes & More)

Ever wondered who is responsible for the design and construction of many of the award-winning civic facilities in New York? With a portfolio valued at over $6 billion and a staff of almost 1,200, the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) is the city’s primary capital construction and infrastructure project manager. DDC is also an innovator in the use of GIS and building information modeling (BIM) for which it was awarded runner-up status in the first ever [acronym] Magazine Public Sector CAD Awards, held last November in Washington, D.C. DDC employs a variety of Autodesk digital design tools to minimize errors in the design process, improve collaboration across stakeholders and reduce project complexity, while making more effective use of public funds. Included in its design arsenal are Revit Architecture, Revit Structure and AutoCAD MEP for design coordination, documentation and visualization. While Navisworks and Solibri Model Checker are also used for coordination and model conflict resolution and serve other uses as well.

Bumper-to-bumper traffic is incredibly frustrating when you have no idea as to the cause of it. That’s the way it goes in the Washington, DC metro area! And, while I know there is construction and repair to the transportation arteries in and around the DC metro area, seemingly, I must have the world’s worst short term memory, because every day I get frustrated in my effort to get home. Until the other day… Speaking recently in Kansas, President Obama said, “I believe that this country succeeds when everyone gets a fair shot”. Hearing the President talk about the US facing “a make or break moment for the middle class”: I recalled from high school history class that middle class growth was at its greatest starting in the 50’s and throughout the 70’s. So, I got on the “Google Machine” and started searching for any information that would satisfy my curiosity about middle class growth during that 30 year period and its contributors. One of the biggest contributors to job growth and the rise of the US middle class was Infrastructure expansion. Two years ago the President signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law giving $46 billion for transportation projects, including $27 billion for highway and bridge construction and repair and $11.5 billion for mass transit and rail projects. Wow, I thought, this ought to create jobs and alleviate the congestion that causes me so much aggravation; that was 2 years ago!! What happened?

Hosted in Las Vegas in November, 2011, this year’s Autodesk University was a great time to discover and explore what’s new in the CAD world. There were so many classes and forums that highlighted how everyday people are doing extraordinary things with this software. The opening ceremony gave us a glimpse into how Autodesk is reaching into untapped resources such as America’s youth to explore the mysteries of outer space. There was this really neat forum that introduced three amazing individuals who were creating unique medical breakthroughs using Autodesk software. To sum it all up, their presentation brought back feelings of nostalgia for my freshmen biology class. Highlights from Sin City There’s so much to talk about in relation to Autodesk University in Sin City but, I will highlight the ones that stuck out to me the most.