The rapidly evolving software segment for the MEP industry continues to enhance engineers’ designs with more details and collaboration than ever before.
“Technology is moving the engineers to the frontline of design,” says Christoph Lohr, P.E., CPD, ASSE 12080, vice president of strategic initiatives for IAPMO. “Over the past 10 years, many CAD drafters’ duties are being moved to engineers, while ‘the drafter’ has morphed into almost a new discipline entirely — the ‘BIM Department.’ This is aligned with the general trend in other industries that all knowledge work is becoming more specialized. In the case of engineering consulting, the trend appears to be the specialization of HVAC, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, technology and now BIM into separate departments.”