Transforming AEC’s Digital Future with Autodesk and Egnyte's Solutions

The AEC industry has come a long way from traditional paper-based processes. With advancements in technology over the past three decades, there’s been a remarkable transformation towards a digital future. It began with Computer-aided Design (CAD), then Building Information Modeling (BIM), and eventually capabilities such as modeling, visualization, simulation, analysis, automation, generative design, and even AI. Behind the scenes, the digital infrastructure supporting these capabilities has evolved, too; a modern, efficient, and flexible file management infrastructure is a must for design and construction firms leveraging the latest technologies. In this blog, we'll discuss the evolution of "going digital," the importance of a cloud-based file management system, and how supplementing the design and collaboration capabilities offered by Autodesk with Egnyte's cloud-first platform can offer significant benefits to architecture, engineering, and construction professionals.

The Evolution of "Going Digital"

While paper deliverables still retain much of their popularity—primarily due to contractual requirements—the methods used to generate them have changed significantly over the past 40 years. This evolution began with Computer-aided Design (CAD) software, which allowed designers to create 2D and 3D drawings. Building Information Modeling (BIM) software began growing in popularity in the late '90s, enabling designers to create intelligent, fully-parametric 3D models that contained all the necessary information about a building. BIM models often include everything from material properties to highly-detailed structural and MEP systems. This makes it possible, for example, to test the performance of a building using the digital asset before the physical structure is ever built. Today, we see ever-more-sophisticated examples of these digital capabilities, from rapid conceptual iteration with AI-driven generative design tools to automated jobsite safety monitoring using advanced sensors and analytics. 

The Challenge

As architecture and engineering projects continue to grow in size and complexity, the sheer volume of data generated in the BIM authoring process can easily become overwhelming. Without a modern and efficient file management system in place, organizing and maintaining this vast repository of data can seem like a daunting and time-consuming endeavor, hindering productivity and efficiency. It's essential for professionals in these industries to have a robust system in place that can effectively handle this data across the project lifecycle—and indeed across all projects in their office. Seamless collaboration and accurate information management are critical to achieving successful project outcomes.

The Solution

Egnyte’s cloud-based document management solution replaces the functionality of on-premises file servers, offering a secure, modern, flexible, and efficient file management infrastructure. Egnyte seamlessly integrates with popular AEC tools like Autodesk Construction Cloud and Newforma as well as productivity apps like Microsoft Office 365, Teams, and Zoom.  Egnyte’s cloud-first solution enables teams to access and work on project files from anywhere, on any device, while also ensuring that project data is kept up-to-date across all platforms.

The Integration between Autodesk Construction Cloud and Egnyte

Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) and Egnyte provide a comprehensive solution for AEC projects and professionals. ACC offers powerful design collaboration capabilities, particularly for Revit-centric projects, as well as dedicated project management tools for design and construction professionals. Similarly, Egnyte provides a simple, powerful, and secure file management system that supports sophisticated digital project workflows. Using ACC Connect, design and construction professionals can integrate ACC and Egnyte to streamline their business practices for file sharing, collaboration, and document management. Project data is always kept up-to-date, minimizing the risk of data loss or inconsistent versions.

Pairing Autodesk and Egnyte cloud solutions offers endless possibilities for collaboration and information exchange across projects while efficiently managing, streamlining, and securing data. And as AEC technologies continue to evolve, the infrastructure required to support those projects must continue advancing to remain ‘ahead of the game’. This is Egnyte’s strength, and we are committed to ensuring our customers are prepared for the industry’s digital future. 

If you want to learn more about how Autodesk and Egnyte can help you better manage your files, content, and change processes – schedule a meeting with us at Autodesk University 2023!

‍