Monday, April 15, 2019

Phasing Versus Design Options

Quick and simple post today... a reminder for some, and new information for others. The topic is defining the difference between phasing and design options. Read on if you want to learn more...

Friday, April 12, 2019

A Visit to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

Earlier this week we took my son, who is a junior in high school, on a college visit to the #1 art school in the USA... the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Who knows if he will get accepted or if we can afford it, but I suggested we 'shoot for the stars' and see what happens... especially given his passion for art. BTW, he created the mascot for this blog when is we 15.

I decided to share some photos I took from the visit, even though they to not do this campus justice; it has an amazing vibe and immense character. I have a few photos of a quick tour of the RISD school of architecture as well, which I initiated as my son is not interested in following me... which is perfectly fine. Given I am an architect, teach graduate architecture students at NDSU and have the #1 Revit textbook in the USA academic market, you can imagine why I would stop in to say hello:)


Read on to learn more...

Thursday, April 11, 2019

Revit 2020 Books - Free Exam Copy for Instructors


Today I am pleased to  announce my line of Autodesk Revit 2020 textbooks are updated and will be ready for Fall 2019 semester. I have a textbook for every user level, covering a variety of disciplines and uses. Many of my books include training videos and instructor support material.
Instructors, request your free examination copies today, and SDC Publications will send you copies as they become available (see
eligibility statement below).

Residential Design Using Autodesk Revit 2020
Residential Design Using Autodesk Revit 2020

Beginner, 688 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-63057-256-3
  • Starts at an introductory level
  • Project based tutorials design a house from start to finish
  • Includes access to extensive video training
  • Bonus material covers Insight 360, finding missing elements, and much more
  • Helps you prepare for the Autodesk Revit Architecture Certification Exam

Interior Design Using Autodesk Revit 2020
Interior Design Using Autodesk Revit 2020

Beginner, 850 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-63057-254-9
  • Written specifically for interior designers
  • No previous experience with Autodesk Revit is required
  • Uses a project based, tutorial style approach
  • Includes access to extensive video instruction and bonus content
  • Helps you prepare for the Autodesk Revit Architecture Certification Exam

Design Integration Using Autodesk Revit 2020
Design Integration Using Autodesk Revit 2020

Beginner, Intermediate, 898 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-63057-250-1
  • Covers all three disciplines of Autodesk Revit in one book
  • Guides you through creating a two story law office while teaching you the BIM process
  • Uses step-by-step tutorials and starts at an introductory level
  • Includes access to extensive video instruction and bonus chapters
  • Bonus chapters include an introduction to lighting design, multi-story stairs, building performance analysis and much more

Commercial Design Using Autodesk Revit 2020
Commercial Design Using Autodesk Revit 2020

Beginner, 624 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-63057-248-8
  • Starts at an introductory level
  • Project based tutorials design an office building from start to finish
  • Includes access to nearly 100 video tutorials
  • Bonus material covers multi-story stairs, Insight 360, ElumTools, and much more

Autodesk Revit for Architecture Certified User Exam Preparation (Revit 2020 Edition)
  • This book will prepare you to pass the Revit Certified User Exam on your first try
  • Designed for users with about 150 hours of instruction and real-world Revit experience
  • Gives an overview of the exam process
  • Describes the main topics you need to be familiar with to pass the exam
  • Comes with practice exam software that simulates an actual exam
  • Includes access to a discount on the actual certification exam

Autodesk Revit 2020 Architectural Command Reference
Autodesk Revit 2020 Architectural Command Reference

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, 750 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-63057-246-4
  • Comprehensive coverage of Autodesk Revit’s commands and features
  • Includes access to nearly 100 video tutorials
  • Contains expert user tips and tricks throughout the book
  • Essential desk reference for users of all levels
  • Organized in the same way the Revit user interface is presented

Who can request exam copies? 
Only educators in the United States and Canada may request examination copies. All requests are subject to approval and only legitimate requests will be fulfilled. SDC respects your privacy. For more information you can read their privacy statement.


For BIM Chapters updates, follow @DanStine_MN on Twitter or connect on LinkedIn

I also write blog posts for Enscape - a new paradigm in rendering, animation and VR for AEC.

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

My Annual AECbytes.com Article - What's New in Revit 2020

It's that time of year again... the new version for Revit has just dropped. Not only that, but you can learn all about the new Revit 2020 features in my AECbytes article.

Sneak peak... three new features are:

#1 Path of Travel...

Read on to learn more...

Friday, April 5, 2019

Promoting Industry Standards for Revit MEP plus Free User Guide, Shared Parameters & More

Please consider the following information which promotes BIM standardization within the AEC industry for Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP). I highly encourage you to share this with your colleagues, consultants and resellers to help promote this ambitious effort!

This is not a sales pitch for the MEP Productivity Pack (MEPPP) per se, but a call to action. We are giving away, for free, our Shared Parameters file, User Guide and some reference material to promote and facilitate this cause.

" Imagine a world where an engineer or designer can use any manufacturer’s family to drop in the model, and have the family tag and schedule instantly or even better yet by having the schedule already filled in with actual selection information"

Read on to learn more...

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Enscape V2.5 plus Two New Enscape Blog Posts

Enscape Version 2.5 just dropped! This includes a material editor in Rhino, a ton of new high quality assets, a new clearcoat material type, video editing improvements and more! I also wrote two blog posts on the Enscape site covering the asset library and the Rhino material editor!

Click the images to follow the links.


Keep reading to learn more...

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

My Interview on Business of Architecture

I had the good fortune to be interviewed on Enoch Sear's Business of Architecture podcast, and that episode went live yesterday. So, if you want to hear my go on about training, book writing, teaching, VR/AR and more, be sure to check it out...


keep reading to learn more...