#Building Lifecycle

[steinryan28]

Digital Twin technology combines physics-based simulation, real-time data, machine learning and AI to create a dynamic virtual replica which is scalable from a single building to an entire campus, city or portfolio.

Responding and behaving like its real-world counterpart to provide detailed insights across a range of building performance metrics and empowering informed decisions on how to reduce energy, lower costs and work towards net-zero goals.

Optimise Building & System Operation

Develop long term Net-Zero Investment Plans

Minimise costs of Decarbonisation

Monitor progress towards Net-Zero Goals

As buildings are complex, dynamic systems that constantly change throughout their lifetimes. Digital Twin for building lifecycle understands this and integrates, from initial design or retrofit, through commissioning and ongoing operation, to ensure your building(s) stay on track towards zero-carbon goals.

[twininfra]

Welcome To Twin Infra - Digtal Twin

A Digital Twin Platform to improve timeliness and reduce cost overruns in your construction projects.

Twin Infra is is a complete IT solution for the Construction/Infrastructure industry based on the concept of “Digital Twin.” The Twin Infra module is an integrated cloud platform to manage data models, people, process, and assets throughout the lifecycle of a construction project. The Twin Infra module has predictive analytic features to anticipate and forecast in all the stages of Construction/Infra. It works on public, private, and virtual cloud infrastructure and uses Artificial Intelligence for operational insights and efficiency. 

Contact us

[smartcaddengineering]

A Guide to BIM in Green Building Design 

In the ever-evolving world of sustainable architecture, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is becoming a game-changer. By enhancing collaboration, minimizing waste, and optimizing energy performance, BIM services are reshaping how we approach eco-conscious design. In this guide, we’ll explore how BIM integrates into green building architecture, the benefits it offers, and why it’s essential in today’s Green Building Construction projects. 

What Is BIM and Why It Matters in Sustainability? 

BIM services refer to the process of creating and managing digital representations of physical and functional characteristics of a building. This virtual model allows stakeholders to collaborate seamlessly, identify design inefficiencies, and make informed decisions early in the construction process. 

In the context of Green Building Construction, BIM ensures every aspect of a building—from materials to energy usage—is considered before ground is even broken. This not only saves time and money but also promotes long-term sustainability. 

How BIM Supports Green Building Architecture 

BIM is central to modern green building architecture. Here’s how it contributes: 

1. Energy Modeling 

BIM tools simulate energy performance at the design stage, helping teams choose environmentally friendly HVAC systems, optimize natural lighting, and reduce reliance on artificial energy. 

2. Material Efficiency 

Through accurate quantity take-offs and scheduling, BIM services reduce material waste, which directly supports Green Building Construction principles. 

3. Water and Waste Management 

Designers can model efficient plumbing systems and predict water usage patterns, aligning with global green standards. 

These capabilities align perfectly with the broader goal of how to construct green building frameworks—structures that are sustainable, cost-effective, and future-ready. 

BIM Lifecycle and Its Role in Sustainability 

The bim lifecycle refers to the complete journey of a building—from initial planning and design through construction and finally to operation and maintenance. At every stage, BIM ensures that sustainability goals are met. 

Design: Architects use BIM services to create energy-efficient designs based on climate, orientation, and materials. 

Construction: Contractors access real-time updates to minimize errors, waste, and rework, key concerns in Green Building Construction. 

Operation: Facility managers use the BIM model to maintain systems, track performance, and schedule energy-saving upgrades. 

This lifecycle approach to building management illustrates how to construct green building projects that remain efficient for decades. 

Key Benefits of BIM in Green Construction 

Collaboration Across Stakeholders 

 Engineers, architects, and contractors can work from the same data-rich model, ensuring sustainable goals are upheld throughout. 

Risk Mitigation 

 Early detection of design conflicts avoids costly and wasteful fixes later on—an essential benefit in green building architecture. 

Regulatory Compliance 

 Many jurisdictions now require or recommend BIM in public Green Building Construction to meet carbon neutrality goals. 

Long-Term Cost Savings 

 Despite the upfront investment, BIM services provide significant cost savings over the building’s lifespan, especially in energy consumption and maintenance. 

How to Construct Green Building Projects Using BIM 

If you’re wondering how to construct green building projects efficiently, BIM offers a clear roadmap. Here’s a simple breakdown: 

Start with Environmental Analysis 

 Use BIM tools to assess site conditions, solar angles, wind patterns, and ecological impact. 

Set Sustainability Goals 

 Input performance benchmarks into your BIM model, such as LEED certifications or zero-energy targets. 

Simulate and Optimize 

 Run simulations for lighting, ventilation, and water usage to find the best sustainable options. 

Monitor and Adjust 

 Post-construction, use the digital twin from your BIM model to manage and improve building performance. 

Through each of these steps, BIM services ensure your project aligns with the highest standards in Green Building Construction. 

Real-World Applications of BIM in Green Architecture 

Across the globe, forward-thinking firms are using BIM to lead the way in green building architecture. Notable examples include: 

Passive House Designs: Leveraging BIM to achieve airtightness and thermal efficiency. 

Smart Campuses: Institutions integrating the bim lifecycle to manage entire building portfolios. 

Carbon-Neutral Workspaces: Offices designed entirely through BIM simulations to minimize emissions. 

These projects not only showcase how to construct green building infrastructure, but also highlight BIM's role as the backbone of a greener future. 

Final Thoughts 

The journey toward sustainable architecture is complex—but with BIM services, it becomes more navigable, efficient, and impactful. By integrating BIM into your Green Building Construction strategy, you're not just building smarter—you're building greener, from the foundation to the rooftop. 

Whether you’re designing an office tower or a single-family home, incorporating green building architecture through BIM can help you meet today's sustainability challenges with confidence. 

SmartCADD is proud to be at the forefront of this movement, delivering cutting-edge BIM services that empower clients to create sustainable spaces that are as innovative as they are responsible.

[wachinyeya]

A company making wooden wind turbine blades has successfully tested a 50-meter-long prototype that’s set to debut soon in the Indian and European markets.

Last year, the German firm Voodin successfully demonstrated that their laminated-veneer timber blades could be fabricated, adapted, and installed at a lower cost than existing blades, while maintaining performance.

Now, Voodin has announced a partnership with the Indian wind company Senvion to supply its 4.2-megawatt turbines with these wooden blades for another trial run.

Wind power has accumulated more than a few demerit points for several shortfalls in the overall industry of this fossil-fuel alternative.

Some of these, such as the impact on bird life, are justified, but none more so than the fact that the turbine blades are impossible or nearly impossible to recycle, and that they need to be changed every 25 years.

Wind turbine blades are made from a mixture of glass and carbon fiber heated together with sticky epoxy resin, and these materials can’t be separated once combined, which means they go into landfills or are incinerated when they become too battered to safely operate.

GNN has reported that folks will occasionally find second-life value in these giant panels, for example in Denmark where they are turned into bike shelters. In another instance, they’re being used as pedestrian bridges.

But there are way more wind turbine blades being made every year than pedestrian bridges and bike shelters, making the overall environmental impact of wind power not all green.

“At the end of their lifecycle, most blades are buried in the ground or incinerated. This means that—at this pace—we will end up with 50 million tonnes of blade material waste by 2050,” Voodin Blade Technology’s CEO. Mr. Siekmann said recently. “With our solution, we want to help green energy truly become as green as possible.”

The last 15 years have seen rapid growth in another industry called mass timber. This state-of-the-art manufacturing technique sees panels of lumber heat-pressed, cross-laminated, and glued into a finished product that’s being used to make skyscrapers, airports, and more.

At the end of the day though, mass timber products are still wood, and can be recycled in a variety of ways.

“The blades are not only an innovative technological advancement but a significant leap toward sustainable wind production,” said Siekmann, adding that this isn’t a case of pay more to waste less; the blades cost around 20% less than carbon fiber.

Additionally, the added flexibility of wooden blades should allow for taller towers and longer blades, potentially boosting the output of turbine by accessing higher wind speeds.

Now partnered with Voodin, Senvion will begin feasibility analysis in the next few months, before official testing begins around 2027.

[cydork]

Alien Questionnaire - A Biological Perspective

A while ago, somebody linked me a very comprehensive worldbuilding questionnaire. For most aspects of a fictional society, it was great, but I noticed it assumed that anyone using it was making up a fictional human society, or at least a society of beings very similar to humans. As such, there was almost nothing in the biology department, which to me is one of the best parts! Thus, this questionnaire was born.

These questions are designed to help people worldbuild from a biological foundation. As such, the questionnaire only touches lightly on other aspects of a fictional society, and is more of a jumping off point. I wrote it with the aim of using it to develop aliens, but it should be suitable for any project with non-humanoid species, such as sapient terrestrial animals.

Have fun! I'd love to see your answers :)

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General Anatomy How many limbs do they have? Do they have limbs at all?

What are their primary manipulators? Where are they located? How does this affect their tool use, building ability, etc?

What kind of body covering do they have, e.g. hair, scales, feathers? How do they clean it? Do they shed this covering constantly, or all at once at certain times? 

Can they maintain a constant body temperature? If not, how do they deal with changing environmental temperatures? 

What kind of habitat do they live in? Both specific habitat, and broader such as on land vs in water.

What adaptations do they have for living in this habitat?

What kind of creature did they evolve from?

What are the similarities and differences to their closest living relatives? 

What resource(s) is the most necessary and urgent for them? E.g. for many animals, but not all, it’s water.

What are some common mutations? E.g. eye colours, ability to digest lactose in humans.

What injuries or illnesses are considered disabling? 

How is their healing ability? Can they regenerate? If they can, is that limited to certain body parts or a certain number of times?

Senses What senses do they have? E.g. sight, smell, electroreception, etc.

How good are those senses?

Which of their sense/s do they use the most in everyday life?

How might this choice of sense impact the way they interact with the world? 

Can they detect things that Earth creatures cannot? If yes, how and why?

Movement  How do they move? Do they walk, crawl, fly, etc? 

If they have multiple modes of movement, which is preferred, and why?

Which part/s of their body do they use to move?

What is their speed and endurance like? 

How agile are they? 

Do they rely mainly on their own bodies for travel, or do they use pack animals and machines? 

How often do they move around? Are they mainly sedentary, do they move a lot within a set area, do they migrate, etc?

Do they have different levels of mobility depending on age, sex, or other biological group? E.g. young barnacles are able to swim, while adults are anchored permanently to a surface. 

Reproduction and Lifecycle  How many sexes are there? 

Are there differences between the sexes (ignoring the reproductive system)? 

Are there different castes, such as in honeybees or naked mole rats? If so, what is the function of each caste? 

Are differences in sex or caste used to justify discrimination or hierarchy? How might these ideas differ in different populations? 

Do they have a concept of gender? If so, is gender affected by sex, caste, or some other factor?

How do they attract a mate? Do they release a chemical into the air, do an elaborate display, etc?

Does one individual try to actively woo another, or is courtship more mutual?

What do they find attractive in members of the same species?

What is the usual reproductive partnership? E.g. two individuals, one main reproducing individual with a harem, no set partner, etc. 

How long do they live?

How are young brought into the world? Live birth, eggs, spores, etc?

Is producing young a painful, dangerous process, or is it easy?

How much parental investment is there? Are there many young with little investment, or few young with a lot of investment (r vs K strategy)? Or is it somewhere in the middle? 

How many offspring are produced at a time? Think about how attitudes towards children may differ between a species that produces one or two, and a species that produces dozens or even hundreds at a time.

How do they grow? Are they born looking like miniature adults, gradually growing bigger? Do they have specific phases of high growth, like puberty? Do they have a larval phase, metamorphosis? 

How self-sufficient are they as young? Can they move around and feed themselves as soon as they are born? Do they require parental care? 

What is the usual structure of childcare? Single or multiple parents/related individuals? Communally raised? 

Is sex purely for reproduction, or does it serve other purposes?

What kind of sexuality is considered the norm? This doesn’t just refer to same/other sex pairings, but the culture around sex in general.

Diet and Foodchain What is their diet? Are they carnivores, omnivores, frugivores, insectivores, etc?

Do they feed off an unusual source, for example rocks, metals, or (in appropriate settings) something like magic or souls?

What physical adaptations do they have for this diet? 

Is their diet very restricted, or can they have a wide range of foods?

How often do they eat? What is the culture around mealtimes, if any?

Are they prey for other organisms? For each other?

If they are, how do they deal with it? Do they fight back, have barriers, or do they accept it as a part of life?

If they are hunters themselves, what is their attitude to killing other organisms? Are they respectful? Prideful of their kill? Is it completely trivial? 

If they are hunters, how do they hunt? Are they solitary or packhunters? Are certain members of the group designated to hunt? 

Are the results of foraging or hunting shared, or is it everyone for themself?

Are they parasitic, parasitised, or in a symbiotic relationship with any other organisms? 

Body Rhythms How often do they sleep?

What time of the day are they most active? Are they nocturnal, diurnal, crepuscular? 

Do they generally sleep for one long period a day, multiple shorter periods throughout, or something in between? 

Do they sleep to cope with extreme temperatures or bad conditions, i.e. hibernate or aestivate?

Do they have any biological processes that disrupt their life e.g. moulting, reproductive cycles, etc?

If yes, how does their society accommodate for these processes? Does it accommodate them at all? 

Communication What is their main method of communication? Sound, visuals, scent, etc? Think about their main sense and how this would affect communication.

What is their body language like? What small moving parts might aid their body language?

If they have multiple methods of communication, are they all given equal weight, or is one considered higher than others? 

Society How sociable are they? 

If social, what is the usual social structure? 

Are there hierarchies? How strict or relaxed are the roles?

How are disputes usually settled? Is it more common to be violent or appease the other party? 

If not social, what is the reaction to being with other individuals? Do they become aggressive or stressed? Do they tolerate each other? 

What is the usual size of a community? Do they have communities at all? 

Do they have an in-group vs out-group mentality? If so, how strong is it? This generally relates to how scarce or plentiful resources were during their evolution, and how territorial their ancestors were.

What kind of bonds do they form? 

On the spectrum of individualistic to community-oriented, where do they fall?

Do they have a strong sense of personal identity? Think about how this might tie in with the previous question. 

What are the main things they derive identity from? Occupation, gender, family ties, etc?

Do they have names? If yes, how are these names formed? Are they given by another party or chosen by the individual?

Have they domesticated any creatures? If so, what do they use these creatures for?

Do they have any unusual relationships with other creatures on their planet (beyond predation, parasitism or mutualism)?

Do they produce art? What are their main forms of artistic expression? Think about how this will be linked to their main sense(s), communication method, and/or primary manipulators.

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GLOSSARY Primary manipulator: Main body part used to manipulate objects, e.g. hands in humans, trunks in elephants, feet in parrots.

Sedentary: Inactive, staying in the same place.

Caste (reproductive): A group within a species with differences in body type and reproductive ability.

Symbiosis/Mutualism: Interactions where both parties benefit, e.g. cleaner fish getting a meal in exchange for picking irritating parasites off larger fish.

Aestivate: To become inactive during hot or dry periods, usually involving being sealed in mucus or soil e.g. lungfish, snails. 

Reproductive cycle: Regular hormone fluctuations that affect an animal’s fertility or attitude towards breeding. The cycles can range from months to years and can include things such as antler growth in male deer, heat cycles, and menstruation in humans.

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Pucker Up for the Sea Lamprey!

The sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), also known as the vampire fish, is the most famous member of the order of lampreys, Petromyzontiformes. Despite their similar appearance to eels, lampreys are actually jawless fish, and are more closely related to hagfish than eels. To add further confusion, sea lampreys actually reproduce in freshwater rivers and streams, and are only found in the ocean as adults. They are spread along the Atlantic coasts of North America and Europe, as well as the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

Sea lampreys are the largest member of the lamprey family, at an impressive 30 to 100 cm (11.8 to 39.4 in) long and weighing around 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs). They are generally olive or brownish grey, and their bodies are long and smooth. Perhaps P. marinus' most distinctive feature are their mouths, which are wide and circular with teeth arranged in a circle around the tongue and throat. When opened to attach to its prey, the mouth can stretch larger than the lamprey's head.

Vampire fish are widely known for their feeding habits. Adults are parasites that attach themselves to the sides of fish and feat on their victim's blood and tissue. But despite their fearsome appearance, P. marinus has a variety of predators as both juveniles and adults, including sturgeon, catfish, sea lions, seals, sea birds, and northern pikeminnows. Juveniles are particularly vulnerable, as they are smaller and, as deteriorates, are not equipped with the sharp teeth of adults.

Like many other fish, sea lampreys are anadromous, meaning they migrate from salt to freshwater to reproduce. From April to June, males and females travel up river to find rocky beds in which to build nests. Females lay anywhere from 30,000 and 100,000 eggs in their nest, which are then fertilized by multiple males. After mating, both parents die. The larvae take 3 to 8 days to hatch, and the young spend the next 1 to 3 years filter feeding in their home river. Once they reach maturity, they migrate back to the ocean, where they can reside for up to 5 years before returning to their spawning grounds to complete their lifecycle.

Conservation status: The IUCN has rated the sea lamprey as Least Concern. This species is invasive in the Great Lakes region of the United States. However, within its native range it is threatened by habitat degradation and over-fishing.

Photos

Paul Wilson

U.S. National Park Service

Sean Landsman

[outofangband]

Thistles of Beleriand

Continuing my flower world building from last year where I do flower related world building! More in the spring flower game tag! This was a request from last year!

Thistles are a common name for several species with leaves that have sharp spikes on their edges. Most of them are in the Asteraceae family. They are ecologically significant with their seeds being eaten by many species of birds, playing part in the lifecycle of several butterfly species, and containing notably high amounts of nectar.

Dozens of species of thistle live in Beleriand. A high number of them are globe thistles, one of the largest genuses, but many others are represented as well. The area of highest diversity is in the south of Beleriand.

The feathery part of the thistle flower is called down and it is often collected by birds to line nests. The fibers can be spun into a yarn like material. In Mithrim and Nevrast, these plants are cultivated specifically for fiber, often dyed with other parts of the plant. These fibers are generally used in smaller amounts such as lining in blankets. Children's dolls are often made with thistle fiber, a time consuming and precise task.

Purple milk thistles and star thistles (a genus of about seventy species) are found in southern Beleriand around the Andram. They're eaten by Avarin elves and are a part of medicine, often through teas.

In Nevrast as well as in the gardens of Valinor, larger species of thistles such as the creeping thistle are beloved for their ability to attract hummingbirds and fritillary butterflies.

The leaves and roots of golden thistles are eaten in the Havens of the Falathrim, often with fish and eggs of chickens or quails. The flowers themselves appear in Falathrim art, often representing the sun, change and beginnings.

Like many native flowers, thistles in Hithlum often appear in Hadorian embroidery and architectural motifs. Cotton thistles, thorny burr, and milk thistle being the most common. Thorny burr is also cultivated for their edible roots.

Musk thistles are found in north eastern Beleriand, namely in Ard Galen and the moors of Dorthonion.

[solarpunkbusiness]

revia, an innovative new circular building material that reuses hard-to-recycle waste plastic

In revia, difficult-to-recycle waste plastic is combined with waste wood, generated from the demolition of buildings and other sources, to create a new material suitable for a wide range of applications. And, importantly, it is created using a technology to crush and extrude different materials together without sorting, with each material playing a different role in the product; some act as adhesives, while others function as fillers. This process makes it possible to effectively use almost all household and commercial waste plastics, including composite plastics.

Composite plastics, commonly used for products like food packaging, are made up of several layers and cannot be separated at home, so they often have to be incinerated. “The basic lifecycle for composite plastics was to use petroleum to create a product, we use it once or twice, then burn that product,” Satoshi Yoshida, Executive Officer, Executive Vice President, LIXIL Housing Technology (LHT), LIXIL Corporation says. “We thought that we could leverage our knowledge to change that.”

Using 1 tonne of the material can reduce CO2 emissions by more than 80%4, compared to the CO2 emitted when the same amount of waste plastics and wood are burned. What’s more, it is a closed-loop solution that can be used again – collected, crushed at the factory and reborn as new revia.

Source

[poondragoon]

So Roshar's terrestrial ecosystem is essentially a giant, land-based tidepool, and the Highstorm is the high tide rolling in, right?

Storm rains bring crem, which not only counteracts the storm erosion but also provides the minerals that "plants" and crustaceans need to build their shells. Greatshells and singers use the Investiture in the storm to bond spren, pupate, and change forms in order to complete their lifecycles.

In other words, the entire planet is dependent on the Highstorm in order to survive, and now that the storm is dead, the entire world east of Shinovar is FUCKED, right?

I guess what I'm getting at is that Ba Ado Mishram better hurry tf up and reboot the Highstorm.

[presbierue]

I’m not a 100% lover of every choice made in Delilah Dawson’s Phasma. But I do like that Phasma used a beetle to kill Brendol. I know it was in a very ‘you aren’t strong enough to live through what I did’ way but I also like to think that Phasma just really likes bugs. Bug girl. Keeps a couple terrariums of bugs in her room. Feeds them small fuzzy creatures. Someone pissing her off really badly but she can’t do anything public? Poisonous spider in their bed. Flesh eating beetle in their boots. Millicent ate her favourite millipede? She is going to act above it but cry in private later.

I do not think she and Armitage are good at conversations. I think they probably just sit down sometimes and she lists facts about an insect she got on her last mission like the phylum and its lifecycle. And he just nods along and figures out how to build a new terrarium for it. Like he does not know how to say anything comforting but he CAN make his best friend a terrarium that lets her keep developing her collection of poisonous/shiny insects.

[rowanthestrange]

Fear.

I get it now, the mirror fucks it up because it itself is a mirror. A mirror of the fear a person has of it, therefore the mirror would cause recursion: mirroring itself forever and it would explode.

So it had to do a big bang attack straight off the bat to create initial fear, but then what it would want? You don’t want to be big and obvious because that’s not actually scary, that’s a threat you can fight, to create the most fear you have to be as light a touch as possible. Just a flicker. Just a whisper.

It’s just Fear, like literally just Fear, the god of Fear, Fear consumed poor Aliss the cook, no skills, no baby, saw everyone die, had to kill her friend. That’s why she’s all Who Turned Out The Lights, Fear consumed her, ate her, like the Vashta Nerada. She’s a husk of Fear.

It might literally just be ambient to the planet, maybe it is the radiation.

And oh how it must have hated being in a reflective-diamond tourist trap - designed, quite probably by the Doctor themselves sometime in the future or a past lifecycle, to be the antithesis of Fear. The universe’s most beautiful Spa resort.

And maybe this was the plan: it had to slowly pare them down to one incredibly frightened individual in order to take over them (like in Midnight) building and building and building and building until it could take a permanent hold in her mind and- Wait. Wait for the inevitable other people to come. No sign of needing to eat, this cook that makes us question the food situation, just that she stayed sat there in the middle of a room, cus she’s already gone.

So what next? You build bigger, right? Well now you see, you don’t want to get too crazy with it like last time - you want to be Big but you also want to get off the planet to spread further. Cus what’s the goal of being Big? Fear breeds. And so by the time they’ve figured out the mirror thing, maybe because it’s an imperfect mirror or maybe because it’s big enough that it can’t be fully destroyed while what remains of the host(s) is still alive and ‘afraid’, it doesn’t get recursioned to death. Cus they’re still afraid, terrified as they run.

If the Fear is ambient, even if it can be stopped in one form, if it got Big enough then the scars are there carrying remnant. And Fear as a concept is ultimately unkillable just able to be made small. But they’re not making it small.

There’s a look of anger in Aliss’s eyes as the Doctor starts to laugh, confidently, because that is the antithesis of Fear. Thus a monstrous form must chase him, bring it back to him. And everyone else is still afraid.

And when it’s just the four of them they’re still afraid enough to coalesce the fear and build and build and build so by the end of even just a few minutes boom you’ve potentially now got another one. Cus Belief makes things real, and Fear is the purest manifestation of that.

And now what’s happened? Not only are you carrying potentially multiple sources of Fear on the ship, not only are there people leaving to tell other people to spread the Fear…

The Doctor told them to nuke the planet. Make sure everyone knows how dangerous it is.

That planet is now going to be a breeding ground for Fear for eons to come and they are the ones who will make sure of it.

[steinryan28]

BIM Process & Lifecycle In Building Construction

Building Information Modeling encompasses the entire process of planning, designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining a building or infrastructure project using a digital representation.

3D Planning and Design

Building Information Modeling (BIM) begins with the creation of a detailed 3D model that includes architectural, structural, and MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) components. This phase allows for visualization, analysis, and optimization of the design before construction begins.

Operation and Maintenance

After construction, the BIM model serves as a valuable resource for managing the building throughout its lifecycle. Facility managers use the model for maintenance, repairs, and renovations, ensuring the building operates efficiently.

Project Collaboration

BIM facilitates seamless collaboration among all stakeholders, including architects, engineers, contractors, and owners. The shared model ensures everyone is on the same page, reducing errors and improving communication.

Construction

During construction, the BIM model guides the building process, providing detailed information on materials, timelines, and workflows. This enhances accuracy, reduces waste, and ensures the project stays on schedule and within budget.

By integrating these stages, BIM enhances collaboration, reduces costs, and improves the overall quality and sustainability of construction projects.

[mythauragame]

Development Update - January 2025

Hi there everyone, welcome to the January development update for Mythaura! 2025 got off to a strong start: art and writing for the content needed for launch are already well underway and have been scoped out in detail for our team to measure ourselves against, and as you'll see below, Koa and Sark knocked out a TON of work that is making Mythaura into an immersive world that you will eventually be able to play within!

We've got a lot of ground to cover today. We've been keeping fairly quiet on in-universe lore and worldbuilding, but plan on sharing more content about it with you all over the course of 2025. Today's update will focus on the city of Talon's Rest, which is where the player will find themselves at the very beginning of their journey through Mythaura.

We're opening up our first Beast Creator Contest of 2025 as well! We'll be picking three winners, whose characters will be turned into a minor NPC in town. We also have the results from the Ko-fi Winter Quarter rewards voting, Mythauran astrology for the month of February, a beautiful new color for the color wheel, Quetzal expressions, and more!

Talon's Rest

Players will begin their journey in the burgeoning city of Talon's Rest, a garrison-turned-city built around a Cipher Pedestal. The Long War, which carried on ceaselessly for over a century, took almost as long to properly recover from. As formal trade routes began to follow the newly-built cross-continental roads, Talon's Rest found itself in a unique position: they were the biggest city in range of the Arena, a popular destination since Atticus commissioned its restoration at the end of the war. It has become the de facto stopping point for the crowds traveling to the Arena.

Talon's Rest has put the money toward the beautification of its city's public places and the sposorship of artists, scientists, and mathemeticians, but is still grappling with the growing pains associated with a social infrastructure that's not built to support this many people all at one time. Residents have mixed feelings about the influx of new businesses, the changing economy, and the cultural identity of Talon's Rest. Many are willing to air these grievances and sing these praises with whoever will listen to them.

Setting

Talon's Rest is situated at the edge of a north-facing cliff that overlooks both Lake Kali and the dense, dark expanse of the Waspwood. It is situated in an agriculturally rich fieldlands broadly referred to as Wind's End, as it is one of the nothernmost stretches of Griffin territory. The monolithic Arena crowns a dormant volcano off to the northeast.

It sits well above sea level, but not quite alpine. The region is located at the foot of a mountain range and enjoys snowpack melt that replenishes streams and the lake with clean, drinkable water. During the summer, it gets dry and the forests around the town can be prone to forest fires as a natural part of the forest lifecycle.

It experiences all four seasons, with warm, dry summers and cold, snowy winters.

History

Talon's Rest is, all things considered, a young city, built around the Pedestal situated at the highest point of the cliff. The first permanent building erected around the pedestal was a garrison used to house the troops of a prominent drift, who'd managed to secure access to the Pedestal and leverage their significant number of Cipher Bearers to ensure that the only Pedestal in the surrounding region stayed under their control. With the surrounding area primarily subsisting of farms with miles and miles between them, they faced little resistance and enjoyed control over the Pedestal for almost twenty years.

Atticus's campaign to unite all Griffin drifts under one banner (known as the Reformation) and regulate Cipher Pedestal usage saw one of its greatest victories take place at this garrison. Atticus, having wielded a powerful military of his own prior to being forced to act in this civil war, had amassed one of the largest single militaries ever organized in Griffin history. The Battle for Talon's Rest was brutal but decisive: the family that had manned the garrison for decades was rendered extinct, and the fort itself was aspirationally renamed as Talon's Rest. Historians consider this the final turning point for the War, where Atticus's success in uniting the Drifts was all but inevitable.

Economy

Talon's Rest was populated by Beasts who worked the farmlands surrounding it; agriculture has been the primary driver of the economy since the very beginning and still serves as the largest revenue stream for the city. Local farmers hybridized different kinds of wheat until they yielded a soft, sweet white crop--the chaff goes to their livestock and the grain is milled into flour to make one of their main exports. It's famed across the continent for its mild and slightly nutty flavor.

The city's position as a natural pausing point for those traveling to the Arena has meant that more taverns, inns, and other lodgings have cropped up. As it became known as a hub for the area, mercenaries and adventurers flocked to Talon's Rest find work, paying a fee in exchange for being able to audition themselves for work in town. There is never a shortage of Beasts showing up to the Recruiter's tavern, ensuring a steady selection of new Beasts for your adventuring roster.

A prevalence of copper mines in the area means that it is the most commonly used metal in architecture, art, and machinery. A rich blue-green pigment, created from ground-up copper patina, is another popular export. Artisans and masons often infuse this pigment into their work, which is why the facade of the highly-regarded medical university in the middle of the city was made using blue-green bricks with copper accents. This pigment fetches a fair price for regions without ready access to copper mines.

Arena Concept Art

Social Media Refresh

We've created a few new social media accounts, standardized the names across the different platforms, and will be posting content more regularly to each of these beyond just our monthly update! We can't think of a character better suited to be the face of Mythaura than Pollis (he/him), an elderly Quetzal merchant and one of the first NPCs you'll run into on your journey through Mythaura.

Next month we will be running a giveaway on Instagram. In the February update, we'll be doing a deeper dive into Wolfwasps, an enemy so powerful and pervasive that the forest around Talon's Rest is named after it: the Waspwood. We'll have some rather radiant items to give away to some lucky contestants. ✨🐺

All of our offical Mythaura social media can be found at the following:

Tumblr: mythauragame

Instagram: @mythauragame

Note: We also own @mythaura on IG, but we have been indefinitely locked out of the account and had to create a new one!

TikTok: @mythaura

BSKY: @mythaura

Twitter: @mythauragame

Facebook: /mythauragame

Sponsored Color: Flytrap

Courtesy of ShiningMoth we have a beautiful new color for the color wheel: Flytrap!

Flytrap is now active in the Beast Creator. We can't wait to see what you create with it!

Ko-fi Winter Quarter 2025 Winners

Thank you to all the Ko-fi sponsors who voted for the Winter Quarter 2025 rewards. Next month we will show the finalized artwork for the Ornaboros Companion and the Snow Drift Shire Unicorn Glamour. Stay tuned!

NPC Design Contest

As we begin to populate Talon's Rest, we'll need plenty of NPC designs—and that's where you come in!

We've created a Google Form for you to submit up to three Beast designs for consideration. Please be sure to include the Beast Creator code or else your entry will not be considered.

In addition to their design being used for a shopkeeper, winners will receive a bundle of useful items for their adventures through the local Wild Area, the Waspwood Forest.

The winners will receive*:

1x Soulshift Coin (breed-changing item) of your choice

1x Godspeed Potion

3x Lockpicks

3x Crude Torch

3x Travel Rations

3x Small Energy Potion

3x Small Health Potion

1x Beta Key

NOTE: * These rewards will not show up in your rewards lookup tool since that tool only looks up Ko-fi rewards, but they will be applied to your account directly!

Quetzal Expressions

Our art team continues to knock it out of the park with the Beast expressions project. They've completed all Specials/Supers/Mutations for both the young and adult Quetzal models.

Luci, Sour, Koa--you never fail to impress. Amazing job to the team!

Mythauran Astrology: February

The month of Frbruary is referred to as Aurora's Canvas, representing the resplendent and plentiful auroras that billow across northern skies. This month is also associated with the constellation of the Stargazer and the hematite stone.

Mythaura v0.34

Overworld Events: Added events like discovering chests, gathering berries, and more.

Fishing & Lockpicking Minigames: Now integrated into the overworld for interactive exploration.

Shops & Restocking System: Built a system to manage shop inventories and periodic restocking.

Elite Enemy System: Elite enemies are now marked on the minimap with new icons. They produce footsteps as they move and appear with a skull icon in battle.

Sealed Contracts: Added support for sealed contracts, which generate a random beast into your abode.

Contract Termination: Added support for contract termination, which deletes a beast from your abode in exchange for items & currency from a loot pool.

Recruitment System: Developed the prototype UI and logic for recruiting G1 beasts into your abode.

Beast Titles: Introduced titles to differentiate and enhance beasts.

Species Movement Overhaul:

Winged beasts can double jump.

Non-winged beasts move faster.

Beast Profiles & Editing: Progress made on profile management, beast dossiers, and customization options.

Map Travel Support: Added the ability to travel between maps (e.g., entering a building and appearing in its interior).

Stair/Ramp Support: Overworld now supports elevation changes like stairs and ramps.

Wall/Interior Support: Built a working prototype for handling interior building walls.

Temporary Loot System: Loot from events (e.g., chests) can now be stored temporarily before claiming.

NPC Battle AI: NPCs can now participate in battles and make action decisions.

Redesigned Battle UI: Improved the battle action selection interface for clarity and usability.

Image Processing Optimization: Refactored how beast images are generated, significantly boosting performance.

Fixed Frame Rate Bugs: Resolved animation consistency issues where player movement was faster at higher frame rates.

Profanity Filter: Added to maintain a safe and friendly community environment.

Loot Collection: Temporary loot from overworld events (like chests) can now be stored and claimed later.

Various Bug Fixes & Cleanup: Addressed numerous bugs and optimized multiple systems for smoother gameplay.

Thank You!

Thanks for sticking through to the end of the post, we always look forward to sharing our month's work with all of you--thank you for taking the time to read. We'll see you around the Discord.

[talonabraxas]

Tree of Life by Talon Abraxas

Symbolic Meanings Behind The Tree Of Life

1.Everything In Life Is Connected

Everyrthing is connected tree of life symbolic meaning Tree of Life Symbol: Meaning & Origin

The tree of life is a symbolic representation that personifies how the world is a unified field. Everything in life is intertwined, nature, biology, your life, other lives, the past, the present, the future, all connected in ways we’d never think to realize.

The tree of life firmly anchors itself to the earth. It recognizes the earth as its source for nourishment, anchoring its roots into the earth’s soul. Its branches spread out for sustenance while leaves reach out to heavens to receive energy and strength from the sun.

After all the years of hard work the tree has put into growing, both internally into the soil and externally into the air, the tree is finally ready to give fruit back to those who need it.

This is a reminder of the importance of community in life. If you stop and think about it, everything you do connects around you.

2.Family And Ancestry

Notice how tree branches are increasingly complex and ever-extending? The same fractal pattern is expressed in how our families grow and expand through generations.

A tree sprouts from a seed and grows little by little while sprouting out branches and spreading them as far as possible towards the sunlight. At some point, the tree produces new fruits and new seeds that usher in the next generations of saplings. Just like trees, we connect to our ancestors in the generations both before and after us.

3.A Symbol Of Immortality And Rebirth

During the Winter months trees go through a metamorphosis, lose their leaves, and dive into a deep slumber; an almost death-like state.

Once Spring hits, forests full of trees across the globe are symbolically “reborn” and suddenly become full of life again. This “”new awakening”” is represented both physically and symbolically with the natural beauty of fresh new growth.

The tree of life is also represented as an emblem of immortality. Even as trees naturally age, they continue to bear seeds carrying life’s essence. The seeds survival ensure the tree species lives from one generation to the next.

4.A Symbol Of Personal Growth and Beauty

When you study a tree’s growth throughout its lifecycle, you’ll notice distinctive periods of growth over time. From a seedling, to sapling, to fruit bearing, and into old age, and eventually the tree stands firmly above all else.

Tree of life meaning symbolic representation the conscious vibe Tree of Life Symbol: Meaning & Origin

During severe storms and bad weather the tree weathers. Some branches may break off, and leaves may fall off, but still, trees find ways to ‘take the hit’, rejuvenate, and grow new branches.

Similarly, life experiences mold you into a better and more unique person. As humans, we too can rise from hard hits and deep corners of life. Over time we can also grow to stand out, be stronger, and into the best version of ourselves.

5.A Symbol Of Fertility

As a barrier of life, a tree always finds a way to keep thriving. The survival of its species depends on every tree doing its part to produce offspring.

6.A Symbol Of Strength

The tree of life is a prominent representation of strength, stability, and “groundedness”. The deeper a tree’s roots anchor, the more stable it is. Trees are also strong enough to endure brutal conditions.

Similarly, you can cultivate a sense of stability within yourself and build a robust support system if you desire to withstand the hardships of life.

7.A Symbol Of Individuality

There are no two trees that mirror each other. The unique challenges, different growth patterns, and environmental conditions they experience in their evolution turn them into individual beings.

Tree of life Symbolic Meaning Tree of Life Symbol: Meaning & Origin

Similarly, humans are unique. You, your life, bloodline, upbringing, experiences, challenges, home environment, and your past and future are all singularly unique.

[whereserpentswalk]

Imagine you're a human, living long after humans have gone out into space, but you grew up so far from human space that you've never seen another human. You were adopted from a trading colony on the edge of a human empire and taken further out far past where any human civilization has really explored, you lived your entire life of a city planet, and despite seeing so many different races none of them have ever been your own.

You've only ever known aliens, robots, and other distinctly inhuman creatures. Maybe the closest you've seen is something created by humans, but those creatures have even less reason to like humans then aliens do. Though most people are nice to you, they just see you as something so exotic, if anything people think it's cool that you're such an out there race, most people think of humans as mysterious and ancient, even though you've never felt like any of those things.

You don't know how to deal with any normal human things. There are libraries where you can research your lifecycle, or how someone from your species would clean themself or what kinds of clothing would go over your body. But none of those things tell you how you'll feel, how it'll actually be to go through the natural lifecycle of your species.

You will always feel like a stranger in your own home. Even those closest to you have a degree of separation. Your adoptive parents are sentient machines, built by a long dead race. Your partner is shaped somewhat like you, but has an insectoid exoskeleton, and massive glowing eyes. Your best friend is something sharp toothed and serpentine, closer to the monsters of myth then a fellow human. These people love and care about you, and you about them, but there will never be a common connection that you would have with a human stranger, even if these are people who are close to you, people who care about.

At one point in your life, you start leaning about human culture. You read through as much as you can get your hand on of ancient human literature, translations of Tolkien, Homer, Milton, Shelly, all these things you imagine being part of humanity's canon.

You try your best to embrace your human culture. But ultimately, it's just a foreign imitation of something you'll never feel a part of. You feel part of the planet you've lived your entire life on more than anything else. You don't even know what human culture you'd embrace if you did embrace one. Though everything you do pick up, from some ancient human languages, to the ways of dressing you find most comfortable, to a few religious practices from various cultures, you hold on to as your own.

Among some there's scorn that you're too human. That you act too human, or have too many of their cultural quirks, people would be more comfortable if you acted like a member of a more common race even if you're stuck in a human body.

Among others you seem not human enough. They want you to be that legendary empire building race, and then you're just some guy. You seem like a disappointment. You're embarrassed that you don't know as much about humanity that people want you to.

Eventually you meet a crew of humans from a trading ship. They offer to take you back to human space. But you don't see your fellow countrymen, but a crew of aliens, with alien nature and customs. They want to talk to you, to educate you, but you have so little in common, less than you would with any alien raised on the same planet as you.

There will always be a loneliness, an alienation. And if you aren't given a self, you'll have to forge your own.

[almondenterprise]

Cost vs. Quality: What to Consider When Investing in Switchgear

In today’s energy-intensive world, switchgear plays a critical role in managing power distribution safely and efficiently. Whether you’re upgrading your industrial facility, building a commercial plant, or powering a large infrastructure project, choosing the right switchgear is not just a technical decision — it’s a strategic investment. One of the most common dilemmas buyers face is balancing cost vs. quality. So, how do you decide?

Understanding Switchgear: The Heart of Electrical Safety

Switchgear is a combination of electrical disconnect switches, fuses, or circuit breakers used to control, protect, and isolate electrical equipment. Its primary role is to ensure the reliability and safety of your power system.

Types of switchgear include:

· Low-voltage switchgear (for commercial and residential use)

· Medium-voltage switchgear (typically for industrial applications)

· High-voltage switchgear (used in power transmission)

Investing in the right switchgear directly impacts operational continuity, personnel safety, and overall infrastructure reliability.

The True Cost of Cheap Switchgear:

While it’s tempting to opt for budget-friendly solutions, low-cost switchgear often comes with hidden risks and long-term expenses.

Inferior Material Quality

Cheaper models often use substandard materials that degrade faster, leading to frequent maintenance or early replacement.

Safety Hazards

Low-quality switchgear can result in arc faults, insulation failure, or overheating — putting workers and equipment at risk.

Increased Lifecycle Costs

Although the initial price may be low, the total cost of ownership (including downtime, repair, and energy inefficiency) is usually higher.

Limited Scalability and Customization

Budget systems are often rigid and harder to scale as your facility grows or needs change.

Why Quality Switchgear Pays Off

When you invest in premium switchgear, you’re not just buying a product — you’re buying peace of mind.

Enhanced Reliability

High-quality switchgear is engineered to perform in extreme conditions and handle high fault levels without compromising performance.

Superior Safety Standards

Reputable brands comply with international standards such as IEC, ANSI, or UL, reducing liability and improving workplace safety.

Ease of Maintenance

Well-built switchgear is modular and user-friendly, simplifying diagnostics and minimizing downtime during maintenance.

Energy Efficiency & Smart Capabilities

Modern switchgear includes IoT sensors, real-time monitoring, and predictive maintenance features, ensuring optimal energy use and proactive problem resolution.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Switchgear

When evaluating switchgear options, balance cost and quality by focusing on the following:

1. Application Requirements

Understand your voltage class, load types, and fault current ratings. Quality should match your operational demands.

2. Brand Reputation & Certification

Look for trusted brands with certifications like ISO 9001, CE, or IEC 62271. Positive reviews and case studies add credibility.

3. Lifecycle Costs

Don’t just compare sticker prices — consider maintenance, service availability, spare part costs, and expected lifespan.

4. Customization & Flexibility

Choose systems that can evolve with your operation. Modular designs support upgrades and expansions more efficiently.

5. Support and Service

Ensure the manufacturer provides robust after-sales support, technical training, and warranty services.

Cost vs. Quality: The Bottom Line

When it comes to switchgear, cheap is rarely cheerful. Cutting corners today can lead to outages, hazards, and hefty repair bills tomorrow. On the other hand, investing in high-quality switchgear ensures operational resilience, safety, and long-term savings.

The smartest strategy? Aim for value, not just price. Evaluate switchgear as a long-term asset, not just a one-time purchase.

Trending Tip: Think Smart and Sustainable

With rising energy demands and climate-conscious regulations, smart and sustainable switchgear is trending. Look for:

· Eco-friendly insulation (like SF₆-free switchgear)

· Energy management features

· Digital monitoring systems

Investing in such features not only future-proofs your infrastructure but can also help you qualify for green certifications and incentives.

Final Thoughts

Balancing cost and quality in switchgear selection is about understanding your long-term operational goals. By focusing on durability, safety, and lifecycle value, you can make a decision that protects both your budget and your business.