Being SUSTAINABLE
This book illustrates the mechanics of sustainability and the challenge of integrating building systems to maximize their efficiency. The point of the book is to help readers visually understand the inherent challenges designers and constructors face in putting together any building as a single, fully integrated, and sustainable collection of building systems. To meet this objective the book uses a graphic narrative style. The narrative follows the sequence of system installations, each in support of the other, but all crowded into the same space. The players in this narrative are the engineers who size and specify each of these systems, as well as the subcontractors who must coordinate, compromise, and assemble them in the real world. More information..

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Building SIMPLE
This book uses the same graphic style to illustrate the construction of the structure of a mid-rise office building. This is a great book for those who need or want to see and understand every step of the construction of a complex commercial building. It uses advanced SketchUp models to organize and illustrate the means and methods used to build this building. Managing risk, reducing waste, and enhancing jobsite safety are a matter of understanding the "art of construction" as an invisible process embedded in all the buildings that surround us. Building SIMPLE extends this understanding to everyone interested in making "building simple." More information...

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Living SMALL
This book combines comic pages and interactive 3D models to show how 16 small houses serve their owners as functional shelters. The book also shows how BIMs can be built and organized with Google SketchUp. The 20 BIM models in this book range from simple massing models to piece based construction models. These models explain the construction of each of the small houses and how they evolved over their life cycles. The models are included to help visualize these small spaces. The construction modeling also includes tips for design and construction professionals on how they might use construction models to improve construction communications for real world projects. More information....

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3D Construction Modeling
This classic book was in its 16th printing before it was retired in early 2008. The book uses a trial version of SketchUp 4.0 to take readers step by step through the construction of a wood framed house. The tutorials take a hands on approach to learning SketchUp and is a great way to learn 3D modeling and the basics of wood frame construction. Though there are differences between SketchUp V4 and the Google upgrades, the principles in this book can be adapted for use with all versions of SketchUp. More information....

An upgrade to this book will be published in late 2008. 

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Small, Simple and Sustainable Books

Illustrated short text and digital publications. Our graphic narratives are designed for working professionals (with little or no time to read). They are illustrated with panelized screen shots of 3D building information models (BIMs). The idea is to animate construction on a printed page. Showing construction information as a series of related events. The books break construction information into chunks of sequential data and deliver it in a page format as part of an interactive experience. It's this narrative and the inteaction that tells the story.

For this reason, each book includes an interactive CD with navigable 3D building information models, short videos, 3D construction models, and links to web resources. The purpose of the BIM models on these CD's is to help readers experience the the way these structures are actually built in the real world. The ability to walk through, deconstruct and control the construction of a building information model gives the reader a sense of scale and a feel for the challenges inherent in real world construction.

These books are our attempt to explore the potential of BIMs, graphic narratives, and interactive learning for construction communications. If you have any comments, advice, criticism, suggestions, or ideas please drop us a line and let us know what you think: babs@insitebuilders.com