Which types of structural framing systems and materials are most commonly used in the US for residences? For office buildings?
For residential buildings the most common structural framing material is wood. For the case of office buildings, the structural material depends on how tall the building is and the desired aesthetic. In office buildings wood is often used, however, concrete and steel structures are also common.
Why do different teams of designers and subcontractors link and share their models during the design process?
It is advantageous to link various different building design models to see how different systems coordinate with one another. By doing this, it is easier to detect and resolve clashes between different designs. The one drawback of linking models is that the resultant linked model can be confusing for views, with multiple components close together.
How do you think design coordination was done before we started using digital models?
What advantages does doing this coordination digitally have over previous methods?
What strategies can design teams use to find and avoid clashes prior to the start of construction?
What can be done besides sharing the models digitally?
At what point in the project development process should design coordination start?
I believe design coordination should begin once the general structure of the building is determined. After this point, things like HVAC systems and plumbing can be designed to complement the structure. Before this point, the building system engineers may not have enough information to create an effective design as the final structure has not been determined yet.