Professional Knowledge Sustainability Strategy

Professional Knowledge Sustainability Theory means continuous daily improvement, renewal of professional knowledge by using universally available XXI century, modern information and educational technologies, such as:

• The Internet;
• Webinars;
• Engineering Design software;
• Electronic magazines;
• Collections of audio and video material, reports, etc.
• Cloud technologies.

Since the appearance of the Internet, the role of ABOK, as a leader in professional knowledge distribution, the volume and depth of sustainable material has increased rapidly.

ABOK webinars (Web-based seminar)

ABOK webinars, offered since 2010, act as:

• A modern and efficient communications channel – a method allowing simultaneous business communication for a large number of interested specialists located not only in different cities, but even in different countries – in geographically remote locations;

• A distribution channel for invitations to 40 000 target audience addresses from ABOK database, inviting them to participate in a topical podcast;

• The possibility to ask questions to a speaker before the seminar or in online mode;

• The opportunity to watch passed webinars at any time.

After webinars specialists can discuss them in the professional ABOK forum visited by more than 14 000 specialists every day.

The absolute record in the number of specialists registered for one webinar during the entire history of our webinars was – 1 006 participants. The webinar was conducted by Yu. A. Tabunschikov.

We had to divide participants by geographic locations, «east» and «west», and conduct the webinar twice with a three hour interval. This is a convincing evidence of the enormous potential of ABOK webinars.

Usually lecturers conduct classes from ABOK’s studio; however on some occasions lecturers were located in Saint Petersburg, Paris, Trosa (Sweden), and sometimes lectures were accompanied by synchronous translation.

People watch webinars on PC’s from their workplaces; they can also be broadcasted to conference Halls for group viewing. Here are some examples of group views:

• Northwestern Federal University (Yakutsk) – 32 viewers;

• Engineering and operating service 711 VoenProekt (Rostov-on-Don) – 27 viewers;

• McDonalds company – 12 viewers.

It’s hard to imagine a more attractive and efficient method to enhance professional knowledge of new technologies and regulatory documents. It’s hard to overestimate ABOK’s webinars as a method to spread information about new products, advantages of equipment and technologies for commercial organizations.

ABOK Workshops in Audio Format and Audio Presentations in the Internet

To expand the auditory of ABOK face-to-face conferences and workshops and spread professional knowledge, we began publishing audio presentations of reports that enjoy enormous popularity. Other new ABOK initiatives to spread professional knowledge – ABOK workshops in the new audio format and audio presentations in the Internet, an extension of face-toface workshops and conferences. This section became very popular.

For example, for ABOK workshop «Smoke exhaust ventilation systems» with audio answers to questions the system has registered over 44 306 hits, page with XXXI Conference «Moscow – Energy Efficient City» audio presentation was visited 9 790 times since its initial publication in January of 2015, «Innovative Grundfos solutions for distributed residential buildings water supply system» audio-report by Alexander Latushkin was viewed 175 times. Each report gets on average 150 and more views.

Sustainable Building Technologies – Online Magazine and Website – 2012

The goal behind the publication of the fourth edition of our «Sustainable Building Technologies» magazine in its electronic format was to develop a modern tool to inform all stakeholders of the construction cycle: investors, developers, architects, engineers of advantages offered by high technologies and green building ideas.

The central idea of the project – the building as the human environment during its entire life cycle, from an idea to demolition, viewed from the perspective of all specialists involved in its creation (investors, developers, consultants, appraisers, architects, engineers, power engineers, operation specialists, etc.). «Sustainable Building Technologies» is a source of ideas and solutions that can help specialists in improving the quality of implemented projects and allow them to stay informed of best global and Russian building design, construction and operation practices. «Sustainable Building Technologies» is a quality selection of presented projects and case studies, cooperation with leading international specialists and an accent on the modern Russian reality.

Unfortunately we must admit that high technologies and the green construction market participants in Russia have not yet formed a tradition of presenting and spreading their experience in construction of unique projects, as it is done, say in America, where one of ASHRAE magazines, «High Performance Buildings», regularly publishes examples of LEED certified buildings and examples of equipment used in such projects. The popularization of innovative equipment and green certification in Russia urgently requires publication of information on the newest technical solutions in specialized publications, such as «Sustainable Building Technologies» Magazine. We strive to fill this gap.

Our technical expert, Vladimir Ustinov, uses the provided materials to write wonderful articles that enhance the awareness of such publications such as «Crystal» in Saint Petersburg and ARCUS III in Moscow.

Why an electronic format? This idea came up when we started receiving letters with «Please don’t forget that by printing this letter you harm the environment» footnote. On the other hand, the Internet, computers, tablet PCs and smart-phones have became generally available information and education resources today, an integral part of the modern generation’s life and work. At any moment you can find the required page of any magazine issue, download and save an interesting article, share it with a client or a colleague, use a case study of a unique project to advertise equipment or promote one’s own project offers.

The Magazine’s reading features include:

• flash version for online reading;

• html version for online reading;

• pdf version for reading on any digital device in offline mode.

Free mailing to a targeted updated database of industry specialists prepared by ABOK’s marketing department with over 25 years of work experience and partnering with other leading institutes (project partners) making information

published in the magazine available to every specialist. The database contains over 40 000 addresses. The database is regularly updated and expanded. The magazine turns into an active partner for key organizations in the industry and is advertised in all key public events in Russia related to design and construction cycle.

Sightseeing Congress Tours

The knowledge gained has to be solidified with practice, so in 2014 ABOK arranged its first sightseeing congress tour to Sochi to study innovative technologies used in the Olympic infrastructure projects.

This event was attended by 96 specialists from 29 cities in Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.

In July 24–26 it was the second sightseeing congress tour to Sochi.

This year we organized two groups specializing in «Power and networks» and «Inside utility systems». In addition to visits to projects and participation in the congress the participants were able to get to know their colleagues from other cities in an informal and friendly setting and discuss relevant problems and solutions.

Online Calculations and Software for HVAC Designers

This ABOK website is another publicly accessible information and education resource. The goal of the site – to bring together the required online design calculations, software and other convenient online tools that will be useful for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, тautomation and heat supply engineers.

Calculations made through our software can be stored on our ABOKSOFT website and used at any time: you can edit, download to your computer and print out.

The site also contains partners’ software. It can be presented in online calculation mode or as links to a company website.

Some online calculation tools are free, while other are provided with feebased subscription for a certain period (one month, three months, six months and a year). When the subscription ends you can still use your saved files.

ABOK forum includes «Specialists Dialogue», «Programs, calculation» section used for presentation and discussion of various programs from the authors themselves, as well as from companies that offer calculation software for design and equipment selection.

The idea of a calculations website has been around for quite a while, and now we are finally been able to offer the engineering community the results of ABOK’s work over the last several years.