Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ

• The World Resources Simulation Center (SIMCenter) launched in 2011 in San Diego as a unique facility design. That facility has closed while awaiting a fully funded facility.
• Licensing opportunities exist for organizations, institutions, foundations, and universities to create their own SIMCenter facility, develop programs and relationships with global and local decision-makers.

• The Mobile SIMCenter is available for rent by outside groups when there are no date or time conflicts. 
• We are happy to discuss your event in detail to determine if we can meet your needs.
• Reserve the Mobile SIMCenter Now!

• We encourage you to use the SIMCenter to add a new and improved experiences to any event. Reserve the SIMCenter today!

• There are many types of simulations. The SIMCenter is a great way to visualize the process used and results of simulations, either in real time or as a summary interactive presentations.
• Most visualizations are designed to better understand complex concepts, past trends and future projections over many years, even decades. 
• We allow participants to explore an issue using multiple applications: videos, GIS maps, trend projections, comparative graphs, charts and infographics based on spreadsheets and other modelling processes.
• If you have a computer-based simulation, use the SIMCenter to communicate the results to select audiences.

We do have:

• Sponsorship and partner opportunities for companies and
• Membership for individuals and institutions.
• Donate to help the SIMCenter cause.

• Contact us first to arrange a tour and demonstration. 
• The SIMCenter facility concept has utility in most cities and urban areas with multiple jurisdictions.
• If the region you are dealing with has the challenging issues of growth and sustainability.you are an ideal candidate.

• Just to make things more clear we have divided it up into several areas.
  • About the SIMCenter space and how you can use it (left Column)
  • The history and vision of the SIMCenter (left Column)
• On any page you are on, you can just go to the header, footer, and left column and click on an icon or link to get to that area.

• We opened the SIMCenter at our original Downtown San Diego location in July 2011 (now closed). 
• The SIMCenter went through several phases, beginning with a Prototype event in 2008 and a Demonstration month in September 2009 at the New School of Architecture and Design.

• We have many programs for participation:
  • Green Scene brings together the leading sustainability organizations,
  • GeoDesign is for GIS map and data developers, geospatial analysts, and geo-enabled R & D
  • Plan San Diego delves into the critical issues of the region, and asks “How Sustainable are we?”
  • Movies That Make a Difference inform us about sustainable solutions.

• Immersive visualization surrounds you in the issues, trends and future projections for your firm or organization
• The SIMCenter is designed to facilitate collaboration among your stakeholders (i.e. staff, suppliers and clients), working in teams to visualize concepts, problems and opportunities, and then reporting to the entire group. With teams working In this manner, everyone learns faster together.

• Our mission is to visualize sustainable solutions to global and local problems so that we make informed choices quicker.

• The World Resources Simulation Center, or SIMCenter, is an immersive visualization facility that helps to accelerate understanding by your group.
• From a design concept by visionary engineer R Buckminster Fuller, our goal is to visualize sustainable futures.
• In the process of creating the SIMCenter, we have discovered and integrated multiple technologies that together allow us to accelerate the learning and training of individuals and groups.

• The SIMCenter is a project of GENI, a non-profit 501c3 organization.  We:
  • seek and receive sponsor support from institutions and individuals,
  • offer memberships and partnerships,
  • rent the Mobile SIMCenter for others to use,
  • sell information and products.
  • We also receive funding through donations.

• We have a number of institutional and individual partners, and continue to look for additional partners.

• R Buckminster Fuller was called the “Leonardo da Vinci of the 20th Century”, a visionary engineer who developed new tools based on natures design. 
• Bucky's World Game™ simulation provides the foundation for both SIMCenter and GENI,
• The goal is to provide a decent quality of life for everyone in an environmentally sustainable manner. 
  See:  http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/library/buckminster_fuller/

• We wanted to be in the heart of the decision-making community (across the street from city hall and near the county administration building), as well as be convenient to all public transportation options like trolley, train and bus.

• Sustainability has been defined as "meeting the needs of today’s society and doing so for generations to come."
• Scientists say that we have already reached threshold levels on several natural capital resources, which could cause those ecological systems to collapse.

• Beyond the visualization space, we have a separate “traditional” conference room with one projector that seats 6-8 people.

• Yes.  The SIMCenter can webcast your event live via Watson Media. Additional technical staff are required.

• Yes. One image/video can be used to fill any number of the 12 screens, in the order you choose.
• The SIMCenter video switch enables many customized options. You can use it to control the visuals in multiple ways:
  • alternating images,
  • corner-of-room logos and surround presentation, 
  • project onto the large 14 ft. central wide screen and use the other side screens in multiple ways
  • multiple formats can be used, and switch between them at breaks — as you wish!
• It is a good practice to test advanced presentations before the event, to ensure that all planned effects are available/presentable by the SIMCenter technology.

• Yes, the standard SIMCenter set-up is 6 collaborative work tables with 4 default seats/WiFi connectors on each (you can arrange 2-8 seats/WiFi connections around each table).  Many layouts are possible.
• If the standard layout is rearranged, a reset fee may apply.
• Many events have different seating arrangements for differenct parts of the event. Let us know what your needs are.

• Yes, we can capture and broadcast video via
  • Simple portable Flip video cameras (Standard 4:3 frame, Format: MP4, Quality: 640x480 pixels) or their equivalent.
  • Camcorder:HDV 1080/60i 16:9 frame, 1080x720 pixels. 
  • Mobile phone video capture.
• Additional technical staff would be required to manage the onsite SIMCenter studio equipment.
• Higher quality recording equipment can be purchased and integrated in advance of your event.

• Yes!
• There's your choice of music in surround sound and
• A wireless microphone system with multiple microphones is available for use with workshops and presentations.
• You can run your entire sound experience through our in-house speaker system and sound mixer

• You could rent all the computers, network, video projection, sound system and install and integrate them into a hotel ballroom, and the cost of equipment leasing and staff set-up time would far exceed our existing set-up and day rates.
• Iif you require the large size of a ballroom, and you must have the SIMCenter experience in your ballroom event, then fill in your Event Request and check the “off-site event” option 3.

• We have hourly/daily corporate rates. 
• Government and non-profit group rates may be discounted.
• If you have a registration fee, split fees may be arranged for some events.
• Ask for the Membership or Rates that apply to your SIMCenter Event.

• The SIMCenter enables your team to visualize the trends and projections of your market and industry. (SIMPLIFY, CLARIFY TRENDS)
• The surround environment enables accelerated collective understanding and accelerated learning – you all learn faster together. (LEARN FASTER)
• By literally seeing the relationships between issues, you can make more informed decisions quicker. (IMPROVE EFFICIENCY)

• On street unlimited parking is easy to find, and 2-hour underground parking is generally available
• There are many simple inexpensive lunchtime venues and several quality restaurants within a few blocks of the SIMCemter office.

• For stand up receptions 100.  For sit-down presentations 70.  For workshops/trainings 50.
• The seating capacity for the conference room is 10.

• SIMCenter has held:
  • strategic planning workshops,
  • training sessions,
  • movie screenings,
  • book releases,
  • public and private forums,
  • professional networking events,
  • technical association workshops and briefings,
  • sales presentations,
  • mastermind sessions,
  • executive team meetings,
  • receptions and private parties.
• We are open to new and innovative uses of this space. with high bandwidth communication via multiple channels to people is built in.

• Put your team in a creative, surround environment – enable them to add content and options -- and we have seen positive synergy occur (the whole is greater than the sum of its parts).
• We have seen bitter rivals put down their antagonistic ways when they are presented with full expanse (width and depth) of another's perspective.
• The new knowledge from multiple screens of the best information from both (and/or multiple) sides often allows rival perspectives to come to a whole new level of understanding and collaboration. 
• The SIMCenter facilitates this process by its integrated design.
• Most other events/facilities limit the number of their presentation screens to 3 or less. We have found that the really good learning experiences start with 8 or more simultaneous presentation screens, which appears to change human energy levels. We really can provide an "edu-tainment" level experience.
• The shared room experience is much better than remote viewing, however we do have the ability to have multiple remote panel experts contribute interactively as needed.

Many different types of groups have used the SIMCenter interactive display and presentation space. Examples include:

• Strategic planning workshops,
• Executive status meetings,
• Local and global policy workshops and research presentations/broadcasts,
• Software training sessions for:
  • GIS, social media, network security and website design,
• Certification courses for sustainability reporting and coaching,
• Interactive panels sessions with remote experts,
• Documentary films with local subject matter experts,
• Professional networking events,
• Business award ceremonies and celebrations,
• Receptions for trade associations and sports broadcasts,
• Product launches and expos.

• There are few simple issues today, and many have interconnected and related parts.  The SIMCenter allows you to see these connections all at the same time, and enables your team to add any missing content in real time. 
• Single screen PowerPoint presentations are linear, while the SIMCenter enables parallel and lateral thinking at its best.
• We have found at the SIMCenter that displaying sets of 12 slides together promote questions of understanding, as people relate to concepts displayed on many slides together. This is different than having people asking questions about the "order of presentation" and "what was on the last slide? (or "what was on that slide -- 4 slides ago")"
• For most people, well-designed info-graphics are MUCH easier to digest than a page of text.

• The SIMCenter looks at long-range planning issues and policy for Sustainability and Resilient Cities, rather than immediate disaster and security issues like those that are important to Fusion Centers used by first responder organizations.

   

  

• Access to Fusion Centers is restricted to Security and First Responder personnel.

• Access to SIMCenter is available to everyone. 

[original link: https://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/05/12122/homeland-security-apparatus-…]

• The Global Energy Network Institute (GENI) focuses on the interconnection of electric power networks between communities, nations and continents, with an emphasis on tapping abundant renewable energy resources. 
• This strategy is the highest priority of the World Game™ simulation developed by R Buckminster Fuller. 
• Linking renewable energy between all nations mollifies conflicts, grows economies, reduces pollution and increases the quality of life and health for all.
• Visit www.GENI.org for details.

• Interns (Students) and Volunteers come to GENI and the SIMCenter for many reasons: add to their skills, learn about the cleantech/green economy, learn a new language, and contribute to making the world a better place. 
• They conduct research into the renewable energy potential of nations and communities, high-voltage transmission, global and local issues, and may learn GIS mapping, provide audio/video editing, website development and international marketing – high value skills in the new economy. 
• They are a key strategy for accelerating the actualization of GENI’s mission and vision for the world.