CHICAGO, Nov 16, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK), a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, demonstrated its latest conceptual energy analysis (CEA) tools at the Greenbuild Expo in Chicago. These tools are designed to help address the critical need for sustainability to be a factor during the early phase of a building's design.

Technology highlighted includes the Autodesk Revit Conceptual Energy Analysis tool, which converts conceptual design models into analytical energy models for analysis in Autodesk Revit Architecture and Autodesk Revit MEP software. Released on September 30 as part of the Autodesk Subscription Advantage Packs for Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011 and Autodesk Revit MEP 2011, the Autodesk Revit Conceptual Energy Analysis tool addresses sustainability at the early phases of building design by helping designers to see the energy required for their initial concepts.

Autodesk also demonstrated Project Vasari, a new, easy-to-use, stand alone conceptual modeling and energy analysis tool based on the Revit platform, which is currently available as a technology preview on Autodesk Labs. Project Vasari is designed to increase accessibility for early design phase conceptual energy analysis beyond current Autodesk Revit Architecture software users.

"A building's sustainability is largely determined by key decisions made at the early conceptual design stage," said Phil Bernstein, vice president of industry relations for Autodesk. "The motivation behind the Revit Conceptual Energy Analysis tool and Project Vasari is to recognize this need with real solutions for the market. With Project Vasari, the entire world, not just users of Revit Architecture 2011, can see and experience many of the benefits of applying energy analysis at the early conceptual design phase."

About Revit Conceptual Energy Analysis Tool

The Revit Conceptual Energy Analysis tool makes it possible for architects to more quickly convert conceptual design models into rich analytical energy models, and conduct integrated whole building energy analysis. As an early design concept changes, the energy model and conceptual massing forms are updated accordingly. This helps make it possible to continuously conduct energy and carbon analysis and compare design alternatives. Highly visual analysis reports make it easier to understand and communicate the impact of design changes to project stakeholders. These integrated early analyses help designers make more informed decisions in the conceptual design phase when changes are least expensive.

Key features include:

• Integrated energy analysis--Automatically rationalize concept models into energy models for analysis. As the conceptual design evolves, the energy model updates automatically.
• Cloud computing--Energy analysis is performed remotely through cloud computing, so a designer's local PC is available to process design modifications and perform other work after initiating the analysis.
• Graphical results--Evaluate design options side-by-side based on reports that compare energy use, lifecycle costs and breakdowns of consumption and loads. Communicate and deliver easy-to-understand graphical and raw data results to project stakeholders.
• Web-based climate data--Access a high-resolution global climate data set with more than 1.5 million weather data sets.

About Project Vasari

Project Vasari is a standalone application built on the same technology as the Autodesk Revit platform. It is aimed at architectural designers and other professionals who do not need the production tools in the full Autodesk Revit Architecture software. Focused on conceptual building design using both geometric and parametric modeling, Project Vasari supports performance-based design via integrated energy modeling and analysis.

With the Revit Conceptual Energy Analysis tool as part of Project Vasari architects, engineers, contractors, building owners and students can automatically convert an architectural conceptual design into an analytical energy model to help gain insight into energy consumption and costs of multiple design options at the early conceptual stage.

Project Vasari, which does not require the user to own or subscribe to Autodesk Revit Architecture software, is available now as a technology preview at the Autodesk Labs website. After registering for a free Autodesk ID, and downloading and installing the Project Vasari application, users can conduct cloud-based energy analysis runs.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Customers across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and entertainment industries -- including the last 15 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects -- use Autodesk software to design, visualize and simulate their ideas. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art software for global markets. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com/pr-autodesk.

Autodesk, AutoCADand Revit are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Academy Award is a registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

© 2010 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

SOURCE: Autodesk, Inc.

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