SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 20, 2002-- Building Information Modeling Solutions Facilitate Multidisciplinary

Design Coordination and Rapid Project Completion

Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, announced today that Flack + Kurtz Inc., a prominent international consulting engineering firm, has used Autodesk(R) Building Mechanical and Autodesk(R) Building Electrical intelligent building systems applications for two large-scale university projects. Both located in California, one project is part of the new Mission Bay campus of the University of California, San Francisco, and the other is a major student residential facility at San Jose State University. By using Autodesk's building systems applications, Flack + Kurtz was able to complete these projects approximately 50 percent faster than would have been possible using traditional CAD drafting methods. These powerful building information modeling solutions for engineers improve multidisciplinary design coordination, speed communication of design alternatives among project teams, and reduce field work.

"With Autodesk's building systems software, we're able to adopt a holistic approach to our projects and focus on how all of the design elements interrelate," said Clark C. Bisel, P.E., senior vice president at Flack + Kurtz. "We can work on tasks as diverse as manipulating light fixtures and their circuitry or routing ductwork and piping, and then accurately represent the functional relationship between these different parts of the design. This saves us time and ensures that what we create doesn't conflict with the existing structure or other design elements. It is becoming our standard design process."

Complex Engineering for Large-Scale University Projects

Flack + Kurtz recently performed mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering and design services for the 961,000-square-foot Campus Village Housing project at San Jose State University. The large-scale project includes four buildings, with a dining facility and 2,000 parking spaces. Using Autodesk building systems tools, designers were able to proceed quickly with the engineering design, simultaneously producing construction documentation, accurate 3D data models for multiple-discipline coordination, and quantity take-offs to support cost estimating.

Currently, Flack + Kurtz is also working on the building systems design for the Institute for Bioengineering, Biotechnology, and Quantitative Biomedical Research (QB3), a new building at the Mission Bay campus of the University of California, San Francisco. On this complex project, engineers have found the Autodesk solutions to be especially helpful in coordinating sets and clearance checks. The applications also ensure that ductwork doesn't conflict with existing structures and allow for the quick creation of cut sections of a room. These features of the software have created enormous time savings while increasing the accuracy of construction documentation.

About Autodesk Building Systems Applications

Autodesk Building Mechanical and Autodesk Building Electrical are part of the Autodesk building systems family of products. These powerful building information modeling solutions offer engineers accurate 3D content with flexible tools to quickly and easily create precise digital data models and drawings of mechanical and electrical building systems. With these applications, engineers can design faster and more accurately, eliminate coordination mistakes that often occur in multiple unrelated 2D drawings, and eliminate the high costs in creating custom and manufacturer-specific equipment and part catalogs by using the content creation tools available within the building systems applications.

About Autodesk

Founded in 1982, Autodesk, Inc. is the world's leading design software and digital content company. The company serves a diverse portfolio of markets, including building design, geographic information systems, manufacturing, digital media, and wireless data services. By delivering tools that foster innovation and creativity, Autodesk helps customers create, use and leverage their digital design data. For more information about the company, see http://www.autodesk.com.

Note to Editors Autodesk is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

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