Huntsman Architectural Group Chooses Autodesk Revit to Better Serve Commercial Clients
Building Information Modeling Solution Offers a Cost-Effective Way to Improve and Expand Client Services
Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADSK), the world's leading design and digital content creation company, today announced that Huntsman Architectural Group, an architecture and interiors firm based in San Francisco, is using the Autodesk(R) Revit(R) building design and documentation system, to expand and enhance the services it offers its commercial clients. Given today's challenging economic climate, building owners and developers seek all the benefits that technology can offer, as affordably as possible. Huntsman has found that Revit allows the company to better satisfy clients, improve design quality, and market services more successfully to clients, while keeping costs down. Using Autodesk's strategic building information modeling solution, Huntsman is now able to augment its core architectural and interiors business with facilities and property management services."When we were evaluating software, Revit was appealing because it not only allowed us to offer our clients expanded services, but also gave us a faster, less expensive way to do things we had already been doing, which in this competitive economic environment is very important to our clients," said Daniel Huntsman, President of Huntsman Architectural Group.
Opportunities for Expanded Services
In addition to using Revit's building information modeling capabilities for core building design and documentation services, Huntsman can track more information and present it in more innovative ways than previously possible. Because the software stores and manages complex building information in database form, Huntsman's designers can customize the way they manage and present data. This has allowed Huntsman to use Revit in place of traditional facility management software. Since many facility managers come from an architectural background, they find graphically sophisticated displays of information more useful than database printouts. Revit allows the firm to represent complicated information about multiple aspects of the design simultaneously, in graphic form, instead of relying on pages of charts and tables. Because Revit presents information more coherently and concisely, clients can understand plans more swiftly and make decisions regarding the entire lifecycle management of a project more accurately.
Quick Implementation
Firms like Huntsman find Revit to be cost-effective because it is easy to use. Designers can perform complex data manipulation without having to know computer programming. The learning curve is unusually short as well. Huntsman found that staff members can start doing billable work after having completed only the Revit tutorial. By using Revit, project costs can also be reduced since administrative staff with lower billing rates than those of designers can perform certain facilities management data entry tasks.
Improved Presentation Capabilities
Huntsman also now uses Revit to generate all 3D renderings and models, allowing designers to assemble stronger graphic presentations in 30 to 50 percent of the time previously required. In the past, Huntsman had to rely on both a CAD program and a rendering program, which involved cumbersome importing and exporting of files from one to the other whenever an element was updated. Clients can now request changes to the design and see them incorporated in minutes. As a result, designers can work side-by-side with the client to make changes, and have those changes automatically updated on all project sheets. And Revit has more powerful and flexible graphic capabilities than traditional CAD, which allows Huntsman to match clients' graphic standards. Huntsman also leverages Revit's capabilities to market the firm's services, assembling more impressive presentations in less time than previously required.
The firm is always looking for more ways to leverage Revit's abilities throughout its practice. "We're starting to use Revit for space planning," said Huntsman. "And we expect to find more tasks that Revit will be appropriate for, in areas we haven't even discovered yet."
About Huntsman
Huntsman Architectural Group was founded in 1981 and has grown to include 50 architects, interior designers, and technical and administrative staff. The firm has been successfully involved in the programming, planning, and project documentation of over 18 million square feet of office space. Some of the firm's recently completed projects include the renovation of The Villas Parkmerced in San Francisco, the Wakefield Building renovation, and the law offices of Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May in Oakland.
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.
Autodesk and Revit are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.
CONTACT: Autodesk
Carol Lettieri, 415/507-6908
Email: carol.lettieri@autodesk.com
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