SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Jan 07, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK), today announced that commercial adoption of the Autodesk(R) Revit(R) software platform for building information modeling quadrupled during the 12 months ended third quarter fiscal 2005. Simultaneously, Revit adoption in education doubled every month, driven by the demands of architectural educators to equip their students with the best possible software for thinking about building design. Among these are leading firms such as WD Partners and Austin Veum Robbins Partners (AVRP), who have chosen Autodesk Revit to help them create, manage, and share the best quality designs and incorporate building information modeling into their practices for a competitive edge.

The growth in use of Autodesk Revit is accelerating the adoption of building information modeling, a way of working that supports the continuous and immediate availability of the high quality, reliable, and internally consistent information about a building for the best possible design decision making at any point in the project. Architecture and design firms' transition from drafting to building information modeling allows them to present sophisticated concepts and achieve greater productivity, as well as an advantage over firms using conventional drawing techniques. According to an Autodesk user study, more than half of firms using Autodesk Revit experienced productivity gains of greater than 50 percent, and 17 percent improved productivity more than 100 percent*.

"Autodesk Revit has been adopted quickly by the most forward-thinking practices -- firms that are seeking to really improve their business by using technology," said Phil Bernstein, FAIA, vice president of the building solutions division at Autodesk. "Those firms that have used Autodesk Revit in one office or studio now are incorporating state-of-the-art building information modeling into a growing number of their projects, and other firms are laying the foundation today for a similar transition over the next several years. As an architect I'm very pleased to see this trend taking off because it's terrific news for the quality of work and service offered by the industry to clients!"

Education Facilities Projects Managed with Autodesk Revit

Building projects for educational institutions must respect the existing campus architecture and accommodate the needs of many constituents, including faculty, students, staff and facility managers. AVRP, a design firm with a studio group specializing in education projects, is designing the Architectural School for the California Polytechnic State University campus. Using Autodesk Revit to help communicate design concepts and incorporate input from many audiences for the project, the firm better creates, manages, and shares designs for a noticeable improvement in the overall quality of construction documents as well as time saved on the project.

"Autodesk Revit has enabled AVRP to establish a consistently high standard for the quality of work in our corporate, urban and campus design groups," said Randy Robbins, principal and Education Studio Leader at AVRP. "The 3D design presentation capability really impresses our clients and gives them a better understanding of design concepts, and because all of the documentation comes from the same model we have accelerated our production work substantially. Furthermore, Autodesk Revit enables AVRP staff to spend more of their time on design instead of manually transferring and coordinating design details from drawing to drawing, which significantly cuts the project completion time."

Retail Architects Sold on Autodesk Revit

Retailers and firms specializing in retail architecture have turned to Autodesk Revit to support fast-paced design projects. The software's ability to automatically update design changes results in significant time savings in adapting store prototypes, while reducing expensive coordination errors discovered during construction. In a sector where strategic advantage entails creating and quickly adapting store prototypes for rollout at multiple sites, WD Partners has selected Autodesk Revit to enhance client service and improve coordination and accuracy. The firm specializes in developing prototypes and assisting with rollouts for multi-unit retailers, restaurants, and petroleum companies, and recently chose to standardize design activity on Autodesk Revit.

"From concept development to specification of materials and fixtures, Autodesk Revit saves WD Partners a great deal of time coordinating the efforts of our design and prototyping groups," said Chris Collins, director of architectural and engineering services, WD Partners. "Autodesk Revit automates many of the tasks involved in creating a core concept model and modifying it based on prototype development and site-specific requirements, to complete designs more quickly. Multiple users work together on the shared model, so our team is always coordinated; and it is much easier to capture knowledge and communicate successful design elements, so our teams are much more productive."

Building Information Modeling

Building information modeling is changing the way building professionals around the world work in building design, construction, and management. By supporting the continuous and immediate availability of the best possible information for making design decisions, building information modeling tools such as Autodesk Revit provide significant advantages over traditional drafting software or object-oriented CAD. Greater productivity and fewer errors reduce design costs; projects are delivered more quickly; and higher quality work is produced. As more developers require building information modeling documents, firms are using Revit to expand their offerings and generate new business opportunities.

Building information modeling documents and other communications associated with the building process can be managed and shared more effectively through the use of the industry-leading Autodesk(R) Buzzsaw(R) project collaboration and management solution. Used in conjunction with Revit, Buzzsaw provides a platform that enables building owners, developers, architects, construction, and facilities managers the ability to manage and share information more effectively throughout planning, design, construction and operations processes. As a result, cost savings and greater productivity are achieved through improved team collaboration and projects are completed more accurately, quickly, and profitably.

Autodesk(R) Subscription is the easiest way to keep design tools and learning up to date. For an annual fee, customers benefit from the latest versions of their licensed Autodesk software, web support direct from Autodesk, self-paced training options, and a broad range of other technology and business benefits. For more information, contact your Autodesk Authorized Reseller or visit www.autodesk.com/subscription.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc. is wholly focused on ensuring that great ideas are turned into reality. With six million users, Autodesk is the world's leading software and services company for the building, manufacturing, infrastructure, digital media, and wireless data services fields. Autodesk's solutions help customers create, manage, and share their data and digital assets more effectively. As a result, customers turn ideas into competitive advantage by becoming more productive, streamlining project efficiency, and maximizing profits. Founded in 1982, Autodesk is headquartered in San Rafael, California. For additional information about Autodesk, please visit www.autodesk.com.

* Average productivity improvement reported by commercial Autodesk Revit users with at least three months' experience with the software responding to a survey conducted by Autodesk. As with all performance tests, your results may vary.

NOTE: Autodesk, Buzzsaw, and Revit are registered trademarks or 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: Jennifer Giles, 415-547-2458

Email: jennifer.giles@autodesk.com

SOURCE Autodesk, Inc.

Jennifer Giles, of Autodesk, Inc., +1-415-547-2458, or jennifer.giles@autodesk.com