SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 29, 2003--

A Fuller Range Of Intelligent Engineering Objects, Building

Systems Content and Powerful Tools Facilitate The Design And Delivery

              Of Fully-Coordinated Construction Documents

Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, announced today that Autodesk (R)Building Systems 2004 software is available beginning May 29, 2003. Autodesk Building Systems 2004 offers customers improved productivity, accuracy and drawing coordination by providing the most complete application in the commercial building industry for the design and documentation of mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP) and fire protection systems. By increasing productivity, engineers have more time to focus on the design and solution of real MEP engineering problems. Built on the same technology as Autodesk(R) Architectural Desktop 2004, Building Systems 2004 allows building systems designers to seamlessly collaborate with the rest of the project team. As an important component of Autodesk's building lifecycle management solutions, Building Systems 2004 also enables building professionals to realize greater value from their digital building information.

New Content Improves Productivity

Autodesk Building Systems 2004 content library has been expanded to include thousands of mechanical, electrical and plumbing fittings and equipment, including the new fire protection content. These intelligent engineering objects are complete with size and material detail, allowing MEP engineers to spend less time creating customized content. Productivity is further increased because objects are dynamically linked throughout the building design - any revision an engineer makes automatically appears in all drawing files. Additional improvements include both imperial and metric measurement content and the i-drop(R) tool which enables engineers to download manufacturers' parts directly from websites into local drawings and catalogs.

Enhanced Tools Increase Accuracy

Autodesk Building Systems 2004 features a number of new and enhanced tools that reduce design time and increase accuracy for MEP engineers. Among these improvements, the suggested layout path tool has been extended to include all objects, enabling engineers to quickly design duct, pipe, cable tray and conduit. Engineers simply select from a series of suggested routings, cutting time from the process of developing each routing by hand. Other updates that are designed to improve the quality of construction documents include enhanced interference detection and layout preferences as well as an improved display system. Additionally, new engineering design tools enable MEP systems to be sized as they are drawn, saving time and reducing errors.

Project Management Features Improve Construction Document Coordination

Autodesk Building Systems 2004 improves the coordination of construction documents through an advanced drawing management capability. Whether working in 2D or 3D, Building Systems 2004 uses intelligent engineering objects to dynamically link the design to the construction documentation, ensuring that the entire project team is working on the most up-to-date information.

With the new Drawing Management feature, shared by Building Systems and Architectural Desktop, both engineering and architectural construction documents are coordinated from the initial schematic design all the way to the final as-built drawing. As a result, construction document quality is improved, and costly mistakes and rework are reduced, saving valuable resources and time.

For more information about the features and benefits of Autodesk Building Systems 2004, please visit www.autodesk.com/buildingsystems.

Product Availability

Autodesk Building Systems 2004 will be available beginning May 29, 2003, in International English in North America and in many countries in Europe and Asia. Current subscribers of Autodesk Building Systems 3 will receive this software release as part of their subscription. For more information on purchasing Building Systems 2004, contact an Autodesk Authorized Reseller, call Autodesk at 800-964-6432, or visit www.autodesk.com. Also available from Autodesk Professional Services is the Autodesk Building Systems Quick Start service offering that helps customers set up and begin implementing Building Systems software so they can quickly achieve self-sufficiency in the ongoing implementation of the software. For information about pricing and the deliverables included with this service, please contact your local Autodesk reseller or visit www.autodesk.com/professionalservices.

About Autodesk

Autodesk is the world's leading design software and digital content company, offering customers progressive business solutions through powerful technology products and services. Autodesk helps customers in the building, manufacturing, infrastructure, digital media, and wireless data services fields increase the value of their digital design data and improve efficiencies across their entire project lifecycle management processes. For more information about the company, see http://www.autodesk.com.

Occasionally, Autodesk makes statements regarding planned or future development efforts for our existing or new products and services. These statements are not intended to be a promise or guarantee of future delivery of products, services, or features but merely reflect our current plans, which may change.

The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect any change in circumstances, after the statements are made.

Note to Editors: Autodesk and i-drop 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, Inc. Brian Baker, 415/507-6411
             brian.baker@autodesk.com

    SOURCE: Autodesk