MIAMI — Autodesk Inc. has announced that DesignGroup has received an Autodesk BIM Experience Award for extending the use of building information modeling (BIM) to sustainable design, and for the application of a BIM process on more than 40 building projects to date, representing over 4.2-million square feet.
The award further recognizes the firm’s efforts to promote BIM through presentations, lectures and continuing education seminars for its partners, consultants, clients, local builders, industry groups and universities.
“At DesignGroup we use a BIM process to digitally develop, visualize, analyze and validate innovative building designs that satisfy our client’s goals for energy performance, aesthetics and budget,” the company said.
DesignGroup is also being honored for its exemplary use of software for BIM, including Autodesk Revit Architecture, Autodesk 3ds Max Design, Autodesk Ecotect Analysis, (whose active subscribers have access to Autodesk Green Building Studio web-based service), and Autodesk Navisworks.
“At DesignGroup we use a BIM process to digitally develop, visualize, analyze and validate innovative building designs that satisfy our client’s goals for energy performance, aesthetics and budget,” said Brian Skripac, BIM technology manager for DesignGroup. “We fully leverage both the qualitative and quantitative information in the Revit model to support a BIM workflow within our design teams. We use that same information within the Revit Architecture model in an interoperable format with Ecotect Analysis and Green Building Studio to help give our design teams and clients the analysis they need for solid evidence-based decision making and capital planning.”
One of DesignGroup’s recently built BIM process-based projects is the $5.1-million Grange Insurance Audubon Center located in Columbus, Ohio. Targeted for LEED Silver or potentially Gold Certification, the urban ecology learning center serves as a model for sustainable design and environmental education. DesignGroup and the project’s structural engineer used an integrated Revit Architecture–based model for design collaboration, coordination and evaluation of design alternatives and sustainability strategies.
DesignGroup’s other recent BIM process-based projects include the new Hocking College Energy Institute, poised to become Ohio’s first LEED Platinum–certified higher education building, and an $85-million new patient tower addition for Butler Health System in Pennsylvania.
Both projects featured integrated project teams using the Revit platform for earlier decision making and improved design coordination, with Autodesk Navisworks software applied to the Butler Health System project for cross-discipline clash detection and construction planning.
One of the team’s current projects, delivered with partner company Energent Solutions, is a study for Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company that will help the company reduce the energy consumption of its corporate headquarters office towers.
For more information about Autodesk or DesignGroup, please visit www.autodesk.com, or http://www.designgroup.us.com/, respetively.
