CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
27 May 2008
Implementation Investments
HDR Increases Investment in Autodesk BIM Solutions
Autodesk, Inc. and Avatech Solutions, Inc. announced that HDR, Inc. is adding the Revit platform as one of its tools for building information modeling (BIM) to help increase productivity and foster greater interdisciplinary design collaboration across the firm. HDR has signed a three-year, multi-million dollar agreement that includes nearly 1,800 seats of Autodesk software plus consulting services from both Autodesk and Avatech Solutions. In addition to the Revit platform, the agreement also includes seats of AutoCAD Architecture and AutoCAD MEP software.
"HDR has been practicing BIM for more than three years," said Brandt Karstens, vice president, architecture director of systems for HDR. "The architectural practice is adding the Revit platform to fully embrace BIM's 3D modeling and database approach. Our Engineering practice is also using AutoCAD Architecture and AutoCAD MEP for our Water and Environmental and Resource Management Business Classes. The HDR management team sees this new agreement and Autodesk BIM solutions as keys to achieving our goal of becoming a completely BIM-based operation by 2010."
HDR is an employee-owned architectural, engineering and consulting firm with more than 6,800 professionals in over 150 locations worldwide. The firm is recognized for its expertise in a wide range of diverse project areas from healthcare and nanotechnology architecture to transportation, water/wastewater and environmental engineering. In addition to commercial projects, HDR's clients also include major federal government agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Park Service. Utilizing the Autodesk platforms will help HDR continue to facilitate design collaboration throughout the firm and improve overall services by identifying constructability problems earlier in the design process, helping to reduce delays, and materials costs.
BIM is an integrated workflow built on coordinated, reliable information about a project from design through construction and into operations. By adopting BIM, architects, engineers, contractors and owners can create coordinated, digital design information and documentation; use that information to accurately visualize, simulate, and analyze performance, appearance and cost; and reliably deliver the project faster, more economically and with reduced environmental impact.
For a decade, Avatech Solutions, an Autodesk Premier Solutions Provider, has been helping HDR achieve their business objectives through innovative technology solutions. Avatech introduced the BIM concept to HDR, and now Avatech is partnering with Autodesk to accelerate HDR's transition to the Autodesk platforms. The two companies will collaborate on implementation planning, resource allocation and monitoring of progress toward attaining the goals envisioned by HDR.
"Avatech is a long-time advisor to industry leaders like HDR because our team is always thinking about how to leverage best-of-breed technologies to create significant improvements in business processes," says George Davis, president and CEO of Avatech Solutions. "Our deep-rooted industry experience, balanced with unrivaled technology expertise, will continue to enable us to propel businesses who want to raise the bar within their industry. We look forward to working with HDR for at least another ten years."
"HDR shares Autodesk's vision for BIM as the ideal process for integrated project delivery," said Jay Bhatt, senior vice president, Autodesk AEC Solutions. "We're particularly pleased to see leading firms such as HDR use our Revit platform, along with other Autodesk BIM solutions such as AutoCAD Civil 3D, to create a inter-discipline BIM practice that spans civil engineering, architecture, MEP engineering and construction."
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