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Energy tool, CAD updates, a mini-PC
By Deborah Snoonian, P.E.

GeoPraxis offers free energy analyses for conceptual designs.

Green Building Studio
GeoPraxis
www.geopraxis.com
Windows only

This free Web-based service provides an analysis of a building’s energy characteristics during the conceptual design phase. Users must register for an account at the company’s Web site, then download a free software plug-in that works with their 3D CAD system (currently Graphisoft’s ArchiCAD and Autodesk’s current versions of ADT, Revit, and Building Systems). After completing a conceptual design, the user enters the building’s type and location and clicks a “Submit” button that sends design data to the Green Building Studio Web site, where the structure is analyzed for energy performance. Results can be viewed on the Web site or downloaded as a gbXML file that users may share with consultants or team members for more detailed energy analyses using programs such as EnergyPlus or DOE 2.2.

ADT’s improvements focus on interoperability and working in tandem with companion software programs AutoCAD and Building Systems.

Architectural Desktop 2005
Autodesk
www.autodesk.com
Windows only

Autodesk’s latest version of ADT, its original 3D CAD program, includes a new “details” feature with a library of built-in, editable components, as well as automated routines that help users draw details more quickly. Objects created within ADT are now compatible with the company’s Building Systems software for collaboration and file-sharing purposes, and the interface now supports third-party programmers who wish to create niche applications for engineering analyses. The software also supports the Industry Foundation Classes (IFCs) developed by the International Alliance for Interoperability by way of translation software.

Only a bit larger than a handheld organizer, OQO’s ultra PC packs more computing power.

ultra Personal Computer
OQO
www.oqo.com
Windows only

This Windows XP-compatible computer boasts the number-crunching power of a conventional laptop at a fraction of the size and weight (4.9 inches by 3.5 inches by 0.9 inch, weighing 14 ounces). The ultra Personal Computer (uPC) comes equipped with a 1-gigahertz processor, a 20-gigabyte hard drive, a color display screen, and Firewire and Bluetooth wireless capabilities. A USB port lets you add a mouse or another peripheral device; a miniature keyboard, mouse buttons, and thumbwheel allow data input and navigation. When connected to its docking cable, the uPC can be enhanced with audio and Ethernet functions or a second USB or FireWire port. Though it’s not souped-up enough to manipulate CAD files, the uPC represents a viable option for those who want to tote more power than a handheld organizer offers, but with a lot less bulk than a laptop. The company says the uPC will be widely available by summer 2004.

Common Point’s offerings allow teams to see how construction will proceed, so they can identify potential conflicts and trouble zones.

Project 4D and ConstructSim
Common Point
www.commonpointinc.com
Windows only

Common Point’s founders first began working with simulation construction sites at Stanford’s Center for Integrated Facility Engineering (CIFE). Project 4D, its flagship program, adds a fourth dimension—time—to a typical 3D building model so that users can visualize construction activity for a building or group of buildings and manage the schedule accordingly, to ensure that conflicts and delays are minimized. The software uses information imported from a variety of existing CAD and scheduling programs. ConstructSim is a “visual collaborative environment” for a project team, integrating data from Project 4D as well as engineering, procurement, and materials-management software for a more comprehensive management effort.

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