OpenBuildings Designer

Deliver sustainable, high-performance buildings

OpenBuildings Designer is a multidiscipline Building Information Modeling (BIM) software that streamlines the work among architects and electrical, mechanical, and structural engineers. You can design, model, analyze, manage, and construct buildings of any size, form, and complexity with information-rich models. Using a federated data approach to modeling and drawing management will allow you and your team members to work on any size models simultaneously, regardless of stakeholder location. With OpenBuildings Designer, you can design, model, and analyze multidiscipline rail stations, as well as perform pedestrian simulation.

Take advantage of building information modeling (BIM)

OpenBuildings Designer provides BIM advancements, so you can deliver buildings faster and with greater confidence. BIM is a fully immersive 3D modeling environment that integrates information for multiple disciplines, companies and project phases. Leverage BIM methodologies to improve your project delivery and better manage your design information across the entire project lifecycle. With BIM analysis, you get a better understanding of the data rich digital representation of your building to improve the odds of delivering a building on time and on budget. You can explore design options, conduct analysis and better communicate design intent.

Increase collaboration among disciplines

Work together more efficiently in a project environment with a shared library of design components, tools, workflows, and production standards. Integrate information from multiple formats and share models and drawings across geographically dispersed teams without sacrificing discipline or responsibility. And keep stakeholders in the loop with renderings and movies using built-in visualization tools to make it easier for you to evaluate materials and communicate designs in ways that bring ideas to life.

Efficiently explore design alternatives and address real-life design scenarios

Model any type of building or infrastructure?including commercial, industrial, transportation, education, and government buildings, as well as structures such as bridges and tunnels. Built-in clash detection makes coordinating building systems more efficient. Using computational design, evaluate more approaches and options for designs faster, while improving overall quality. Embedding design intent with expressions and constraint-driven geometry minimizes repetitive modeling work, while integrated energy services provide the ability to predict the performance impact of changes.

Design and simulate transit stations

Do it all from high-speed and commuter to metro and light rail?as well as pedestrian travel paths. The work set of functional space definitions and catalog of design components are specifically geared to railway station design.

GenerativeComponents templates for complex geometry, for example, are ideal for designing tunnels and platforms. Create simulation scenarios by defining spaces, activities, passenger characteristics, and operational information such as train timetables to simulate and analyze foot traffic.

All Disciplines

• Design in 3D to explore ideas with free-form modeling
• Design in context with referenced reality models and point clouds
• Perform clash detection
• Produce lifelike renderings, visualizations?and movies
• Apply company and project standards
• Exchange data in common formats (i.e. IFC,?COBie,?RealDWG,?Revit?Family RFA, and?SketchUp?SKP)
• Incorporate project documents, media, web links, and more?with?hypermodeling
• Easily manage data with bidirectional editing in Microsoft Excel
• Share project information with?iModels
• Enforce production standards within a?ProjectWise?managed environment
• Automate coordinated drawings by controlling drafting styles?and annotations

Architectural

• Speed up?design?by using?a catalog of walls, doors, windows,?and furniture
• Manage floor definitions for reference planes and floor groups
• Define custom grid systems
• Manage spaces to ensure compliance with owner requirements
• Model custom design stairs and handrails
• Interactively design configurations of curtain walls

Structural

• Model detailed steel structures, trusses, bar joists, handrail,?and ladder assemblies with?ProSteel?elements
• Model concrete and timber structures
• Reference a comprehensive library of international steel and?concrete shapes
• Produce quantity reports and volume and weight analyses
• Share structural models and analysis using Bentley?s Integrated?Structural Modeling (ISM) technology
• Exchange data with detailing applications using industry standards?(i.e. CIS/2, and SDNF)

Mechanical

• Route multiple pipes simultaneously with different diameter,?spacing, end type, insulation, and with manufacturer catalog
• Parametrically model HVAC, piping, and plumbing systems
• Define components, paths, and angles to be modeled automatically?when completing connections in HVAC and piping systems
• Dynamically route pipe systems with slope applied or apply as?a post process
• Create and configure air handling units using standard modules
• Size ductwork based on air flow, velocity, and friction rate
• Export designs to Trimble?s?FabShop?for fabrication

Electrical

Streamline lighting design using smart symbol arrangement tools?that are aligned with ceiling grid and wall-mounted components

Design electrical circuits and associate with lighting, power,?or fire protection panels

Automatically label components with user-definable labeling?formats for switch designation, circuit numbers, and device IDs

Model cable trays, baskets, conduits, and?wireways

Evaluate lighting level with a bidirectional interface?with?Relux?lighting analysis

Produce drawings and block diagrams, lighting, cable,?and panel schedules based on user-definable templates

Computational Designs

• Define objects, assembly relationships, and dimensional?constraints to capture design intent to explore a broad range?of what-if scenarios
• Use visual programming techniques to create design solutions,?manage dependencies, and orchestrate behaviors between?design objects
• Use mathematical statements to control geometry and define?dependencies between design objects
• Create reusable geometric assemblies extending the range?of geometry with embedded intelligent behaviors
• Define input controls (i.e. sliders and law curves) to dynamically?manipulate design components and propagate change within?the design
• Play the design script forward and in reverse incrementally to?visualize the design intent and behaviors of design relationships

Energy Simulation

• Perform whole building energy analysis with analytical?space models and conceptual mass models using?industry-standard?EnergyPlus
• Calculate design and satisfy building regulation requirements?using industry-standard building load calculation methods?(i.e. ASHRAE,?PartL, and CIBSE)
• Reference a catalog of predefined standard HVAC?system templates
• Calculate daylight factors using industry-standard Radiance engine
• Model surrounding buildings to simulate the effect of their shade?on the design
• Create reports and charts for all aspects of building simulation?including heating and cooling loads, LEED compliance, annual?energy use, equipment sizing requirements, and CO2 emissions

Processor

Intel? or AMD? processor 1.0 GHz or greater

Memory

16 GB minimum, 32 GB recommended

Hard Disk

24 GB free disk space

Video

512 MB of video RAM or higher is recommended

Screen Resolution

1024 x 768 or higher