SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 2003--

Renowned Architecture Firm Cuts Information Flow Management of Major Sports Facility Project by 30% with Autodesk's Online Building

Collaboration Solution

Known for its innovative culture, Ellerbe Becket was able to significantly accelerate its design work on the Seattle Seahawks Stadium and Exhibition Center by standardizing on the Autodesk(R) Buzzsaw(TM) online collaboration solution from Autodesk Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK). Ellerbe Becket served as lead architect on the project, which began in 1997 and was officially completed, one month ahead of schedule, with a series of gala public celebrations and sporting events in July 2002.

"With Buzzsaw, we saw a 30 percent decrease in the time spent managing information flow. On a job like Seahawks Stadium and Exhibition Center -- that translates into a time saving of about 18 hours a week," said Kelly Kerns, project leader at Ellerbe Becket. "The benefits don't stop there; we saw them throughout the project. For example, assembling all the information for a progress print without Buzzsaw can take four or five people a full day; but with Buzzsaw, it takes one person less than an hour."

Ellerbe Becket used Autodesk design software, AutoCAD(R) and 3ds max(TM) to create and document the design of the stadium, but they were also looking for a new way to improve the distribution of the design information. When design work began on the stadium, online collaboration was a nascent technology and overnight delivery still the de facto standard for exchanging drawings and other critical information between design professionals on construction projects. Seeking a more effective way to communicate among team members, Ellerbe Becket saw that the power of the Internet could be leveraged for better internal communications so they adopted a file transfer protocol (FTP) system to exchange project information.

Though unquestionably faster and more efficient than physical delivery, the FTP solution did not allow for external document transfer, easy team collaboration and document management, plus the system provided minimal security. In 1999, Ellerbe Becket made the leap to online collaboration with the Autodesk Buzzsaw service. Not only did Buzzsaw allow architects to share drawings and other files with the entire project team, but just as importantly, the service provided excellent security and enabled team leaders to manage and communicate more efficiently on projects.

Seattle Seahawks Stadium was developed by First & Goal Inc., a private company formed by Microsoft founder Paul Allen to build and operate the facility for Washington State Public Stadium Authority, the public entity owner. Home to the National Football League's Seattle Seahawks and local soccer team Seattle Sounders, the facility also houses an exhibition center that hosts conferences and events attracting thousands of people each year. The stadium's open air design offers striking views of the Seattle skyline, Mount Rainier, Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains, while incorporating a roof that protects 70 percent of attendees from the region's frequent rains.

"One of the more significant challenges on the project was that we were building right on top of the old Kingdome site," said Kerns. "We had to design and build the exhibition center first, then complete the Kingdome demolition, then build the stadium on the old footprint and tie it into the exhibition center. The timing of all of that and the design complexity meant we had a lot of scheduling and procurement issues. Bringing Buzzsaw into the project minimized the number of hiccups that can slow progress, which translated into increased productivity, a better product and more value for the client."

"The Seattle Seahawks Stadium project shows the tremendous progress that the building design and construction industry has made over the past few years with online collaboration," said Chris Bradshaw, vice president, Autodesk Building Collaboration Services. "Instantaneous document delivery, increased security and document access management, smoother design review processes, increased productivity--these tangible benefits show why Autodesk Buzzsaw is a better way to manage building design and construction projects."

About Ellerbe Becket

An innovator since its founding in 1909, Ellerbe Becket provides integrated architecture, engineering and construction services from 7 office locations worldwide.

About Autodesk

Founded in 1982, Autodesk Inc. is the world's leading design software and digital content company. Autodesk offers solutions for professionals in building design, geographic information systems, manufacturing, digital media, and wireless data services. By delivering progressive products and services, Autodesk helps customers create, manage, use and maximize the value of their digital data throughout the lifecycle of their projects. For more information about the company, see www.autodesk.com. For information about the Buzzsaw service, visit the product site at www.autodesk.com/buzzsaw.

Autodesk, AutoCAD, 3ds max and Buzzsaw are either registered trademarks or 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.
             Gabrielle Friedly, 415/356-0741
             
Email Contact