SAN RAFAEL, CA — Autodesk (www.autodesk.com) has named Green Structures as the Autodesk Inventor of the Year for 2011 for developing the Ventive energy-efficiency system that is ideal for building retrofits. Members of the Autodesk manufacturing community from around the world chose the UK-based company by voting on the community Website.
Green Structures (www.greenstructures.co.uk) uses Autodesk Inventor software and a range of other Autodesk Digital Prototyping solutions to transform the way energy systems are planned, designed, constructed, maintained and operated within the built environment. The company was originally named Autodesk Inventor of the Month December 2011.
As a member of the Autodesk Clean Tech Partner Program — an initiative that provides Autodesk Digital Prototyping software to emerging and established clean tech companies — Green Structures is an innovator in passive heat recovery ventilation and thermal energy storage systems.
Thomas Lipinski, founder, managing director and CTO of Green Structures says, “With access to the same world-class Autodesk professional software as some of the United Kingdom’s largest manufacturers, we have strengthened the quality and professionalism of our design process. It is an honor to receive this award and be recognized for our work by the Autodesk Manufacturing Community.”
The firm’s Ventive heat recovery ventilation system works with existing chimneys to channel air and heat. This system contrasts with current mechanical heat recovery ventilation systems, which require that complex ductwork be installed throughout an entire building. Ventive can be installed in less than 30 minutes, providing a far faster and less expensive alternative for retrofitting buildings with the latest green technologies.
Green Structures relies on Autodesk Inventor, as well as Autodesk Ecotect Analysis software, Autodesk Simulation Multiphysics software and Autodesk Revit Architecture software in its product design and development. Access to Autodesk design and simulation technology provided a more controlled environment to test designs, helping to make the design process less costly, faster and with less guesswork.
Green Structures accelerated the prototyping process for its Ventive heat recovery ventilation system through the use of Autodesk Simulation software to digitally simulate wind tunnel tests and perform heat transfer analysis, saving on physical testing costs of approximately $1,550 per day. Autodesk reseller Envisage helped provide training and support to enable Green Structures to more quickly implement Autodesk Digital Prototyping software in the design process.
Robert “Buzz” Kross, senior vice president, Design, Lifecycle and Simulation at Autodesk says, “We join the Autodesk Manufacturing Community in congratulating Green Structures for its standout application of Autodesk software to transform energy systems.”