Autodesk and the USGBC announce multifamily design competition

NEW ORLEANS, May 12, 2011 — AIA 2011 National Convention — Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK), a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, announced at the AIA 2011 National Convention in New Orleans that it has partnered with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to sponsor the organization’s Multifamily Midrise Design Competition. The contest is geared to provide design professionals and students with a unique opportunity to present their solutions to sustainable, multifamily midrise design.

Design professionals and students are invited to submit their ideas for a new four-to-six-story residential mixed-use building/complex, in combination with a gut-rehab renovation and recommissioning of an adjacent existing building. Specifically, competition entrants will be tasked with delivering ideas for reenergizing the 1300 block of Oretha C. Haley Boulevard between Thalia and Erato streets in New Orleans via design and adaptive reuse architecture, with consideration given to the former elementary school that still stands on the grounds.

The LEED for Homes Multifamily Midrise Green Building Rating System was developed to better address multifamily residential development, promoting sustainable practices for affordable homes. The intention of the 2011 USGBC Multifamily Midrise Design Competition is to bring awareness to opportunities to incorporate sustainable design into revitalization efforts in the city of New Orleans and other communities.

The contest winner will be recognized at the annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo and will receive a license to the Autodesk Building Design Suite Ultimate 2012. The comprehensive software package supports sustainable design and enables design professionals to work toward LEED Certification for their projects.

Contest Details at a Glance

What: 2011 USGBC Multifamily Midrise Design Competition

Who: Industry professionals and design students

When: Contest registration opens on May 1, 2011; registration deadline is July 1, 2011; entries are due August 1, 2011; winners will be announced October 4-7, 2011, at the Greenbuild Conference in Toronto

Where: Learn more about the contest and its rules.

About the U.S. Green Building Council

The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 79 local affiliates, 16,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 163,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in 3D design <http://www.autodesk.com/pr-autodesk> , engineering and entertainment software. Customers across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and entertainment industries ¾ including the last 16 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects ¾ use Autodesk software to design, visualize and simulate their ideas. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art software for global markets.