In the current economy, every service provider is looking for an edge: a way to provide better advice, products and customer service in a shorter time. This is particularly true for the architectural profession, with quality design often seen as a luxury by misinformed home-owners and project managers.

TEVA, South Africa’s largest authorized fabricator of sustainable U-PVC window systems, has been aware of the further challenges posed to the architectural industry by SANS10400-XA energy compliance legislation since 2009. The percentage of fenestration to floor area needs to be calculated and then used to determine products and design features necessary to meet energy efficiency requirements. Architects often have to go back to the drawing board numerous times in order to create a space where the fenestration to floor area ratio is optimal. Further, there are numerous fenestration products which increase or mitigate energy loss, each with their own cost and design implications. Knowing the exact energy effects of each, and applying this knowledge to new designs at every step can be time consuming and frustrating.

BIM authoring solutions like Archicad and Revit have proven invaluable to architects in aligning the aesthetic and engineering aspects of numerous elements within the built environment efficiently as well as aiding firms in communicating these to their clients using 3D technology. For this reason quality local BIM content is in high demand for professionals looking to optimize work flow.

As a South African company dedicated to sustainability and quality in design, TEVA saw the gap and teamed up with Autospec and BimBakery.co to develop BIM Product Integrations that specifically incorporate the window products necessary for home and office building design.

Having identified the two leading BIM authoring solutions being used by Architectural professionals in South Africa, TEVA has designed software for Archicad (available immediately) and Revit (currently moving into production).

With this new tool, architects can rest assured that they can create sustainable, compliant designs and give their clients the best product advice within the shortest possible time. TEVA Managing Director, Pieter Malherbe, commented: “We are proud to be involved in creating something that is good for architects, good for the environment and good for us. It’s win-win”.

 (*BIM = BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING)