Sweets Provides Architects with 1000+ 3D Models of Building Products by 36 Manufacturers in Google SketchUp Format; Models Aid Early Design Process NEW YORK, May 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP) , today showcased three-dimensional models of building products for architects and engineers in the Google 3D Warehouse. This initiative provides a faster, more user-friendly method of delivering professional, authentic 3D content. The showcase of this new technology took place at the AIA National Convention and Design Expo in San Antonio, TX. By making 3D models available in an organized Sweets3D Collection at www.sweets.com, McGraw-Hill Construction has enabled architects to integrate specific building products early in the conceptual design process, thus making it easier to convey their full vision for the project to their clients. "Designers stake their reputation on the quality of their designs. They want to create compelling models that help clients truly and accurately visualize an idea," says Norbert Young, president of McGraw-Hill Construction. "Adding 3D models to our Sweets portfolio, which is the design community's leading source of building product information, will help us serve architects in this early conceptual design phase. We are very excited about the tremendous interest we are seeing firsthand at the show." The Sweets 3D Collection in the Google 3D Warehouse launched its pilot in early March with 3D models from Assa Abloy Door Security Solutions, CENTRIA Architectural Systems, DuPont Building Innovations, Nystrom, PPG Industries, Sloan Valve Company, ThyssenKrupp Elevator, and Whirlpool. Since then, the following firms have added models to the collection: A.R.K. Ramos Signage Systems, Alcan Composites, Alcoa, Armstrong Ceiling, The Bilco Company, Blumcraft, DORMA Glas, Draper, EMCO Specialty Products, Inc., Fiberglass Specialties, Inc., Gladiator Garage Works, Haworth, Infinite Storage Solutions, Jenn-Air, KitchenAid, Inc., Livers Bronze Company, Norton, Optimum Window Manufacturing Corp., Pella Corp., Penco Products, Inc., Peterson Aluminum Corp., Pittsburgh Corning Glass Block, Rixson, Sherwin-Williams, Valiant Products, Inc., The Wagner Companies, Wiremold/Legrand, and Won Door Corp. These 36 firms offer more than 1,000 3D models. "We constantly seek to provide designers with the easiest and best means possible to include Sloan products in their designs. We are very excited to be involved with Sweets3D and Google SketchUp as they break new ground in helping architects realize their vision in a whole new way," said Susan Kennedy, director of marketing, Sloan Valve Company. To view Sweets 3D Collection, go to http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/. Searching for products in the Sweets3D collection is consistent with industry standards based on Sweets CSI indexing, keyword, and company names. "This reflects the way architects, engineers, and contractors think and seek out information. From Google's 3D Warehouse, architects and engineers are able to link directly to the product's web page in www.sweets.com to get more detailed information including product catalogs, CAD details, and 3-part specifications. Having all of this information connected will help architects throughout their design process," added Mr. Young. "SketchUp is an absolutely wonderful 3D tool that enables me to be re- involved in the design process - even on the road," says Peter Moriarty AIA, CEO of 600-person A/E firm Burt Hill. "Best of all, it has revived the fun I used to have when I was on the drawing board. I often work with it in my hotel room, after a client meeting, in order to develop my thoughts on the design direction, which I then email to a design team in one of our offices. Typically, they advance my concepts in SketchUp, and then export the model to a more sophisticated CAD or BIM tool for final design. Knowing that I can extract actual building products from the Sweets Collection for SketchUp in the Google 3D Warehouse to insert into the model, I am more confident that the initial concept will work without requiring major resizing or reconfiguration," Moriarty added.
