DProfiler, from Beck Technology, can be used in the planning and conceptual design phases of a construction project to produce a cost estimate based on a 3-D model, the vendor said.

DProfiler can import cost data from Microsoft Excel or RSMeans; cost data can also be created natively. Energy analysis functionality helps project owners compare a particular design's initial cost to its operating costs; owners can also track key fees (for factors such as land acquisition, architecture and engineering) and use them to calculate lease rates and return on investment.

Cost data, once finalized, can then be exported to Excel or to Sage Timberline Estimating.

The cost model, meanwhile, comes from an imported CAD file or scanned sketch. It can then be exported to other BIM applications for further work and to Google Earth for visualization, the vendor said.