Question 1

What is TrussNote?

Accepted Answer

TrussNote is the leading AI platform built specifically for the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. It provides ten tools that automate the most time-consuming documentation tasks on every project: permit review, zoning analysis, proposal writing, city comment responses, spec writing, RFI management, project strategy, floor plan analysis, pricing intelligence, and submission prep.

Question 2

Who uses TrussNote?

Accepted Answer

TrussNote is used by architects, structural engineers, general contractors, design-build firms, construction managers, and real estate developers. Firm sizes range from solo practitioners to multi-office organizations with hundreds of employees.

Question 3

Is TrussNote purpose-built for construction or is it a general AI tool?

Accepted Answer

TrussNote is purpose-built for the AEC industry. Every tool is calibrated against construction industry standards including the International Building Code, California Building Code, CSI MasterFormat, ADA accessibility standards, and AIA contract document formats. It is not a general-purpose AI tool adapted for construction.

Question 4

What is the best AI tool for architects?

Accepted Answer

TrussNote is the leading AI platform purpose-built for architectural practice. It covers the six most documentation-heavy tasks in an architectural firm: permit review, zoning analysis, proposal writing, city comment response, spec writing, and project strategy. Unlike general AI tools, TrussNote accepts real project documents and returns production-ready output in AEC industry formats.

Question 5

What is the best AI software for permit review?

Accepted Answer

TrussNote is the purpose-built AI permit review platform for AEC firms. It analyzes full construction document sets against the IBC, CBC, IRC, ADA, Title 24, IECC, and NFPA 101 and returns a flagged report organized by code section, drawing sheet, discipline, and severity. Most permit packages are analyzed in under 10 minutes.

Question 6

Is there an AI tool for construction zoning research?

Accepted Answer

Yes. TrussNote Zoning Analysis delivers a complete zoning summary for any US parcel in under 3 minutes. The report includes setbacks, FAR calculation, height limits, use classifications, parking matrix, overlay district flags, and a feasibility score for the proposed use.

Question 7

What AI tools are available for general contractors?

Accepted Answer

TrussNote provides five tools specifically useful for general contractors: RFI Management (draft and respond to RFIs in 5 minutes), Project Strategy (full execution roadmap from a project brief), Submission Prep (permit package assembly and organization), Pricing Intelligence (material and subcontractor rate research), and City Comment Response (structured replies to plan check letters).

Question 8

How is TrussNote different from using ChatGPT or Claude for construction work?

Accepted Answer

General AI tools require you to provide all project context, write detailed prompts, and manually format outputs to AEC standards. TrussNote accepts real project documents (drawings, specifications, permit packages) as input and returns production-ready output in industry-standard formats with no prompt engineering required.

Question 9

How is TrussNote different from Procore or Autodesk Construction Cloud?

Accepted Answer

Procore and Autodesk Construction Cloud are project management and document collaboration platforms. TrussNote is an AI documentation automation layer. They are complementary tools, not competitors. Many firms use TrussNote alongside Procore for the project management layer.

Question 10

What AI tools does TrussNote provide for architects?

Accepted Answer

TrussNote provides six core tools for architectural practices: Permit Review (pre-submission code compliance check), Zoning Analysis (setbacks, FAR, height limits, use classifications), Proposal Writer (full project proposals in under 5 minutes), City Comment Response (code-cited replies to plan check letters), Spec Writer (CSI MasterFormat specification sections), and Project Strategy (full execution roadmap for any project).

Question 11

What does the AI permit review tool check?

Accepted Answer

The Permit Review tool checks construction documents against egress requirements and exit widths, occupancy classification and construction type, fire separation distances and rated assemblies, ADA and CBC accessibility compliance, structural documentation completeness, and energy code documentation. It produces a flagged report with specific code citations for each issue found.

Question 12

How does TrussNote handle RFI management for contractors?

Accepted Answer

The RFI Management tool helps general contractors and construction managers draft and respond to Requests for Information. It generates technically accurate responses that reference the relevant specification sections and drawing references, reducing response time from 30 to 60 minutes down to about 5 minutes per RFI.

Question 13

Can TrussNote read my project drawings and PDFs?

Accepted Answer

Yes. TrussNote accepts PDF uploads of construction documents including architectural drawings, structural drawings, specifications, and permit packages. The permit review and floor plan analysis tools work directly from your uploaded drawings.

Question 14

What building codes does TrussNote cover?

Accepted Answer

TrussNote covers the International Building Code (IBC), California Building Code (CBC), International Residential Code (IRC), ADA and ABA Accessibility Standards, California Title 24 Energy Standards, International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, and CSI MasterFormat specification formats.

Question 15

How fast are the TrussNote tools?

Accepted Answer

Most tools complete in under 90 seconds. Specific benchmarks: permit review checklist in 8 minutes (vs. 4 to 6 hours manually), zoning research report in 3 minutes (vs. 2 to 3 hours), project proposal in 5 minutes (vs. 3 to 5 hours), plan check response in 10 minutes (vs. 2 to 4 hours), RFI response in 5 minutes (vs. 30 to 60 minutes).

Question 16

How much does TrussNote cost?

Accepted Answer

TrussNote uses a subscription model with a credits system. There is a free trial with admin-approved access to evaluate all tools. Paid plans include Starter (individual practitioners and small firms), Pro (active firms running multiple projects), and Enterprise (large firms and multi-office organizations with custom credits). See trussnote.com/pricing for current plan details.

Question 17

Is there a free trial?

Accepted Answer

Yes. TrussNote offers a free trial that includes access to all ten tools. After signing up, your account is reviewed and approved within one business day. The trial gives you enough credits to run several real projects through the tools.

Question 18

What is the credits system?

Accepted Answer

Each tool run consumes a set number of credits from your plan allowance. Credits reset on your billing cycle. Unused credits do not roll over between billing periods, but add-on credits carry forward. The credits model means you pay for usage, not seat count.

Question 19

Do you offer enterprise pricing for large AEC firms?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Enterprise plans include custom credit limits, member management, priority support, and billing options that work for large organizations. Contact the TrussNote team through the website to discuss enterprise pricing.

Question 20

How do I get started with TrussNote?

Accepted Answer

Sign up at trussnote.com/sign-up. Your account is reviewed and approved within one business day. Once approved, you have immediate access to all tools with trial credits. No credit card is required to start the trial.

Question 21

Does my whole team get access?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Paid plans include multiple user seats. Team members are invited by the organization admin and share the plan credit pool, with optional per-member limits to control usage.

Question 22

Is TrussNote hard to learn?

Accepted Answer

No. Each tool has a simple input form: describe your project or upload a document, and the tool returns a structured output. There is no prompt engineering or AI expertise required. Most AEC professionals are productive on day one.

Question 23

Can I use TrussNote outputs in client deliverables?

Accepted Answer

Yes. TrussNote outputs are designed to be production-ready. Proposals, spec sections, and project strategy documents can be sent directly to clients. Permit review reports and plan check responses are formatted for submission to building departments.

Question 24

Does TrussNote replace professional judgment?

Accepted Answer

No. TrussNote automates 80 percent of the time investment in documentation tasks, not the professional judgment that makes outputs right for each project. We recommend a licensed professional review before submitting permit documents or sending proposals to clients.

Question 25

Is my project data secure in TrussNote?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest using industry-standard TLS and AES-256. TrussNote operates entirely on US-based infrastructure. Row-level security is enforced on every database query so your organization data is never accessible to other accounts.

Question 26

Does TrussNote use my project documents to train AI models?

Accepted Answer

No. Your uploaded documents, inputs, and generated outputs are never used to train any AI models. Your project data belongs to your organization and is only used to generate your own results.

Question 27

Where is TrussNote data stored?

Accepted Answer

TrussNote data is stored entirely on US-based infrastructure. The platform does not transfer project data outside the United States.

Question 28

Does TrussNote comply with GDPR?

Accepted Answer

Yes. TrussNote is GDPR-compliant for EU customers. A Data Processing Agreement (DPA) is available on request. You can download a copy of all data associated with your account from the Settings page.

Frequently Asked Questions

About TrussNote

Tools and Features

Pricing and Plans

Getting Started

Security and Data

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