Trimble Navigation Ltd. (Nasdaq: TRMB) has purchased cloud-based building design company Sefaira Ltd. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Sefaira, based in New York and London, develops software that is designed to let building engineers and architects estimate water and energy usage in different designs.

“Architects need to consider building performance in a more intuitive way, and be able to collaborate better with the engineers who design the systems that make building works,” says Trimble architecture and design general manager Chris Keating.

Trimble, located in Sunnyvale, California, is best known for making GPS technology. The company also develops data and communication software for the agriculture, engineering, building and construction sectors. The company’s building and architecture technology allows designers to sketch 3D models of their projects.

Trimble has made a couple of other deals recently. In November, the company purchased Telog Instruments, which makes wireless data technology that monitors and measures water tanks and reservoirs. The company also picked up Agri-Trend, a network provider of agricultural consultants.

In other recent technology deals, Cisco (Nasdaq: CSCO) is acquiring Jasper Technologies; Evolve bought APT; and TA Associates is buying StorageCraft Technology Corp.

Building products Technology