Software and sustainability:
How to make the technology work for you
Posted
12/1/2009
One of the key
challenges facing today's architects is understanding and tackling
how to incorporate sustainable design principles into existing
design workflows and processes. Surprisingly for some, software
tools are emerging as an invaluable part of this.
Building performance analysis and energy modeling software is
incredibly powerful within the green design process. Through the
quantifiable virtual testing of strategies at the whole-building
level, it facilitates energy-efficient building design, reduced CO2
emissions, ensures quality indoor environmental conditions, and
allows the better utilization of low-carbon technologies and
renewable energy.
However, there are a lot of unanswered questions, particularly
among architects, as to how this technology works. Questions such
as: What analysis capabilities are available to me? What do the
results tell me? What tasks should I be doing when? And how do I
incorporate all this into my existing workflow?
As a general
rule, the most impact is made when analysis and modeling is
incorporated right from the earliest stages, well before key design
decisions are set in stone. High-quality analysis information can
quantify and inform iterative decisions for new and retrofit
projects, allowing the team to effectively develop creative
sustainable solutions. Analysis can then be used to further refine
the design as it progresses.
The issue is that most building performance simulation tools are
deemed not compatible with architects' working methods and needs.
From the perspective of many architects, many analysis tools are
judged as too complex and cumbersome. This stems from the fact that
most analysis tools were developed by technical researchers,
building scientists or HVAC engineers concerned with empirical
validation.
There is a real need to fully comprehend architects' problems in
interacting with performance simulation tools-architects have
different backgrounds, different knowledge processing methods and
are visually orientated. To bridge this analysis gap between
architects and engineers, it must be recognized that building
simulation is a human, psychological and social discipline, as well
as an empirical one. Today, there are many factors that provide a
real chance to bridge this gap.
The waves of
energy codes and rating systems, such as LEED, as well as a growing
social consciousness, are pushing the ethos of sustainable building
design to the top of the agenda. Meanwhile, the advent of building
information modeling and recent direct links of performance
analysis tools to BIM and other computer-aided design tools are
pushing a more integrated, information sharing approach to design
team working.
Through the introduction of our different levels of interface used
from the early design stages, IES Ltd., Boston, is addressing this
and moving toward an analysis to understanding approach-helping
designers understand and input the data required for modeling,
allowing them to simulate, produce and interrogate results, draw
conclusions and reach understandings that will support an iterative
and more integrated design process.
So how can performance simulation be used by architects? Steven
Chu, the U.S. secretary of energy, is adamant that great
efficiency, particularly in buildings, will significantly reduce
the number of power plants built. So the overall aim should be to
reduce overall energy consumption, while looking at applying low
carbon technologies and renewable energy sources. However, this
lean, clean, green approach should not be to the detriment of
occupant comfort.
Comparative
analysis of climate, building metrics, solar, energy/carbon, light
and natural resources at the early stage, using ballpark figures,
can be useful to check feasibility, quantify and inform design team
decision making. It can help with those all important master
planning, orientation, massing and form decisions; justifying
choices and differentiating project proposals. Results can be used
to explain and quantify to clients the sustainable impact of
different decisions and tradeoffs, offering a competitive
advantage. While, feasibility conversations with engineers can
easily be started early on before key decisions are set in
stone.
Detailed analysis of these and other elements such as airflow,
thermal comfort, heating/cooling loads, egress and value/cost at
later stages provides more accurate figures and results for system
sizing, fine tuning, compliance, costing and documentation. Again,
competitive advantage is achieved as results and analysis can be
presented to clients, justifying design decisions and providing
data for effective commissioning and in-use operation.
We're seeing at IES that more and more architects are starting to
embrace and understand the power of analysis; more architectural
firms are purchasing or inquiring about our software-firms from all
around the globe. For example, Broadway Malyan, London, has been
piloting our software in conjunction with Google SketchUp at the
initial master planning and massing stages across a number of key
projects in London and Dubai.
Kevin Leahy, main board director of Broadway Malyan UAE (United
Arab Emirates), said: "Broadway Malyan is passionate about making
sustainability fundamental to the design process throughout the
practice and believes that the IES/SketchUp interface demonstrates
an innovative way to adopt and embed new approaches and methods of
working as part of a joined up, integrated team effort."
Stephen Choi, sustainable design co-ordinator at Broadway Malyan,
while discussing the promotion of core sustainable design
principles, commented: "As simple as it sounds this ability to
quickly undertake environmental analysis helps us ensure that any
sustainable solution ideas are not dropped as the design progresses
and that the design is kept on track energy and performance-wise.
It enables us to look at how energy use, carbon emission, solar and
daylight are affected at key design iterations right from the very
initial stages and then at increasing levels of detail as the
architectural design progresses."
Taking this to
the next level, due to our plug-in connection to San Rafael,
Calif.-based Autodesk's Revit, designers can now easily progress
their design, using IES performance analysis, seamlessly from one
application to another. Many Revit users choose to undertake
initial concept design within SketchUp and our integration with
both applications can significantly enhance their workflow.
"When the architectural design model is also the energy model,
energy modelling and responsiveness become core components of the
design process. For example, rooms are designed explicitly as 3-D
energy-consuming volumes instead of just floor space bounded by
walls," said Dustin Eplee, leader of Pittsburgh-based Burt Hill's
Energy Analysis team, which was formed as an in-house consulting
group dedicated to building simulation.
Brian Tysoe, M. Se., LEED AP and building simulation specialist for
MCW Consultants Ltd., Toronto, said of IES: "It allows us to use a
common model for both load calculations and energy modelling, and
the interoperability of IES with SketchUp and Revit allows for a
more iterative process, where we can get involved in the design at
an earlier stage of the project."
The "good design is sustainable design" ethos promoted by
quantitative analysis can make a great impact. Architects get quick
environmental feedback on design iterations and environmental
engineers can input more into the design. Achieving this kind of
effective collaboration and cross-discipline understanding, in my
opinion, is core to achieving truly sustainable, energy-efficient
building design.
Dr. Don McLean is the founder and managing
director at IES Ltd., Boston. For more information, go to
www.iesve.com.
www.iesve.com