Building energy modeling (BEM), a subset of building information modeling (BIM), integrates energy analysis into the design, construction, and operation and maintenance of buildings. As there are various existing BEM tools available, there is a need to evaluate the utility of these tools in various phases of the building lifecycle. The goal of this research was to develop guidelines for evaluation and selection of BEM tools to be used in particular building lifecycle phases. The objectives of this research were to: (1) Evaluate existing BEM tools; (2) Illustrate the application of the three BEM tools; (3) Re-evaluate the three BEM tools; and (4) Develop guidelines for evaluation, selection and application of BEM tools in the design, construction and operation/maintenance phases of buildings. Twelve BEM tools were initially evaluated using four criteria: interoperability, usability, available inputs, and available outputs. Each of the top three BEM tools selected based on this initial evaluation was used in a case study to simulate and evaluate energy usage, daylighting performance, and natural ventilation for two academic buildings (LEED-certified and non-LEED-certified). The results of the case study were used to re-evaluate the three BEM tools using the initial criteria with addition of the two new criteria (speed and accuracy), and to develop guidelines for evaluating and selecting BEM tools to analyze building energy performance. The major
Building Information Modeling (BIM) efficiently integrates environmental analysis into the design and delivery of high-performance buildings. Building Energy Modeling (BEM), a subset of BIM, employs various simulation tools for predicting the environmental performance of buildings. As the demand for high-performance buildings has increased, BEM has facilitated the delivery of buildings that meet expected performance requirements. The research objectives were to: 1) evaluate various BEM tools, and 2) develop guidelines for using BEM tools in design and delivery of high-performance buildings. Twelve BEM tools were evaluated using four criteria: interoperability, user-friendliness, available inputs, and available outputs. The top three programs (Autodesk Ecotect, Autodesk Green Building Studio, and IES ) were selected based on this evaluation. Each of these selected BEM tools was used in the case study to simulate energy consumption, daylighting performance, and natural ventilation for two buildings, one LEED certified and one non-LEED certified. The results of the case study were used to compare the environmental performance of the two buildings and to develop guidelines for using BEM tools to analyze building environmental performance.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.