Early Design Energy Analysis Using BIMs (Building Information Models)

An emerging area of interest within the A/E/C industry is designing sustainable buildings, as evidenced by the increasing use of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building rating system. This research utilized Building Information Modeling (BIM) for energy analysis during the conceptual design phase. Most building energy analyses are conducted late in the design by energy analysts. This paper describes a process of exploring different energy saving alternatives in early design using 3D-CAD (computer aided design)/BIM technology. The recommended process allows project teams to utilize BIM models in energy simulations and compare results quickly. In order to test the feasibility of the proposed approach, a prototype energy modeling process was developed and tested on a new construction project, the Community Emergency Service Station at Fort Bragg, North Carolina with a team led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The energy modeling process was applied to explore different building envelope and equipment scenarios to enable energy conscious decisions early in the design process when they make the biggest impact on building life cycle costs.