BIM Curriculum Lecture

Notes

BIM Curriculum Lecture Notes 1

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BIM Lecture 8: Sustainable Design

BIM LECTURE 8: SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Topics
• Environmental challanges
• What is sustainable design?
• Sustainable design with BIM
• Solutions
Sustainable design is one of the buzzwords of contemporary architecture. How can the BIM approach help to design
better “Green buildings”? This is the topic of this presentation.

CHALLENGES
In 2005, for the first time in human history, more people will live in urban areas than in rural areas. This transformation
has already had a huge impact on the planet's resources, as well as an impact on our perspective of nature and the
environment. No prior human experience offers a guide on how to feed, house and sustain so many people in so many
cities.
“Our generation must be committed to the task of bringing urban areas into balance with the natural environment”.*
*Taken from United Nations Environment publication for World Environment Day 2005

DEFINITION
There are three major principles for sustainable design:
• Economy of resources
• Life cycle design
• Human design
Sustainable design is the art of designing physical objects to comply with the principles of economic, social, and
ecological sustainability. Green buildings conserve energy, water and resources without polluting either indoor or outdoor
environments.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
The BIM model allows thorough examination and simulation of all the relevant factors in the sustainable development
process
• Direct estimation off the 3D model is a key factor in reducing materials consumption and minimizing waste
• Energy efficiency calculations help to optimize the design and the energy balance throughout the life cycle of the
project
• Location factors analysis support the architect decision process and affect the integration between the project and
its environment

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF BUILDINGS

The design, construction, and maintenance of buildings have a tremendous impact on our environment and our natural
resources:
• 40% of global raw materials is consumed by buildings
• 136 million tons of construction waste in the U.S. is a result of building construction
• Buildings use one-third of all the energy consumed in the U.S., and two-thirds of all electricity
• By the year 2010, another 38 million buildings are expected to be constructed
And buildings are also a major source of air pollution that contributes greatly to climate change. “Typical” buildings
consume more of our resources than necessary and generate a large amount of waste.

“We must make the rescue of the environment the central organizing principle for civilization.”
U.S. Department of the Interior

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 BIM Lecture 8: Sustainable Design

Sustainable architecture is the practice of designing, constructing and maintaining buildings in a way that their
environmental impact is minimized. Designing for sustainability helps preserve the environment and improve quality of
life.

REGULATIONS & MARKET INCENTIVES

Governments and Authorities have long realized the importance of sustainable design, and have founded organizations
and created standards for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings.
The Green Building Council is a national sustainable design organization in the U.S. that developed the voluntary LEED
Green Building Rating System®.
LEED emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies for sustainable site development, water conservation, energy efficiency,
materials selection and indoor quality of environment. Currently all new U.S. federal buildings must achieve a LEED
“Silver” certification.

Since January 2006, the Energy Performance Directive (EPD) has provided a common framework for energy
calculations, which will enter into force across all EU states. An energy certificate will be required for every new building
and large-scale renovation.
“Intelligent use of energy must be regarded as a fundamental element in formulating the energy objectives of the European Union.”
Bendt Bendtsen, EU-Presidency, Minister for Economic and Business Affairs, DK
The inclination to “go green” has not been lost on building owners either. In addition to the marketing potential of green
buildings, there is a clear financial benefit. According to the report commissioned by the Sustainable Building Task Force,
which represents over 40 California governmental agencies, a building that incorporates “green” features costs on average
2% more to build, but over the 20-year life of the building those same features pay back the investment more than 10
times over.
The report found that building green is most cost-effective when architects and contractors integrate green features into
the design as far in advance as possible.
For example, planning for features such as day lighting and task lighting (lighting only specific areas) can reduce the need
for overhead lights, which also means the building generates less heat and may require a smaller air-conditioning unit.
Environmental Building News editor Nadav Malin, who provided research assistance to the report authors, says, “If the team
members involved know what they're doing, you can go pretty far down the path of creating a green building without
adding extra costs at all.”

WHY SHOULD ARCHITECTS GO GREEN?

As leaders of the design process, architects can have a major effect on building sustainability. Green design can lead to a
better environment, increased productivity and a reduction in maintenance costs.
Following this green trend, building owners also understand the ecological importance of green buildings, their marketing
potential and, no less importantly, the financial benefits. As a result, the demand for green-oriented design is growing
significantly. Knowledge and experience of sustainability concepts is already a competitive advantage.

So there are at least three reasons why architects have to go green:

• Environmental Responsibility
• Market demands
• Going green pays off
Environmental responsibility is the future of real-estate - the choice is not whether, but when.
Douglas Durst, President, The Durst Organization, Inc.

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BIM Lecture 8: Sustainable Design

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN WITH BIM

Working with a 3D model is essential for an effective sustainable design process:
• Analytical sun studies
Conducting a sun study helps the designer to evaluate and refine his project to effectively use daylight sources.
• Continuous control of resources usage
Quantities and detailed data about building components can be generated with a single click, providing the architect
and the owner with valuable information about the materials used.
• What-if scenarios for design optimization
The ability to run different scenarios supports the design optimization process.

Incorporating these analytical studies into the early design is a major step toward a sustainable project.
Computer energy simulations can be used to assess energy conservation measures early and throughout the design
process. The expanded design team collaborates to generate many alternative concepts for building form, envelope and
landscaping, focusing on minimizing peak energy loads, demand and consumption. Computer energy simulation is used
to assess the building’s energy conservation value and construction costs. Typically, heating and cooling load reductions
from better glazing, insulation, efficient lighting, daylighting and other measures allow for smaller and less expensive
HVAC equipment and systems, resulting in little or no increase in construction cost compared to conventional designs.
Simulations are used to refine designs and ensure that energy-conservation and capital cost goals are met; and to
demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements.

CASE STUDY: KIRKSEY

Kirksey is a Houston-based architectural practice with more than 100 design professionals who have been using
ArchiCAD since 1998. Kirksey incorporates sustainable design principles on every project. They developed a green
building method which can be easily applied to any project. Among the green parameters are site development, building
orientation, landscaping, daylight and outlook for occupants, and all can be effectively addressed with the 3D Virtual
Building™.

Recently, Kirksey was awarded for sustainable design in two projects. Thanks to Kirksey green design, the LEED-
accredited Spawglass corporate offices save 56% on energy operating costs, enjoy optimal daylight and views over
landscape for the majority of work spaces and have reduced site water usage by 52%.
The benefits are clear – lower operating cost, increased building valuation and enhanced productivity.

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 BIM Lecture 8: Sustainable Design

More data:
• Efficient landscape design & irrigation reduce site water use by 52%.
• Efficient plumbing fixtures reduce interior water use by 37%.
• Energy saving measures decrease operating costs by 56%.
• The construction waste recycling program salvaged 75% of construction debris & created a profit for the project.
• 75% of all occupied spaces have access to daylight & views.
The Green Buildings concept is no longer earth-berm houses and grass roofs, but an intelligent business decision.
Brian Malarkey, AIA, LEED-accredited, Kirksey, U.S.

BIM AS COLLABORATIVE FOUNDATION

Effective green designs use the BIM model as a basis for measuring the various performance analyses. The BIM approach
provides an optimal collaborative environment for specialized applications.
Developers of BIM applications are one of the leading forces behind the IFC standard, which allows seamless sharing and
exchange of the 3D model’s information for generating building simulations.
As a result, the BIM model functions as a fulcrum around which everything else pivots – from structural engineering
applications to collision detection, building performance and energy analysis.

DATA SHARING VIA IFC

Using the BIM model as the data backbone for the process, energy analysis software such as ECOTECT, EnergyPlus and
RIUSKA can contribute valuable data right at the initial design stage. This software can be used to optimize systems such
as solar, thermal, lighting and HVAC. EnergyPlus and RIUSKA users can take advantage of IFC compatibility for a
smooth collaboration with the BIM application.

APPLICATIONS: ARCHIPHYSIK
Energy analysis programs connected to the BIM model allow thorough examination and simulation of all the relevant
factors in the sustainable development process. Let’s take a closer look at some of the energy analysis solutions available.

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BIM Lecture 8: Sustainable Design

Using A-Null’s ArchiPHYSIK plug-in, ArchiCAD users can achieve the following at the touch of a button:
• Accurate energy performance analysis for the complete building, including all the rooms and spaces,
• Various, detailed performance calculations for the individual building components
• A complete solution for thermal analysis including U-value, vapor diffusion and temperature amplitudes.
• Identifies failures compared to pre-defined values.
• Building component performance
With ArchiPHYSIK, architects are able to estimate the performance details of their project early in the design phase!

APPLICATIONS: GREEN BUILDING STUDIO

GeoPraxis, an architectural, engineering and construction software company provides energy analysis tools.
Using Green Building Studio’s plug-in, architecture and engineering design teams are able to receive the precise
information which necessary to make building-energy decisions at the early design stages. Architects can also perform
whole-building energy analysis and compare and evaluate design alternatives based on building energy performance data.

Features:
• Web-based solution
• Early building energy design decisions
• Whole building energy analysis
• Design alternative comparisons

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 BIM Lecture 8: Sustainable Design

APPLICATIONS: ECOTECT
ECOTECT, from Square One software, is an industry leading building analysis program that finally allows designers to
work easily in 3D and apply all the tools necessary for creating energy efficient buildings. It is a complete solution that
covers the broad range of simulation and analysis functions required to truly understand how a building design will
operate and perform.

Features:
• Fully integrated program for architects, engineers, and researchers for analyzing energy efficiency
• Stand-alone engine that is able to connect to BIM solutions
•Provides graphical anaylysis of energy consumption and accumulation
•Simulates shadow effects, solar load and lighting effects, acoustic effects,
ventilation and other energy flows
•Results: Load Calculations; Energy Analysis; Indirect environmental
effects

ENERGY ANALYSIS WITH ARCHICAD

Energy consumption is one of the main contributors to a building's air
pollution and maintenance cost. Specialized applications have been
designed to improve energy efficiency in buildings.
A suite of easy-to-use applications are available that can be handled by the architect using the same virtual model,
delivering energy analysis throughout the design process.
As a result, energy analysis can become an integral part of the design right from the initial design stage. This changes the
essence of energy analysis from a formal checking stage at the end of the design process when it is often too late, to an
effective design tool which supports the architect in critical design decisions.
ArchiCAD allows Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, for example, to easily analyze and evaluate energy efficiency
early in the design process:
• Ease-of-use and smooth workflow
• Integrated solutions
• Evaluate alternatives early and throughout the design process

NEXT STEPS
Sustainable design and energy-efficient projects are becoming a MUST.
BIM and complementary energy analysis products take the mystery out of what Green means and provides the tools to
get the job done in an easy, efficient and practical way.

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BIM Lecture 8: Sustainable Design

Consequences for architects:

• Create a sustainable policy and appoint a dedicated team
• Work in 3D so you can easily evaluate your design sustainability
• Integrate energy analysis early into the design process
“Going “green” pays off: sustainable design benefits people, the environment, and the bottom line.”
General Service Administration, U.S.

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