Professional Documents
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ASHRAE Journal
A BIM-enabled informat ion infrast ruct ure for building energy Fault Det ect ion and Diagnost ics
Zheng Oneill, Zhengwei Li
Full Mast er T hesis "Framework for t he t ransfer of building mat erials dat a bet ween t he BIM and t her…
Anna Shadrina
Early Design Energy Analysis Using Building Informat ion Modeling Technology
Annet t e St umpf
Gaining
Monientum
Building Information Modeling
By Gordon V.R. Holness, RE., Fellow/Life Member ASHRAE because it allows all interested parties to,
transparently and in real time, share, ap-
ply and update information about build-
T
his article reviews recent developments in building information modeling
ings. ASHRAF can play a significant role
(BIM) and interoperability and the impact of this technology on ASHRAE. in this effort, if it is prepared to commit
resources and develop specific goals in
Clearly, sustainabiiity is a major focus of the Society through its 2006 Strategic establishing basic HVAC terminology,
data dictionaries, rule sets, and schema
Plan and all subsequent developments: Vision 2020, Proposed Standard 189, for its Handbook and standards to sup-
port ihe building industry in electronic
Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise data exchange.
The establishment of an ASHRAE
Residentiai Buildings, the Advanced Energy Design Guide series, etc. However,
Building Information Modeling and
Interoperability Steering Committee
paralleling these efforts is recognition that issues such as integrated building
under the Technology Council is an ex-
cellent start. It indicates recognition by
design play a critical role if we, as an industry, are to succeed. Sustainabiiity and
ASHRAE of the role technology can play
in the development of better buildings
many other issues associated with building design, construction, commissioning,
(whether better is defined as sustainable,
and operation are interwoven and interdependent such that everyone involved with more energy efficient, safer or less cost-
ly). As ASHRAE rolls out educational
buildings must work together if individual objectives are to be fully realized. programs, seminars, white papers, and
other publications on BIM, including a
BIM is the process of using intelligent members. BIM encompasses the use of planned ASHRAE BIM guide, it needs to
graphic and data modeling software to three-dimensional, real-time, intelligent
create optimized and integrated building and dynamic modeling, and can be a About the Author
design solutions, as defined by the 2007 valuable tool in facilitating successful Gordon V.R, Holness, RE., is a consulting engi-
ASHRAE Handhook^tiVAC Applica- coordination and collaboration. This is neer in Detroit. He is also treasurer on ASHRAE's
tions. More importantly to ASHRAE critical to integrated building design Board of Directors.
materials generation, cost estimating, operating cost calculations., can minimize coordination errors between mechanical, electri-
proposal generation, project tracking, geothermal loop sizing, cal, and plumbing engineering design teams; collaborate with
and saies presentation. These modules are completely integrated. architects and structural engineers using ihe Revit^ platform
Designers can try different scenarios because the entire thermal and building infonnation modeling workliows: and gain better
and HVAC system is a live model. For example, building changes building performance analysis support for engineers."
are immediately reflected in onscreen duct sizes as calculations Bentley Solutions (www.bentley.eom) with MicroStation
ripple through loads, ducts, and bill of materials. The software as the primary product for building design, construction and
can read and write files in a number of de facto standard formats operation. Recent enhancements include interface with gbXML
compatible wilh popular applications such as AutoCAD and for energy analysis using Trace 700 and tie into pipe and duct
Excel. gbXML support will be added later. sizing, the latter using ddXML.
Certainly the European community, particularly, and to some Nemetschek, NA, offers programs such as VectorWorks
extent Australia, are further ahead of the United States in the Fundamentals, which is an architectural building program that
widespread applieation of BIM. Europe is heavily committed can plug into Graphisoft AutoCAD and CATIA. VectorWorks
to development of integrated building design technology with Landmark for site planning and VectorWorks Spotlight for
extensive work being done in the UK, Norway, Sweden, Finland, lighting design. HVAC Building Services and 3D Viewer (plus
Germany, and the Netherlands, Nemetschek's Allplan [www.allplan.co.uk] for architectural
Major players in the field include Autodesk, Bentley Systems design and modeling software).
and Nemetschek Group (which owns Graphisoft. VectorWorks, In 2006 Oracle launched a new collaborative building in-
and Allplan). formation management platform (CBIM) and is working with
Autodesk (www.autodesk.eom) has software that can export Graphisoft to fully integrate building modeling tools with design
to load calculations software such as TRACE and input results collaboration, visualization, life-cycle management, and other
back to the software. This is done with gbXML. Revit also uses applications.
the integrated IES tools for load calculations. AutoCAD MEP The Mayo Foundation (under the Mayo Clinic) is developing
design and construction documentation software is built for Mayo Graphical Integrated Computer Aided Design using Magi-
meehanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers, designers, and CAD* software. MagiCAD, developed by Progman Oy of Sweden,
drafters. According to the manufacturer. "Revit *" MEP software is IFC compliant and used widely in Scandanavla. It is aimed pri-
is an intuitive design too! that works the way engineers think, ft marily at duct design and equipment manufacturing. However, it
does include HVAC, piping, and electrical design and application case is focused on compliance with eodes, standards, regulations
software (running on an AutoCAD platform). These have the ability or other criteria, whether mandated or market driven.
to feed data into EnergyPlus using Olof Granlund/LBNL-devcloped In the U.S. the International Code Council (ICC) (www.
BS Pro COM server middleware (with IFC-based 3D RIM). iccsafe.org) is supporting a use ease to check for compliance
with eodes, standards, rules, regulations, etc., through its
Other Developments SMARTcodes"^" initiative. By putting codes, standards and
Although BIM technology is maturing, significant parallel other criteria in a smart format that can be understood and
efforts are being made in the development of software for model applied by model checking software it is possible to identify
viewing, model checking, energy analysis and simulation, facili- and prevent conflicts between the building, as represented by
ties management, ete., to support various use cases associated the BIM, and the eodes or other criteria. Initial SMARTcode
with building information. A use case is the task to which the demonstrations have taken place with the 2006 International
information in Ihe BIM is applied. Cost estimating, schedul- Energy Conservation Code. The 2006 lECC is anticipated for
ing, and conflict resolution between structural and mechanical availability for the purpose of automated code compliance
components of a building are examples of use cases. A signifi- checking in early 2008.
cant component to support visualization of any use case is the ICC anticipates creating SMARTcodes for a significant por-
development of model checking software. One particular use tion of all building, life safety and fire protection requirements
Honeywell Analytics
introduces the industry's
most flexible demand-
controlled ventilation
solution: lAQPoint. It's
multilingual, it speaks
your language.
lAQPoint is the only indoor
air quality monitor you will need to satisfy
all of your demand-controlled ventilation bid
requirements. It integrates easily with virtually
any building automation system through its
BACnet, LonWorks, FLN. Modbus or analog
outputs. lAQPoint produces three sensor
outputs {COj. temperature and humidity) for
the price of a typical single-sensor device.
Honeywell designed the lAQPoint to install
quickly and easily with a small and sleek
enclosure that utilizes a simple snap-fit
mounting bracket. Each unit is configured
and calibrated in the factory meaning you will
spend less time installing the units. lAQPoint
is ideal for large commercial buildings,
schools, office towers or any environment
where money can be saved through greater
energy efficiency. Think of us as your partner
for Indoor Air Quality / Demand Control
Ventilation solutions. Honeywell Analytics.
Figures 2a-2c: Pipe fabrication and detailing capability. Experts in gas detection.