IES Blog

When browsing around various forums and discussion groups, one is always drawn to the “hot topics” on offer. Well what exactly makes a “hot topic”? It is usually a discussion that triggers a ton of responses and one that evokes a lot of passionate opinion. I came across one such topic last week on bldg-sim-onebuilding.org. The discussion was based around energy model cost for a LEED project, and was one that instigated some very interesting questions around the issue, such as:

• How many working hours should it take to complete energy modeling for a LEED project?
• At what stage should energy modeling take place and by whom?
• What makes a true modeling professional?
• Are modelers that are ticking the minimum required boxes for certification undervaluing the modeling process?

We believe that energy modeling and indeed analysis of other performance elements such as daylighting should be incorporated into the design or refurbishment process right from the earliest stages. This way team members can make informed, energy-conscious decisions throughout the process and also check against LEED or other voluntary rating system targets (e.g. BREEAM). 

One can gather from the questions being asked that this proposition is predominately not even on the radar of most. However, in order to assess performance and aesthetics at the same time, and move towards a more sustainable future we believe this is essential.

So the question becomes who should undertake modelling.  The same individual or team across the whole process, or different elements of the team dependent on the stage.  Arguably the skill sets are very different…

Early stage modelling is based on comparative reviews using standard data sets for ‘apple with apple’ comparisons. A ‘good’ model in this context delivers quick answers which are accurate in a relative sense, isolating the correct variables to drive the design in the ‘best’ performance direction. Making those essential decisions on form, fabric, layout and orientation etc. lay the ground work for significant energy reductions and the inclusion of low/zero-carbon technologies.

Detailed modelling at completion could also be characterized as ‘prescriptive guesswork’. It is based on design decisions and the best prediction of information across a number of parameters such as climate, occupancy profiles and material performance. Reality is simulated, but the data is not 100% real as we are still at the virtual stage. However, if you know what you are doing you can still predict to within a close percentage.

Alternatively you can calibrate models to match ‘reality’ using historical data from the building once built and in operation.  Or on refurbishments use this as a basis for your ‘prescriptive guesswork’.

Understanding which modeling techniques to employ at which stage, and working out how to implement this into current design practices is still in our mind the greatest challenge in this arena.

So what do you think? Give us your views…

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Tags:Add new tag, Building, LEED, Modeling, Sustainability

As a keen live music lover I spend a lot of my time going to gigs and festivals throughout the year. A lot of the bands I see in Glasgow are usually stopping off as part of a UK tour or on some occasions, a worldwide jaunt. It got me thinking about the huge environmental footprint that could be left behind by tours – flights, a convoy of busses for crew and equipment, venue emissions and gig goers waste. Safe to say a pretty big footprint eh? I decided to take a look and see if there are any bands or records labels out there that are actively challenging this issue and coming up with ways of reducing their tour’s impact on the environment. It didn’t take me long to find some positive and creative action being taken…

The Dave Matthews band collaborated with FilterForGood in order to reduce the amount of bottled water waste on their 2010 tour. They provided refilling water stations for their fans to help reduce the large quantities of bottled water waste that makes its way into landfills and our waterways. As part of their commitment to the environment they also provided recycling stations in the parking lots, encouraged fans to carpool to gigs, used sustainable biodiesel and offset the tours carbon emissions.

The Black Eyed Peas tour took a creative approach to promoting recycling waste on their worldwide tour. The waste that was accumulated at each venue was then recycled into official merchandise and on average venues reported an increase of 20-50% in recycling taking place on the night of a Black Eyed Pea’s show.

The Stowaways are a Canadian band who are setting out on a “sustainable music tour” this summer, as they will be travelling from gig to gig along the west coast by sailboat. This is a great idea to cut down their tour footprint and an even greater PR opportunity for the band.

My final and favourite example of a band going on a “green tour” has got to be the Ginger Ninjas. These guys are an American rock n roll band who will travel by bicycle across the US and Europe on their “Pleasant Revolution Tour”. They will also be playing on stages that are completely bicycle powered.

Could you imagine how many bicycles it would take to power U2’s stage? Answers on postcards please.

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Tags:Environment, music, recycle, Sustainability

Last month I was asked to attend and present at a SESG/CIBSE seminar at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. The event was held to explore the latest developments in the Scottish Regulations, and to investigate the concept and future implications of “zero carbon” building in Scotland.

My presentation mainly focused on the key changes in 2010 Section 6 and 2010 Part L2A in terms of building compliance simulations. It also carried out a good comparison study between these two new regulations to see how buildings will be affected respectively by these regulations in terms of compliance. An example was set up based on an office building which was comfortably passed the compliance under both previous Section 6 and PartL2A, but failed in the new regulations. Different improvement strategies have been taken to see which area can be looked at to improve the building performance. You can find my presentation below and as always any feedback is very welcome.

Overall this was an interesting event which generated a lot of exciting discussion, while also demonstrating that these are issues that are high on the agenda in Scotland. Other speakers included members of BRE, SESG and the Scottish Building Standards Division, addressing issues such as research perspectives and industry reactions to the current technical standards. I am now looking forward to reporting back from such forward thinking Scottish events in the future!

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Tags:Building, CIBSE, compliance, IES, research, Scotland

Our brand spanking new Student Showcase blog will feature guest bloggers from around the world who have used the <Virtual Environment> software to complete their studies. If you would like your work to be considered for the Student Showcase blog drop me an email at john.goucher@iesve.com.

Several researches [IEA–ECBCS Annex 44 (2007) and (2010)] have demonstrated that, in order to overcome the limitation given by the existing technologies, the building as a whole system should be revisited as a more integrated organism, characterized by a “responsive” and “dynamic” behaviour. In particular Responsive Building Elements (RBE) represent a promising technology for achieving the requirements posed by the ZEB concept. Among other RBEs, Advanced Integrated Façades (AIFs) have been – and still are – widely investigated, especially because of the key role that the building envelope plays in controlling the energy and mass transfer between outdoor and indoor.

This MSc thesis work in Building Engineering consists in the energetic performance evaluation of an innovative AIF module, ACTRESS (ACTive, RESponsive and Solar), which has been conceived within a wider research activity on Responsive Building Elements, carried out by the TEBE Technology Energy Building Environment research group of the Polytechnic University of Turin, of which the author is part. The ACTRESS module is designed as a one story height prefabricated Multifunctional Façade Module, consisting of two sub modules (50%-50%), one opaque and one transparent. The opaque sub-module is constituted by an Opaque Ventilated Façade (OVF) equipped with axial fans for the hybrid (fan-assisted) ventilation of the cavity. The OVF integrates aSi PV panels on the outer surface, with a sandwich, made up of VIP and PCM layers, PV activated during winter.  The transparent sub-system is made of high performance glazing: triple glazeing lowE (internal) with cavity lowE operable venetian blinds (outer cavity), and Argon gas (inner cavity).

:: IES simulation of the  innovative ACTRESS façade module and results ::

ModelIT, SunCast, ApacheSim, MacroFlow and ApacheHVAC were used to model the different components of the AIF façade. The simulations showed important results. In the cooling season the façade is able to reduce the entering heat flux by more than 60% for the 50% of the occupation period, with an average improvement of 10% from NV to MV. The cumulated frequency analysis for the heating season shows that the façade has a high capability to preheat the cavity air, which can be used as Supply Air for the HVAC system, provideing the 20% of the heating plant load during winter. In the mid season the high values of preheating efficiency enable the use of cavity air as indoor environment supply air when (preheating efficiency) is between 1 and 2.

ACTRESS module improves the PV efficiency up to 10%, with a medium value of 5%, if compared to the electric efficiency of a BIPV on a vertical façade with no integration with any thermal system.

Comparing the ACTRESS module with a traditional façade the overall reduction of primary energy demand in an office building results in 52% less total energy demand (heating, air conditioning and electric), passing from 19,09 kWh/m³y to 9.09 kWh/m³y, with a significant reduction in heating loads EE_h, due to the use of PV energy to activate the PCM in the OVF (almost 53%). While it is also remarkable how the electric consumption can be almost totally covered, 95%, on an annual basis by the PV electric production, already accounting for PCM and fan consumption. Furthermore it was evaluated the possibility to exploit the OVF preheated air as supply air for the HVAC system during heating and mid season. Thus increasing the heating energy saving by 8% in respect to ACTRESS façade with Outdoor Air Curtain ventilation. In this way more than 55% reduction can be achieved, with 8,55 kWh/m³y total energy consumption.

Concluding the ACTRESS module shows a very good performance, concerning both the sub-components behaviour and the overall building energy demand. This investigation highlighted a poor performance of IES VE in simulating innovative components, as proper modeling needed tips and shortcuts not known to junior and medium designer, and assumption which can jeopardize the energy simulation reliability and accuracy. Data on its actual performance will be collected through a yearly experimental campaign, which is just started, which will allow a validation of the assumptions done.

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Tags:Building, Engineers, Environment, IES, software, students

New Orleans. NOLA. The ‘Big Easy.’ A city full of rich architecture and in the last few years, one on the forefront of the building industry as they rebuild.

Jane Kolleeny of Architectural Record noted the same thing in her blog post last night.

Yes its about 90 degrees and humid, but it’s a great pleasure to be in New Orleans whose recovery since Katrina seems remarkable.

Walking around the city on Wednesday when I arrived in town, I was truly amazed. Having never been here before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But this city truly is rebuilding, and it’s amazing to see how the city is evolving, yet still sticking to its root.

I caught some of the keynote presentation with Thomas Friedman yesterday. What I walked away with was a reaffirmation that we need to focus on sustainable design practices. (But we already knew that, right?)

“This is your warning heart attack,” Friedman told the nearly 4,000 architects assembled to hear him in New Orleans. “In both the markets and Mother Nature, we’ve followed two common economic principles—IBG (I’ll Be Gone) or YBG (You’ll Be Gone), leading us to do what we want now. There’s a deeper values breakdown behind that. Our parents built us a world of incredible abundance based on sustainable values. We’ve moved to a world of situational values and that isn’t sustainable.”

The theme for AIA 2011 is Regional Design Revolution: Ecology Matters. As I thought about this theme, and listened to Mr. Friedman, I was really proud of the work we are doing at IES. Reducing the energy consumption of buildings has been at the heart of IES since its inception 15 long years ago. The team here have worked hard to get to where we are today and we are now widely respected as the leading company in the performance analysis field – the one the innovators come to.

Bringing our knowledge and expertise to the US market has been a real privilege and in recent years we’ve seen the scales tip with US designers increasingly concerned with combining aesthetics and performance to ensure their design’s sustainability.  We are happy to be playing our part in this revolution.

That’s all from the show floor today. We’ve got to get back to the booth and continue the great conversations about sustainability.

But we’ll be at the TweetUp tonight to chat. Will we see you there?

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Tags:AIA, Architects, IES, Sustainability