IES Blog

2012 is going to be a great year! Just ask “the godfather of green” Jerry Yudelson. Builder magazine featured his 10 predictions for the next 12 (well, 11 now – where does the time go?) months.

Take a peek.

I’m particularly excited about #3 – LEED-EBOM (Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance) Will Gain Momentum.
“We’re going to see this move to other sectors,” he says, particularly among hotels with strong convention and meeting businesses who want to be able to market their eco-friendliness. Grocery stores, hospitals, and retail centers are moving in the same direction, with features such as solar panels on top of Walmarts or department stores. “Last month, President Obama and former President Clinton announced the Better Buildings Initiative. It’s only $4 billion, so it’s not huge. But still, this is stuff that moves markets. When you have two presidents pushing something, it does get people’s attention. More and more building owners are realizing that they don’t want to be late to the party.”

As I mentioned earlier this week in my post, Congrats to the LEEDing states!, around the IES offices, we’re hoping 2012 is the year of LEED-EB: O&M. Let’s reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose…we’ve only got one Earth, and it’s getting pretty crowded.

What are your predictions for the rest of 2012?

No Comments

Tags:Building, Green, IES, LEED, LEED-EBOM, Obama, reuse

Well, we made it to Chicago. We weren’t going to let a little “winter storm warning” stop us from the biggest HVAC show of the year!

The energy has been great at the show so far – lots of excitement for the industry. Prior to the floor opening, there was big news from ASHRAE. The go-to source for standards and education for this industry, ASHRAE got a facelift, complete with a new logo and a new tagline…

Shaping Tomorrow’s Built Environment Today

Given our focus at IES this year, we are thrilled to see ASHRAE’s commitment to pushing the built environment in the 21st century. As ASHRAE President Ron Jarnagin stated, “integrated design is the cornerstone of sustainable buildings.” As the ‘Hub’ for sustainable design advancements, we look forward to joining ASHRAE in the conversation, promoting the importance of utilizing quantifiable performance information to design truly sustainable buildings.

We’ve also been following the conversation on Twitter. Kimberly Schwartz, managing editor of The ACHR News, tweeted a great picture (http://pic.twitter.com/6u2IsRSd) from the show floor yesterday afternoon, adding “…the aisles are still crowded! There’s a good buzz in the air.”

But the highlight of our day yesterday? Well, we’ll just let the image speak for itself…

See you on the show floor!

No Comments

Tags:AHR, ASHRAE, Building, chicago, design, energy, Environment, event, HVAC, IES, Sustainability, Twitter

IES sat down with 16 architects, engineers and contractors at the Denver Revit Users Group last Thursday for a roundtable discussion. The result? Some great conversation about how best to utilize Building Information Modeling, a sustainable building analysis tool.

IES worked with Colorado-based Ambient Energy, a building performance and sustainable design consulting company, to showcase some of BIM’s more practical uses. The relatively new technology doesn’t just spit out data and geometric designs anymore. More and more often, we are seeing BIM taking on a different role. The spatial relationships and geographic information can help architects and engineers out in a big way; from daylight penetration to average temperature and wind direction, analysis software is an integral part of sustainable design.

An IES and Ambient Energy project at Colorado State University in 2011 proved the point. Faced with the challenge of designing a more efficient atrium for the school’s Engineering II building, Ambient Energy consultants used IES’ VE-Pro software to test and verify their various energy efficiency concepts. Daylight and mixed mode ventilation analyses run early in the schematic redesign process determined which window and ventilation solutions would work best with maximized use of natural daylight. The end result was a more efficient atrium with a much smaller carbon output. You can view the video case study for this project on the IESVE YouTube page.

This type of integrated design process is something we expect to see a lot more of as sustainable design continues to work its way into the commercial space.

No Comments

Tags:Architects, BIM, Building, daylighting, design, Engineers, IES, Modeling, Revit, Sustainability, VE-Pro, YouTube

With 2011 officially in the books, the IES team thought it was time to take a look back at the hottest green technology and sustainability stories this year had to offer. Even with some of the fallout from the Solyndra and Beacon Power bankruptcies – assets are being sold off as you read this – 2011 served up some really interesting innovations. From the military and car manufacturers to solar and wind power, Earth Techling sheds a little natural daylight on the must-reads in its “2011 Green Technology Year in Review”.

What I find most interesting is that while wind and solar power definitely took their licks this year, they are far from being down for the count; just ask Walmart and Costco customers.

You may be surprised to find that [Walmart], which sells everything from shoes to shower curtains, also happens to offer a selection of renewable energy devices, including a 600-watt wind turbine. Costco members will soon be able to add solar power systems for clean energy solutions at home alongside power tools and pancake mix on their shopping lists.

The best part about these products is that they are cheap. For around $800, you can lower your electricity bill and increase energy efficiency for years. It will be interesting to see how the commercial market will react as the cost continues to drop for these types of technologies. If the residential market is any indication, solar and wind power might be more affordable than ever in the commercial sector. The sustainability goals and LEED certifications that many building owners and property managers seek might be a little easier to attain in 2012.

No Comments

Tags:2011, Building, energy, Green, IES, Renewables, Sustainability, technology

2011 was a busy year for IES! We made some upgrades to our award-winning software, consulted with a number of architects and engineers on some exciting projects, and we launched a series of training sessions and architectural seminars throughout North America. These Road Show events proved to be successful, and something we plan to continue in 2012. But for now, a recap…

Starting off in Chicago and Denver in August, our Road Show carried on to Portland, Vancouver, San Francisco, New York, Atlanta, Houston and other great cities across North America through the rest of the year. Our Road Show gave us a great opportunity to connect with both existing and new IES users face-to-face. We were able to show them capabilities of the software, including many of the new features launched this year, and answer any questions they might have about our suite of products. We were also able to establish relationships with various local groups, and we love all the contacts we’ve made throughout North American this year!

Our final training event of the year was in Washington, D.C. last week. There were a lot of new faces, and we had a very successful event. Thanks to our hosts at AECOM!

Also in D.C. last week was our final architectural seminar of the year. Approved by the AIA for Continuing Education System credits, our seminars offer hands-on training focusing on conceptual analysis in sustainable design. Participants who are AIA members receive 2.5 learning unit hours.

Thanks to everyone that joined us this year, and to all of our customers and partners who helped us out with venues and our presentations. We’re looking forward to meeting more of you in 2012 as we continue to hit the road. Next year, we’re heading to Omaha, Seattle, Kansas City, Nashville, St. Louis, Birmingham and more. Stay tuned for more details about when we’ll be in a city near you!

No Comments

Tags:AIA, Architects, design, education, Engineers, event, IES, Seattle, Training, Washington

This month, our Founder and CEO Don McLean published an article with Area Development titled, “Building a Strong Energy-Efficient Foundation”. In the article, he explores the value of quantifying and incorporating building performance analysis into the earliest stages of the architectural design process.

Why is early-stage performance analysis so important? To answer that question, here are a few take-aways from the article:

•    When it comes to designing sustainable buildings, building performance analysis is key. After all, by using performance analysis software, architects and engineers can not only virtually test the feasibility of different energy-saving strategies, but they can also make much better decisions on elements that play an important role in reducing the energy consumption of a building.

•    Performance analysis helps to understand how a building will perform under predictable circumstances, which is required for a sustainable, energy-efficient design. What’s more, the biggest impact in terms of designing a sustainable building can be made by using performance analysis software from day one and through every step of the way.

•    With performance analysis, realistic energy goals can be set and reached. How? Analysis can identify and understand the big issues related to building energy use and performance, which supports the setting of goals and the ability to choose and design strategies to achieve them.

At the end of the day, it’s all about achieving true sustainable design. As architects and engineers act on performance analysis metrics and identify the key drivers for an energy-efficient foundation in the earliest stages of the design process, we can expect to see much more sustainable design in the years to come.

No Comments

Tags:Architects, Building, building performance, design, IES, software, Sustainability

October was a busy month for our North American training road show! Toronto, Chicago, Orlando, Atlanta, and Minneapolis! Over the course of the two-day programs, our IES experts have helped attendees across the country to learn first-hand how to use our sustainability solutions to design more energy-efficient buildings and achieve LEED credits.

Not familiar with our training programs? Starting back in August in Chicago and Denver, we set out on a Road Show across the United States and Canada to conduct two-day training events. Designed for engineers and sustainability consultants, our events aim to give attendees the opportunity to learn simulation techniques and methods to enable more sustainable design practices. The first day focuses on intermediate simulation analysis, followed by advanced and building integrated systems modeling on the second day. In your city, if you’re only available or interested in registering for one of the two training days, that’s not a problem since they can be taken together or separately.

So where are we headed next? After Thanksgiving, our Road Show wraps up the month in Orange County / Los Angeles on November 29th and 30th. On December 13th and 14th, our last two-day training program of 2011 will take place in the Washington D.C. area.

To register or learn more about when we’ll be in a city near you, contact erin.lofstrom@iesve.com and check out http://www.iesve.com/training/events.

We look forward to seeing you!

No Comments

Tags:design, Engineers, event, IES, LEED, Modeling, North America, Sustainability, Training

This year’s Greenbuild theme seems particularly appropriate to us. Since our formation in 1994, IES has always been involved in the ‘What’s NEXT’. Back then, we took academic performance analysis thinking and technology, and created the first commercially viable suite of performance analysis software. Our expert consultants also worked closely with early adopters on its implementation and incorporation into the design process; helping to establish the backbone of today’s simulation market.

It was our involvement in these seminal projects which really set the stage for us, projects such as; Heathrow Terminal 5 right from the earliest concept stages, and BA “Waterside” Headquarters near London Heathrow. Since then IES has attained a unique position in the global marketplace delivering world-leading analysis expertise to help produce sustainable buildings.

For almost two decades, we have been pushing the ethos of integrated design and incorporation of performance analysis right from the earliest new-build and retrofit stages as the route to achieving truly sustainable, low-energy structures.

Now as the sustainability market is starting to catch up with this thinking, I’m seeing organisations beginning to understand the value and benefits of the IES approach. Consequently, we find our role changing. Increasingly organisations are coming to IES to help overcome technical or commercial barriers in getting their sustainability products and services to the market.

Consequently, we find ourselves today still working at the leading edge of building science, investigating how analysis plays a vital role in cutting through greenwash to deliver measurable sustainability. Whether that is designing or analysing a product range, regulatory system, building or entire communities/eco-cities.

IES has been approached in this capacity by Governments, ESCO’s, Venture Capitalists, software companies, product manufactures (both building and clean energy), regulation setters, voluntary rating system developers, and those managing large property portfolios.

So what’s NEXT? I certainly see this as the start of a new age in the role of analysis in a low-energy, zero-carbon built environment, as well as in the role of our company. At Greenbuild this year I’m spending a great deal of time discussing these developments and how I think analysis will develop and change the future face of sustainable cities and buildings.

Part of this is presenting at the GreenTech@Greenbuild event this Thursday 6th October. This is an exciting new event organised by the USGBC and Regenerative Networks which is designed to increase awareness and adoption of emerging disruptive technologies that provide exceptional solutions for the building industry.

Featured firms were selected for the significant advances they contribute to green building, so needless to say I was excited by the invitation. Watch this space for a recording of my presentation.

Or come along to our booth #2325N and say hello. I’m more than happy to discuss our innovation and expertise in creating cutting-edge building performance analysis tools, as well as the supply of related consulting and specialist services.

Plus, you can catch up with executives from Halcrow, Doo Consulting, Perkowitz + Ruth Architects, Building Momentum Group and Ambient Energy. Who will share first-hand insight on analysis and integrated design:
Wednesday, October 5
1:15 p.m. – “Analyzing Double Skin Façades for Different Global Climate Regions” (Halcrow)
2:15 p.m. – “Early Conceptual Analysis of the Brickstainable Winning Design” (Doo Consulting, Perkowitz + Ruth Architects)

Thursday, October 6
1.00 p.m. – “LEED Energy & HVAC Modeling of Roosevelt University Vertical Campus” (Building Momentum Group)
1.45 p.m. – “Optimizing an Atrium – Daylight and Mixed Mode Ventilation on Colorado State University Engineering II Building” (Ambient Energy)

Read more about our activities at the show here.

No Comments

Tags:Architects, design, Engineers, Environment, event, Greenbuild, IES, LEED, Modeling, Sustainability, sustainable, USGBC

Now that Green Building Week has drawn to a close I thought I’d take this opportunity to reflect on the event we held last Monday – Environmental Modelling for a Low Carbon Scotland.  Our ‘thought trees’ certainly got the discussion started (I’ll go into the feedback received later on) and the after seminar question & answer session was fierce.  But what was clear, was the huge interest in better understanding how computer modelling (or building performance simulation) can deliver more sustainable buildings, and even cities.

We started the evening with a kind introduction from Lori McElroy Sust. Programme Director for Architecture+Design Scotland, followed by a short presentation from Dr Don McLean Founder and MD of IES.  Covering the current state of play in the use of simulation for low-carbon design, Don started by celebrating the world leading status of the UK – “From recent trips to the US I’d say they are at least 5-10 years behind us in terms of thinking and they certainly turn to those companies with a UK presence for experience.”  Then looking to the future he explored some of the research areas IES is currently involved.

David McNeill, Technical Director of Buro Happold gave the main presentation of the evening.  Kick started with a look at how Victorian design techniques used many passive elements such as central circular openings high up to vent heat and introduce daylight.  He then took us an a whistle stop tour around the Riverside Museum, the Burns Museum, Queens University Belfast and Saudi Arabia, looking at how different areas of simulation were used on each project to prove or disprove concepts and stretch design boundaries.

Quote of the night from him “Sometimes you do a model and it proves things don’t work but better to do it then than find out when you build it in real life.”

A lively question and answer session followed the presentations which we eventually had to wind down in order to give us some time to enjoy the wine and canapés.  The interest in where the future of performance analysis could take us was exciting; with concepts around analysis for eco-cities being discussed through to how to effectively bring design and operational modelling closer together and integrate this with FM process and building controls.

The prize for controversial question of the evening goes to Colin Donald of the Glasgow Herald.   Referring to the Riverside Museum he asked; “So did Zaha Hadid have any kind of idea the impact a 30m high glass wall would have?”  The answer?  In essence, shortening a long response down, the clear vision and understanding of the curators regarding the internal conditions required and computer modelling allowed the design vision to be effectively created to perform well.

You can watch a video of the seminars here and review some of the tweets from the evening using the event hashtag #lowCO2scot11.

So that just leaves us the ‘Thought Trees’ which were dotted around the venue asking key questions about sustainability in Scotland.  A big thanks to Urban Realm which supplied one of the questions.  A selection of the responses received are below.  What are your thoughts?  Please add your comments below and keep the discussion going.

What’s the biggest sustainably challenge you’re facing?
-    The gap between design and operational targets and modelling.  Although IES can do operational modelling, Building Standards still claim that they specify all assets, whereas they only specify elements of the assets - the specification gap arises.  The emphasis of all those talking about projects they have done should be to discuss the actual energy in operation, not the design targets; I have yet to see an architect quote actual energy consumption.  Bring on DECs.
-    The expectations of the people within them.  We have seen a dramatic inflation in people’s expectations of the environment in a building.  While the demands are for 23-25 C so that people can walk in their shorts at home at any time of year is excessive.  Halogen lights on everywhere, a fridge in the kitchen and beer fridge in the garage and so on.

What’s your top sustainability goal?
-    Educate your building users to operate buildings efficiency and to take ownership and interact
-    To have buildings designed and built to last – not just low energy or sustainable for the current day

Tell us something about Scotland which you think makes it easier achieve energy reductions in buildings?
-    Our temperate environment
-    We wear jumpers inside
-    Wind power

Urban Realm Question: How best can Scotland’s existing buildings be retro-fitted to meet 21st century environmental standards?

-    I see lots of new/refurbished buildings consuming more energy than before due to: dark ceilings or ceilings not lit so people increase light levels to make it feel brighter; higher light levels than needed; daylighting not being used to optimally offset artificial lighting requirements (floor to ceiling)- leading to higher heat losses in winter and solar gains in summer; high solar gains in summer leading to air conditioning; high external light levels; high distribution heat losses and standing losses of boilers; underfloor heating designed to operate at too high a temperature and without heavy weight building; controls that do not allow a deadband – so it’s either heating or cooling; no means of heat escape at high level, with windows opening lower down, leading to A/C requirements; server rooms having A/C as standard and so on.  These are all asset issues, not due to occupation.

-    The challenge for refurbishment is understanding the whole building. We need to learn the lessons across the new build to understand the limitations of a refurbishment.

Here’s looking forward to next year’s event…

No Comments

Tags:Building, education, event, IES, Modeling, Scotland, Sustainability, sustainable

It is now only 3 days until the first and only World Green Building Week event taking place in Scotland this year. If you have been following IES across any of our social media then you will know that we have been hard at work preparing for the “Environmental Modelling for a Low Carbon Scotland” event. Well now the programme has been finalised, the wine has been ordered and the thought trees have been built (don’t worry, we’ll get to that later).

We have also started to receive feedback from the questions posted in our previous blog that previewed our event taking place next Monday (16th Sep). One delegate believes the main challenge facing sustainable building in Scotland is “the gap between design and operational targets and modelling.  Although IES can do operational modelling, Building Standards still claim that they specify all assets, whereas they only specify elements of the assets - the specification gap arises.  The emphasis of all those talking about projects they have done should be to discuss the actual energy in operation, not the design targets, I have yet to see an architect quote actual energy consumption.  Bring on DECs”

When responding to the question put forward by Urban Realm (How best can Scotland’s existing buildings be retro-fitted to meet 21st century environmental standards), the delegate answered - “The challenge for refurbishment is understanding the whole building. We need to learn the lessons across the new build to understand the limitations of a refurbishment”.

There will also be plenty of opportunity to express your views at the event itself. Dotted around the venue you will see five ‘Thought trees’ which ask key questions to get the debate flowing. It’s easy to get involved – write your views on the tags and hang them on the trees. Each ‘Tree’ poses a different question, with each of your answers forming a crucial part of the post event discussion.

Any other questions or issues you’d like to discuss? Let us know by using our #tag #LowCO2Scot11 or drop us a line at events@iesve.com.

No Comments

Tags:Building, DECs, design, Discussion, event, IES, Modeling, Scotland, Sustainability