Case Study

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 25-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aydin Tabrizi ◽  
Paola Sanguinetti

This case study focuses on the operational performance of a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)-rated building with the application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) to evaluate its capacity to achieve Zero Net Energy (ZNE). Retrofit options for renewable energy implementation are examined in conjunction with scenarios of building operation. In this study, two different BIM processes have been conducted for the energy modeling: object-oriented geometric information modeling (e.g., envelope, doors, windows, walls, zones, etc.) with a BIM tool and energy modeling (e.g., materials, heat resistance, location, weather data, renewables, etc.) with an energy simulation tool. The simulation model is compared to the real building performance and alternative renewable energy scenarios are evaluated. The results are used to make recommendations for the optimization of building performance and consideration of energy-efficient strategies for building performance enhancement. The research points to discontinuities between photovoltaic panel degradation over time and the LEED credit.

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Changhai Peng ◽  
Xiao Wu

Using building information modeling (BIM) and Ecotect, this paper estimated carbon emissions during an office building’s life cycle. This building’s life cycle CO2emissions were divided into three parts: the construction, operation, and demolition stages. Among these, the statistics on the schedule of quantities were generated using BIM, and the energy consumption during the building’s operational stage was obtained using ECOTECT simulation. Sensitivity analysis was performed by changing several alternative parameters, to identify which parameter has more impacts on building performance. The paper demonstrated that (1) BIM and Ecotect are very helpful in estimating carbon emissions from a building’s life cycle, (2) the primary and effective measures to reduce the building’s CO2emissions in hot and humid climate should be arranged as follows: (a) within the limits of comfort, reducing the fresh air volume; (b) extending the indoor temperature range; (c) improving the thermal insulation performance of exterior windows, walls, and roofs; (d) exploiting natural ventilation during transition seasons, and (3) currently there are some limitations in performing LCA based on BIM and Ecotect.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Carolina Franco De Oliveira ◽  
Cristiano Saad Travassos do Carmo ◽  
Alexandre Santana Cruz ◽  
Renata Gonçalves Faisca

PurposeIn developing countries, such as Brazil, the construction sector is consistently focused on the construction of new buildings, and there is no dissemination of the preservation, restoration and maintenance of historic buildings. Idle buildings, due to the use and lack of maintenance, present pathological manifestations, such as moisture problems that compromise specially their thermal and energy performance. With this in mind, the purpose of this work is to create a digital model using terrestrial photogrammetry and suggest retrofit interventions based on computer simulation to improve the thermal and energy performance of a historical building.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed methodology combined terrestrial photogrammetry using common smartphones and commercial software for historical buildings with building information modeling (historic building information modeling (HBIM)) and building energy modeling (BEM). The approach follows five steps: planning, site visit, data processing, data modeling and results. Also, as a case study, the School of Architecture and Urbanism of the Fluminense Federal University, built in 1888, was chosen to validate the approach.FindingsA digital map of pathological manifestations in the HBIM model was developed, and interventions considering the application of expanded polystyrene in the envelope to reduce energy consumption were outlined. From the synergy between HBIM and BEM, it was concluded that the information modeled using photogrammetry was fundamental to create the energy model, and simulations were needed to optimize the possible solutions in terms of energy consumption.Originality/valueFirstly, the work proposes a reasonable methodology to be applied in development countries without sophisticated technologies, but with acceptable precision for the study purpose. Secondly, the presented study shows that the use of HBIM for energy modeling proved to be useful to simulate possible solutions that optimize the thermal and energy performance.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 4100
Author(s):  
Mariana Huskinson ◽  
Antonio Galiano-Garrigós ◽  
Ángel Benigno González-Avilés ◽  
M. Isabel Pérez-Millán

Improving the energy performance of existing buildings is one of the main strategies defined by the European Union to reduce global energy costs. Amongst the actions to be carried out in buildings to achieve this objective is working with passive measures adapted to each type of climate. To assist designers in the process of finding appropriate solutions for each building and location, different tools have been developed and since the implementation of building information modeling (BIM), it has been possible to perform an analysis of a building’s life cycle from an energy perspective and other types of analysis such as a comfort analysis. In the case of Spain, the first BIM environment tool has been implemented that deals with the global analysis of a building’s behavior and serves as an alternative to previous methods characterized by their lack of both flexibility and information offered to designers. This paper evaluates and compares the official Spanish energy performance evaluation tool (Cypetherm) released in 2018 using a case study involving the installation of sunlight control devices as part of a building refurbishment. It is intended to determine how databases and simplifications affect the designer’s decision-making. Additionally, the yielded energy results are complemented by a comfort analysis to explore the impact of these improvements from a users’ wellbeing viewpoint. At the end of the process the yielded results still confirm that the simulation remains far from reality and that simulation tools can indeed influence the decision-making process.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7990
Author(s):  
Suman Paneru ◽  
Forough Foroutan Jahromi ◽  
Mohsen Hatami ◽  
Wilfred Roudebush ◽  
Idris Jeelani

Traditional energy analysis in Building Information Modeling (BIM) only accounts for the energy requirements of building operations during a portion of the occupancy phase of the building’s life cycle and as such is unable to quantify the true impact of buildings on the environment. Specifically, the typical energy analysis in BIM does not account for the energy associated with resource formation, recycling, and demolition. Therefore, a comprehensive method is required to analyze the true environmental impact of buildings. Emergy analysis can offer a holistic approach to account for the environmental cost of activities involved in building construction and operation in all its life cycle phases from resource formation to demolition. As such, the integration of emergy analysis with BIM can result in the development of a holistic sustainability performance tool. Therefore, this study aimed at developing a comprehensive framework for the integration of emergy analysis with existing Building Information Modeling tools. The proposed framework was validated using a case study involving a test building element of 8’ × 8’ composite wall. The case study demonstrated the successful integration of emergy analysis with Revit®2021 using the inbuilt features of Revit and external tools such as MS Excel. The framework developed in this study will help in accurately determining the environmental cost of the buildings, which will help in selecting environment-friendly building materials and systems. In addition, the integration of emergy into BIM will allow a comparison of various built environment alternatives enabling designers to make sustainable decisions during the design phase.


Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 323
Author(s):  
Vachara Peansupap ◽  
Pisal Nov ◽  
Tanit Tongthong

The kingpost was a vertical element that was used to support the structural strut in the deep excavation. The structural kingpost was commonly arranged by experienced engineers who used two-dimensional construction drawings. Thus, it was still time-consuming and error-prone. Currently, an available construction program has been developed to arrange the structural kingpost by identifying the clash problems in the 3D environment. However, they have a limitation for detecting the clash that was unable to visualize the concurrent clashes between kingpost and many underground structures. Then, the engineer cannot see all the clash incidents with each kingpost and move the kingpost to avoid the clashes successfully. Since the kingpost arrangement was still an inefficient practice that was limited in the visualization aspect, this research used engineering knowledge and advanced construction technology to detect and solve the clashes between kingposts and underground structures. The methodology used engineering knowledge of kingpost arrangement to develop the system modules by using a rule-based approach. Then, these modules were developed into the system by using visual programming of Building Information Modelling (BIM). To test the system, an underground structure from building construction was selected as a case study to apply the developed system. Finally, the finding of this study could overcome human judgment by providing less interaction in the kingpost arrangement and visualization improvement of clash occurrences in the 3D model.


10.29007/k8c7 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciana Debs ◽  
Sara Gusmao Brissi

Recent improvements in the AEC industry, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) and lean construction and sustainability, require that the design and construction process be approached from a holistic and collaborative manner. From an academic perspective, collaboration also is an important teaching and research component that allows for a well-rounded understanding of the AEC industry. However, very little research has been performed on collaboration in the AEC disciplines, specifically interdisciplinary collaboration. As a starting point, this paper focuses on academic collaboration in journal publications related to sustainability and building performance. The authors provide bibliometric and thematic analyses of three 2018 research publications related to building performance and written by faculty affiliated with construction departments. The main goal of the paper is to provide preliminary findings about which AEC disciplines were included and which themes were prevalent in collaborative publications. Preliminary findings indicated themes related to performance analysis of buildings and / or building components; indoor environmental quality; decision-making and evaluation methods; and life cycle assessment. Results can be used to identify potential areas that are conducive to collaborative work between construction and other AEC disciplines in order to stimulate more interdisciplinary collaboration within AEC research.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 5519
Author(s):  
Sanjin Gumbarević ◽  
Ivana Burcar Dunović ◽  
Bojan Milovanović ◽  
Mergim Gaši

With the increasing number of nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB) due to increase of global awareness on climate change, the new concepts of design and control must be developed because of great NZEB dependency on detailing and multidisciplinary approach. This paper proposes a three-level gateway control method for NZEB project delivery by using digital representation of the building in building information modeling (BIM) environment. These controls (C1, C2 and C3) are introduced before three main phases of any project delivery—design phase, construction phase and handover. The proposed project control procedure uses black-box building energy modeling within the BIM environment, so the paper explores the reliability of one tool for direct energy modeling within the BIM-authoring software. The paper shows two types of validation tests with satisfactory results. This leads to conclusion that analyzed tool for energy simulation within BIM environment can be used in a way that is described in a proposed project control procedure. For further research it is proposed to explore reliability of tools for energy simulation connected to other BIM-authoring software, so this project control procedure could be independent of BIM-authoring software used in the paper.


Author(s):  
Kieu-Trang Pham ◽  
Duc-Nghia Vu ◽  
Phuc Le Hieu Hong ◽  
Chansik Park

Temporary safety facilities (TSFs) are an essential support system providing necessary protection to workers during construction activities, which are targeted towards preventing the occurrence of incidents and accidents at the construction site; however, the schedule and location of installation and demolition of TSFs continue to rely on labor experience, and are often omitted from formal drawings or documents. This results in thousands of accidents in the construction industry, especially in construction small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) because of their several limiting factors; therefore, this study proposes automatic workspace planning for TSFs based on construction activities, which is a systematized approach for construction SMEs to practice occupational health and safety (OHS). By using building information modeling (BIM) and add-in algorithm, safety facilities can be simulated and visualized to integrate into the designated workspace. The developed system was implemented utilizing 4D-BIM for TSFs installation and validated with a case study on a residential building project. The result revealed that the visualized TSF produces a better understanding of safety measures with regard to project schedule. Additionally, TSFs workspace planning provides an affordable approach that motivates safety practices among the SMEs; consequently, the effectiveness of construction safety measures and their management is enhanced appreciably.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 507-513
Author(s):  
Carles Serrat ◽  
Sebastian Banaszek ◽  
Anna Cellmer ◽  
Vicenç Gilbert ◽  
Anna Banaszek

The aim of the paper is to explain the basic principles of carrying out an inventory and follow-up of buildings and their condition assessment, by using the Full Interactive Visualization Method for Building Condition Assessment platform. It is a platform enabling the implementation of construction inventory based on the remote cooperation of many specialists in the field of, among others: building construction, architecture, civil engineering, photogrammetry, CAD, UAV. This type of cooperation is of particular importance especially in the context of the current epidemiological situation related to COVID-19. The idea of the presented platform fits into the broadly understanding of Building Information Modeling. After introducing the methodology, stages of the inventory and follow-up process carried out within the platform are illustrated and discussed on the basis of a case study. Based on the obtained results it can be concluded that the proposed methodology creates a convenient, efficient and inexpensive tool for massive inspection of building resources in large areas. The inventory is based primarily on high-quality photo and video material obtained from the deck of an unmanned aerial vehicle and the expert knowledge of the inspector conducting the inspection. By combining digital images data (photos, 3D model, orthophotos) with substantive data (facade element classification tables, wear / defect classification tables), we get a platform that allows intuitive access to viewing, classification, editing and analysis of selected data.


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