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Architectural Models as a Base for Reliable Early Stage Energy Simulation

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Version 2 2023-09-22, 01:44
Version 1 2021-12-09, 00:40
thesis
posted on 2023-09-22, 01:44 authored by Steele, Jack

Designers from the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industries have shown a desire to allow for quantitative data to back up sustainable decision-making (Braasch, 2016). Methods and software used to reach this goal often do not provide all the information to make informed design decisions or require a complete remodelling of designs at each stage. These factors make Building Performance Simulation (BPS) feasible at early design stages, where it is most beneficial for Architects.  This thesis explores the current process to translate Architectural models constructed within a Building Information Modelling (BIM) environment into Building Energy Models (BEM) so that performance simulations can take place. Within the aim of exploring translation processes, the objectives were to document:  • Whether current processes can facilitate modelling of environmental building performance during early design, as well as during developed design?  • Whether there are any common problems or successful approaches that might form the basis of future improvements in the way Architect’s and consultant’s models work together?  This thesis has identified 19 translation processes from current literature and examined a range of representative processes for exchanging information between Architectural modelling and BPS programs. It concluded that translation issues can be classified into similar groups based on the overall processes used. The eight categories of issues can be used by future developers to determine their priorities in development, and those looking for a current solution can adopt one for themselves. None of the processes tested allowed for issue-free modelling of building performance during sketch design.  The two types of building translation schema evaluated in this thesis divided identified references between a dedicated and generalised approach. The dedicated approach of gbXML and the generic approach of IFC identified similar issues; however, IFC contained more of these problems because it communicates with all modelling programs at a lower information quality. Due to the generic approaches containing more issues that take longer to solve, it is currently more complicated to generate an energy model out of IFC data. While the gbXML schema can only provide benefits for BPS related translations, it is the most viable way to provide the service.

History

Copyright Date

2020-01-01

Date of Award

2020-01-01

Publisher

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Rights License

CC BY 4.0

Degree Discipline

Building Science

Degree Grantor

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Degree Level

Masters

Degree Name

Master of Architectural Science

ANZSRC Type Of Activity code

3 APPLIED RESEARCH

Victoria University of Wellington Item Type

Awarded Research Masters Thesis

Language

en_NZ

Victoria University of Wellington School

Wellington School of Architecture

Advisors

Donn, Michael