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WHY BIM MODELING?

EXISTING BUILDING

BIOCLIMATIC ANALYSIS

BIOCLIMATIC ANALYSIS

TECHNIQUES & OPTIONS

NEW BUILDING

BIOCLIMATIC ANALYSIS

ECOPHI BIOCLIMATIC

PROJECT PROCESS

ECOPHI BIOCLIMATIC

PROJECT EXAMPLES

Vasari

Predesign

SONESTA HOTEL, CARTAGENA

CONVENTION CENTER, CARTAGENA

THE POWER OF BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING

Gather Existing Building Information

Collect Project Program Information

WIND ANALYSIS

PASSIVE COOLING & HEATING

SOLAR ANALYSIS - SUMMER SOLSTICE

SOLAR ANALYSIS - WINTER SOLSTICE

Wind Power Generation

Passive Cooling & Heating

Revit (Architecture)

Wind speed varies by roughly the square of altitude, so the tops of buildings will experience faster wind than the ground level. Also, wind power generation is much more effective on tall towers than it is near ground level.

The first step is to understand requirements for the project and the existing site conditions and context. During this phase ECOPHI will study the local climate, understand how the space will be used, aligned with goals with the owner and project team, reading applicable codes and laws, looking at precedent projects for inspiration, and studying the existing conditions of the building site.

ECOPHI will begin to study the potential and limitations of passive design strategies to meet your goals of thermal and visual comfort. ECOPHI will evaluate the opportunities for renewable energy, and explore the role of material selection.

It’s also important to set targets for sustainability, like achieving net zero energy or certifying the building through a program like LEED. ECOPHI will develop and revisit these quantitative and qualitative goals through all of the phases. We will help organize the team’s efforts and validate the design.

Passive Cooling & Ventilation

Bioclimatic Design principles are reviewed in the context of the Cartagena climate, which can be described as a constantly hot (i.e. no diurnal nor seasonal temperature differences) and constantly humid climate, with a lot of rainfall, high solar radiation and low average wind speeds. Given the geographical location of Colombia on the equator, the east and west facades and the roof are typically most solar exposed.

The conclusion of this research is that due to the climatic conditions, many passive sustainable design principles, suited for temperate climates, just do not work in Colombia. In order to create a (western) cool interior of a building, active sustainable cooling systems will be necessary.

Bioclimatic design principles are effective, and need to focus on preventing the building envelope from overheating in the first place. The scattered placement of buildings, their form and orientation, and the use of site vegitation will create an optimal climate at an urban level. On a building level solar shading devices, stack ventilation in combination with evaporative cooling, roof gardens or double ventilated roof constructions are worth mentioning.

Due to the extreme heat & Humidity of Cartagena and the orientation of the Sonesta Hotel it is of utmost importance to first stop the sun from hitting the exterior sun facing surfaces. Primarily the roof, east & west facing facades. The major contributer to the overheating of the interior space is due to single pane window and non insulated exterior walls. There are multiple ways of dealing with these issues and choosing the right way of getting more bang for your buck will be computed in energy models for best payback on purchase.

Bioclimatic Design principles are reviewed in the context of the Cartagena climate, which can be described as a constantly hot (i.e. no diurnal nor seasonal temperature differences) and constantly humid climate, with a lot of rainfall, high solar radiation and low average wind speeds. Given the geographical location of Colombia on the equator, the east and west facades and the roof are typically most solar exposed.

The conclusion of this research is that due to the climatic conditions, many passive sustainable design principles, suited for temperate climates, just do not work in Colombia. In order to create a (western) cool interior of a building, active sustainable cooling systems will be necessary.

Bioclimatic design principles are effective, and need to focus on preventing the building envelope from overheating in the first place. The scattered placement of buildings, their form and orientation, and the use of site vegitation will create an optimal climate at an urban level. On a building level solar shading devices, stack ventilation in combination with evaporative cooling, roof gardens or double ventilated roof constructions are worth mentioning.

Due to the extreme heat & Humidity of Cartagena and the orientation of the Convention Center it is of utmost importance to first stop the sun from hitting the exterior sun facing surfaces. Primarily the roof, east & west facing facades. The major contributer to the overheating of the interior space is due to single pane window and non insulated exterior walls. There are multiple ways of dealing with these issues and choosing the right way of getting more bang for your buck will be computed in energy models for best payback on purchase.

Studying the suns path at each site will determine the orientation of the building for special consideration for site design at the early stages of design

Morning: You may want to capture sun’s energy to warm up spaces in temperate climates when the sun is low in the sky. But you’ll also need to protect against glare. In hot humid climates it is imperative to block the sun at all times of the day if possible from encroaching into the livable space to protect from unwanted heat gains.

Noon: Sun is the strongest and highest in the sky. You may want to avoid the hot midday sun to reduce cooling loads in some areas. But you may want to capture the sun in other cases for passive solar heating or energy generation.

Afternoon: You may want to prevent overheating and glare

Occupancy hours: You may be particularly concerned about the times when the building is most heavily occupied.

Clouds are an important determinant of the “sky illuminance conditions” that are used to model sunlight and daylight. The Commission International de l'Eclairage (CIE) has standards for how to consider clear, uniform, and overcast skies. Usually overcast skies are used as design criteria because they represent worst-case scenarios. However, for buildings near the equator, uniform skies may be more accurate.

To keep people comfortable you’ll need to use the right combination of passive and active design strategies. High-performance buildings use the right blend of passive and active design strategies to minimize energy, materials, water, and land use.

Passive design strategies use ambient energy sources instead of purchased energy like electricity or natural gas. These strategies include daylighting, natural ventilation, and solar energy.

Active design strategies use purchased energy to keep the building comfortable. These strategies include forced-air HVAC systems, heat pumps, radiant panels or chilled beams, and electric lights.

Hybrid systems use some mechanical energy to enhance the use of ambient energy sources. These strategies include heat recovery ventilation, economizer ventilation, solar thermal systems, radiant facades and even ground source heat pumps might be included in this category.

In general, you’ll want to optimize your design for passive strategies first. Doing so can often downsize the active systems you’ll need to install which will save a considerable amount on initial costs of the system.

Consider the analogy of a sailboat, which uses natural forces to propel a boat through water. Similarly, you can ‘sail’ your building and keep its occupants comfortable by using passive design strategies for heating, cooling and ventilation.

Site Information

  • Ecology
  • Flora & Fauna
  • Solar Orientation
  • Natural Resources
  • Weather Data
  • Surrounding Structures
  • Building Codes
  • View Corridors
  • Site Photos

Project Program

  • Size of Building
  • Occupancy Type & Scale
  • Clients Needs & Wants
  • Architectural Style
  • Material Vocabulary

Revit (MEP)

Drawings

  • Floor Plans
  • Sections
  • Elevations

Mechanical Systems

  • Types & Sizes
  • Efficiencies

Existing Energy Costs

  • Annual Bills
  • Gas
  • Electric
  • Water

Site Information

  • Weather
  • Site Vegetation
  • Solar Orientation
  • Surrounding Buildings
  • Views
  • Existing Photos

Conceptual Design

Natural ventilation, also called passive ventilation, uses natural outside air movement to both passively cool and ventilate a building. Natural ventilation is important because it can provide and move fresh air without fans. For warm and hot climates, it can help meet a building's cooling loads without using mechanical air conditioning systems. This can be a large fraction of a building's total energy use.Successful natural ventilation is determined by having high thermal comfort and adequate fresh air for the ventilated spaces, while having little or no energy use for active HVAC cooling and ventilation.

You can choose the right strategy based on the temperature and humidity of your site. The following chart shows how much these different strategies can extend the comfortable climate range for people.

WHEN NOT TO USE NATURAL VENTILATION

Sites with high levels of acoustic noise, such as near heavy traffic zones, may be less suitable for natural ventilation because large openings in the building envelope can make it difficult to block outside noise. This can sometimes be solved by using acoustical ventilation louvers.

Also, sites with poor air quality, such as adjacent to busy freeways, may also be less desirable for natural ventilation. Such sites may overcome poor outdoor air quality with filters and ducting, though this usually requires some mechanical fan systems.

BIOMIMICRY STRATEGIES

The Eastgate office building and shopping center in Harare, Zimbabwe imitates the ventilation tunnels in a termite mound to provide passive cooling for its occupants. The system uses 90% less energy for air conditioning, is still comfortable if power outages occur, and even saved $3 million in construction costs because almost no air conditioning equipment was required.(From AskNature, photo: Mandy Patter)

BIM TOOLS WE USE FOR ONE INFORMATION MODEL

Project Vasari

Conceptual modeling and whole building energy simulation for the earliest stages of design

Revit (Architecture)

A full-featured parametric building information modeling platform for use throughout the design process for Architectural Design & Analysis

Revit Structrual

A full-featured parametric building information modeling platform for use throughout the design process for Structural Design & Analysis

Revit (MEP)

A full-featured parametric building information modeling platform for use throughout the design process for MEP Design & Analysis

AutoCAD Civil 3D

A full-featured design tool for modeling site and surface characteristics, designing water management and stormwater control systems

Ecotect Analysis

An advanced simulation and visualization tool for ecodesign analysis.

Green Building Studio

Run energy analysis on your whole building using the industry-accepted DOE-2 calculation engine

Simulation CFD

An advanced simulation and visualization tool for analyzing thermal and fluid flows

3DS Max Design

Detailed and accurate lighting simulation

Navisworks

Coordinate building models to check for interferences and potential conflicts

Quantity Takeoff

Quantify the elements in a building model for estimating

SONESTA & BOULEVARD, MONTERIA

Civil 3D

The Trees and other plants help cool the environment, making vegetation a simple and effective way to reduce urban heat islands.

Trees and vegetation lower surface and air temperatures by providing shade and through evapotranspiration. Shaded surfaces, for example, may be 20–45°F (11–25°C) cooler than the peak temperatures of unshaded materials.1 Evapotranspiration, alone or in combination with shading, can help reduce peak summer temperatures by 2–9°F (1–5°C).2, 3

Trees and vegetation are most useful as a mitigation strategy when planted in strategic locations around buildings or to shade pavement in parking lots and on streets. Researchers have found that planting deciduous trees or vines to the west is typically most effective for cooling a building, especially if they shade windows and part of the building’s roof.

Ecotect Analysis

ECOPHI’s first designs will explore alternate building and system design options. At this stage when the building geometry is still evolving, it’s important to take advantage of the site’s available sun and wind for passive design strategies.

During this phase ECOPHI will test and compare conceptual designs by iteratively altering design parameters. Early energy modeling can help define building orientation, massing, program layout, window size, and façade shading. Tweaking energy model defaults like operational settings and equipment, and other building characteristics, can help see impacts on building energy use, cost, comfort, and other metrics. The primary focus for energy efficiency during this phase are daylighting & glare, natural ventilation, shading & solar gains, distribution of internal loads, and envelope materials.

As a result of these iterations, ECOPHI will understand which parameters drive the performance of the design and will start to refine the overall form, materiality and functional layout of the building. ECOPHI will test overall form and conceptual interior layouts to determine which design parameters drive the performance. To create the most cost-effective, buildable and successful energy efficient designs, it’s best if the architects, engineers, owner, and construction team works together during this early phase. At the end of this phase, when design decisions start to get more difficult to change, good collaboration can ensure you’re aligned on the most promising overall direction.

Once we have gathered all the required information for bioclimatic analysis we can start the building energy models in basic mass design on the specific site with the program requirements set by the design team. Creating multiple energy models focusing on building shape and orientation to maximize the clients needs while simultaneously analyzing bioclimatic solutions will create the most economical and environmentally conscious decisions for the project.

Our bioclimatic analysis capabilities include energy analysis, thermal analysis, lighting/shading, resource management, heating and cooling loads, ventilation & airflow, lighting/shading analysis for solar analysis, right-to-light analysis, daylighting assessment, shading design, lighting design, and acoustic analysis.

Bioclimatic Design principles are reviewed in the context of the Cartagena climate, which can be described as a constantly hot (i.e. no diurnal nor seasonal temperature differences) and constantly humid climate, with a lot of rainfall, high solar radiation and low average wind speeds. Given the geographical location of Colombia on the equator, the east and west facades and the roof are typically most solar exposed.

The conclusion of this research is that due to the climatic conditions, many passive sustainable design principles, suited for temperate climates, just do not work in Colombia. In order to create a (western) cool interior of a building, active sustainable cooling systems will be necessary.

Bioclimatic design principles are effective, and need to focus on preventing the building envelope from overheating in the first place. The scattered placement of buildings, their form and orientation, and the use of site vegitation will create an optimal climate at an urban level. On a building level solar shading devices, stack ventilation in combination with evaporative cooling, roof gardens or double ventilated roof constructions are worth mentioning.

Due to the extreme heat & Humidity of Monteria and the orientation of the Sonesta & Boulivard it is of utmost importance to first stop the sun from hitting the exterior sun facing surfaces. Primarily the roof, east & west facing facades. The major contributor to the overheating of the interior space is due to single pane window and non insulated exterior walls. There are multiple ways of dealing with these issues and choosing the right way of getting more bang for your buck will be computed in energy models for best payback on purchase.

Green Building Studio

Energy analysis of existing buildings can be an effective way to reduce energy demands of the existing building considerably through analysis of the specific site and resolving over consumption of energy through analytical thinking of which elements in nature are affecting the existing buildings demands for energy. We can design systems to co-exist with nature in a harmonious contextual approach.

Our bioclimatic analysis capabilities include energy analysis, thermal analysis, lighting/shading, resource management, heating and cooling loads, ventilation & airflow, lighting/shading analysis for solar analysis, right-to-light analysis, daylighting assessment, shading design, lighting design, and acoustic analysis.

When working with an existing building, we need to understand the energy use of the building and its thermal performance, existing equipment and controls schedules, occupancy patterns, lighting and other systems

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “over the whole building stock, the largest portion of carbon savings by 2030 is in retrofitting existing buildings and replacing energy using equipment” and energy savings for 50-75% can be achieved in commercial buildings who make smart use of energy efficiency measures. This is where EcoPhi will help you to make the best possible decisions for your specific building and what we can do to reduce your energy costs for operation.

10 BENEFITS OF BIM

From the McGraw Hill Construction SmartMarket Report "The Business Value of BIM"

Productivity in the Buildings Network: Assessing the Impacts of Building Information Models found that if BIM was widely adopted it would make a significant difference to national economic performance.

This week, Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr released a press statement saying BIM’s 3D building modeling technology helps builders and owners make the best financial and environmental management decisions over the life of a commercial building.

“Widespread adoption of BIM will result in cleaner, healthier buildings — both new and renovated — with improvements in material consumption, energy efficiency, carbon emissions and the productivity of occupants. On average, an owner could save up to 10 percent on the cost of their building.”

On average 10% savings on building cost, but if designed with Bioclimatic Design can save up to 50% on operations costs!

Design Development

Simulation CFD

The building sector is responsible for almost 40% of the total final energy consumption on a national level. This consumption, either in the form of heat (using primarily oil) or electricity, besides being a significant economic burden due to the high cost of energy, results in large scale atmospheric pollution, mainly carbon dioxide (CO2) which is responsible for the greenhouse effect.

The reduction of energy consumption in buildings can be achieved by simple methods and techniques, using a appropriate building design (bioclimatic architecture) and energy efficient systems and technologies, such as passive solar systems.

Bioclimatic architecture and what bioclimatic design include

Bioclimatic architecture refers to the design of buildings and spaces (interior – exterior – outdoor) based on local climate, aimed at providing thermal and visual comfort, making use of solar energy and other environmental sources. Basic elements of bioclimatic design are passive solar systems which are incorporated onto buildings and utlilise environmental sources (for example, sun, air, wind, vegetation, water, soil, sky) for heating, cooling and lighting the buildings.Bioclimatic design takes into account the local climate and includes the following principles:

Heat protection of the buildings in winter as well as in summer, using appropriate techniques which are applied to the external envelope of the building, especially by adequate insulation and air tightness of the building and its openings.

Use of solar energy for heating buildings in the winter season and for daylighting all year round. This is achieved by the appropriate orientation of the buildings and especially their openings (preferably towards the south), by the layout of interior spaces according to their heating requirements, and by passive solar systems which collect solar radiation and act as “natural” heating as well as lighting systems.

Protection of the buildings from the summer sun, primarily by shading but also by the appropriate treatment of the building envelope (i.e. use of reflective colours and surfaces).

Removal of the heat which accumulates in summer in the building to the surrounding environment using by natural means (passive cooling systems and techniques), such as natural ventilation, mostly during nighttime.

Improvement – adjustment of environmental conditions in the interiors of buildings so that their inhabitants find them comfortable and pleasant (i.e. increasing the air movement inside spaces, heat storage, or cool storage in walls).

Ensuring insolation combined with solar control for daylighting of buildings, in order to provide sufficient and evenly distributed light in interior spaces.

Improvement of the microclimate around buildings, through the bioclimatic design of exterior spaces and in general, of the built environment, adhering to all of the above principles.

Passive systems for heating – cooling and lighting

Passive solar systems are the integrated parts – elements of a building which function without mechanical parts or additional energy supply and are used for heating as well as cooling buildings naturally. Passive solar systems are divided into three categories:

Passive Solar Heating Systems

Passive (Natural) Cooling Systems and Techniques Systems and Techniques for Natural Lighting

The bioclimatic design of a building requires the simultaneous and coordinated operation of all the systems so that thermal and visual benefits can be combined throughout the year.

Important to remember

Buildings are intensive energy consumers, thus contribute significantly to the greenhouse effect and climatic change, and have a severe overall environmental impact.

As inhabitants of buildings, we can make our lives more comfortable, preserve the environment, our health and well being. We can use them appropriately to this end.

The energy we consume in buildings is costly. It is worthwhile asking ourselves who pays for this consumption and why.

All of us affect the energy performance of the buildings we live in. If we are aware of proper design, materials and use of technologies, we can apply them as far as possible in each case. Every action, even the simplest, can have energy benefits for our building.

The sun heats buildings. We can make use of this knowledge for passive heating by ustilising bioclimatic design strategies.

Buildings should be protected from cold and heat using suitable insulation.

Just as we protect ourselves from the sun in the summer, so should we protect the buildings we live in.

Natural cooling, compared to air conditioning, not only provides energy saving, economic and environmental benefits, but also constitutes a different approach, having as its goal, human comfort and well-being.

We can utilise natural resources, and also reduce the internal loads of buildings accordingly.

We can utilise daylight, but we must understand and solve the problem of glare.

Buildings must function rationally in order to ensure the efficiency of passive systems and energy saving techniques. We should not forget to open and close windows and blinds appropriately.

We should not forget that energy consumption causes environmental degradation. In contrast, bioclimatic, energy efficient buildings improve the quality of life for their users.

Energy analysis as a design tool is a process which needs to be done immediately after the site for a project has been selected, and while the design program is taking shape for maximum results. Reserving this process post programming and design discovery either devalues the design, or the energy analysis of the design. You are either making changes to a design that is/was resolved, or you are looking at the energy simulation data without any critical thinking. This process for existing buildings will examine the existing building then show results for additive or subtractive architectural elements to the building and compare the resulting energy savings.

3ds Max Design

Navisworks Clash Detection

Once we aligned on an overall design direction, ECOPHI will refine the whole building design by focusing more on the details of materials, spaces, building systems and mechanical systems.

During this phase ECOPHI will begin problem solving and studying the details of alternate design concepts chosen in the conceptual design stage. ECOPHI will design such elements as the details of the façade, the layout of interior spaces and lighting, and then use this information to inform more detailed whole building energy analysis.

ECOPHI will work out the passive design details, optimizing each space as appropriate to take advantage of such things as natural ventilation and daylighting. By quantifying thermal and visual comfort, we also get a better understanding of the active systems needed to supplement the passive systems. Creating simple designs for these active systems will ensure they’ll work with your passive systems. Architects and engineers will focus more within their discipline during this phase – but, as always, good communication is critical to energy efficiency measures (EEM). This communication and collaboration is aided by technologies like BIM and integrated energy modeling. All disciplines inform the central design.

At the end of this phase, the team will have a design proposal, perhaps with several options for building and system details, for the owner to choose from before moving into detailed design.

Quantity Takeoff

links to valuable information on IDP (Integrated Design Process & BIM (Building Information Modeling)

BIM – building information modeling – is a coordinated set of processes, supported by technology, that add value by creating, managing and sharing the properties of an asset throughout its lifecycle. BIM incorporates data – physical, commercial, environmental, and operational – on every element of a development’s design.

1. Better outcomes through collaboration

All project partners – different design disciplines, the customer, contractor, specialists and suppliers – use a single, shared 3D model, cultivating collaborative working relationships. This ensures everyone is focused on achieving best value, from project inception to eventual decommissioning.

2. Enhanced performance

BIM makes possible swift and accurate comparison of different design options, enabling development of more efficient, cost-effective and sustainable solutions.

3. Optimized solutions

Through deployment of new generative modeling technologies, solutions can be cost-effectively optimised against agreed parameters.

4. Greater predictability

Projects can be visualized at an early stage, giving owners and operators a clear idea of design intent and allowing them to modify the design to achieve the outcomes they want. In advance of construction, BIM also enables the project team to ‘build’ the project in a virtual environment, rehearsing complex procedures, optimizing temporary works designs and planning procurement of materials, equipment and manpower.

5. Faster project delivery

Time savings, up to 50%, can be achieved by agreeing the design concept early in project development to eliminate late stage design changes; using standard design elements when practicable; resolving complex construction details before the project goes on site; avoiding clashes; taking advantage of intelligence and automation within the model to check design integrity and estimate quantities; producing fabrication and construction drawings from the model; and using data to control construction equipment.

6. Reduced safety risk

Crowd behavior and fire modeling capability enable designs to be optimized for public safety. Asset managers can use the 3D model to enhance operational safety. Contractors can minimize construction risks by reviewing complex details or procedures before going on site.

7. Fits first time

Integrating multidisciplinary design inputs using a single 3D model allows interface issues to be identified and resolved in advance of construction, eliminating the cost and time impacts of redesign. The model also enables new and existing assets to be integrated seamlessly.

8. Reduced waste

Exact quantity take-offs mean that materials are not over-ordered. Precise program scheduling enables just-in-time delivery of materials and equipment, reducing potential for damage. Use of BIM for automated fabrication of equipment and components enables more efficient materials handling and waste recovery.

9. Whole life asset management

BIM models contain product information that assists with commissioning, operation and maintenance activities – for example sequences for start-up and shut-down, interactive 3D diagrams showing how to take apart and reassemble equipment items and specifications allowing replacement parts to be ordered.

10. Continual improvement

Members of the project team can feed back information about the performance of processes and items of equipment, driving improvements on subsequent projects.

© Mott MacDonald Group Limited 2013

Detailed Design and Documentation

http://www.archdaily.com/153953/integrated-project-delivery-methodology/

http://info.aia.org/siteobjects/files/ipd_guide_2007.pdf

http://www.augi.com/library/the-process-of-bim-from-design-to-construction

http://bimandintegrateddesign.com/

http://www.infocomm.org/cps/rde/xbcr/infocomm/BIM_Brochure.pdf

Once the final design is aligned upon, the team will prepare for construction by creating a fully articulated design and Building Information Model.

During this phase, the team will settle on precise constructions and will specify either particular materials and building products or performance specifications that meet the energy model requirements. The active HVAC and lighting systems will also be designed and specified in detail by the MEP engineers.

ECOPHI will ensure that the design is articulated well enough to be built (i.e. handed off to the contractor) and that the systems are properly integrated for maximum performance.

Architects and engineers will focus on their discipline, but the team can use BIM and integrated energy modeling to help ensure tight design integration.

A final version of the simulation and energy analysis will document the target energy performance and provide a benchmark for validation during the construction phases. With this information ECOPHI also will be ready to finalize many of the documents need for building certification systems like LEED.

CREDIT FOR INFORMATION FROM

http://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com/building-design

Construction

With the design fully worked-out by the engineers and architects, we now ensure that the construction team can efficiently build the project to the design and performance specifications.

The team will complete detail drawings with all of the constructions, connections, and systems so that it can be built. The team might also use digital tools to stage, coordinate, and visualize the building process with Navisworks.

ECOPHI will ensure the building is built efficiently and to performance specifications.

The building contractor drives this phase. The rest of the design team will work together with them to ensure the building is built as designed. Often the specifications allow ‘like-or-better’ substitutions. A detailed BIM model and coordinated energy model will help assure that any substitutions will actually meet performance requirements. The team might modify the final detailed design throughout the construction project to create a final “as-built” BIM model and energy model for use in operations and maintenance.

Operations and Maintenance

Once the building has been built (or the retrofit completed), we prepare for occupancy by commissioning the new building. It’s also important to provide guidance to help maintain the building over time so that it meets the needs of its occupants.

First we test, or commission, the building to ensure that all of the systems are working properly and that the settings match the intentions expressed in the design and energy model. Once all of the occupants move in, we will want to continue monitoring energy use and thermal comfort to confirm that the building is running smoothly, to continually improve operations (continuous commissioning), and to detect errors and faults in equipment or controls early. Also, because changes are usually made during construction, ECOPHI will revise the BIM model and the details of the energy model according to the final design. Having as-built models and plans of the buildings, along with sensors and feedback mechanisms, can help facilities managers maintain the building and keep it running efficiently.

Commissioning the building and validating the building’s performance almost always expose design, construction, or controls settings flaws that need to be fixed.

Ongoing monitoring and maintenance is important to ensure the building continues to perform well.

At this stage, the building is turned over to the owner and a facilities crew. However, with a maintained BIM model, the work of the architect and design team can continue to inform operations of the building and inform remodels.

Good maintenance and performance-tuning regimes can predict the need for ongoing repairs and prevent major renovations or revisions. When remodeling or retrofits are needed, having good building information models and accurate records will make that process more effective.

ONE SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE

EKOOBIM

ANIMATE

SIMULATE

EKOOMEDIA

ECOPHI BIOCLIMATICS

ECOPHI INNOVATION

VISUALIZE

DESIGN

ECOPHI ARCHITECTURE

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