To reduce emissions in the built environment to demanding levels requires both conversation measures and low carbon heating/cooling sources.
This requires deep renovation of buildings and higher rates of renovation.
For high performance buildings an early exercise with Building Performance Simulation by Energy Modelling enables the evaluation of numerous solutions to explore some example parameters:
- Low embodied energy with environmental appropriate materials
- Lower costs with selection of new materials and technologies
- Hybrid solutions
- On-site generation and energy storage systems
- Level of disruption to occupants
These are just some of the factors and this process starts with simple modelling.
Building professionals including Architects will generally require a visual 3D model at an early stage.
The GreenspaceLive gModeller based on Trimble Sketchup enables an early exercise in Energy Modelling. The energy analysis engine gEnergy enables full dynamic simulation.