Building information modelling (BIM) based energy analysis and response to low carbon construction innovations

Abstract

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the process o f generating and managing building data during its life cycle, it uses three-dimensional, real-time, dynamic building modeling software to increase productivity in building design and construction. The information is stored within a data-rich virtual 3D model, which can continue to be used throughout a building’s life cycle. With the rising cost o f energy and growing environmental concerns, the demand for sustainable building facilities with minimal environmental impact is ever increasing. The most important decisions regarding a building's sustainable features are made during the conceptual design and preconstruction stages. In this exploratory research proposes a comparative case study analysis o f a National Primary School “Sonna National School” based on Building Information Modeling (BIM) and with the integration o f Autodesk Green Building Studio to investigate the influence on energy consumption, lifecycle energy cost and carbon emission, to demonstrate the use o f BIM for sustainable design at conceptual stage and compare the findings to a preliminary non domestic building energy rating (NBER) using the iSBEM (non domestic energy assessment procedure-NEAP), under the Energy Performance o f Buildings Directive (EPBD) to establish the benefits o f incorporating BIM into the use o f energy analysis.