Trial / Demo
Continuing with our case studies for the runners-up of the VE User of the Year Award, this week we showcase the fantastic work of Harry Sharples from AECOM.
His entry focussed on the 11,000m² North East Healthcare Hub redevelopment of the Parkhead Medical Centre for which AECOM provided multidisciplinary design services. The building has key low carbon KPIs including 38% reduction in carbon emissions using Scottish Building Standards Section 6 National Calculation Method (NCM) Modelling and a further requirement for Operational Energy Modelling in line with TM54 guidance, with the aim of calibrating the model upon completion with live onsite data using IES iSCAN Software.
The building design approach followed the energy hierarchy, looking at passive design features, including Low U Value Construction, Natural Ventilation and Solar Shading. Mechanical Services were used in a mixed mode capacity to compliment the natural ventilation solutions, with heating through air source heat pumps and no gas connection to site. Furthermore, photovoltaic panels were used to offset grid electricity carbon emissions.
The project required 3 individual models to be run, one for NCM modelling using VE Compliance, one for Natural Ventilation and Mixed Mode Overheating Analysis using MacroFlo and Apache Systems, and a more complex model to provide detailed assessment of operational energy.
Harry’s innovative use of the VE included modelling of a detailed controls philosophy in ApacheHVAC for a unique HVAC system incorporating a mix of radiant panels, underfloor heating and induct heater batteries. He also used dynamo scripting to pull ventilation parameter data from the Revit BIM model through to excel to automatically populate each room’s ventilation requirement in formats which could be easily pushed back into the VE, saving significant time, allowing a level of parametric design and minimising the risk of human error. Python scripting was further used to assign metering based on the metering strategy drawings, which allowed for detailed analysis of the results.
Showing submetering stategies set out in revit and used to assign metered data within the VE
Further to this, in order to easily input the many (over 600) individual room operational profiles, for people, equipment and lighting, and allow for iterative modification of these profiles, Harry developed a python script to push profiles from an easy to read and input excel format to the ApProfile and assign to the corresponding room types within the VE model.
Showing Excerpt of ApProfile Excel Importer Script
Using these scripts and inhouse excel templates, Harry and his team were able to create a highly complex model which allowed for parametric modification of inputs with relative ease. This allowed for several iterations of the simulation to be completed without significant additional work. Using these approaches, they identified areas of key energy savings which could be directly incorporated within the mechanical services design.
Many congratulations to Harry and the AECOM team on this award. We look forward to an update on the IESVE calibrated Model using iSCAN. For further details on this project, read Harry’s full award entry.
ApHVAC AWHP Annual Energy Consumption
Showing Total Medium Use Operational Energy Split
