Trial / Demo
The AIA 2030 Commitment program has just released its 2022 summary report ‘2030 By The Numbers’. Entering its 14th year, the AIA 2030 Commitment is a key climate action program that drives progress toward a net zero carbon built environment.
Section 2 of the report focusses on the use of energy modeling and its key role in designing high-performance buildings. The report emphasises the benefits of incorporating energy modeling at the earliest design stages saying:
“Modeling enables architects and design teams to compare how certain design elements can reduce the size and cost of mechanical systems and offer other tradeoffs to reduce the building’s utility bill. It also allows comparison of upfront costs alongside operational cost payback periods; clients are more likely to choose potentially more expensive but more efficient systems if there is a payback incentive.”
Another key statistic from the report is that for the majority of projects with energy models, the modeling was conducted by design engineers (65%), with only 10% being modeled by the architecture team. The report highlights the important role Architects have in connecting all stakeholders and calls for Architects to take the lead stating:
“Architects must take the lead in both initiating energy modeling at the start of the design process as well as implementing passive design strategies in response, bringing benefits both to the client and the climate.”
The report also highlights the importance of Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) in measuring the success of energy modeling at design stage and enabling adjustments to be made to optimise a buildings performance once in operation. It states however, that POE studies are often seen as ‘just an additional cost’ and are not commonly contracted on projects.
However, on a positive note the report stated that ‘373 of the 423 reporting firms reported at least one whole-building project that was energy modeled’ but less positively ‘only 53 of the 423 had their full whole-building project portfolios energy modeled’.
Nonetheless, the key takeaway highlighted by the report on this data is that ‘This suggests that the knowledge of energy modeling is there; now firms need to integrate it across their entire portfolio to reap its full benefits.’
Read the report in full.
In the report, IES Virtual Environment (IESVE) software and associated AIA 2030 Challenge (DDx) automated reporting tool was shown to be the tools used on most building projects, after ‘other’ as shown in the table below. Widely recognised as the world leading whole building performance modeling software, the IESVE embeds energy and performance analysis into the heart of the design process, and across the entire building lifecycle. Find out more.
If you’re an architect and would like to find out how to take the first step in energy modeling with the IESVE, please visit https://www.iesve.com/architects
