Trial / Demo
Recently, IES ran a webinar covering how energy models and digital twins can be utilized to help optimize existing building performance. During the Q&A portion of the session, common themes emerged within the questions asked, and so to tackle these questions, we turned to Jidesh Kambil, our Business Development Manager.
Read on for the answers to these questions, where Jidesh shares invaluable advice on how IES's integrated suite of building performance analysis tools can be utilized to optimize existing buildings.
For Apache dynamic simulation within IESVE, a simulation weather file is required. If there are weather measurements available from weather stations placed on site or near the sites, that data can be utilised within the model. If that data is not available, we can use data from other sources, such as standard simulation weather files which can be found here.
Identifying savings by comparing to a specific baseline will depend on the specific case study in question. For example, in Dubai, ASHRAE baselines are used for comparison. However, for a project in Singapore, the government has set their baseline model based on the building performance in 2005. You can find out more about how savings were calculated, and which baselines were used within each case study referenced in the session below.
New York University – Abu Dhabi
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) – Singapore
Bertam Smart Energy City - Penang
In terms of carbon calculation on the operational side, all of these are possible within the VE. There are multiple ways to include these factors, whether that being on iCD at a masterplanning level, or all the factors can be incorporated inside the model. When you run a dynamic simulation, you can have actually your CO2 emissions directly generated from the model data, to be incorporated directly into the model. For embodied carbon, there is also the direct connection that we have between IESVE and the One Click LCA tool.
IES invests in continuously updating its compliance solutions to reflect changes in regulations, and in accommodating new ones. IESVE helps to simplify and deliver a consistent approach to the compliance, reporting and certification process across the most comprehensive set of global building energy regulations, codes and rating systems of any simulation tool. You can find our full range of compliance regulation coverage here.
There are multiple ways to connect sensor and BMS systems data - it all depends on what is available on site and what the facility manager can provide. On site, you can connect directly to your IoT sensors or to your BMS systems. We can then automate this data collection to go back to your calibrated model. Once you have a calibrated model, this model is placed on the cloud, and you can monitor and track this data within IES Live.
iSCAN can be used by itself for data analytics to understand how your building is operating by the data collected from the operation of the building. Usually between six months to 12 months of data is required at minimum to allow for interpretation of results. This data can be then taken back to IESVE if you want to create a calibrated model, or can be forwarded onto IES Live to help set up a dashboard.
You can sign up for our monthly IES Live demonstration, hosted by one of our team of performance experts, to find out more.
There is no disputing that retrofitting can be a disruptive and costly undertaking. Some studies estimate the cost of retrofitting to be in the region of three to five times higher than if measures were designed into our new buildings from the outset.
By prioritising optimisation as a first step in your building’s decarbonisation journey, significant energy, carbon and cost savings can often be achieved through simple, low-cost adjustments alone. However, an effective optimisation strategy requires a detailed and in-depth understanding of your entire building.
This is why a comprehensive energy audit is the starting point for optimising the performance of any existing building, enabling detailed understanding of how current systems are performing, how the building is used and operated, and establishing a baseline from which targeted improvements can be made and prioritised.
Optimisation provides a low-cost solution to set existing buildings on the pathway to net-zero and brings the added benefit of often having the lowest embodied carbon impact of any potential decarbonisation measures. The cost savings generated from simple operational interventions at this stage can also help fund any subsequent retrofit investments, ensuring that retrofits achieve their full potential and will not be counteracted by any existing inefficiencies in how the building is operated.
To find out more on this subject, download our free guide: Energy Modelling for Retrofit: A Best Practice Approach to Decarbonising Existing Buildings.
Contact Jidesh Kambil for more information.
