Improving the collaboration between architects and energy consultants through design-integrated early BIM-tools

Abstract

There is a lack of optimization of buildings towards energy performance in early design stages in practice. Interviews with architects and energy consultants showed that one reason is the inefficient communication between these two groups. This paper investigates how a design-integrated early-BIM tool can improve the relation between architects and energy consultants to support an optimization process in early design stages and facilitate issuing energy performance certificates. Two case studies show that the early-BIM tool provides meaningful results for the architects involved and can reduce the input time for energy consultants by 50%. Furthermore, the simple 3D model functions as boundary object between the two groups and supports the collaboration.

Alexander Hollberg

Associate Professor

Alexander Hollberg is Assistant Professor in the Division of Building Technology, at Chalmers.

Alina Galimshina

Postdoctoral researcher

Alina has joined the research group as a Postdoctoral researcher to work on environmental assessment of building-integrated photovoltaics and robust sustainable design strategies to improve the environmental performance of buildings. Her research areas are life cycle assessment, environmental building design, life cycle cost analysis, uncertainty quantification and global sensitivity analysis.