BIM’n Green - an equation with far too many variables

I’ve been asked by blog-commentators, why I appear to be ignoring this area.

A topical and important question, always mentioned when it comes to sustainability in AEC and generally greening of the world.

Well, this is a subject I majorly failed to deliver on. Not for lack of trying.

Having a model that can be analysed, and consequently delivering a building designed to perform well in its energy use has made sense to me for a long time.

Over the years I analysed numerous applications, some developed for specialist building services consultants with sophisticated calculating abilities, others focused on architects intending to achieve various green rating-compliance by interrogating their 3D model.

I set through quite a number of presentations and seminars, was shown “real-life” case studies. Somehow, they failed to convince me, despite claiming that the performance of the model prompted designers to change glazing type in windows, add/delete insulation, lengthen/shorten eaves.

There are a couple of conditions that work against the ‘Green BIM concept’ – high integrity of the digital model is needed, elements are to be two-way linked to a comprehensive database and multileveled calculations are to be performed simultaneously;

All within applications that are easy to use, preferably within a host (design/documenting) package while minimising risk of lost-in-translation information fatigue.

To put it bluntly: this is an equation with far too many variables.