Affiliated Engineers, Inc. (AEI) were contracted as the MEP Engineers for this 32,000sf mass timber architectural teaching facility with a metalwork, 3D printing and high bay workshop, auditorium, teaching studios and ancillary support spaces.

AEI used the IESVE to carry out detailed performance modelling of the building and its systems to ensure optimal energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and that it delivered against the University’s high aspirations for sustainable performance but remained within the project’s budget.

Central to the build design was the unique profiled roof and its ability to drive a stack natural ventilation of the high bay workshop to deliver passive cooling and ventilation requirements per ASHRAE 62.1-2019. In coordination with Grafton and Modus (project architects), the location and size of the apertures were integrated into the fenestration. IESVE Macroflo was used to test and optimize the natural ventilation system design, with IESVE Microflo supporting to validate the airflow patterns and distribution across the large volume. The CFD studies were used to identify thermal comfort concerns for upper level gallery space adjacent to the large atrium, with the thermal line of the building changed to mitigate potential issues.

“From the commencement of the project IESVE provided the ability to create complex geometry, allowed the team to quickly iterate building forms and shading solutions. As well as model a range of different HVAC strategies, including geothermal heating and cooling, VRF and the final selection of a dual wheel DOAS and air source heat pump with heat recovery. Throughout the project, IESVE was used to optimize the insulation and glazing performance and for load sizing of the HVAC equipment.”
Joss Hurford, Building Performance Engineer, Affiliated Engineers, Inc.
 

Affiliated Engineers Inc. - Detailed Energy Modelling

Over the last 30+ years, IES has built a solid reputation as the leading global innovator in integrated performance-based analysis for the built environment.

The IES Virtual Environment (IESVE) is a powerful, in-depth suite of building performance analysis tools. It enables the design and operation of low/zero carbon, healthy and comfortable buildings. Whether working on a new build or renovation project, IESVE allows designers to test different options, identify best passive solutions, compare low-carbon & renewable technologies, and draw conclusions on energy use, CO2 emissions, occupant comfort, and much more.
There are various applications in the suite; each designed to provide sustainable analysis at levels suitable for different design team members and design stages. All utilize our Apache dynamic thermal simulation engine, and an integrated central data model. 

Building Energy Modeling (BEM) with the IES Virtual Environment software is the perfect industry design tool for electrification and decarbonization of the built environment. Various design strategies are available with decarbonization as an end goal, such as: passive design, energy conservation, energy efficiency, electrification, incorporating renewable energy technology, or energy storage.

From optimizing room and zone loads to detailed HVAC system and equipment sizing, IESVE HVAC software offers the most practical, efficient, and accurate tools available. IESVE can quickly and easily undertake CIBSE & ASHRAE heating and cooling loads calculations, with efficient inputs for 3D geometry, envelope, internal gains, external design conditions and location. Minimum ventilation requirements can be included, or local code minimum ventilation can be utilized. Reports can be generated in either spreadsheet or PDF format, and can be shared to help gain insights from in-depth results analysis, or iterate on building design. These calculations transition seamlessly into detailed HVAC system sizing and optimization.

IESVE can also be utilized for quick and easy CFD airflow simulation. An existing IESVE model can be used for early stage CFD simulations, without needing to import further data or export into other tools. MicroFlo-CFD performs ‘snapshot’ CFD simulation by importing boundary conditions from APACHE’s dynamic simulation, or allows manual boundary conditions to be added. Ventilation from passive sources (e.g. operable windows) or mechanical devices (e.g. diffusers) can be included in these simulations. MicroFlo-CFD can be utilized for a range of CFD use cases, such as: passive natural ventilation design, passive atrium design, data center design, hospital operating room design, HVAC design for occupant thermal comfort, external wind studies, or normal use ventilation of car parks.

There is also the option within IESVE to utilize Parametric Simulation. This feature empowers users to compare a large range of design possibilities, be it for a single-variant design study or a multi-parameter whole-building design perspective. The Parametric Simulation feature has access to a large number of model variables and is integrated into the full range of APACHE’s links (Solar, Daylight, Airflow, Loads/Sizing and HVAC Systems). Over a thousand permutations are possible with one model. 

With the IESVE software, you can undertake daylighting for LEED and BREEAM, electric lighting design, glare prediction, daylight harvesting, daylight autonomy, user-specified visualizations. IESVE can ensure good natural daylight and visual comfort, reduce lighting gains, and test how your lighting designs will look and perform. Daylight, sunlight and overshadowing analysis can be carried out, with results generated for climate-based daylight modeling and daylight autonomy. For lighting design, daylight harvesting and dimming control assessments can also be undertaken. All of this combined can help you meet the requirements of local codes and best practice guides. 

Complex solar shading calculations can also be undertaken within IESVE, to determine how solar rays pass through both external and internal openings.  The path of the sun is tracked across rooms and atriums into internal space allowing the exact location and impact of solar gain to be understood. Internal and external solar shading devices can be tested, along with assessing the shading or right to light impact of surrounding buildings and terrain. Any solar shading calculations can then inform Loads Calculations and Energy Simulations. 

IES also offers unrivalled interoperability with other CAD design and analysis tools. The smooth and robust two-way information exchange between IESVE and BIM platforms speeds up the design process and facilitates digital design. 

Virtual Environment (IESVE)

Since 2020, UMC’s Building Analysis & Modeling team has been expanding their use of IESVE to deliver the best in whole-building performance simulation for their clients across several impressive projects. 

In fact, IESVE has now become an essential tool for the UMC team across a whole spectrum of new construction and retrofit projects delivered across the UMC business. 

For the Engineering group, which deals largely with new construction, this can encompass a wide variety of building performance studies, but will most typically involve providing detailed loads calculations, natural ventilation, and shading studies, to help inform their design decisions. Using IESVE’s load analysis tools has proved particularly invaluable for the team, allowing them to perform everything from room and zone loads optimization studies, through to detailed HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system and equipment sizing. This enables their team to design more accurately and right-size their clients’ systems, to avoid unnecessarily high energy consumption and capital costs.

Within the scope of UMC’s Energy & Environment division, the modeling team is often required to support the testing of different energy efficiency measures for retrofit clients. Here, they will use IESVE to produce highly accurate models, calibrated with real data from the existing buildings, to provide a reliable baseline matching the real building's performance as closely as possible. These calibrated models can then be used to run simulations incorporating potentially dozens of different energy optimization measures, ultimately allowing UMC to deliver a report to the client that will help them compare all the different solutions available to them and formulate a detailed energy management and retrofit plan. Very often, this process will highlight simple adjustments that can be made to a building’s operation, allowing the client to achieve immediate savings which can free up funds for any deeper energy efficiency investments that may be required.

Some of UMC’s more recent projects have even expanded into looking at district energy systems and opportunities to recover waste heat, to help deliver energy savings at the community scale. With the mounting pressure of net-zero energy targets and a growing trend towards distributed energy systems, these services are proving increasingly valuable to UMC’s clients.

The following is one example of the innovative projects UMC has delivered recently, with the help of IESVE.

Calibrated Modeling of Overlake Medical Center

Overlake Medical Center brings best-in-class, modern healthcare to Seattle’s growing Eastside. For this project, UMC was able to apply IESVE and their expertise in Building Analysis and Modeling to help the medical center identify energy efficiency measures and paths to compliance with the Washington State Clean Buildings Standard (CBS).

The UMC team began by conducting a comprehensive energy audit of the entire facility, identifying trends across all of the medical center’s current systems, equipment and scheduling while taking account of other key factors, such as occupancy. During the audit, the team found that significant opportunities existed to improve Overlake’s current Energy Use Intensity (EUI).

Using the data gathered from the audit, UMC was able to produce a highly accurate model, calibrated within a 4% range of the facility’s recent utility data. This meant that UMC and their client could be confident in the accuracy of the results produced.

UMC then used the calibrated model to simulate and analyze a range of possible energy efficiency measures for Overlake, including scheduling improvements for equipment that was operating 24/7 and even waste heat recovery. They outlined over 40 interventions the medical center would need to prioritize to comply with the CBS, amounting to a potential 45% reduction in Overlake’s total energy consumption. 

“What I like about IESVE Software is that it is continuously improving its features so that recent technologies can be modeled. There are always new features we can utilize to make our models more accurate and useful in their real-life application. Our main reason for choosing IESVE was the detail of the analysis that can be achieved, from the geometry, through to loads, shading effects, and natural ventilation. We have also received a lot of great feedback on how detailed and visual the reports that we pull out of the software are, which makes it easy for our clients to understand the impact of the measures we are proposing.”

David Park, Building Analysis & Modeling Manager, UMC

UMC - Calibrated Energy Modeling & Analysis

The atrium of the Engineering II building represents a unique space, with students passing through 24 hours a day for their studies and research projects.

With the goal of creating a “home-away-from-home” environment, University officials sought to renovate the building to be a place where students and faculty could feel comfortable and experience natural daylight, views and ventilation. Officials also wanted the atrium to be highly efficient, keeping carbon emissions and energy costs to a minimum.

With students and faculty occupying the building at all times of the day, officials were faced with a particularly difficult challenge: ventilating the atrium while maximizing the use of daylight to naturally light the space. A stringent temperature comfort range meant both daylighting and ventilation had to integrate flawlessly, as the minimum temperature could not drop below 66 degrees Fahrenheit and the maximum could not exceed 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

University officials enlisted Ambient Energy, a consulting and engineering firm specializing in sustainable technologies and building, for the renovation. Using IESVE, Ambient Energy engineers were able to test and verify the architectural and passive strategy concepts for the atrium before implementing them. Initially, wind and climate analysis gave a better understanding of how natural factors would impact the building. Analyses showed that because of varied wind direction, natural ventilation would rely predominantly on buoyancy instead of wind driven data.

By providing tangible data early in the schematic redesign process, IESVE provided designers and their clients with a way to test and verify their building efficiency theories before putting them into practice. This led to the effective utilization of skylights and natural ventilation to improve daylighting, cooling and energy efficiency in the atrium. Ambient Energy has been using IES’ software for several years and utilized its capabilities on many projects to prove concepts and radically reduce building energy consumption.

“VE for Engineers is one of the only tools that can provide integrated daylight, thermal and mixed-mode ventilation analysis in great detail, which allowed us to test the integration of all components across the year.”

Linda Morrison, Building Performance Team Leader,  Ambient Energy

Colorado State University - Daylight, Thermal and Mixed-mode Ventilation Modelling

Since 2012, Chicago-based consulting firm, Cyclone Energy Group, have been providing analysis, cutting-edge insights, and practical solutions for achieving energy efficiency at all stages of the commercial building life cycle. During this time, they have used IESVE software on between 400-500 models, to help deliver the best results for their clients.

As many of their projects involve extremely complex high-rise buildings, Cyclone Energy Group required a reliable software tool which could handle the complexity of such buildings and their unique systems. With a major focus of their services centring around code compliance, LEED and systems modelling, they found IESVE to be the most comprehensive suite of energy modelling software to provide the capabilities and level of technical detail which their projects require.

Most of Cyclone’s projects begin with geometry creation in IESVE’s ModelIT tool. This has been particularly useful for many of their large-scale high-rise projects, where they have found the capacity of other modelling software to be too limited. ModelIT has also become their go-to geometry tool for Californian Title24 compliance projects. The  detailed geometry option for Title24 can be especially challenging. While a common approach involves building the geometry in one tool, then translating in another before it can be read by the Californian government’s CBECC-Com platform, the Cyclone team have found this approach to be fairly time consuming, due to the amount of debugging required at each stage of the geometry transfer. Instead, they create all of their geometry in ModelIT and export the XML file directly to CBECC-Com, eliminating the level of debugging typically required. In fact, Cyclone estimate that this approach has helped them make time savings of approximately 50% on their Title24 projects.

The Navigators embedded within the software - in particular the ASHRAE 90.1 and LEED navigators – have also helped make life much easier for the Cyclone team when delivering LEED and code compliance projects. This has been especially true for their entry-level modellers, providing them with a step-by-step workflow to streamline their projects and take a lot of the pain out of what may otherwise be a fairly complex learning process.

However, the favourite application of Cyclone’s team is ApacheHVAC. Most other energy modelling software tools on the market do not offer logic level controls, meaning the user simply selects a generic system type, assigns the zone and then runs the simulation. However, this approach is not adequate for reliable modelling of complex HVAC systems and can often lead to inaccuracy in the end results. IES’ ApacheHVAC tool provides a much more detailed and customizable approach, allowing the user to model almost any type of HVAC design, using logic level controls to generate reliable results and simulate aspects such as plant level heat transfer and chiller plant. This capability is particularly important to Cyclone when dealing with detail-oriented clients and is a level of functionality which the team have found to be rare in the market.

The ability to perform a wide range of different analyses from a single platform is another added benefit to Cyclone. Recently, they have noticed a growing demand for daylight simulation studies which the RadianceIES tool has enabled them to provide. This has been particularly useful for LEED applications, including Spatial Daylight
Autonomy (sDA) and Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE) calculations, as well as glare possibility studies. Meanwhile, the VE’s airflow applications – MicroFlo and MacroFlo
– have enabled them to include building type CFD and other airflow analyses within their services, with recent project examples including a chiller plant temperature
distribution study and a wind analysis of an office building, looking at wind directed odors to outdoor air louvers.

Cyclone are clearly passionate about providing accurate results for their clients and the results analysis capabilities of VistaPro, they believe, help them achieve this - especially when it comes to debugging HVAC systems components within a model. Through a combination of high-quality visualisations and comparisons, and the ability to evaluate how the design operates on a step-by-step basis, the team can easily pick up errors and deliver reliable results to their clients with confidence.

“For us, reliability is key. We have explored other modelling tools in the past but have never felt like those are capable of doing what we as a business need. I’ve trained several modellers now and always tell them, to model in a detailed and technical way, go for IES.”

Allen Mei, Building Analyst, Cyclone Energy Group

Cyclone Energy Group - Energy Modelling for LEED, Code Compliance & Net-Zero

HKS is an international design firm of more than 1400 architects, interior designers, urban designers, scientists, artists, anthropologists and more

AMAALA Triple Bay Marina Yacht Club

BEAM is the go-to solution for architects, engineers, and designers to seamlessly create BIM elements in Rhino and transfer them to Revit or IFC—eliminating the hassle of complex workflows.

BEAM: Enhance Your BIM Modeling
Bring the power of Building Information Modeling (BIM) to Rhino® with BEAM.
 
Extend Rhino geometry with BIM data and export to Autodesk® Revit™ or IFC 4.

With BEAM, you can deliver your designs to the digital era of BIM, streamlining your workflows and improving the efficiency of your projects.

BEAM

Rhinoceros 3D is a 3D computer graphics and computer-aided design application software developed by the American company Robert McNeel & Associates. Utilizing NURBS mathematical modeling to produce precise representations of free-form, curving surfaces, Rhino is used in industries such as architecture, industrial design, automotive design, product design, and multimedia and graphic design.

Rhino 3D

Autodesk Revit is a building information modeling (BIM) software used by architects, landscape architects, structural engineers, NEP engineers, designers, and contractors. 

Revit

Complete development of all required documentation during the Entitlements/SD, DD, and CD phases for a Type I, six-story core and shell life sciences building. Facade design and optimization for CBC code compliance. The project includes two levels of above-grade tandem and valet parking, as well as a large terrace on Level 3 above the parking structure.

1 Twin Dolphin Drive

We seek the finest solutions for all your architectural challenges. By developing a highly complex BIM model, we deliver outstanding Design, Construction Documents, assets for Fabrication and 3D printing systems, so you build the extraordinary! 

Got a project in mind? Reach out! 👉 slantis.com/contact

/slantis

Your architecture projects developed. You unplug.

The Engineering Office (EO) provides architectural, engineering, and design services for large commercial projects in Dubai. EO manages approximately 60 construction projects of varying sizes simultaneously. As part of their core capability, EO’s in-house team and external consultants (if required) review construction-related technical submittals to ensure the design standards. On a yearly average, they handle 11,000 documents.

EO embraced innovation and digital collaboration by integrating zipBoard into their DMS and SAP ERP system. This integration improved their document management, resulting in remarkable improvements. zipBoard is a cloud-based document review and collaboration platform that enables teams to markup, annotate, and discuss documents in real-time. 

SAP ERP & zipBoard Integration Success Story (Engineering Office)

zipBoard

BIMWERX

We provide a wide range of comprehensive and integrated BIM services to meet our Client’s needs.

BIMWERX currently have 25 projects utilising ReviCheck to improve their services to their clients.

At BIMWERX, are committed to providing clients with the best possible services. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the key to improving the construction industry, and they are constantly looking for new ways to use BIM to deliver better results for clients. One of the ways that have been able to improve our services is by using ReviCheck. ReviCheck is a cloud-based software solution that helps construction teams ensure that they are always working with the latest versions of their drawings. This is essential for avoiding costly mistakes and delays. ReviCheck works by using QR codes to identify each drawing uniquely. 

BIMWERX: How ReviCheck Helps Us Provide Better Services to Our Clients

ReviCheck is a game-changer in construction document management. It seamlessly integrates QR code technology with Autodesk Revit, ensuring all stakeholders access the latest data. The problem of outdated drawings, which plagues construction sites with 25% of drawings being out of date, is solved through real-time document status checks using the ReviCheck mobile app.

ReviCheck Tutorial 02 - Web Portal Settings

ReviCheck Tutorial 03 - Revit Plugin Tutorial

Revit Plug-in that Saves Money - ReviCheck Revit Plug-in Tutorial

ReviCheck

Arcadis

Global design, engineering, and management consulting firm Arcadis is increasingly transitioning into a more digital company, adopting and developing all kinds of new technologies to optimize its engineering processes. For example, in the field of structural engineering where many still experience a significant lack of suitable tools for automation. As a solution, engineers at Arcadis started to develop their own tools to increase productivity and sustainability and save resources, such as the Building Structural Design tool on the VIKTOR platform.

How Arcadis develops next gen structural engineering tools with VIKTOR

VIKTOR.AI: Automate Engineering Workflows with Custom Web Apps
VIKTOR.AI is a low-code platform designed to help engineers streamline their workflows by creating, integrating, and sharing powerful web applications using Python. By automating repetitive tasks and improving collaboration, VIKTOR enables teams to focus on solving complex engineering challenges while increasing efficiency and accuracy.

Key Features
- App Creation: Convert Python scripts, Excel files, Grasshopper models, and Dynamo scripts into fully interactive web applications with intuitive user interfaces. This enables engineers to centralize their tools, enhance usability, and make domain-specific knowledge accessible to a broader team.

- Software Integration: Seamlessly connect with industry-standard software such as CAD, simulation tools, and data analysis platforms. This eliminates manual data transfers, reduces human error, and optimizes engineering workflows.

- App Distribution: Deploy applications securely within an enterprise cloud environment, ensuring easy access across teams while maintaining centralized control over updates and permissions.

- Collaboration: Store and manage project data efficiently with built-in version control. This ensures that team members can track changes, manage documentation, and minimize miscommunication.

- Security & Compliance: Enterprise-grade security features, including single sign-on (SSO), user access management, and regional hosting options, provide organizations with the control they need to protect sensitive data.

Development Tools
Command-Line Interface (CLI): Streamline app development, install dependencies, and run tests across Windows and Linux environments.
API & SDK: Automate workflows, extract data, and integrate custom applications using the REST API and SDK, allowing engineers to tailor solutions to their specific needs.
Community & Support
VIKTOR offers comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and an active developer community to support users in building and scaling their automation solutions. With dedicated technical support, teams can ensure a smooth development experience and maximize their productivity.

By automating the tedious, VIKTOR empowers engineers to focus on innovation, creativity, and solving real engineering challenges.

viktor-platform/playlists@Explore all our content on Youtube!

Explore Latest “Other” Case Studies

Explore all the best “Other” case studies.

Affiliated Engineers Inc. - Detailed Energy Modelling

UMC - Calibrated Energy Modeling & Analysis

Colorado State University - Daylight, Thermal and Mixed-mode Ventilation Modelling

Cyclone Energy Group - Energy Modelling for LEED, Code Compliance & Net-Zero

AMAALA Triple Bay Marina Yacht Club

HKS

1 Twin Dolphin Drive

SAP ERP & zipBoard Integration Success Story (Engineering Office)

BIMWERX: How ReviCheck Helps Us Provide Better Services to Our Clients

BIMWERX

How Arcadis develops next gen structural engineering tools with VIKTOR

Arcadis

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