Energy Analysis Software - Building Greener
Jul 11th, 2008 by rlsorbe
Regulatory and societal pressures are instigating higher performance and greater energy efficient buildings throughout the world. We are learning to build greener through LEED Certification, HERS Rating Systems, E-star, using more environmentally safe and sustainable products and through energy-saving technologies. As many of our users are aware, modern building design can be a very demanding and complex process, especially when trying to incorporate this growing list of eco-efficent products, concepts, and technologies. I myself am not a builder or architect in the design industry, however, of what I do know is that conceptual stages of building are the most important, and in this stage you have the greatest impact on a building’s carbon footprint. That said, I am interested to hear feedback from those that have used Ecotect and/or Demeter, tools that provide energy analysis from the conceptual stages of design and development.
For those of you who are new to these programs, they are both energy analysis tools that allow designers to work within a three dimensional model that enables them to visualize and edit information via a simple sketch models. Demeter, is a beta stage plugin by Google, (which is available for Windows and MAC users) that works with SketchUp and was developed by Greenspace Research. Ecotect (which can also run on Mac OS under Virtual PC) is a CAD compatible program that is also driven by environmental design principles. For more information about these programs, and to download free versions of each - click on the following links:
Demeter Information
Demeter Free Down LoadEcotect Information
Ecotect Information
Ecotect Free Down Load
I look forward to seeing and understanding the greater effects and positive impacts these tools will have upon our carbon footprints in the future.