Whoa! Graphisoft announce EcoDesigner energy evaluation tool

[Anonymous]

http://www.graphisoft.com/company/press_zone/ecodesigner.html

I see that Graphisoft EcoDesigner for ArchiCAD12 has just been announced!

Sounds excellent!

Will be very interested to see further details when released.

[Mats_Knutsson]

PB wrote:
Any further information available from Graphisoft, anywhere?........I am unable to find any.....

Hi,
We will put all info about EcoDesigner as soon as we can (I'm talking for all AC distributors/resellers).

The thing we all should understand is that with EcoDesigner you instantly, on-the fly, can compare design alternatives whenever in the process. Most green impact is leveraged if the analysis is made early in the process.

Normally we first build the stuff, then we do the detailed energy analysis silently hoping we didn't do any bad design choices. With EcoDesigner you can be pretty content that you went with the best "green" solution! The detailed energy analysis will then only confirm that you choose a good solution from a green perspective. This is very valuable and very real, and results in a better building from a life cycle perspective!

Another interesting thing is that ED (I think we'll call it ED) is a really fast way to create input to the detailed analysis. It would be pretty cool if using a CAD-program for geometry input would significantly shorten the time needed for energy analysis, don't you think? We'll try this as soon as we can and keep you informed.

Cheers,
Mats

[KeesW]

Hello David

I am mistaken - I thought that it was a proper energy accreditation tool, in which case it would need to be accredited with our councils. If it isn't, why not? You mean that we have to keep manually re-entering data from our model into an Accurate, First Rate etc spreadsheet to calculate star ratings for energy approvals? Yet all the data for the spreadsheets is already contained in our Archicad model - if someone was clever enough to develop an interface.

Is EcoDesigner another almost perfect but handicapped add-on that Graphisoft is so good at producing (cf Lightworks)?

[PB]

Thank you, Mats, for your reply: I look forward to seeing more when it is ready.

And, as posted already, the quantifiable added value of ED would be the generation of certified / accredited energy ratings appropriate for each country / zone.........a very nice service that we can offer to clients as integral to the design process, rather than a 'fingers crossed' verification at the end of the creative stage.

Kind regards,

Patrice

[Mats_Knutsson]

KeesW wrote:
Hello David

I am mistaken - I thought that it was a proper energy accreditation tool, in which case it would need to be accredited with our councils. If it isn't, why not? You mean that we have to keep manually re-entering data from our model into an Accurate, First Rate etc spreadsheet to calculate star ratings for energy approvals? Yet all the data for the spreadsheets is already contained in our Archicad model - if someone was clever enough to develop an interface.

Is EcoDesigner another almost perfect but handicapped add-on that Graphisoft is so good at producing (cf Lightworks)?

Please re-read again from the beginning so that you understand what ED is and why it is a perfect tool for the architect.
/Mats

[Mats_Knutsson]

FYI http://architosh.com/2009/05/aia-talking-to-viktor-varkonyi-about-ecodesigner/

[PB]

Mats, thank you also for the link to the article: It is, to my mind, a very promising product,.................

but, would it be so difficult to make that last step so that it does provide all that is needed for the various types of certification? I ask from the perspective of an architect, not a programmer nor an engineer, and I appreciate that it may not be the easiest of things to implement. But, if it is possible, I would have thought that it was worth doing.

All the best,

Patrice

Quote from the above linked article:

"Lastly, it is important to discuss what EcoDesigner is not. EcoDesigner is not meant to help you qualify for Credit 1, Option 1 under Energy and Atmosphere for LEED certification. It is not compliant with the ASHRAE 90.1-2004 standard and therefore cannot be used for whole building energy analysis for LEED certification. However, with EcoDesigner you can export out .vut files–the native files for the VIP-Energy engine from StruSoft– for more advanced energy analysis by engineers or energy analysis consultants. And you can also export out gbXML files for import into a range of ASHRAE 90.1-2004 compliant energy analysis tools–such as the new tools like Bentley Tas Simulator and Bentley Hevacomp which we touched on briefly here. "

[Mats_Knutsson]

PB wrote:
Mats, thank you also for the link to the article: It is, to my mind, a very promising product,.................

but, would it be so difficult to make that last step so that it does provide all that is needed for the various types of certification? I ask from the perspective of an architect, not a programmer nor an engineer, and I appreciate that it may not be the easiest of things to implement. But, if it is possible, I would have thought that it was worth doing.

All the best,

Patrice

Quote from the above linked article:

"Lastly, it is important to discuss what EcoDesigner is not. EcoDesigner is not meant to help you qualify for Credit 1, Option 1 under Energy and Atmosphere for LEED certification. It is not compliant with the ASHRAE 90.1-2004 standard and therefore cannot be used for whole building energy analysis for LEED certification. However, with EcoDesigner you can export out .vut files–the native files for the VIP-Energy engine from StruSoft– for more advanced energy analysis by engineers or energy analysis consultants. And you can also export out gbXML files for import into a range of ASHRAE 90.1-2004 compliant energy analysis tools–such as the new tools like Bentley Tas Simulator and Bentley Hevacomp which we touched on briefly here. "

If you want to do the detailed energy declaration the last step is VIP Energy and you use ED as the fastest way to create the input to VIP Energy. Green wins either way! VIP Energy is already there but for the green perspective proactive is better than reactive meaning the correct green choice should be taken early in the process and ED gives you that unique opportunity, no more no less. It might be that the workflow with ED and VIP is so efficient that detailed energy analysis will become significantly faster and thus a real option in the early stages (of course in the hands of a user specialized in energy...garbage in garbage out). I feel we should try do get the workflow between ED and VIP down on paper.

If you have used ED in the early design stage you know you have chosen the greenest design and the full declaration will confirm that. Signed, sealed and delivered!

It's three o'clock and I have hardly started working yet. I should have a filter that blocks Archicadtalk....4 days weekend coming!!!!
/Mats

[PB]

Thanks, Mat: Enjoy a long pleasant weekend!

[Anonymous]

Matt

Any further info coming out about ED this week?

Mats_Knutsson wrote:

PB wrote:
Any further information available from Graphisoft, anywhere?........I am unable to find any.....

Hi,
We will put all info about EcoDesigner as soon as we can (I'm talking for all AC distributors/resellers).

The thing we all should understand is that with EcoDesigner you instantly, on-the fly, can compare design alternatives whenever in the process. Most green impact is leveraged if the analysis is made early in the process.

Normally we first build the stuff, then we do the detailed energy analysis silently hoping we didn't do any bad design choices. With EcoDesigner you can be pretty content that you went with the best "green" solution! The detailed energy analysis will then only confirm that you choose a good solution from a green perspective. This is very valuable and very real, and results in a better building from a life cycle perspective!

Another interesting thing is that ED (I think we'll call it ED) is a really fast way to create input to the detailed analysis. It would be pretty cool if using a CAD-program for geometry input would significantly shorten the time needed for energy analysis, don't you think? We'll try this as soon as we can and keep you informed.

Cheers,
Mats

[Anonymous]

EcoDesigner released today!

Press release - http://www.graphisoft.com/company/press_zone/ecodesigner_ships.html

Videos and brochure - http://www.graphisoft.com/products/archicad-solutions/ecodesigner/