An evaluation of architects' readiness for conducting energy modelling using BIM tools to achieve high energy performance buildings in the UK and Canada

Buildings, consume more than 30% of the world's energy and is the world's largest energyconsuming sector, contributing nearly a quarter of the total global greenhouse gas emissions.Global warming is the result of emission of greenhouse gases, and this represents a significantexistential crisis. The effective design of buildings is one way to mitigate this issue and thisstarts with the design of the building. One of the architect's main responsibilities is thebuilding’s geometric design, which has a considerable impact on energy consumption.Building Performance Analysis (BPA) is generally conducted during the later design stagesoften in support of the mechanical and electrical design, such as heating and cooling systems.To achieve a High Energy Performance Building (HEPB), this research considers thepotential impact and implementation of a process which might bring the geometric designstage and energy analysis stages closer to each other. While architects usually deal withgeometrical design, much of energy performance analysis work is carried out by consultantenergy specialists. However, new BIM tools have the potential to make this stage of analysismore accessible to architects, who may not have specific building physics knowledge.The purpose of this study is to assess the acceptability of BIM based energy analysis tools toarchitects and assess their potential use in early stage energy analysis undertaken by nonspecialist architects. The aim of this research is to evaluate the conditions of the designprocess for HEPB in the UK and Canada and develop a series of recommendations to betterenable architects to address energy efficiency in the early stages of the design process byusing BIM tools.An abductive research approach is used to test existing theories regarding the ability of BIMto design and analyse green buildings. The survey of UK and Canadian architects identifiesissues such as; standards, underlying knowledge, client demand and the use of BIM tools toidentify applicability of the approach. The results from the study are used to understand theprocesses of HEPBs architectural design, including the sources and tools which are used. Therespondents’ familiarity with BIM, its tools and ability for doing tasks in the design andconstruction industry, specifically regarding HEPBs design and the potential barriers foremploying BIM are also considered.The recognised gap in the knowledge is to develop a better understanding of the issues of thedetachment of architects as first designers of buildings involved in geometrical design fromthe later stages (Building Performance Analysis) and the possible solutions that might beprovided by BIM tools. The contribution to knowledge of the research focuses around a betterunderstanding of the specific barriers for the implementation and use of BIM energy analysistools by architectural practices which will be achieved through finding weaknesses in thecurrent process of design process and discovering potential solutions.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Master's Level (Level 7)

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• Karjalian Chaijani, M

Language dc:language

en

Identifier

oai:salford-repository.worktribe.com:1351135

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:salford-repository.worktribe.com:1351135