Learn more >Īlso see the following video from the Autodesk BIM Curriculum on how to design for thermal comfort in Ecotect. It shows techniques for: setting up grids (thermal) in Ecotect running a spatial comfort analysis setting zone properties determining resource usage editing material properties. In Ecotect, you can choose to base these loads on defined temperature bands configured for each zone, and can take into account people adapting to the conditions with clothing and operable windows. Pay attention to underlying comfort assumptions. Like in Vasari and Revit’s energy analysis, these values represent the amount of heating or cooling required, not the energy a HVAC system would actually consume to generate the required load. Note that the scale of the heating and cooling load graphs is different in Ecotect than it is in Vasari and Revit. In this chart from Copenhagen, Denmark, you can see that heating loads are given as positive values.
Then learn how to interpret the heating and cooling loads, and hone-in on design changes that can help you save energy.ĭownload dataset here ( loads.zip) Note the differences in the scale from other tools Learn how to prepare your building geometry for thermal analysis, specify building systems, change material properties, and adjust operational assumptions.
This video explains how to run thermal analysis to calculate building loads.
Creating valid geometry is required for getting useful results, and is outlined in detail here by Ecotect’s creator Andrew Marsh. Using thermal models for your specific building effectively in Ecotect requires a few thermal modeling tricks and an understanding of how zones affect the results. You can export either a conceptual mass model or detailed building model to Ecotect using gbXML – and then clean-up the geometry once in Ecotect (set surface normals, inter-zonal adjacencies). If you think your friends might be interested in the above, please share this using the social media buttons below. If you are interested in attending the training course and would like to be notified when the training courses are scheduled, please subscribe to this blog or to the Facebook fan page. Courses will be MQA-approved and fees refundable up to 75% (for companies contributing to the HRDC levy grant system) . If you are interested in learning how to use Ecotect for conceptual design analyses, I am planning on providing training courses on the fundamentals of Ecotect as well as an overview of green building design concepts. A few of the outputs from Ecotect Analysis are shown below (a ll images courtesy of Autodesk): Ecotect gives architects, designers and engineers the power to use performance-based criteria in their design projects.Įcotect Analysis produces cutting-edge 3D spatial models to help users visualise the simulation output, allowing a smooth translation of the simulation results into the project design.
Using simulation software, design professionals are able to continuously study and predict how decisions will impact the performance of the building from the early phases of design through occupancy, reducing or eliminating the need for investment in mock-ups or manual calculations. This can effectively be done through the use of Ecotect Analysis.
For instance, proposing the use of a shading device might not be initially accepted by a client, until the potential savings in cooling energy due to the shading device is demonstrated. Its comprehensive analysis capabilities help analyse and simulate conceptual designs. It allows architects and engineers to test and evaluate design strategies and to study alternatives and make decisions earlier to deliver more achievable, resource-efficient building designs.Īrchitects, designers and engineers often find it useful to visually communicate complex design concepts and extensive datasets to other project team members and clients in an intuitive and effective way. Students or professionals in the construction industry willing to go towards sustainable design might also find this useful in understanding the design principles through a visually responsive and interactive tool.Įcotect is a tool designed to aid in the simulation, analysis and optimisation of high performance buildings, and is especially useful in sustainable building design projects. If you haven’t, it might be of interest to you. If you are an architect, building designer or engineer, you might have heard of Ecotect Analysis.