[Archived phorum post from squ1.com v2 by Rob]
Do you have plans to provide SBEM-style carbon calculations, or even direct export to the iSBEM database? The big problem I see for most architects (aside from understanding environmental design) is inputting the building geometry. We are trying to make decisions about 3D modelling, thermal modelling and Cad draughting packages now, so it would be helpful to know if Ecotect will be supporting the new Part L.
...it would be helpful to
>> it would be helpful to know if Ecotect
>> will be supporting the new Part L
Yes we wiull certainly be supporting the updates to the UK regulations with our next ECOTECT version!
UK Building Regulations L2A - Accreditation
Just got back onto the forum pages. I am involved in building services design, and with the recent introduction of the UK Building Regs L2A, and the requirement to undertake a carbon assesment using SBEM, or iSBEM, can you advise or confirm whether you intend seeking accreditation for ECOTECT from the Department of Communities and Local Governement? Formely known as the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Or are you going to provide a data output transfer from ECOTECT into iSBEM?
Gary
SBEM
Hi Gary,
I am unfamiliar with SBEM, but I have noticed that Ecotect v550 has a new feature in its Zone Management Window that has to do with SBEM.
It looks as if you can load up a certain profile.
I unfortunately do not know any more than that!
Olivier
SBEM
Gary,
I had missed an older post from Andrew regarding the progress with the integration of ECOTECT with SEBM.
You can find his post here:
Support For New UK Part-L Changes.
Olivier
SBEM
Hi Olivier,
Not been back to the forum for a while. Yes, I to have noticed SBEM feature. Not sure that it is fully enabled at the moment. I tried to load up the example L2 file, but when I ran the SBEM procedure the software crashed out with the message 'that SBEM.EXE is not a recognised internal or external name'. I assume from the other messages on the forum that the SBEM module is still being worked on.
Be glad when it is available, as it should make life a lot easier to calculated CO2 emmissions to comply with UK Building Regulations.
Gary
UK Building Regulations L2A - Accreditation
Hi I met Andrew at a recent seminar just outside Bristol a couple of weeks ago. He told me that he expected accreditation of ECOTECT for L2A to be granted within a few weeks. I was wondering whether accreditation is imminent yet?
Gary
SBEM & SAP Modelling in Ecotect
I have tried a few packages now - for SBEM purposes. The standard offering from the BRE web site - and a package from Southfacing software called "Carbon Checker". Hevacomp does a good implementation in their V22 software and I am currently evaluating IES and their VE offering.
I have to say - for the stand alone packages, this is a LOT of effort for very little result. Zoning the spaces for SBEM is a time consuming task, and unless you can then export the result along with the optimistic assumptions you made about what the first tenant will choose for lighting and heating systems... your "pass" for carbon might be unattainable. As the BRE say, SBEM is NOT a design tool either! - You can put a nice wet process (a kitchen, say) into a space with insufficient vapour barriers and pass SBEM, but you'd never get the design past the rest of the building regs.
There IS a niche for a carbon calcs package outside of the whole environment "holistic" modelling approach taken by Hevacomp and IES.
I feel the lack of a common denominator here... Autocad address portability of building modelling with gbXML (Green Building XML). Could Ecotect not populate a couple of data layers in that with room volumes and areas, and construction types? - it would make an Ecotect model available for import into other more specialised packages.
Tim