Sustainability certificates through digital methodologies
BIM modeling for Verde
BIM (Building Information Modeling) enables us to capture building data in a digital model. Each of the different BIM model applications we want to implement is referred to as a BIM Use.
BIM data allows us to evaluate the sustainability of a project or asset, therefore eases the task of sustainability certification. Sustainable assessment is a BIM Use that reduces the cost of achieving certification.
Can we certify sustainability without BIM? We can indeed, although it will require more time, more money and more effort, and the result will be less certain.
What do we need to make the most of the BIM Sustainability assessment? Firstly a thorough and well-organised BIM model and, secondly, a tool to analyse its data. We present a document which puts forward a method for data sorting and automatic analysis according to the VERDE certification system.
Each sustainability certification standard outlines different requirements for BIM models and the tools used to analyse them. Our paper’s example project is based on the Verde certification (2020 version, december 2021 revision) for residential buildings. Our paper shows how to automate the computation for 19 out of the 46 criteria for a BIM model at a detailed design stage.
According to the VERDE certificate, Criteria are ”the entities that organise the aspects to measure in the evaluation”. Examples of criteria are: EA03 Public Spaces Energetic Consumption, AI01 Interior Air Quality or PE09 Light contamination. A BIM model has to fulfil a set of information requirements to enable automatic computation of a given criteria. These requirements establish what data must be recorded, where and with what format.
For example, criteria PE08 Heat island, requires reporting the areas of plot, roof and façade elements with either a vegetal layer of depth higher than 5cm, a permeable material or a light colour finish. To account for these surfaces, the BIM model elements must report: their materials and layer depths, their permeability percentage and their SRI (Solar Reflectance Index). Given a model with this data well organised, the tool can compute the VERDE indicator value automatically.
Modelical is a digital consultancy that contributes to improve the sustainability of the built environment. Hand on hand with Green Building Council Spain (GBCe), Modelical has developed a BIM modelling standard to allow partial automation of the VERDE certificate using BIM models.
Sara Fernández is an Architect and Master in structural and construction engineering. She leads Modelical relations with GBCe and BIM services for sustainability. She works in the field of industrialised construction, sustainability certification and carbon footprint calculation, and she would love to answer your questions at sara.fernandez@modelical.com.