SketchUp goes Green

Greenspace research has just release a new beta version of Demeter plug-in that expands the benefits of using Google SketchUp for preliminary design process. This plug-in provides the ability to perform the early energy design analysis within minutes, as well as the ability to import and export the gbXML files.
Some of the features are:

• Properties assignable to surfaces
• Enclosed space identification
• Boundary surfaces assignment
• Contiguity checking
• Integration with USA and UK version of Green Building Studio (This is BIG!!!)
• Import and export of gbXML files
• Direct export of SketchUp model for the Whole Building Energy analysis

The only question that remains to be answered in whether we are witnessing the rise of low cost BIM application and how effective is this more than welcome integration with Building Performance Analysis software.