gbXML Project Location and Revit

Location, location, location! These days, even with the real-estate market in peril, this seller’s mantra should still be relevant for anyone that is serious about their energy modeling practice and Revit’s model translation. When exporting your model to a gbXML compliant file, according to the Revit Architecture manual, all you need is the ZIP code and the building type. Well, not quite so as unfortunately, even though the latitude and longitude data is exported to gbXML, it does not relate to the project’s zip code but to the location that is determined via the advanced model graphics settings. And since the DOE 2.2 manual clearly states that hourly loads are the function of a building’s longitude and latitude one should take that extra step of synchronizing the ZIP code and sun location within Revit before translating Revit’s building geometry. Or, we can just hope that in one of the next installments of Revit BIM platforms the sun data and energy data will be automatically synchronized. You can easily verify the inherit discrepancy that is described above by opening the newly created gbXML file and verifying the “Campus” entries of the ZIP code, longitude and latitude.

Silicon nanowires and their potential....

The Nano Photovoltaics team at GE is projecting an 18% efficiency potential for its scalable PV cell, which incorporate silicon nanowires.
(read more)....

and

The 40-hour laptop? Nanowires give 10-fold boost to battery life.
(read more)...

The Algorithmist

This is and excellent resource for everyone whose interests are directed toward the potential use of mathematics in defining an architectural form....

DWF - Design Options with Design Review

Thanks to RobiNZ and his blog post this great tip did not go unnoticed. For quite some time I have advocated and used DWF - Design Review as a communication and design tool, but not knowing the fact that rearranged objects can be captured in their location via user defined views, made me rely on creation a snap shoot sequence.
This technique described in Beyond the Paper blog is the right way to do it...

IES Revit Architecture 'Plug in' Now Available

IES is pleased to announce it has developed a free plug-in to Autodesks Revit Architecture which provides a direct link to its software and to the companys new architect-orientated Toolkits.
(Read more...)

Download the plug-in....

Transstudio and Transmaterials

Great resource for everyone that is trying to operate within the evermore demanding field of performance based design.
Watch the video, and subscribe to the free material newsletter...

EnergyPlus for Google's SketchUp

DOE plans to release an EnergyPlus plug-in for Google's SketchUp at the end of 2007. This free EnergyPlus plug-in will integrate building simulation functionality into the SketchUp drawing environment. The plug-in stores EnergyPlus input data on SketchUp surfaces as they are drawn by the user. An EnergyPlus toolbar provides a way to create zones and surfaces with only a few mouse clicks. Construction assignments are 'painted' onto surfaces using a palette of EnergyPlus wall, roof, and window constructions. Users will be able to execute an annual simulation from within SketchUp. Watch the EnergyPlus web site http://www.energyplus.gov and email for more information.

(Read more in the latest edition of Building Energy Simulation newsletter...)