BIM models, protagonists in the last Sustain’s Webinar organised by the Catalan Energy Cluster

27/10/2023

In the framework of Sustain Eurocluster, the Catalan Energy Cluster organized yesterday an online session to introduce the potential of BIM in shaping a sustainable and energy-efficient future for built environment. The Webinar titled ‘Guidelines for the use of BIM in energy performance certification of buildings’ had Álvaro Sicilia, researcher at La Salle University, who presented the guidelines to generate energy efficiency certificates from BIM models. These guidelines have been developed in the framework of the TIMPEAC project, which was also presented by Sicilia, and is co-financed by the Horizon 2022 programme.

Specialists in sustainable construction also participated in the session. Manuel Marin, Facilities consultant at ARCBcn and Nicholas Afxentiou, Project manager at Euphyia Tech LTD, and PhD candidate at Frederick University. Both contributed to address the challenges in 2 scenarios: the creation of a BIM model for certification and the validation of an existing BIM model for the generation of EPC.

The aim of the session was to explain the process of extracting relevant data from BIM models and translating it into inputs for accurate EPC calculations, using BIM as a reliable and consistent data source. Participants also focused on open interoperability, with the aim of establishing standardized and reliable protocols.

The following topics were covered in the technical part:

1. Current status of BIM in energy efficiency certification processes:

  • Overview of the revision of the Energy Building Directive.
  • Discussion of open interoperability in the context of EPCs.

2. Guidelines for the generation of EPC from BIM models:

  • Introduction to the relationship between BIM and EPC tools.
  • BIM modeling strategies for EPC evaluation.
  • Information exchange processes for the ‘EPC evaluation.
  • Special considerations for modeling certain construction elements.

3. Real examples or practical cases that illustrate the application of the guidelines and concepts discussed in the technical part.

This practical part consisted of two examples of cases in which the technology is used by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the sector. Each case will be presented for 15 minutes, providing practical insights into how SMEs use technology in the context of energy efficiency certification and BIM.

The event was attended by more than half hundred professionals who gained valuable insights into the transformative potential of BIM integration in shaping a sustainable and energy-efficient future in the construction industry.