Interscale Content Hub – Leveraging BIM for environmental analysis is changing the way the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry thinks about sustainable design and building practices.
As environmental sustainability becomes more important than ever, integrating Building Information Modeling (BIM) with environmental analysis tools is a great way to reduce carbon footprints and optimize resource use.
On the other hand, as we all know, the construction industry is under a lot of pressure to reduce its environmental impact.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) in their “Buildings” presentation says that buildings account for about 30% of global final energy consumption and 26% of global energy-related emissions.
The IEA also says in their “Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2019,” that the sector accounted for 36% of final energy use and 39% of energy and process-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2018.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the solutions.
Environmental Analysis in Construction
In the traditional approach, this process was fragmented, relying on various separate tools and data sources, which made it complex and prone to inefficiencies.
However, the arrival of Building Information Modeling (BIM) has changed everything. BIM offers an integrated platform that makes environmental analysis easier and more accurate, and it’s much more efficient.
BIM makes it easier to do environmental analysis by giving you a detailed digital picture of a building’s physical and functional characteristics.
This digital model lets project teams run simulations of different environmental scenarios, so they can make informed decisions to minimize negative impacts.
For instance, Fulvio Re Cecconi, Sebastiano Maltese, and Mario Claudio Dejaco highlight in their paper “Leveraging BIM for Digital Built Environment Asset Management,” how BIM can optimize building orientation and design to maximize natural light and ventilation, thereby reducing reliance on artificial lighting and HVAC systems.
This feature helps buildings use energy more efficiently and improve their environmental performance overall.
One example is the work by Satinder Kaur Khattra, Hardeep Singh Rai, and Jagbir Singh in their research, “Leveraging the Potential of BIM towards Sustainable Construction.” They show how integrating BIM with sustainability practices is important.
They found that using BIM to assess environmental impacts throughout the building lifecycle helps identify energy-saving opportunities and select more sustainable materials.
Benefits of Environmental Analysis
Environmental analysis really helps to boost energy efficiency. By spotting ways to cut energy use, like making sure your insulation is up to scratch and choosing energy-efficient systems, environmental analysis helps you save money and reduce your environmental impact.
For example, the study by Satinder Kaur Khattra et al. shows how BIM-driven environmental analysis can lead to big energy savings by optimizing building systems and materials from the design stage.
Another great thing about this is that it helps us conserve resources. BIM can suggest more sustainable alternatives and help reduce waste by analyzing material use.
This is backed up by what Re Cecconi and his colleagues say: if you manage data well through BIM, you’ll cut down on waste and make construction projects more sustainable.
On the other hand, Khattra and her team’s research shows how BIM can help track and reduce carbon emissions throughout a building’s life cycle, from construction to demolition.
A thorough environmental analysis can help identify where emissions are coming from and suggest ways to reduce them, which can help lower the overall carbon footprint.
Plus, environmental analysis helps you stay on the right side of environmental regulations and makes it easier to get certified for green building standards like LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
BIM gives us a complete picture of a building’s environmental performance, which helps us make sure our projects meet the exact standards required for these certifications.
To give you a heads-up, you might want to read “BIM for Historical Building Renovations: Historic Buildings Need the Best.”
Role of BIM in Environmental Analysis
BIM integration helps us assess environmental impacts more accurately and comprehensively throughout the building lifecycle.
Fulvio Re Cecconi and his colleagues point out that BIM brings together data from different sources, including material properties, energy consumption patterns, and environmental conditions.
This gives project teams a clear picture of what’s going on, so they can make informed decisions that minimize negative environmental impacts.
BIM’s effectiveness in environmental analysis hinges on its simulation and modeling capabilities.
As Satinder Kaur Khattra and her colleagues point out, BIM software can run simulations of different environmental scenarios, such as energy performance, daylighting, and thermal comfort.
These simulations help us figure out the best design strategies for sustainability.
For instance, by making sure the building is oriented and designed in a way that lets in as much natural light and ventilation as possible, BIM helps us reduce our reliance on artificial lighting and HVAC systems, which makes the building more energy efficient.
Another great thing about BIM is that it can help you do a life cycle analysis. BIM can track environmental impacts from design through demolition because it supports lifecycle assessment (LCA).
This long-term view means that sustainability is always on the table at every stage of the project.
For another reference, kindly read “BIM in Residential vs. Commercial Construction: Who Wins? Who Lose?“
Benefits of Using BIM for Environmental Analysis
BIM helps architects, engineers, and environmental consultants work together so that sustainability is built into every part of a project.
This kind of teamwork is essential for making sustainable construction a reality. Another great thing about BIM is that it helps to make things more accurate.
BIM’s detailed digital models help us make more accurate environmental analyses, which means we can make better-informed decisions.
Khattra et al. found that using BIM processes to deliver information in a project improves the process and reduces extra costs due to design changes during subsequent construction phases.
Another great thing about using BIM for environmental analysis is that it can save you money.
BIM helps avoid costly modifications and ensures that projects stay on budget by identifying and addressing potential environmental issues early on.
And last but not least, BIM gets us thinking in new ways about sustainability. BIM lets you explore new and advanced building technologies, like renewable energy sources and high-efficiency building systems, because it has all the data and simulation capabilities you need.
How Interscale Becomes Your BIM Supporting System
We at Interscale offer a complete BIM management system to help you with environmental analysis in construction projects.
By using Interscale’s expertise, you can make your projects more sustainable with custom BIM solutions.
We at Interscale are ready to be your supporting system to streamline data integration, enhance collaboration, and provide actionable insights for environmental performance improvements.
For instance, Interscale’s case study with K2LD Architects shows how their BIM solutions helped bring sustainable design practices into the project, which led to a big drop in the environmental impact.
If you want to know more about how Interscale can help you with your BIM and environmental analysis needs, kindly visit our Interscale BIM Management page.
Conclusion
As more and more people want to make their buildings more sustainable, BIM gives them the tools and capabilities to make informed, environmentally responsible decisions.
Using BIM in environmental analysis helps construction pros design buildings that are efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly.
Leveraging BIM for environmental analysis is a practical way to help the industry move towards greener and more sustainable practices.
