CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
11 October 2012
Company News
U.S. Department of Energy Hires Carmel Software to Expand Upon BIM Interoperability Schema
Carmel Software announces that it has been hired by the U.S. Department of Energy to improve the Green Building XML (gbXML) interoperability schema that allows various BIM authoring and analysis software tools to integrate with one another. Here is a more layman's explanation of what this all means:
Green Building XML (gbXML) is a schema or "language" that allows BIM authoring software tools such as Autodesk Revit to communicate with building analysis tools such as Trane TRACE. For example, a user is able to design a 3D virtual model of a building in Autodesk Revit. This model not only includes all of the visual geometry of the building, but it also includes information about the types of walls, windows, roofs, and internal characteristics of the building such as lighting and occupancy density. Since this information is the type of information required by building energy analysis software tools, it seems redundent to re-enter all of this information into a stand-alone energy analysis software tool when it is readily available from the 3D model. This is where gbXML comes into play: A software tool such as Autodesk Revit is able to "Save As" gbXML meaning that it is able to export all of its geometry and other building information into the gbXML language format. Taking this gbXML file, the user is now able to "import" this building information into an energy analysis tool such as EnergyPlus or Trane Trace without manually re-entering all of this data by hand. The end result of all of this is that an energy modeler is better able to design more energy efficient buildings for purposes of, say, LEED certification
In theory, the above workflow sounds seamless and attractive to anyone involved with modeling the energy usage of a building. In reality, the process is wrought with enough complications that energy modelers often forego this process in favor of more manual methods. These complications result from inconsistancies in how the various software tools integrate with gbXML. Therefore, the U.S. DOE has agreed to fund Carmel Software to develop methods and "test cases" that allow these vendors to test their gbXML integration and ensure they are importing and exporting valid gbXML models.
"The fact that the U.S. Department of Energy is funding this effort to improve and promote the usage of gbXML is an incredible validation of this schema. This is the type of infusion we need to propel gbXML into the next phase of building design and analysis, “says Stephen Roth, Principal of Carmel and President of the Board of Directors of gbXML.
For more information on gbXML, go to www.gbXML.org
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