By Greentech Lead Team: Integrated Environmental
Solutions (IES), a provider of integrated performance analysis software and
consulting services for sustainable building design, announced that its
performance analysis software in a collaborative integrated design approach has
helped save Fitchburg State University $1.5 million in construction costs and
more than $34,000 in annual operating costs.
Boston-based CBT Architects used a selection of IES’
VE-Pro performance analysis software modules to run daylighting, solar,
thermal, ventilation and energy simulations throughout the schematic design
process to construct the University’s science building. The construction
scheduled to complete by spring 2014.
“If we had been doing this project five years ago,
without tools like IES, we would have gone in willingly trying to spend money
to save energy, and could well have been putting money in that had no payback,” said Alfred
Wojciechowski, Principle Architect at CBT Architects.
IES’ software tools enable CBT to drive sustainability
through performance analysis by acting as a central hub to the engineers,
energy consultants and commissioning agents. This integrated workflow resulted
in the successful completion of an energy-efficient yet extremely
cost-effective structure.
IES’ software
tools helped University officials to meet the state’s Silver LEED certification
mandate and improving energy efficiency of the Science Building. It required
high-performance heating, insulation and windows in order to keep occupants
comfortable the primarily cool climate in the region.
The software also allows cost-efficiently decrease
cooling loads during warmer months, as well as improves ventilation and use
daylighting to decrease reliance on artificial light.
“This is the first time we’ve seen an architecture firm
lead performance analysis across all phases of the design process, from the
initial architectural mock-ups to implementing construction recommendations,” said Liam Buckley, project consultant for IES.
“Using our energy modeling software, CBT streamlined the
workflow, working in unison with the engineers, energy modeler and
commissioning agent to set performance targets and drive sustainability in the
most integrated and cost-effective way possible. This is a truly unique
collaboration and we hope that it encourages others to move forward in the same
way,” Buckley added.
IES recently announced its support for
a free training workshop for unemployed and underemployed Minnesota architects
and engineers. IES is providing its VE-Gaia software free of charge to the
Building Energy-Efficiency and Energy Modeling Training program at the
University of Minnesota’s Center for Sustainable Building Research.