How fast can simulation be before it stops being accurate?
In short: Building performance simulation is often assumed to trade speed for accuracy — but the research shows that is a false choice at early design stage. A simplified model on a validated EnergyPlus engine matched a detailed hand-built model within 4.8% on heating and 14.0% on cooling, inside the 20% screening margin, with automation costing about 2% (Picco and Marengo, 2019).
Energy modelling software for architects who aren’t energy modellers
In short: Energy modeling software for architects needs to run on concept-stage information, return results in minutes, and use a validated engine. FREDS builds a full EnergyPlus model from a limited amount of inputs and runs it in the browser, benchmarked within 20% on heating and cooling against a detailed model, an acceptable margin for early-stage design (Picco and Marengo, 2019).
When better insulation isn’t the better investment
In short: A building retrofit assessment tool is only as honest as the costs it counts. For an office retrofit, counting heating alone favours mineral wool (6.4-year payback) and rules out vacuum insulated panels. Counting the floor space VIPs saves you space; up to 89.67 m² in our case study, worth about £90,000 a year in London rent and VIPs pay back in as little as 1.3 years. Count embodied carbon and mineral wool wins again (Alam, Picco and Resalati, 2022).
EnergyPlus online? Building energy simulation without the desktop
In short: Running EnergyPlus online means using the same validated US Department of Energy simulation engine through a browser, with the model-building automated. Benchmarked against a detailed hand-built model of a Bergamo clinic, the cloud approach landed within 4.8% on heating and 14.0% on cooling, inside the 20% margin accepted for early-stage design (Picco and Marengo, 2019).
