Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Streamlining Green Building Design: Developing Requirements for the Sustainable Design Suite
EPA Contract Number: EPD05012Title: Streamlining Green Building Design: Developing Requirements for the Sustainable Design Suite
Investigators: Kennedy, John F.
Small Business: GeoPraxis, Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: March 1, 2005 through August 31, 2005
Project Amount: $70,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2005) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , SBIR - Pollution Prevention
Description:
The goal of this research project was to determine whether the Green Building Studio Web service can be enhanced to incorporate various data and analyses that enable architects and other building designers to design sustainable buildings more cost effectively. The Green Building Studio currently integrates with Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Building Systems, and Graphisoft ArchiCAD, and provides immediate, whole-building energy analysis.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
GeoPraxis, Inc., determined that not all of the desired features could be developed because of data limitations or data quality issues. The features that were determined to be feasible include local wind generation for the building site to enable accurate natural ventilation studies, rain harvesting analysis, photovoltaic analysis, and building water use analysis. The generated local weather data also will enhance the current whole-building energy analysis by using more appropriate weather files. GeoPraxis, Inc., also determined that it should enhance its current product relevancy engine to include green product-specific traits. Key to a usable solution is the interface for the user, and for that purpose, various approaches for communicating wind as it pertains to the building were designed, as was a design advisor to better assist the user with answering questions related to improving their design in terms of resource use.
Conclusions:
The designed features are in demand by the respondents of a Web survey, and market research indicated that these users would pay for these features. If funded, GeoPraxis, Inc., fully intends to incorporate these features into the Green Building Studio and leverage its significant market connections to accelerate these sustainable building analyses throughout the United States.
Supplemental Keywords:
green building design, Green Building Studio, Web service, building information modeling, architects, Autodesk, green product advisor, sustainable design advisor, sustainable design suite, whole-building energy analysis, natural ventilation studies, rain harvesting analysis, photovoltaic analysis, building water use analysis, EPA, small business, SBIR,, RFA, Scientific Discipline, TREATMENT/CONTROL, Sustainable Industry/Business, POLLUTION PREVENTION, Sustainable Environment, Energy, Technology, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Chemistry and Materials Science, Environmental Engineering, energy conservation, green building design requirements, clean technologies, green design, sustainable development, waste reduction, climate control and illumination building, ecological design, environmental conscious construction, green building design, computer generated alternatives, energy efficiency, pollution prevention design, water conservation, architecture, sustainable design suiteSBIR Phase II:
Streamlining Green Building Design: Developing the Sustainable Design Suite | Final ReportThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.