Grantee Research Project Results
Streamlining Green Building Design: Developing the Sustainable Design Suite
EPA Contract Number: EPD06078Title: Streamlining Green Building Design: Developing the Sustainable Design Suite
Investigators: Kennedy, John F.
Small Business: Green Building Studio, Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: April 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007
Project Amount: $225,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (2006) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , SBIR - Green Buildings , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
In this research project, Green Building Studio, Inc., will enhance its Web service (Green Building Studio) to incorporate various data and analyses that enable architects and other building designers to design sustainable buildings in a more cost-effective manner. Today’s building designers often struggle to design sustainable buildings, and this project is designed to help simplify their task. The enhanced service developed by this research project will be called the Sustainable Design Suite. The Green Building Studio Web service currently integrates today’s leading 3D-CAD applications, including Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Autodesk Revit Building, Autodesk Building Systems, and Graphisoft ArchiCAD. Additionally, it provides immediate whole-building analysis using DOE-2.2. Phase I work determined that the analysis features were feasible to enhance the service, including high-resolution local weather generation to enable accurate natural ventilation studies, rain harvesting analysis, photovoltaic analysis, and building water use analyses for the building site. The generated local weather data enhance building energy analysis by providing more appropriate weather files. Green Building Studio, Inc., also determined that it should enhance its current product relevancy engine to include green product-specific traits. Interface for the user is key to a usable product. Thus, Green Building Studio, Inc., has included various approaches for analyzing wind as it pertains to the building. A design advisor was developed to answer users’ questions on improving design for resource use. According to market research and a Web survey conducted on this subject, building designers would pay for the use of the features proposed for the Sustainable Design Suite Web Site. Green Building Studio, Inc., plans to leverage its significant market connections to accelerate these sustainable building analyses throughout the United States.
Supplemental Keywords:
small business, SBIR, EPA, green building, pollution prevention, green building design, green building components, design optimization, sustainable environment, energy conservation, energy efficiency, environmental conscious construction, environmentally conscious design, waste reduction,, RFA, Scientific Discipline, TREATMENT/CONTROL, Sustainable Industry/Business, POLLUTION PREVENTION, Sustainable Environment, Energy, Technology, Technology for Sustainable Environment, 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 suiteProgress and Final Reports:
SBIR Phase I:
Streamlining Green Building Design: Developing Requirements for 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.