Frequently asked questions regarding Green Building Studio.
Following are frequently asked questions regarding Green Building Studio.
Can I use the Autodesk Green Building Studio web service to import material properties from my BIM tool?
You can use Green Building Studio to import material properties using Autodesk Revit Building Elements Mode. If the BIM tool is not enabled to export material information then regional code-compliant default material assemblies are used for the baseline energy simulation. These defaults can then be modified on the web service using Design Alternatives or Project Defaults from My Project Tab page in Green Building Studio.
How does the Autodesk Green Building Studio web service choose the material assemblies, schedules, and other information required for whole building energy analysis?Green Building Studio determines the appropriate defaults based on the geographical location of your building, the building type, and the size of your building. The majority of construction, schedule and equipment defaults are ASHRAE 90.1 compliant. These baseline defaults change can be edited using the Project Template, Project Default, and Design Alternative features.
Other sources of references for defaults are as follows:
Schedules: California Non-residential New Construction Baseline Study 1999
Envelope thermal characteristics, LPD, HVAC efficiency: ASHRAE 90.1 and ASHRAE 90.2
Equipment power density & DHW loads: California 2005 Title 24 Energy Code
Occupancy density, ventilation: ASHRAE 62.1
HVAC default for building type/size & other misc building characteristics: 2003 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS)
Can my BIM tool import the changes I make in the Autodesk Green Building Studio web service?
Today's building information modeling tools do not accept gbXML input files. Thus changes made in Green Building Studio cannot be automatically incorporated back into the building information model.
Can I use the Autodesk Green Building Studio web service to study daylighting or create rendered views of my project?
Green Building Studio web service currently does not perform daylighting or rendered studies. These capabilities are available in leading building information modeling tools.. Autodesk Revit now features illuminance simulations via its "Rendering as a Service" feature (RaaS).
Does the Autodesk Green Building Studio web service only analyze commercial buildings?
Green Building Studio can be used to analyze residential, commercial and institutional project types.
Is the Autodesk Green Building Studio web service only suited for new construction projects?
Existing buildings can also be analyzed using Green Building Studio, provided that there is a building information model to submit that approximates the building's geometry. GBS is listed in the Green Button Software Implementers. You can incorporate utility bill data and synchronized weather data in your Green Building Studio project for evaluating historical building performance to simulation results.
This problem occurs when room objects (in Revit Architecture) or space objects (in Revit MEP) are not properly defined in your Revit model. Check that all interior volumes in your model contain room or space objects that are fully enclosed by floors, walls, roofs or other room bounding elements.
To inspect the analytical model of the gbXML file in Revit 2010 and later versions, click Export > gbXML on the Revit application menu and explore the Details tab.
To visually inspect your model outside of Revit and locate problems, click the 3D VRML View in Green Building Studio Add-in, Plug-in, or Desktop client (download required).
At least one roof surface must be present to perform meaningful energy analysis.
This problem occurs when room (in Revit Architecture) or space (in Revit MEP) objects are not properly defined in your Revit model. On the top floors of the model, the upper bounds of room or space objects should exceed the apexes of roof objects so that they fully enclose all roofs.
To inspect the analytical model of the gbXML file in Revit 2010 and later versions, click Export > gbXML on the Revit application menu and explore the details tab.
To visually inspect your model outside of Revit,and locate problems, click the 3D VRML View in your Green Building Studio Desktop client (download required).
This can be a result of the roofs not exporting properly. First check your original BIM model to ensure that the spaces/rooms on the top level have an upper limit that exceeds the top point of the roof. This does not affect the volume calculations of your project but does remove inadvertent shading surfaces from above the roof.
If you have walls/roofs/floors that are not in direct contact with a space or room element these surfaces are exported as shading surfaces. For example if you have double layer walls and the inner wall is a room-bounding object but the outer one is not, the outer wall exports as a shade, not as a wall.
You can also check the VRML view of your model, which shows you which surfaces are being exported to Green Building Studio as shades. Click the View 3D VRML from the Green Building Studio desktop client. The VRML viewer requires the proper plug-ins to properly work. These plug-ins can be downloaded from the Green Building Studio downloads page.
Lastly, if you are using Revit 2010 or later versions, you can control the complexity of your gbXML file using the Export to gbXML feature. The Export to gbXML feature enables you to study the analytical model to ensure that there are no issues with the model. Then You can create a new project in GBS website and upload your gbXML file.