Fig. 1 – Welcome screen of the database driven B-space tool showing the general design structure of the tool. A comprehensive input guidance is given on the right hand side of the screen.
Within the framework of the IDCOP research project a pre-refurbishment tool for assessing buildings was developed (Figure 1). This tool which is termed B-space assesses the energy demand of multi-storey office buildings taking into account occupier comfort. B-space is targeted at asset mangers as main user group.
Fig. 2 – Energy rating scheme proposed within B-space to give an indication of a building’s energy performance within an asset portfolio.
It enables calculation of a building’s carbon footprint and gives an energy performance rating relative to a building asset portfolio (Figure 2).
B-space is designed similar in structure to online booking processes, i.e. the data input follows a step by step procedure with intermediate data validation. B-space has five major steps for data input which are subdivided into smaller sub-steps. The steps build up on each other, starting with more general building information and then proceeding with construction, façade and occupancy parameters. In the last step the inputs are summarized and a printable energy performance report is displayed for the evaluated building.
The complexity of inputs is kept at a level that allows ‘non-experts’ to assess a building in its energy and comfort performance without extensive training. It is anticipated that a full B-space assessment will take no longer than half an hour.
Aspects of this work have been published in:
- James P.A.B., Jentsch M.F. and Bahaj A.S. (2006) B-space: pre-refurbishment assessment and classification of building façades. Proceedings 2nd International Conference of Renewable Energy in Maritime Island Climates (REMIC 2) – Dublin, 26th – 28th April 2006, pp 221-227.