Chapter Solar Potential and Energy Assessment Data in U-BEM Models: Interoperability Analysis Between Performance Simulation Tools and OpenBIM/GIS Platforms

Abstract

To evaluate the energy and solar potential of the building stock and address feasibility studies of building retrofit interventions information standards are required to ensure proper data flow from building and urban models to simulation environments. Energy performance data are gathered from different information containers and therefore the result of simulations needs to be shared in BIM/GIS environments to better address energy policies and decision-making processes. Solar potential and energy retrofit estimation, developed by means of urban models (U-BEM) are too rough to support a decision-making process, even if at a feasibility stage. On the opposite, strategic decisions are defined with reference to large building stocks that require a U-BEM approach. To increase the reliability of this kind of simulations the study proposes to integrate U-BEMS with BIM-based data that are aggregated and published at urban scale as average performance indicators of built systems. The interoperability problem is analyzed both for simulation tools that need to manage this kind of data and openBIM/GIS platforms that need to share performance indicators and simulation results