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| IES Launches Plug-in for Google SketchUp Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES) announces the availability of a plug-in to Google SketchUp, a free, easy-to-learn 3D design tool from Google. This Toolbar sits within the SketchUp application and gives direct access to all of IES's tools: VE-Ware, VE-Toolkits and the full Virtual Environment. For many architects and other professionals in the building design industry, this level of integration is what they have been waiting for – it allows empowering energy, carbon, daylight and solar analysis, and much more to be undertaken at the touch of a few buttons, right from the earliest stages of the design process, where the maximum difference to sustainable design can be achieved. The plug-in is compatible with both the Free and Pro versions of Google SketchUp. The IES Toolbar allows SketchUp users to assign important sustainable design information like location, building and room type, construction types and HVAC systems to their SketchUp model and then import it directly into their chosen IES analysis tool, without having to re-build any geometry. Within the Google SketchUp plug-in, IES offers building designers the choice to engage with its software at the level and in the way which is best for them: - IES VE-Ware: Free energy and carbon analysis tool which makes basic performance analysis widely available to anyone and includes US Architecture 2030 Challenge benchmark capabilities; - IES VE-Toolkits: mid-level tools that allow a variety of early stage sustainability energy, carbon, solar and daylight analyses to be undertaken at the touch of a few buttons. Including thermal implications of solar/light penetration and LEED/US 2030 Challenge benchmark capabilities; - The full IES VE: an integrated suite of highly detailed performance analysis tools covering Energy, Carbon, Thermal comfort, Airflow (CFD), Bulk Airflow, Daylighting, Solar, LEED, Egress, M&E, Value and Capital/Lifecycle Cost. It also contains Government approved software for showing compliance with conservation of energy Building Regulations and the creation of non-dwelling Energy Performance Certificates in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Performance analysis has a big role to play in the design of green, high-performance buildings, and in the bridging of the 'information' gulf between architects and engineers. This Google SketchUp connectivity and other recent developments by IES have been undertaken to help aid this by offering an analysis toolset that can be used throughout the whole design process; from concept to completion. IES's Performance Analysis tools already link directly to the Autodesk Revit Architecture and MEP Building Information Model applications. While the addition of IES connectivity to Google SketchUp is a significant advancement in its own right, it also enhances the workflow for many Revit users who choose to undertake initial concept designs via Google SketchUp – they can now progress their design, as informed by IES performance analysis, seamlessly from one application to another. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Computing News :: home page |