Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Energy Simulation Tools for Efficient Energy Modelling and Analysis

Due to the growing concerns of climate change, the cost of energy, energy security and energy consumption in buildings has become a critical problem globally. As sustainability principles propose, a solution must be found to optimise and minimise building energy consumption due to growing global concerns. This study explored how Building Information Modelling (BIM) Technology can be integrated with energy simulation tools to identify ways to optimise building performance and reduce energy consumption. BIM technology has evolved over the years and expanded to include additional functionalities such as cost estimation, scheduling, clash detection, facility management, asset management and sustainability analysis. BIM has also become a comprehensive platform for managing the entire lifecycle of a building, from design and construction to operation and maintenance. Secondary data was extracted from existing literature and energy simulation tools. Eleven (11) energy simulation tools were identified and juxtaposed with individual capabilities and attributes. The ranking system of Simple Additive Weighting (SAW), a multi-criteria decision-making method (MCDM) was applied. The findings revealed the most compatible energy simulation tool for the BIM application for detailed energy modelling and analysis. The findings are significant and would contribute to further research on new versions of energy simulation tools compatible with BIM for improved energy modelling speed and accuracy.