Welcome to Green Building Studio
Cloud-based energy simulation
Autodesk® Green Building Studio is a flexible cloud-based service that allows you to run building performance simulations to optimize energy efficiency and to work toward carbon neutrality earlier in the design process. Green Building Studio® will help extend your ability to design high performance buildings at a fraction of the time and cost of conventional methods.
Autodesk® Green Building Studio® can be used as a standalone web service. It also powers Autodesk® Revit’s® whole building energy analysis tools (available to Autodesk Subscription customers).
Sign up for a free 30 day trial of Green Building Studio and gain access to the virtually infinite computing power of cloud-based building performance analysis.
Discover Green Building Studio
Better By Design is the Building Performance Analysis Team Blog used to share the latest and greatest Autodesk solutions for sustainable design.
Read the latest post …Our Guiding Principles
With faster and more accurate energy analysis of building design models, architects and designers can work with sustainability in mind earlier in the process, plan proactively, and build better buildings.
Dynamic Whole Building Energy Simulation
Green Building Studio uses the DOE 2.2 dynamic thermal whole building energy simulation engine to estimate building energy use and operating costs; which are based on the effects and interactions of building form, materials, systems, usage, and climate.
Whole building energy analysis is dependent on the interrelationships of form, materials, systems, building use, and climate.
A building’s form (shape, size, orientation, shading, etc.) is one of the primary factors that influences energy consumption.
This is captured in an energy simulation using an ‘Energy Analytical Model’ (EAM) that has discrete spaces and surfaces - each representing the main sources and paths of heat exchange within the building itself, and through the building to the exterior environment.
A building’s materials (concrete, glass, insulation, etc.) has the thermal properties of resistance and storage of heat and moisture. These affect the heating and cooling energy required to maintain comfort. This is captured in energy simulations using the fundamental physical properties of materials (conductivity, specific heat capacity, and density) and how they are combined and treated to form walls, roofs, windows, etc.
A building’s systems (HVAC, Lighting, Equipment, DHW, Renewables etc.) consume and produce energy to meet the building’s and occupants’ needs. These highly complex mechanisms are captured in energy simulations using a variety of methods that have been developed and trusted over many years.
A building’s usage (hours of operation, occupancy levels, set-points, etc.) has a significant impact on energy use. This is captured in Green Building Studio energy simulations using clearly defined, well-established assumptions based on the building type (such as those found in ASHRAE 90.1). While these modeled usage patterns may differ from the actual use, the assumptions are sufficient for comparative analyses.
A building’s climate subjects it to a range of complex heat transfer processes that react simultaneously with building systems and usage. This is captured in energy simulations by using actual historical climate data.
BIM Energy Analysis Workflows
Autodesk’s whole building energy analysis tools, powered by Green Building Studio, support analysis at all stages of building design and construction; from conceptual to detailed design.
There are 3 key workflows in which you can run energy simulations on Green Building Studio:
- 1) conceptual massing elements,
- 2) room/space elements, and
- 3) building elements.
Conceptual Massing Analysis: In Revit and Autodesk Vasari, creating conceptual masses provides a fast and powerful way to author a basic Energy Analytical Model. The energy analysis can be run on Green Building Studio in the cloud and provide analysis results directly within the tool.
Room/Space Elements: In Revit, a full building model can be used to create an Energy Analytical Model. This can then be exported as gbXML and analyzed directly on Green Building Studio.
Building Elements: In Revit (2014), the thermal properties of layered constructions (walls, roofs, floors, etc.) can be included in the Energy Analytical Model. This is simulated on Green Building Studio in the cloud, and analysis results are available directly within the tool.
Building Elements: In Revit (2014), the thermal properties of layered constructions (walls, roofs, floors, etc.) can be included in the Energy Analytical Model. This is simulated on Green Building Studio in the cloud, and analysis results are available directly within the tool.
Green Building Studio
Features to Help Make Your Project Profitable
The Green Building Studio cloud service is a powerful building performance analysis platform that is designed to greatly simplify the task of conducting whole building performance analysis in today’s BIM authoring tools. It uses DOE-2, a proven and validated simulation engine, to provide energy use, water use, and carbon emission results.
Revit IntegrationSeamless Modeling and AnalysisEnergy Analysis for Autodesk Revit was the first integrated whole building energy analysis solution on the market. Green Building Studio’s tight integration with the Revit modeling environment makes analysis accessible in the tool most architects and engineers use to design new and retrofitted buildings. |
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Detailed Model SimulationPain-free Geometry ConversionsNew in Autodesk Revit 2014, Revit Energy Analysis now more seamlessly creates valid Energy Analytical Models from detailed architectural models, and includes the thermal properties of building elements. It is now just as easy to run whole building performance analyses on Revit’s building element model as it is with Revit’s conceptual massing model. No room or space object placement is required for this analysis as they are identified automatically - a huge productivity gain. The analysis will also work if you already have room or space objects placed. |
Whole Building AnalysisProviding Guidance On What Really Drives Energy CostWhole building energy analysis accounts for all of a building’s energy-using systems, and can give you reasonable energy cost projections to use for your design decisions and financial analyses. Sometimes, these variables are not known by the project team, hindering the creation of a valid and useful analysis. That is why Green Building Studio adds defaults and assumptions based on your building type and location to complete the Energy Analytical Model. |
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Predictive Analytical ReportingQuickly Understand What Has the Most and Least Potential for Saving EnergyA typical whole building energy analysis looks at over 50 variations of different parameter alternatives in a building, and that can take considerable time to conduct. Green Building Studio tests a variety of building features automatically and provides straightforward guidance on which variations will have the largest impact on energy use. All of these runs are completed in the cloud in about the same amount of time it takes to do one manually! |
Weather Data Applicable for New and Existing BuildingsTrustworthy Weather Data for Millions of Locations All Over the WorldFor new building projects, Green Building Studio gives you access to over a million virtual weather stations that are compiled from a variety of valid sources. For existing building projects, you can upload building utility history and Green Building Studio will automatically collect historical weather data from that same period of time (from a service called 3Tier), so you can create a calibrated energy model. Green Building Studio also supports Green Button formatted utility data - making the process even easier. |
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Energy Star and LEED SupportUnderstand How Your Projects Compare To Similar DesignsFor every project located in the United States, Green Building Studio provides an ENERGYSTAR score to compare your design’s energy efficiency to similar buildings in that region of the USA. Green Building Studio also provides LEED point estimate for Glazing factor and Water credits, and shows you ways to improve the daylighting and water use in the building design. |
Trust and Confidence by Design
Industry Leading Engine: DOE-2.2 + ASHRAE Standard140 Validation
It is a high priority for Autodesk to improve the quality, reproducibility, and prevalence of building energy modeling. That is why our BPA solutions are integrated into our modeling tools and why Autodesk has industry-leading testing and validation standards.
With each new release of Green Building Studio, tens of thousands of regression tests are conducted, including industry-accepted tests such as ASHRAE Standard140. Below are links to our validation documents for key features.
Green Building Studio is built with proven technology you can trust:
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DOE-2.2. Green Building Studio uses the DOE-2.2 simulation engine. DOE-2.2 has been in development for over four decades and has been validated by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
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ANSI/ASHRAE 140 (Standard Method of Test for the Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis Computer Programs). Green Building Studio web service simulation results were evaluated and met the criteria, under ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140, Standard Method of Test for the Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis Computer Programs, and certified by the U.S. Department of Energy.
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Photovoltaic Analysis. Autodesk’s Green Building Studio calculates the potential PV performance on every exterior surface a submitted building model and reports on those surfaces with better than the user-specified payback period. Work was done to validate the results of these calculations in consultation with National Renewable Energy Labs (NREL), who wrote the book on PV analysis. GBS passed all of the validation criteria.
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Regression tests for Energy Results. Regression testing is performed for every release of Green Building Studio.
Learn More About GBS Analytical Results Testing and Conceptual Mass Model Energy Regression Testing
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Potential Energy Savings Validation. Autodesk Green Building Studio’s, (GBS) new Potential Energy Analysis (PES) feature automatically initiates cloud-based parametric studies for your project when you use Revit or Vasai’s energy analysis feature, or import a gbXML file into GBS. Validation of the PES feature consisted of more than 171,000 energy simulations, which were carefully reviewed by our QA and building science experts’ team.
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Green Building Studio Supported Standards:
