Ecotect

Thermal simulation is a dynamic analysis of building’s energy performance using the computer models and various simulation engines. Ecotect software represents a frequently used software for energy performance simulation. Its greatest advantage compared to the other simulation software is a user-friendly modelling interface, with possibility to obtain a variety of different analysis results (solar gains, shadow tracing, energy performance, acoustic performance) in early design phase of the project, and this is why it is being used more and more as a tool in the design process.

It was developed by Andrew Marsh, PhD and Square One Research Ltd. in 1996, and in 2008 it was bougt by the Autodesk Company. As part of this company three stand alone versions have been developed (2009, 2010 i 2011), and since 2015 functionalities of this software have been merged with the Revit tool. Since then it works as a plugin in this BIM tool, and s being developed as part of the Green Building Studio.

Advantages of the calculations used by this software compared to the calculations done using the quasi-stationary heat transfer models is possibility to define more than one thermal zone (varying in internal gains, orientation, usage patterns, defined  comfort levels etc.) which enables a more realistic building thermal behaviour modelling. Also, using realistic climatic data (weather files) enables shading analysis, tracing of solar gains and daylight levels, and by using a simple model for taking into account the dynamic effects of heat transfer it is possible to determine both energy need for cooling besides the energy need for heating.

All of these analysis are favourable to be performed in the early design stages in order to optimize and improve design solutions in order to achieve better energy performance.