Following the revision of UK
Building Regulations to meet the obligations of the
European Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD),
Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES) is now the
only commercial software provider to offer
compliance solutions for all regions of the UK.
Addressing reductions in energy and carbon
emissions, the accredited IES <VE Compliance> module
now offers routes for compliance with Building
Regulations Part L (England and Wales), Part F (N.
Ireland) and Section 6 (Scotland).
<VE Compliance> includes bespoke user-friendly
interfaces to SBEM and SAP2005, as well as the core
Dynamic Simulation Model which is used by leading
designers as a more flexible alternative to SBEM.
Commercial benefits include being able to assess
designs quickly and easily for compliance, compare
alternative energy-saving strategies and relate the
effect of these back to the performance of the real
building. Data input is simple, much of the data
required is assigned and updated automatically and
designs can be tested at multiple stages without
re-input. Results files suitable for inclusion in
submissions to Building Control authorities are
produced, as are realistic and animated 3D model
visualisations.
More than just a software provider, the IES
Consulting division offers expert simulation
analysis and compliance checking on a project basis,
and has successfully assessed over 150 UK Building
Regulation associated projects since the new
regulations were first introduced in England & Wales
in April 2006. Its respected simulation engineers
are considered some of the best in the country, with
experience on some of the largest performance
simulations undertaken to date, such as the Royal
London Hospital and Heathrow’s T5.
IES also offers web-based low-cost training helping
<Virtual Environment> users both to learn software
techniques and also to understand how best to
achieve compliance for dwellings and non-dwellings.
The courses are designed to enable IES software
users to be eligible for entry into examinations for
the Low Carbon Consultants (Simulation)
accreditation scheme which is backed by CIBSE, RIBA,
LABC, and supported by the British Property
Federation, BCO and BIFM.
<VE Compliance> is available to purchase on either
WAN, LAN or stand alone licences and is aimed at
architects, service engineers, builders and all
those within the building design process tasked with
ensuring compliance. Initial calculation tools for
the production of Energy Performance Certificates
are currently being tested by IES and the company is
working closely with authorities in all regions to
develop the tools whose introduction is being phased
across the UK.
Email:
edwinac@thinktank.org.uk