The AIA has been contacted by the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) OpenStudio development team. NREL is seeking input from architectural users about OpenStudio to better define requirements for energy modeling in future versions. The OpenStudio team would appreciate feedback from any architects willing to complete the survey below. Additionally, NREL's OpenStudio team is looking to select a small group (8-10) of architects willing to participate in more in-depth user testing over the next few weeks. This group will receive training and support to get started using OpenStudio in their work in exchange for sharing the roadblocks and issues that they have experienced.
The AIA is sending this request for participants out to the Small Firm Round Table (SFRT), Large Firm Round Table Sustainable Design Directors (LFRT-SD) and the AIA's 2030 Commitment working groups in order to provide useful feedback to the OpenStudio Development Team related to integrating energy modeling into the design process and the energy modeling needs of architects.
If you are able, please take a few minutes and respond to the ten questions listed below and email your responses, with your complete contact information, directly to openstudio@nrel.gov. And please also feel free to forward this email to other architects who might be interested in participating.
Your time and assistance in supporting the future needs of our members related to energy modeling tools development is greatly appreciated.
If you have any questions please contact:
Kelly Pickard
Director, Building Science + Technology
The American Institute of Architects
Phone: 202.626.7342
kpickard@aia.org
Bill Worthen, AIA, LEED AP
Director, Resource Architect for Sustainability
The American Institute of Architects
Phone 415.699.2455
billworthen@aia.org .
NREL Open Studio Energy Modeling Requirements Survey:
The National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) OpenStudio development team seeking input from architectural users on OpenStudio to better define the requirements of energy modeling tools in future versions. If you are willing, please take a few minutes to answer the following quick set of questions, with your contact information to openstudio@nrel.gov:
1) What is the size of your current practice; 1-10 people, 10-100 people, 100+ people?
2) What is your primary role (Principal, Project Director, Project Designer, Project Manager, Project Architect, Staff Architect, Energy & Sustainability Specialist, Intern Architect, etc) at your current practice? What are your secondary roles, if any?
3) What are the primary CAD tools that you use in your work?
4) What goals do you most want to achieve through use of an energy modeling tool (e.g meeting the AIA 2030 Commitment, LEED certification, energy code compliance, complying with owner contract requirements, gaining a competitive market edge, personal desire to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, etc)?
5) What simulation results are most important to you in achieving your goals (e.g. energy targets and benchmarks, energy end use results, fuel type and greenhouse gas footprint, construction and energy costs, mechanical system comparisons, daylighting analysis, envelope analysis, orientation and massing analysis, renewable resource assessment, etc)?
6) Have you ever tried to perform energy modeling on one of your projects? If so, what program did you use and what were your experiences? If not, what barriers have kept you from trying?
7) Have you ever heard of the OpenStudio SketchUp Plug-in? If so, when and where did you hear about it?
8) Have you ever tried to use the OpenStudio SketchUp Plug-in? If so, what were your experiences?
9) In order to better understand the needs of architectural users, the OpenStudio development team is offering several opportunities for free, individualized support to help users learn how to use the OpenStudio SketchUp Plug-in. These training opportunities are scheduled to begin before the end of 2011 so the findings may be incorporated into the new feature plan for 2012. All training and support will be provided over email, telephone, or web meeting according to the participant's needs and schedule; no travel is required to participate. Would you or another member of your practice be interested in this opportunity? -------------------------------------------
Tamzin Howerton
Associate, Knowledge Communities
The American Institute of Architects
Washington DC
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