Small Project Design

What are small residential firms using for energy modeling? HEED? Open Studio/Sketchup? Sefaira? Autodesk Insight? Most of our residential work is additions and renovations.

We use Revit so it would be great to be able to use that geometry, but I wouldn't be opposed to using Sketchup.  I'm not sure such an animal exists, but we would love use one software to; show performance based code compliance, provide 2030 Challenge reporting, test different design options and show clients cost savings by investing in the envelope.

CoveTool is the best option.

https://cove.tools

What are small residential firms using for energy modeling? HEED? Open Studio/Sketchup? Sefaira? Autodesk Insight? Most of our residential work is additions and renovations.

We use Revit so it would be great to be able to use that geometry, but I wouldn't be opposed to using Sketchup.  I'm not sure such an animal exists, but we would love use one software to; show performance based code compliance, provide 2030 Challenge reporting, test different design options and show clients cost savings by investing in the envelope.

RE Energy modeling for small firms

I have found that energy modeling and carbon calculating plugins have restrictions on the host drawing tool. We use Revit LT, which is very powerful - but we don't need / can't afford the full version. The carbon software we wanted to use - Tally - doesn't work on LT, only the full version. We developed work arounds, but ultimately it was too much trouble and expense for us, even though we are committed to low carbon design and motivated by the 2030 Commitment. Still looking for an easier solution to calculating embodied carbon. For now, we reduce concrete, steel, glass and fossil fuel materials, and retrofit to Passive House. Still, I'd love to have some numbers.....

CoveTool is the best option.

https://cove.tools

What are small residential firms using for energy modeling? HEED? Open Studio/Sketchup? Sefaira? Autodesk Insight? Most of our residential work is additions and renovations.

We use Revit so it would be great to be able to use that geometry, but I wouldn't be opposed to using Sketchup.  I'm not sure such an animal exists, but we would love use one software to; show performance based code compliance, provide 2030 Challenge reporting, test different design options and show clients cost savings by investing in the envelope.

As a solo practitioner, I'd love to have an affordable, easy-to-use tool. For someone like me, running a dozen projects on my own, it is impossible to learn to use a complicated tool, let alone pay for it. When I contacted Cove Tool about my concerns, how I would use the tool only a few times a year, and how the cost was 10X what I could afford, the response was a deafening silence.

Another rogue aspect of my firm is that I use Vectorworks, so typical plug-ins built for Revit are lost on me. The industry and this organization need to understand and reflect upon what it takes to run a practice solo and our unique challenges. As fellow architects, being sensitive and not condescending to others in the practice who are "not there yet" would also go a long way. I'm not saying this thread has been condescending, but I often face it from architects, energy testing specialists, and those with more resources than they know what to do within their practice.

Soap box over.

RE Energy modeling for small firms

I have found that energy modeling and carbon calculating plugins have restrictions on the host drawing tool. We use Revit LT, which is very powerful - but we don't need / can't afford the full version. The carbon software we wanted to use - Tally - doesn't work on LT, only the full version. We developed work arounds, but ultimately it was too much trouble and expense for us, even though we are committed to low carbon design and motivated by the 2030 Commitment. Still looking for an easier solution to calculating embodied carbon. For now, we reduce concrete, steel, glass and fossil fuel materials, and retrofit to Passive House. Still, I'd love to have some numbers.....

CoveTool is the best option.

https://cove.tools

What are small residential firms using for energy modeling? HEED? Open Studio/Sketchup? Sefaira? Autodesk Insight? Most of our residential work is additions and renovations.

We use Revit so it would be great to be able to use that geometry, but I wouldn't be opposed to using Sketchup.  I'm not sure such an animal exists, but we would love use one software to; show performance based code compliance, provide 2030 Challenge reporting, test different design options and show clients cost savings by investing in the envelope.

Lee I hear your frustration and I agree in the industry it should not be a one size fits all when it comes to software that supports architectural practice. I work for local government and I am fighting for funding so I can provide Revit to my intern who is dying to use it on our projects.

As a solo practitioner, I'd love to have an affordable, easy-to-use tool. For someone like me, running a dozen projects on my own, it is impossible to learn to use a complicated tool, let alone pay for it. When I contacted Cove Tool about my concerns, how I would use the tool only a few times a year, and how the cost was 10X what I could afford, the response was a deafening silence.

Another rogue aspect of my firm is that I use Vectorworks, so typical plug-ins built for Revit are lost on me. The industry and this organization need to understand and reflect upon what it takes to run a practice solo and our unique challenges. As fellow architects, being sensitive and not condescending to others in the practice who are "not there yet" would also go a long way. I'm not saying this thread has been condescending, but I often face it from architects, energy testing specialists, and those with more resources than they know what to do within their practice.

Soap box over.

RE Energy modeling for small firms

I have found that energy modeling and carbon calculating plugins have restrictions on the host drawing tool. We use Revit LT, which is very powerful - but we don't need / can't afford the full version. The carbon software we wanted to use - Tally - doesn't work on LT, only the full version. We developed work arounds, but ultimately it was too much trouble and expense for us, even though we are committed to low carbon design and motivated by the 2030 Commitment. Still looking for an easier solution to calculating embodied carbon. For now, we reduce concrete, steel, glass and fossil fuel materials, and retrofit to Passive House. Still, I'd love to have some numbers.....

CoveTool is the best option.

https://cove.tools

What are small residential firms using for energy modeling? HEED? Open Studio/Sketchup? Sefaira? Autodesk Insight? Most of our residential work is additions and renovations.

We use Revit so it would be great to be able to use that geometry, but I wouldn't be opposed to using Sketchup.  I'm not sure such an animal exists, but we would love use one software to; show performance based code compliance, provide 2030 Challenge reporting, test different design options and show clients cost savings by investing in the envelope.

As a solo practitioner, I'd love to have an affordable, easy-to-use tool. For someone like me, running a dozen projects on my own, it is impossible to learn to use a complicated tool, let alone pay for it. When I contacted Cove Tool about my concerns, how I would use the tool only a few times a year, and how the cost was 10X what I could afford, the response was a deafening silence.

Another rogue aspect of my firm is that I use Vectorworks, so typical plug-ins built for Revit are lost on me. The industry and this organization need to understand and reflect upon what it takes to run a practice solo and our unique challenges. As fellow architects, being sensitive and not condescending to others in the practice who are "not there yet" would also go a long way. I'm not saying this thread has been condescending, but I often face it from architects, energy testing specialists, and those with more resources than they know what to do within their practice.

Soap box over.

RE Energy modeling for small firms

I have found that energy modeling and carbon calculating plugins have restrictions on the host drawing tool. We use Revit LT, which is very powerful - but we don't need / can't afford the full version. The carbon software we wanted to use - Tally - doesn't work on LT, only the full version. We developed work arounds, but ultimately it was too much trouble and expense for us, even though we are committed to low carbon design and motivated by the 2030 Commitment. Still looking for an easier solution to calculating embodied carbon. For now, we reduce concrete, steel, glass and fossil fuel materials, and retrofit to Passive House. Still, I'd love to have some numbers.....

CoveTool is the best option.

https://cove.tools

What are small residential firms using for energy modeling? HEED? Open Studio/Sketchup? Sefaira? Autodesk Insight? Most of our residential work is additions and renovations.

We use Revit so it would be great to be able to use that geometry, but I wouldn't be opposed to using Sketchup.  I'm not sure such an animal exists, but we would love use one software to; show performance based code compliance, provide 2030 Challenge reporting, test different design options and show clients cost savings by investing in the envelope.