IES VE

IES VE
Name	IES VE
Developer	Integrated Environmental Solutions
Released	1990s
Operating system	Microsoft Windows
Genre	Building performance simulation
License	Commercial

IES VE

The Integrated Environmental Solutions Virtual Environment is a commercial building performance simulation platform used for energy modelling, thermal analysis, daylighting, and sustainability assessment across architecture, engineering, and construction projects. It integrates multiple simulation engines and data workflows to support practitioners working on projects associated with LEED certification, BREEAM, Passivhaus, ASHRAE, and national building codes such as Part L of the Building Regulations and Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The software interfaces with design tools and standards used by firms, consultancies, and academic research groups worldwide.

Overview

The platform provides linked modules for whole-building energy modelling, computational fluid dynamics, solar analysis, and life-cycle assessment, enabling multidisciplinary teams including architects at Foster + Partners, engineers at ARUP, sustainability consultants at Ramboll, and researchers at MIT, Imperial College London, ETH Zurich, and Delft University of Technology to evaluate performance targets. It integrates with authoring environments like Autodesk Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, Grasshopper, and data platforms such as Building Information Modeling workflows adopted by AECOM, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Gensler, and public agencies like the UK Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government and the US Department of Energy. Project teams aiming for standards including WELL Building Standard, Net Zero Energy Building Certification, Green Star (Australia), and DGNB use the toolchain for compliance modelling, occupant comfort studies, and regulatory submissions.

Features and Modules

Key modules encompass whole-building energy simulation, dynamic thermal modelling, advanced daylighting, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), plant sizing and HVAC system simulation, and embodied carbon and materials assessment. The energy engine supports calculations aligned with ASHRAE Standard 90.1, ISO 13790, and national methodologies used in Denmark, Germany, France, and Singapore. Daylighting analysis pulls methods used in projects commissioned by institutions such as Harvard University, Stanford University, and consultancy practices like WSP Global. CFD workflows are used by engineering teams at Siemens, Schneider Electric, and Honeywell for ventilation and indoor air quality studies referenced by WHO and CIBSE. The platform also connects with performance analytics ecosystems used by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, Perkins and Will, HOK, and research centers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Applications and Use Cases

Use cases include energy compliance modelling for skyscrapers designed by firms like KPF, retrofits for heritage buildings managed by English Heritage, district energy planning for municipal authorities such as City of Copenhagen, façade optimisation for manufacturers like Saint-Gobain, and daylighting strategies for galleries like the Tate Modern. Universities including Columbia University, University of Cambridge, and University of California, Berkeley use the software for teaching building physics and for PhD research on topics linked to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change scenarios, urban heat island mitigation used by Transport for London projects, and resilience planning for infrastructure operators such as National Grid plc. It supports consultants preparing submissions for policy programs run by Department of Energy & Climate Change and green finance teams at banks like HSBC evaluating green bonds.

Development and History

Developed in the 1990s by Integrated Environmental Solutions, the product evolved through integration of separate engines and partnerships with academic groups at University College London, University of Strathclyde, and University of Southampton. Major milestones include additions for detailed glazing and solar shading analysis, coupling with CFD solvers used in research at Cranfield University and University of Manchester, and support for sustainability frameworks used by World Green Building Council and United Nations Environment Programme. The software’s roadmap has reflected shifts in practice driven by reports from bodies such as Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, regulations influenced by entities like the European Commission, and market demands led by global firms including Deloitte, McKinsey & Company, and KPMG.

Licensing and Deployment

The product is distributed commercially with licensing options tailored to consultancies, academic institutions, and enterprise deployments at multinational firms like Siemens AG, Johnson Controls, and Schneider Electric. Deployment integrates with cloud services provided by vendors including Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, and virtual desktop infrastructures often used by architecture studios such as Zaha Hadid Architects and BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group). Training and certification programs involve partnerships with professional bodies like Royal Institute of British Architects and Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers. Procurement for public sector projects has occurred through frameworks used by authorities including Homes England and European public tenders managed under TED (Tenders Electronic Daily).

Accuracy, Validation, and Standards Compliance

Validation activities reference benchmark comparisons from laboratories and institutions such as National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Fraunhofer Society, and BRE. Performance claims are assessed against test cases adhering to standards including CEN, ISO 52016, and ASHRAE Handbook procedures, and third-party audits by firms like TÜV SÜD and SGS. Use in certification workflows for BREEAM and LEED requires careful modelling assumptions similar to guidance issued by UK Building Research Establishment and compliance with national methodologies used by authorities like Scottish Government and New York City Department of Buildings.

Category:Building simulation software