Green Building Tools
Green Building Tools
Category Definitions
TAB
# Category Examples
1 Life Cycle Costing
6 Case Studies
High Performance Buildings US DOE, Office of
Databases, websites containing green building projects. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Greener Buildings
7 Compliance/Code-checking/Standards
Tools designed to check compliance with building codes
and standards. Also included links to standards relevant to
LEED and green building. COMcheck
REScheck
ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004
8 Rating tools
Tools for analyzing building structure, design, and material
options and for determining impacts over the life of the
building of based on various design/build options – to make
an environmental assessment of buildings. A rating, or
certification, is given to rank the building according to pre- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
set standards/categories of acheivement. (LEED)
Green Globes
11 Websites
Websites designed to assist professionals in meeting green
building goals. buildinggreen.com; Environmental Buidling News
Sustainable Building Toolkit
Building Energy Software Tools Directory
12 Lighting/Daylighting
Simulation of design options for lighting and other lighting
tools; internal and external lighting. Lumen Micro
Radiance
13 Air Flow/Ventilation
Simulation of HVAC systems for air flow with various
building design options; other tools for Indoor Air Quality. CONTAM
14 Mechanical/Electric/Plumbing Systems
Requires no change to
achieve desired Requires some
NOT ranked Compatibility outcome change
Familiarity
Cost
TOOL TYPES
Software 6
Checklist/matrix 0
Publication 2
Database 1
Website 0
Total 9
Trialability Comments
3
1
Category: Life Cycle
Assessment
Decision Support
Tool Source Web Link
Building Research
Establishment Limited
Envest (BRE) http://envestv2.bre.co.uk
TOOL
TYPES
Software 5
x 0
Publication 0
Database 1
Website 0
Total 6
Trialability Comments
3
Category: Energy Analysis
Architectural Energy
VisualDOE Corporation http://www.archenergy.com/products/visualdoe
US Army Engineer Research
and Dvelopment Center
Building Loads Analysis and System (ERDC) (Department of
Thermodynamics (BLAST) Defense originally developed) http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/energyplus
California Energy
Clean Power Estimator Commission http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/renewables/estim
US Department of Energy,
Energy Efficiency and
2006 Buildings Energy Data Book Renewable Energy http://buildingsdatabook.eere.energy.gov/
Evaluation of capabilites of 20
simulation programs free publication 2
detailed information on software
tools, including strengths and
weakness. Sort by category. free database 2
publications, information resources,
tools
web-based energy engineering Free website 1
analysis solution that integrates first five runs on a
with today’s 3D-CAD/BIM project free
applications (demonstration phase) software 3
statistics on residential and
commercial building energy
consumption. Data tables contain
statistics related to construction,
building technologies, energy
consumption, and building
characteristics free database 1
TOOL TYPES
Software 22
Checklist/matrix 0
Publication 1
Database 2
Website 3
Total 28
Trialability Comments
3
Energy modeling not required
1 for LEED-H
Can be used to demonstrate
3 compliance with EA Credit 1
3
Can probably be used for
residential energy modeling, but
energy modeling not required
3 for LEED-H
3
Category: Material and
Product Specification
Total
Relative
Advantage Trialability Comments
1 3
1 3
1 3
Contains information relevant to LEED credits, but
1 3 doesn't specifically mention LEED
May provide useful info for MR Credit 3; searchable
1 3 database but no explicit mention of LEED
1 2
1 3
1 3
Includes many mentions of LEED relevance in
2 3 manufacturer product listings
1 3
1 3
1 3
Provides search capabilities to identify compliant
1 3 products, but no mention of LEED
0
6
8
21
6
41
Category: Education and
Professional Development
University of California,
Berkeley, and National
Center for the Built Environment Science Foundation http://www.cbe.berkeley.edu/
US Environmental Protection
Energy Star Green Building Design Agency http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=new_bldg_desig
US Department of Energy,
Energy Efficiency and
Building America Best Practices Renewable Energy, Building
Guide Books (by Climate Zones) Technologies Program http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/building_america/
Collaborative for High Performance
Schools (CHPS) Best Practices Collaborative for High
Manuals Performance Schools (CHPS) http://www.chps.net/manual/index.htm
US Department of Energy,
Building Energy Software Tools Energy Efficiency and
Directory Renewable Energy http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/tools_directory/
Office of the Federal Environmental Office of the Federal
Executive (OFEE) Sustainable Environmental Executive
Buildings Website (OFEE) http://ofee.gov/sb/sb.htm
General Services Adminstration General Services
(GSA) Sustainable Design Program Adminstration (GSA) http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?P=PXE
Lawrence Berkeley National
Design Intent Tool Laboratory (LBNL) http://eetd.lbl.gov/eetd-so
Environmental Energy Technologies Lawrence Berkeley National
Division Website Laboratory (LBNL) http://eetd.lbl.gov/r-bldgsee.html
books, CDs, wide range of topics, including green varies by product website
Total
Relative
Advantage Trialability Comments
1 3
3 2
1 3
1 2
1 3
1 3
2 3
2 3 May help in the selection of appropriate simulation tools
1 3
1 3
Reference standard for LEED; includes searchable
3 3 product database
LEED is mentioned very tangentially in some
2 3 publications
1 3
1 3
1 3
1 3
1 3
1 3
1 3
1 3
1 3
1 3
1 3
Good reference, but not LEED-specific; Note that some
work has been done on comparison matrices between
1 3 CHPS and LEED (see Google search)
1 3
1 3 Broken link
1 2
1 2
1 2
3
3
14
3
36
59
http://www.smartcommunities.ncat.org/
Category: Case Studies
TOOL TYPES
Software 0
Checklist/matrix 0
Publication 2
Database 9
Website 4
Total 15
Trialability Comments
3
2
3
Includes links to LEED scorecards where
3 applicable
3
Category: Compliance,
Code-Checking,
Standards
US Department of Energy,
Energy Efficiency and
REScheck Renewable Energy http://www.energycodes.gov/
Perscriptive and performance-based provisions for power, lighting, $110, User's Manual
service water, etc. $93
database 1 2
publication 1 2
TOOL TYPES
Software 2
Checklist/matrix 0
Publication 3
Database 3
Website 0
Total 8
Category: Rating Tools
TOOL TYPES
Software 1
Checklist/matrix 6
Publication 2
Database 0
Website 0
Total 9
Trialability Comments
References LEED-based
3 origins of SPiRiT
2
Category: Site Planning,
Landscape Design
TOOL TYPES
Software 4
Checklist/matrix 0
Publication 6
Database 4
Website 2
Total 16
Trialability Comments
3
Required reference
3 standard/template
Can be used to demonstrate
3 compliance with SS Credit 1
3 LEED Reference
Can help determinestandard
appropriate
design elements for WE Credit
3 1
Can help find sites relevant for
3 SS Credit 1
3
Category: LEED LEED-Recommended Reference
Certification Tools
Each Standard
LEED SS Credit 7.1; Heat Island Effect costs $29-35 publication 3
LEED EQ Prerequisite 1:
Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control $40 publication 3
LEED EQ Prerequisite 1:
Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control Free publication 3
LEED EQ Prerequisite 1: Minimum IAQ
Performance Free Website 1
Total 55
Trialability Comments
3
Can be used to establish a cost-
driven LEED strategy on public sector
3 projects
Matching tool to find FSC-certified
3 wood
3 Recommended resource
3
May help locate salvaged materials
3 for MR Credit 3
subscription
Publications, articles, product listings, case required:
studies integrated into a searchable database $200/year website 3
Publications, articles, product listings, case
studies integrated into a searchable database Free website 2
on line database of techniques, publications,
product listings, case studies, extensive list of
links and resources Free website 3
on-line magazine, other articles, case studies, free with
product listings, etc registration website 2
guidance,
Detailed programs,
technical processes,
guidance with regulations,
links case free
activecompanies website 1
certification
studies, tools,program for air emissions:
and resources for learning about
and
and organizations
optimizing green quantify their
building emissions
decisions
footprint,
throughout calculate emission
the facility deliveryreductions
process from free website 2
energy efficiency and other emission reduction
projects, offset emissions, and certify the level of
emission reductions and offsets. varies checklist 3
gneral information, policy briefings, reports, links free website 2
join various energy-related discussion groups
through this web site free website 1
TOOL TYPES
Software 0
Checklist/matrix 1
Publication 4
Database 4
Website 30
Total 39
Trialability Comments
3
Links to LEED and many other
resources; no special emphasis or
3 treatment
3 no LEED anywhere
3
3 Links to LEED info
LEED is mentioned very tangentially in
3 some publications
3
Contains Seattle-specific LEED info and
3 city supplements
Provides links to LEED for commercial
building plus other non-commercial
3 systems
3
Category: Lighting and
Daylighting
Total 13
Trialability Comments
Total 19
Trialability Comments
TOOL TYPES
Software 1
Checklist/matrix 0
Publication 7
Database 1
Website 4
Total 13
Trialability Comments
3 Mentions LEED
3
TOOL TYPES 1 2 3 4 5
Software 6 5 22 0 3
Checklist/matrix 0 0 0 6 3
Publication 2 0 1 8 14
Database 1 1 2 21 3
Website 0 0 3 6 36
Total 9 6 28 41 59
NOTES
tools are counted for each occurance, thus those that repeat in more than one category are c
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Website Publication Software Database Checklist/Matrix
20
0
Website Publication Software Database Checklist/Matrix
15 8 9 16 55 39 13 19 13 330
330
Total Occurances
Checklist/Matrix
Checklist/Matrix
ng Systems
Ventilation
Daylighting
Websites
ommended
ape Design
ating Tools
/Standards
ase Studies
velopment
ecification
gy Analysis
Assessment
cle Costing
0 10 20 30 40 50 60