Welcome to DesignBuilder v7

DesignBuilder is a user-friendly modelling environment where you can work (and play) with virtual building models. It provides a range of environmental performance data such as: energy consumption, carbon emissions, comfort conditions, daylight illuminance, maximum summertime temperatures and HVAC component sizes.

Some typical uses of DesignBuilder are:

• Calculating the impact of various design options on building energy consumption.
• Evaluating façade options for overheating and visual appearance.
• Thermal simulation of naturally ventilated buildings.
• Reporting savings in electric lighting due to use of natural daylight.
• Prediction of daylight performance through Radiance simulations.
• Visualisation of site layouts and solar shading.
• Calculating heating and cooling equipment sizes.
• Detailed simulation and design of HVAC and natural ventilation systems including the impact of supply air distribution on temperature and velocity distribution within a room using CFD
• ASHRAE 90.1 and LEED energy models.
• Economic analysis based on construction costs, utility costs and life cycle costs (LCC)
• UK, Ireland and France Building regulations and certification reports
• Design optimisation with multiple objectives, constraints and design variables.
• Life-cycle analysis (LCA)
• Communication aid at design meetings.
• An educational tool for teaching building simulation to architectural and engineering students.

DesignBuilder uses the EnergyPlus dynamic simulation engine to generate performance data.

Learn about DesignBuilder

If you're new to DesignBuilder you are probably keen to start using the program right away, but there's a few things you should do before you dive in:

• Watch the Getting Started Tutorials.
• Read Important tips about software use.

A few minutes spent with these resources will be time well spent!

There is a range of other freely available learning resources on the Webinars and Other Learning Materials sections of the DesignBuilder website.