On the interoperability of Building Information Modeling for Energy Analysis: the case study of the Maritime Station of Napoli (Italy)

Abstract

Abstract This paper experiences the potential of the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technique as a strategy to facilitate the energy performance analysis of existing buildings with historical relevance. The relationship between BIM and sustainability is an emerging concept which is becoming more and more interesting in the construction industry. The different methods for energy modeling of buildings provided in the literature usually imply the use of dynamic simulation software, such as EnergyPlus and TRNSYS, whose graphical interfaces are essential and not particularly user-friendly, if compared to the more popular CAD. Modelling in BIM environment, on one hand, helps to speed up certification procedures and, on the other hand, to define a new work philosophy during the design of energy efficiency interventions, thanks to the software’s interoperability. This study focuses on the analysis of the energy performance of the Maritime Station of Napoli, in southern Italy, located in the Angevin wharf and hosting the port terminal. The procedure employed for the study is a BIM working procedure, therefore involving different software tools. The authors have analyzed and compared the results obtained with different tools, to verify the efficiency of their interoperability, together with the parameters that most influence the analysis. Finally, the authors evaluate the dependency of the results from climatic conditions, conducting the analysis for other two Italian cities, located in different Italian climatic zones.