Expedite ZEB Proposals While Exploring Design and Enhancing Occupants’ Comfort:~Design Tool "ZEBIA" for Achieving Net ZEB~
August 1, 2023
Takenaka Corporation
Takenaka Corporation (President: Masato Sasaki), in collaboration with Loisos+Ubbelohde*, an American sustainable architecture and consulting firm, has developed ZEBIA (Zero Energy Building Integrated Analysis), a design tool essential for ZEB projects. Takenaka fully implemented and started using ZEBIA internally since April 2023.
ZEBIA significantly reduces the time required for verifying environmental performance, such as energy consumption and occupants’ comfort, which previously took considerable time, especially during early design stages. Moreover, the system allows us to effectively incorporate customer ZEB targets and design requests. The real-time visualization of environmental simulation results facilitates design changes and the exploration of various options, which enables tailored design proposals in close collaboration with customers.
As CO2 emissions reduction is a key objective for customer businesses, Takenaka is committed to working together with them to promote and expand the adoption of ZEBs and contribute to the achievement of their CO2 emissions reduction targets.
- ※Loisos+Ubbelohde: Led by Susan Ubbelohde, Professor Emeritus of UC Berkeley, and George Loisos. A California-based built environment consulting firm.
Features of ZEBIA
ZEBIA incorporates essential tools necessary to achieve ZEBs. It enables maximizing the utilization of natural energy, reducing energy consumption, and enhancing occupants’ comfort. These tools operate with remarkable speed, simplicity, and power, thereby enabling us to deliver design solutions tailored to customer expectations.
1. Speedy: Design studies and environmental performance evaluations can be conducted simultaneously, facilitating prompt decision-making
Traditionally, environmental simulations were conducted after design studies, taking several weeks to complete. With this tool, however, we can investigate the environmental performance alongside the initial design study. This not only enables us to reduce the assessment period by approximately half but also allows for environmentally conscious design decisions from the early design stages. Customers can assess and determine the extent of the contribution to their CO2 reduction targets right from a project's inception.
2. Simple: Achieve ZEBs through simulations that reflect customer needs
ZEBIA is employed alongside ZEB Design Guidelines, which streamline the design flow and process. By selecting relevant parameters from a comprehensive database of predefined settings and simulation conditions, we can seamlessly incorporate them into design. This user-friendly approach allows us to realize ZEBs while actively considering and accommodating unique customer requirements.
3. Powerful: Simultaneously running multiple simulations for diverse design alternatives
Conducting various environmental assessments used to require significant simulation time because each analysis had to be performed individually. With ZEBIA, however, we can instantly execute these assessments by utilizing standardized templates for different design scenarios. For instance, using shared weather data and contextual information, we can simultaneously verify aspects such as energy consumption, daylighting, and the thermal environment. This capability allows for effective comparisons and optimal design solutions that are not only comfortable but also exhibit outstanding energy performance.
