IES Virtual Environment IESVE 2023: Advanced Building Performance Analysis Software
Explore the robust capabilities of IES Virtual Environment IESVE 2023, a leading suite of integrated tools for sustainable building design and performance optimization. Developed by Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES), this version empowers architects, engineers, and contractors to model, simulate, and analyze energy use, thermal comfort, daylighting, and HVAC systems with precision. Ideal for new builds, retrofits, and compliance projects, IESVE 2023 leverages the world-class ApacheSim engine to deliver accurate, first-principles simulations driven by real weather data, helping teams achieve low-carbon, high-performance buildings.
Key New Features in IESVE 2023
IESVE 2023 introduces innovative enhancements through its Feature Packs, focusing on interoperability, advanced shading, and streamlined workflows. These updates make it easier to handle complex simulations and integrate with BIM tools, ensuring faster iterations and reliable results for building energy modeling and decarbonization strategies.
- Translucent Shades in Sunlight & Daylighting: Reintroduced for modeling semi-transparent surfaces like glass brise soleil, meshes, or lattice shading devices. This feature improves accuracy in solar and daylight analyses, supporting passive design optimizations for reduced energy loads.
- BIM Interoperability Enhancements: New import options for .gem (Pollination integration for Revit/Rhino) and .gsk file types via the Start Page. The BIM Navigator simplifies data exchange with tools like Archicad or Bentley OpenBuildings using gbXML, enabling seamless geometry and material imports.
- Python API Updates: Expanded scripting capabilities to set building rotations and automate custom analyses. Perfect for advanced users in sustainable design workflows, allowing programmatic control over simulations.
- BR209 Annual Probable Sunlit Hours (APSH) Analysis: Updates to SunCast for tabulating sunlight exposure results, aiding compliance with international standards and enhancing occupant comfort predictions.
- HVAC System Expansions: New alternatives to hot water boilers, including part-load heat sources, for detailed system sizing and electrification modeling. Supports low-carbon technologies like renewables and energy storage.
- Decarbonization Modeling: Whole-building tools for evaluating electrification, passive strategies, and CO2 emissions, with integrated pathways for LEED, ASHRAE, and local code compliance.
These additions in IESVE 2023 accelerate hourly annual simulations via the Parallel Simulation Manager, boosting efficiency for large-scale projects.
Core Modules and Capabilities
IES Virtual Environment IESVE 2023 is a modular platform with a unified interface and shared database, allowing cross-team collaboration from schematic design to post-occupancy evaluation. Key modules include:
Energy and Thermal Analysis
- ApacheSim: Core simulation engine for heating/cooling loads, energy consumption, and thermal performance using real weather data.
- ModelIT: Intuitive 3D modeling for geometry, envelopes, and internal gains, with quick CIBSE/ASHRAE load calculations.
Daylighting and Solar Tools
- RadianceIES: High-fidelity daylight and glare simulations, now enhanced with translucent shading for better passive solar design.
- SunCast: Solar geometry and shading analysis, including APSH for regulatory compliance.
HVAC and Airflow
- ApacheHVAC: Detailed system design, sizing, and performance prediction, incorporating ventilation, renewables, and scheduled loads for all-electric systems.
- MacroFlo: Natural and mechanical airflow modeling to optimize indoor air quality and comfort.
Compliance and Reporting
- VE Compliance Navigator: Automated workflows for green certifications (LEED Platinum, BREEAM) and codes like Florida Building Energy Code or California Title 24.
- Integrated Reporting: QA checks, collaboration features, and exportable results for stakeholder reviews.
