Who funds SBEM ? how can we help make things better ?

MaryScott · Posts: 3

It seems obvious that the technical folk at SBEM have an enormously long "to- do" list because they do not have enough resources to help them do all they need to. It's easy to blame SBEM for the limitations of some aspects of Design Builder, but the staff there are undoubtedly doing their best.

I'd like to know what government department funds SBEM because they obviously need far more resources. I get the impression the government wants all this done on the cheap, but giving accurate EPCs and the most appropriate advice for each building is critically important for our climate change targets.

I want to do some lobbying on this but don't know which government department is involved, or if this all UK or if some is the Scottish government. (All our large public buildings needed EPCs by January 5th...... )

Thanks for suggestions

Andy Tindale · Posts: 2432 Location: Stroud

Mary,

The Government department responsible for SBEM is CLG - good luck with any lobbying you do!

My own view for what it is worth is that the ideal official calculation method for EPC and Part-L type calculations is a simplified dynamic method. This would allow dynamic building thermal physics to be included and so cooling, heating startup, comfort, part-load efficiency and the like can be calculated much more accurately than is possible using the monthly degree-day method applied in SBEM.

DesignBuilder are developing a fast simulation-based tool using the 3TC algorithm that was origianlly developed for Government for the N-DEEM project. Initially it will have a very similar interface to DB SBEM and will be able to be used to produce level 5 EPCs etc. We hope to release this later in the year.

Andy

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