“As one of the first accredited energy assessors for EPCs I decided to use iSBEM, as that was the only fully accredited non-domestic EPC software available in early 2008. After a few months I stopped producing EPCs because I found the data entry to be such a laborious process. I canvassed a few colleagues regarding alternative packages and the most positive response I got was from those using Design Builder SBEM, so after a little further research I decided to try it.

I did the short on-line tutorials prior to the course and found the whole training package enjoyable and informative, gaining some useful additional insights into aspects of Part L2 compliance work and EPC production. The training was supplemented by follow-on tutorial support which was helpful both in terms of addressing queries prior to the exam and on subsequent projects. The staff at Design Builder have always responded to queries in a timely and effective manner.

Probably the most significant advantage of using Design Builder SBEM is the productivity gains it offers. The ability to import electronic floor plans in a variety of formats enables very rapid modelling of buildings. The building model is created visually which makes it far more intuitive, easy to spot mistakes and requires much less time to undertake final QA checks. Data entry is minimised through automatic assignment of adjacency conditions and clever use of an inheritance protocol; this allows you to enter the most common activities, constructions, openings, lighting and HVAC at building level so that you only have to change them by exception where they are different in particular areas of the building. The software also includes some useful additional tools such as the U-value calculator. It is unfortunate that most people cannot appreciate the productivity gains these features provide until they have experienced an inferior package, and it is no coincidence that many people convert to Design Builder from other software. Whilst cost was not my main consideration, it is worth noting that the cost of the software, training and examination in Design Builder SBEM was only around £200 more than iSBEM which clearly had a very short payback given the increased productivity.

Changing to Design Builder SBEM was undoubtedly the best business decision I’ve made regarding EPCs and Part L2 compliance work, as some projects now take less than a third of the time that they would have previously done. It is also a pleasure to use, which is a big consideration when you’re faced with the prospect of certifying a number of buildings.”

Dave Cocking, CIBSE Low Carbon Energy Assessor and Director of Arrow Energy Solutions Ltd.