“Some 20 topics specific to energy modeling and building simulation practitioners are identified in the call for presenters,” said Dennis Knight, conference chair. “The topics specifically address weaknesses in the energy modeling and building simulation industry and seek to provide down-to-earth, how do I get this done-type answers.”

The call for presenters seeks proposals on specific topics, which will form the basis of the conference’s program, he said.  These are non-paper presentations.

The state-of-the-art BIM track seeks presentations showing how BIM is being used in projects to push the design envelope. Specific topics include current capabilities of BIM, BEM (building energy modeling), and SIM (simulation) modeling tools; utility and applications as a project moves through various stages; what can really be do with a BIM; mobile applications; and modeling for occupant comfort.

The design firm track examines how BIM is being implemented into existing design practices and inner office workflows. Topics include how design firms are integrating BIM, BEM, and SIM; multi-firm teams using integrated tools; office standards and modeling quality control.

The BIM in the cloud track describes the capability to run large-scale simulations resulting in multiple scenarios being analyzed to generate large quantities of data and to determine the optimum solution. Specific topics include large batch simulation of multiple scenarios; cloud computing and modeling tools; and challenges, limitations, and successes.

A track on codes and rating systems will present how modeling tools are used for compliance with standards and rating systems. Specific topics include integrated and interoperable modeling and compliance reporting tools for BIM, BEM and SIM; and compliance with other codes and standards using BIM, BEM and SIM tools.

A track called “Life Cycle Cost Analysis: Show Me the Money” will track how model-generated LCCA results, with its input uncertainty, forms a major source of investment risk in terms of investments in energy-efficiency upgrades. Specific topics include how energy models are used to evaluate portfolio investment risk; how uncertainty calculations are being developed and used by practitioners; and what inputs matter in risk analysis.

This conference brings together the building energy analysis and performance simulation community. Modelers, software developers, owners, and researchers will address the practices of energy modeling and building performance simulation using existing simulation tools, software development, and future simulation research and applications.

Call for presenter proposals are due Feb. 10, 2014. A 400-word abstract addressing a specific topic and speaker background information is required. Notifications will be issued in March 2014.

In addition to the call for presenters, organizers are seeking papers on topics addressing the integration and interoperability of analytic modeling tools (BEM and SIM) with physical modeling tools (BIM) as well as papers describing workarounds, case studies, how to's, challenges, barriers, and cloud-based solutions. 

The deadline for submitting a conference paper abstract (400 or less words in length) has been extended to Nov. 12, 2013, to give authors an opportunity to present a paper. If accepted, papers are due March 3, 2014. The conference papers will be a maximum of eight pages in length.

For more information, visit www.ashrae.org/simulation2014.