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Introduction 

Guardian Glass for BIM is a facade design tool that identifies sustainable solutions to lower overall energy use and increase building resiliency. Used in BIM workflows, the application provides data calculations in real-time that allow architects, designers and BIM managers to understand the impact of their design decisions in early stages.  A full database of Guardian glass products is included and entries, with analytical properties, may be assigned to glazing elements on the model to inform the results. The latest release of Guardian Glass for BIM Version 1.2 provides users with 2 new features that add more precision and data when calculating shading and the ability to automatically generate optimized results to meet the project location’s energy code.  

Existing users can upgrade to Guardian Glass for BIM Version 6.2 here for free as part of their current subscription.

Shading Optimization Tool 

The Shading Optimization Tool,now a feature of Guardian Glass for BIM version 1.2,suggeststhe depth required for a shading device to achieve target heat gains for conceptual models. The shade canopy is then added to surfaces that are selected and the model will update automatically with your results. This tool also displays Charts, adding an Average Shading Depth value for each month. Users can control the range of months within the calculation and toggle and review either peak or average values.

Energy Codes Lookup 

This latest version of Guardian Glass for BIM now includes an Energy Code Lookup which identifies your project’s site location and offers a shortlist of suggested codes for selected regions with the appropriate prescriptive thermal performances required for roofs, floors, walls, and glazing, including the Window-To-Wall ratio prescribed under that code. Once selected, the thermal values of the existing Revit model elements will be compared to the code value and the compliance condition will be indicated. In the conceptual massing environment, these codes will be applied to your building envelope (including the assigned Window-To-Wall ratio) to see the immediate impacts on daylight, heat gains and overall thermal performance.

Glazing Analysis Tool

The Glazing Analysis Toolnow provides detailed analysis of curtain panels where there are sub-panels or several materials in the panel family.The Glazing Analysis Tool does not require Guardian Glass for BIMto operate (Solar Loads do not have to be calculated). It is used to identify materials and assign thermal properties to panel elements, mullions, frames, spandrels and to set boundary conditions.

A Guardian glass type may be assigned to glazed areas using access to the database and the defined data for all panels may then be saved and imported into Guardian Glass for BIM as assembly overrides.

The Glazing Analysis Tool can query curtain wall panels to find dependent element’s geometry and materials. The Tool will extrapolate an overall U-value of complex or composite windows and curtain wall family elements within Revit, in accordance with National Fenestration Rating Council Incorporated (NFRC) guidelines. 

Conclusion 

Our new Shading Optimization Tool assists designers in achieving target heat gains, whereas Energy Code Lookups will automatically optimize your model to meet local code compliance when selected.  The Glazing Analysis Tool provides a feature to define thermal properties for window and curtain wall elements where several materials are present.

These latest developments to Guardian Glass for BIM will allow for more streamlined shading calculations and provide users with automatically generated values that meet local code compliance – essential for reporting to local stakeholders, collaborators, and clients.  

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Mike Flood

BIM Applications Manager at FenestraPro. Passionate about Revit and finding more efficient BIM workflows.