Skip to content
K O N F I G U R A T O R P L A N U N G & F E R T I G U N G B E T R I E B KÜNSTLICHEINTELLIGENZ EVALUATION VERNETZUNG

EVALUATION

Digital Tools for the Evaluation and Optimization of Sustainable Buildings

The demand for concepts related to climate neutrality and sustainability is of great importance for the future positioning of companies in terms of their competitiveness. Buildings are often responsible for a significant portion of climate-damaging emissions during construction and operation. To determine the optimization needs regarding emission reduction, surveys, evaluations, and documentation are required, which involve the collection and analysis of large amounts of data. During the planning phase, digital tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Building Information Modeling (BIM) allow for precise analysis, modeling, and simulation, while CAD software and parametric design assist in optimizing designs. Innovative technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR, AR) support a holistic and sustainable approach to building design. To assess life cycle costs and sustainability, methods like Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) or environmental impact assessment are used. During the construction phase, construction management tools, drones, and IoT-based monitoring improve efficiency and cost control. Automation and networking of building technologies and energy monitoring support the optimization of building operations. The compilation on the topic of "Evaluation" provides information on which tools are easy to use and yield good results, highlighting their practical application to make planning and construction more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Modified illustration, based on Freepik

Overview of Rule-of-Thumb Tools

The fundamental concepts of sustainability in the design phase are space, materials, energy, water, and costs. To determine and optimize these concepts, rough calculations, known as "rule-of-thumb formulas," can be used. In the phases of building approval and the realization of the building, precise calculations and simulations should then be conducted. Digital "rule-of-thumb formulas" assist in optimizing material use, energy, and water consumption, as well as streamlining the entire planning process.

Modified illustration, based on Freepik

Tools for (Eco)Balance Calculations

Whether planning an efficient building, aiming for a more sustainable operation of a company, or deciding on a more sustainable approach for a community, the right tool aids in accounting and supports making crucial decisions. This brochure presents a diverse list of digital tools that help create accurate, meaningful, and future-oriented balances.

The concise booklet will include the following content:

Balance Calculations in Context: Summary of guidelines, EU standards, and relevant terms.

Explanation of Types of Balance Calculations: To better understand the relevance of various calculations, such as Life Cycle Analyses, Life Cycle Costings, CO₂ calculations, and energy simulations.

Overview of Selected Tools: A comparison of software options for different types of balance calculations for buildings, SMEs, and communities.

Tools in Detail: Explanation of the capabilities and applicability of the software, including whether BIM models can be integrated, whether the tool is free, etc.

Comparison of Tools: A summary overview to support an easy and productive selection of the right tool.

Strandhotel Otterndorf

Fredebohm Touristic in Otterndorf was founded on October 30, 1987, by Traute Fredebohm as a vacation home rental business. On January 1, 2020, the company was taken over by Ole Fredebohm and has since operated under the name "Fredebohm Touristik Inhaber Ole Fredebohm e. K." The company currently runs a vacation home rental business, an associated bike rental, a beach cabin rental, and a "Freibeuter" beach bar. In addition, the company arranges excursions and sells tickets for mudflat hikes and concerts.

Fredebohm Touristic is planning to build a new "Strandhotel Otterndorf" with 26 apartments, a wellness area, a breakfast room, and a shop for tourist souvenirs. They aim to design this hotel in an energy-efficient, sustainable, and smart way. The company is seeking support from the Mittelstand 4.0-Kompetenzzentrum Rostock. The Kompetenzzentrum will assist the company, particularly in the development of a smart hotel concept, as well as in creating a sustainability and energy concept.

CO₂ Accounting for Cities and Municipalities: The Example of Dahme – For a Climate-Positive Future

Dahme is a small town with 1,200 residents located on Lübeck Bay in Schleswig-Holstein. With more than 15,000 day visitors, 600,000 overnight stays, and 3,000 second-home owners annually, tourism is the primary source of income for the municipality, which features a several-kilometer-long sandy beach easily accessible via a promenade. In 2021-2022, a local development concept was created for the municipality. One of its goals was to develop a climate protection and sustainability concept, followed by the active implementation of the proposed measures, aiming for all areas of the municipality of Dahme to become CO2-neutral by 2035.

As part of the project "Climate-Neutral (Positive) Municipality Dahme," the Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Rostock, in collaboration with students from the Faculty of Design and the Master's program in Architecture and Environment at Hochschule Wismar, assisted the municipality in accounting for its CO2 emissions and developing a sustainable, climate-neutral overall concept. Based on the local development concept and the action areas described within it, goals for environmentally sustainable development were explored, and a vision for the long-term enhancement of the Baltic seaside resort of Dahme was developed. In addition, selected flagship subprojects were studied in greater detail. During the support process, various concepts were created, cand alculations and simulations were conducted.