As-built BIM with shades modeling for energy analysis

The use of Building Information Models (BIM) for energy analysis is becoming a common application, supported by the appearance of standards and regulations restricting energy consumption and energy efficiency in the building sector. BIMs from already built buildings are being generated with the help of high-technology devices such as laser scanners, which acquire the physical reality of a scene with high accuracy in a short time. However, the environment of the building, and especially surfaces producing shades, which are essential for the performance of meaningful energy studies, is usually forgotten as the focus is set on the representation of complex geometries. With the aim of generating a BIM able to be subjected to energy analysis, this paper presents a working methodology including data acquisition with a laser scanner, shape extraction of the building itself and its surroundings, and conversion of extracted elements, including shade surfaces, to BIM components.