Software List
The following is a list of BIM authoring and analysis software tools that integrate with gbXML. Click the vendor name hyperlink in any row to view more information about the vendor and the software that they offer. (Also, please note the "Not Yet" label located under the "gbXML Verified" column means that the software has not undergone the verification process which is still a work-in-progress on our part. The fact that the software is listed here means that it does successfully import or export gbXML.)BIM Authoring and CAD Software Tools
Vendor
Tool
BIM/Analysis
gbXML Verified
A complete software power tool for creating 3D models, walkthroughs, and renderings, from initial sketches to polished presentations. Visit Website
Designed for architects and built on AutoCAD software, AutoCAD Architecture offers the productivity of automated documentation, the efficiency of intelligent architectural objects, and the flexibility of file-based collaboration. Visit Website
The building engineering software application that connects the design, documentation, and analysis of complex building mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems. Visit Website
Gain instant competitive advantage with the Autodesk Revit building design and documentation system, purpose-built for building information modeling (BIM). Change anything, anytime, anywhere, and Revit coordinates the change everywhere. Visit Website
This single, integrated application includes tools for architectural, structural, mechanical systems, and electrical design and construction documentation. It fully supports large, complex, distributed models - enabling teams to deliver bigger and more finely detailed projects while taking advantage of the many benefits associated with BIM. Among these are an informed work environment that leads to better decisions and better-performing infrastructure, along with lower-cost and faster project execution. Visit Website
Bentley Architecture is an advanced, yet intuitive and easy-to-use architectural building information modeling (BIM) application that empowers architects and designers to create with unlimited freedom. Visit Website
An advanced, yet intuitive and easy-to-use building information modeling (BIM) application that empowers mechanical engineers with unlimited freedom to explore more design options, make better informed design decisions, and predict costs and performance. Visit Website
Bentley OpenBuildings Speedikon is a fast, powerful, and integrated (BIM) application for MicroStation and AutoCAD building design and construction documentation of new and existing structures of any size and complexity, such as offices, airports, hospitals, and manufacturing plants. Visit Website
Envisioneer is a true, award winning Building Information Modeling (BIM) solution designed specifically for the residential and light commercial markets. Design in 2D and 3D concurrently, produce detailed construction documents, framing components, and accurate material and cut lists. Apply interior and exterior design elements to your designs from furniture, flooring and countertops to roofs, terrains, and hardscape features. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Visit Website
DDS-CAD from Data Design System (A Nemetschek Company) is part of the Open BIM
community that allows
MEP engineers to perform mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design and layout for buildings.
DDS-CAD successfully imports gbXML geometry so you can start laying out your MEP systems.
Visit Website
Simergy was developed by Digital Alchemy in conjunction with
the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and a number of other software
partners. It is a comprehensive graphical
user interface (GUI) for EnergyPlus
that includes a complete workflow solution that
takes the user all the way through the building design and analysis process
starting from the early stages
to detailed design. Simergy includes the Building Model Creator™ which allows users to
building models and export to IFC, IDF, and gbXML.
Visit Website
ArchiCAD is an architectural BIM CAD software for Macintosh and Windows developed by
Graphisoft. ArchiCAD offers computer aided solutions for handling all common aspects
of aesthetics and engineering during the whole design process of the built environment —
buildings, interiors, urban areas, etc. The company, Cadimage,
develops a gbXML plug-in for ArchiCAD.
You can email their support here to
request the plug-in.
Visit ArchiCAD Website
With Vectorworks Architect software, you can create building information models without giving up the design freedom you need. Whether you're looking to streamline costs, analyze materials, increase your energy efficiency, or just create world- class designs, with the Vectorworks Architect solution, BIM just works. Enjoy the robust and flexible capabilities of BIM with the ease of design, great documentation, and intelligent tools that the software is known for - right from the start.
With direct support for gbXML, you can now easily export required information to communicate with a wide variety of energy modeling and analysis applications. Visit Website
BIMStorm allows realtime web-based collaberation of BIM. BIMStorm now exports BIM via gbXML. Visit Website
Rhinoceros 3d (or Rhino 3d) is a 3d modeling software tool that
can create, edit, analyze, document, render, animate,
and translate nurbs* curves, surfaces, and solids, point clouds, and polygon meshes.
Rhino 3d has a very active ecosystem of software plug-ins including Grasshopper and Honeybee
that extend the functionality of the tool. These plug-ins were developed by
Mostapha Roudsari of the University of Pennsylvania and allow Rhino models to
export to gbXML.
Visit Website
Trimble SketchUp (formerly Google Sketchup) is a 3D modeling computer program for a wide
range of drawing applications such as architectural, interior design, civil and mechanical
engineering, film, and video game design.
A gbXML plug-in is available for
SketchUp via the Legacy OpenStudio Plug-in from NREL.
This plug-in makes it easy to create and edit the
building geometry in your EnergyPlus input files. It also allows you to
launch EnergyPlus simulations and view the results without leaving the SketchUp
3D drawing program.
Note that active development has moved from the Legacy OpenStudio Plug-in to
the more comprehensive OpenStudio suite of tools and libraries.
Changes to the Legacy OpenStudio Plug-in will be limited to bug
fixes and compatibility updates for new versions of EnergyPlus.
The Legacy OpenStudio Plug-in was created by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
for the U.S. Department of Energy as an interface to the EnergyPlus simulation engine.
Refer to the EnergyPlus webpage at energyplus.gov for an overview of the concept and features. Visit Website
Building Analysis Software Tools
Vendor
Tool
BIM/Analysis
gbXML Verified
An easy to use intelligent interface to Arup's Energy2 building energy analysis program. Visit Website
ASHRAE's Building EQ Portal provides a quick energy analysis that benchmarks a building's energy performance. Building EQ assists in the preparation of an ASHRAE Level 1 Energy Audit to identify means to improve a building's energy performance including low-cost, no-cost energy efficiency measures and an Indoor Environmental Quality survey with recorded measurements to provide additional information to assess a building's performance.
Two different evaluations can be used independently to compare a candidate building to other similar buildings in the same climate zone or together for an assessment of a building's design potential compared to actual operation:
Visit Website
Two different evaluations can be used independently to compare a candidate building to other similar buildings in the same climate zone or together for an assessment of a building's design potential compared to actual operation:
- In Operation compares actual building energy use based on metered energy information.
- As Designed compares potential energy use based on the building's physical characteristics and systems with standardized energy use simulation.
Visit Website
Autodesk Viewer is a free web-based viewer that
supports most 2D and 3D formats including DWG, STEP, RVT, Solidworks, and of course, gbXML. All
you need is an Autodesk 360 account. Once you log in, you can upload any gbXML file to view and share.
Visit Website
A building energy analysis web service designed for easy integration with existing 3D-CAD/BIM software tools. Below are files that are produced by the GBS:
-
DOE-2.2
One of the most advanced and widely used building energy analysis engines. -
EnergyPlus
The successor to DOE-2 that has advanced building analysis capabilities. -
eQuest
The most widely used graphical building energy analysis tool in the world. -
VRML & X3D
Virtual Reality Modeling Language and its XML version used for describing 3D environments.
Autodesk Insight is a cloud-based software tool that empowers architects and engineers to design more energy-efficient
buildings with advanced simulation engines and building performance analysis data integrated inside Revit. Insight exports
energy analysis results to gbXML after analysis has been performed.
Visit Website
Revit 2020.1 Systems Analysis provides a platform to optimize HVAC systems design and modeling, letting users
make data-driven design decisions from the start. Revit is now more integrated with EnergyPlus —
the industry’s leading building
energy systems simulation engine and OpenStudio SDK. Revit communicates with OpenStudio using gbXML.
Visit Website
Bentley OpenBuildings Designer is a rigorous yet intuitive application for the design, simulation, and analysis of building mechanical systems, environmental conditions, and energy performance. Used in both design and retrofit work, the software contributes to better-performing, more sustainable buildings that consume less energy; provide greater occupant productivity, comfort, and safety; and control lifecycle operational energy costs for their owners. Bentley OpenBuildings Designer fully supports gbXML. Visit Website
Bentley Hevacomp offers software for building performance design, simulation, and energy certification based on the EnergyPlus analysis engine. Hevacomp is used worldwide to predict a building's real-world performance and provide compliance checking and documentation for international standards. Visit Website
One Click LCA has ready-to-use tools for dealing with many of the most demanding green building analyses —
choose the ones you need and manage everything efficiently through one platform.
- Life-cycle costing
- Materials sourcing credits
- Climate resiliency
- Site impacts monitoring
- Operational performance monitoring
- … Any other of the 80 tools and templates in One Click LCA
blueCFD-AIR is a brand new Graphical User Interface that allows a more efficient application of CFD to problems in buildings and structures. AEC professionals thus gain access to an easy to use and highly precise tool, to aid in the analysis of one or several design alternatives. It can import gbXML (Green Building XML) files generated by CAD and BIM applications, as well as other LEED applications that use gbXML for building and energy information exchange. The CFD capabilities used by blueCFD-AIR are provided by blueCFD-Core, which is a high quality cross-compiled build version of OpenFOAM for Windows; the possibility to couple to other software like STAR-CCM+ is planned for future versions of blueCFD-AIR. Visit Website
BuildSim Cloud is a cloud-based
building energy modeling software that can translate gbXML models into EnergyPlus models for cloud simulations. Visit Website
The BHoM (Buildings and Habitats object Model) is a collaborative computational development project for the
built environment.
It is a collective effort to
share code and standardise the data that we use to design, everyday – across all activities and all disciplines.
In addition to integrating with a number of software tools, it also integrates with gbXML. For more information,
visit the BHoM Wiki
An integrated building services design suite, covering both mechanical and electrical. Imports gbXML building data for use in services design, energy analysis and demonstrating compliance with Building Regulations. Visit Website
HAP is a dual function program - full-featured load estimating and system sizing for commercial buildings plus versatile hour-by-hour energy and operating cost analysis. Visit Website
CYPE is a firm that develops and distributes technical software for Architecture, Engineering and Construction professionals. CYPETHERM Suite is a group of CYPE programs for thermal and energy analysis of buildings in accordance with current national and international standards. The applications that work with the 3D model of the
building are integrated into the Open BIM workflow via the gbXML and IFC standards:
- CYPETHERM Loads. Thermal load calculation of buildings according to the Radiant Time Series Method (RTSM), proposed by ASHRAE.
- CYPETHERM HVAC. Design of HVAC installations (heating, ventilation and air conditioning).
- CYPETHERM EPlus. Modelling and energy simulation of buildings with EnergyPlus™.
- CYPELUX. Design of normal and emergency lighting installations, as well as their evaluation.
DesignBuilder is a state-of-the-art software tool for checking building energy, CO2, lighting and comfort performance. Developed to simplify the process of building simulation, DesignBuilder allows users to rapidly compare the function and performance of building designs and deliver results on time and on budget. Visit Website
DIALux. The free and complete software developed for professional light planning is open to luminaires of all manufacturers. A software by planners for planners. Used by many hundreds of thousands of light planners and designers worldwide. And their number is growing from day to day.
Create your virtual worlds simply and intuitively with DIALux. Document your results in breath-taking, photorealistic visualizations. Delight your customers with daylight and artificial light scenarios through which they can glide with wild camera runs. Rely on the CAD data of other architecture programmes and re-export your files easily.
Receiving data from an architect is the normal start for the lighting designer. Supported formats are DXF, DWG and STF. The latest innovation is the gbXML interface to DIALux. All mayor CAD manufacturers support this interface. The Green Building XML (gbXML) open schema helps to facilitate the transfer of building geometry and properties stored in a 3D BIM database (e.g. Revit, ArchiCAD) to analysis tools like DIALux. Visit Website
Simergy was developed by Digital Alchemy in conjunction with
the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and a number of other software
partners. It is a comprehensive graphical
user interface (GUI) for EnergyPlus
that includes a complete workflow solution that
takes the user all the way through the building design and analysis process
starting from the early stages
to detailed design. The workflows facilitate the cycles of analysis that
enable exploration of system types and enable innovative
HVAC system design.
Visit Website
Lesosai from E4 Tech is a software for the certification, thermal balance calculation of buildings containing one or more heated or cooled zones.
Lesosai allow a building life cycle calculation. It is designed primarily for building engineers, HVAC engineers and architects. It's certified for Switzerland, Luxembourg and France. Visit Website
Chvac quickly and accurately calculates the maximum heating and cooling loads for commercial buildings. The cooling loads can be calculated with either the CLTD method or the new RTS (Radiant Time Series) method. The program allows an unlimited number of zones which can be grouped into as many as 100 air handling systems. CHVAC now imports/exports gbXML files and a video demonstration of that feature can be seen here. Visit Website
EnergyPro is currently certified for use with the California Title 24 Standards. It is the only Windows based program certified for use with BOTH Residential and Nonresidential Buildings. EnergyPro imports gbXML schemas for true interop with BIM authoring software. Visit Website
Tas Building Designer simulation software from EDSL (www.edsl.net) is a new generation product, no old legacy code to slow you down. Try it for room load and plant component sizing, energy use and running costs, CO2 emissions, natural ventilation and passive design with solar shading. Visit Website
eToolLCD is an intuitive, open-use, web-based, whole building life cycle assessment (LCA) and design software developed by two engineers with a passion for sustainable buildings. Design focused and performance based, genuinely sustainable outcomes are made easy.
eToolLCD produces comprehensive reports complete with comparable sustainable building data with outputs compliant with international standards ISO 14044 and EN 15978. Used in hundreds of projects across all industry sectors, our web-based platform enables us to make seamless updates without interrupting use of the software by our 3,000 and growing users around the globe. Visit Website
eToolLCD produces comprehensive reports complete with comparable sustainable building data with outputs compliant with international standards ISO 14044 and EN 15978. Used in hundreds of projects across all industry sectors, our web-based platform enables us to make seamless updates without interrupting use of the software by our 3,000 and growing users around the globe. Visit Website
Our on-line products work together to provide you with an easy-to-use rapid workflow. Design activities start in gWorkspace, where facility owners, architects and energy assessors can share key information including building documents, site photos and plans. gModeller is a greenspaceLive plug-in for Google SketchUp, one of the most popular 3D modelling tools in the world. It turns SketchUp models into Green Building XML (gbXML) models which can then be analyzed for energy purposes using downstream tools.
gEnergyEPC generates government accredited Energy Performance Certificates (EPC's) in line with the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and building energy analysis reports. gDashboard presents rich information and reports about the full building portfolio managed by greenspaceLive. Visit Website
HVAC Solution software is a 2D schematic software tool that helps users design air handing, airflow, hydronic and steam systems. It can import HVAC-related information from software tools such as Trane, Trace and Elite CHVAC using gbXML. Visit Website
The Virtual Environment (VE) from IES is a unique, integrated system for building performance
assessment that brings productivity and excellence to every aspect of building design. Visit Website
IZUBA Energies is a cooperative French company dedicated to the energy transition in the building sector. IZUBA Energies develops and distributes Pleiades, a building eco-design software combining:
- Dynamic energy simulation of buildings (STD COMFIE)
- French building regulation calculation (Pleiades RT 2012 and RT existant)
- Thermal loads (Radiant Time Series) and heat loss calculations (NF EN 12831)
- Life cycle analysis (Pleiades ACV)
With Pleiades, energy and environmental optimization of the building is part of an openBIM process. Pleiades imports IFC4 or gbXML models. Visit Website
- Dynamic energy simulation of buildings (STD COMFIE)
- French building regulation calculation (Pleiades RT 2012 and RT existant)
- Thermal loads (Radiant Time Series) and heat loss calculations (NF EN 12831)
- Life cycle analysis (Pleiades ACV)
With Pleiades, energy and environmental optimization of the building is part of an openBIM process. Pleiades imports IFC4 or gbXML models. Visit Website
This open-source web-based gbXML viewer allows you to upload any
gbXML file and view, pan, zoom, and rotate the geometry within your favorite browser.
A number of versions of the viewer have been released over the past couple of years. The following is a list of
all of the versions of the viewer
RaumGEO is a german CAE application that has a gbXML-import-module for building data to calculate heating and cooling loads and energy requirements for buildings with mh-software. A 3D viewer lets you visually check and define the gbXML data before it is imported. Within RaumGEO the building data may be edited or completed before HVAC calculations are started. Calculated HVAC networks may be returned to any CAD system. Visit Website
BuildingSync® is an XML schema developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
for building energy audit data that can be utilized by different software tools involved in the energy audit process.
The goal is to streamline the energy audit process, improving the value of the data and facilitating achievement of greater energy efficiency.
The latest version of the BuildingSync
schema references the gbXML schema to allow gbXML-valid geometry data to be present in a BuildingSync instance file.
Specifically, it includes the PlanarGeometry and ShellGeometry elements (among others) so a BuildingSync file is able to
model the exact 3D geometry of a BIM.
Click here to visit the GitHub repository for the BuildingSync schema branch.
OpenStudio is a cross-platform (Windows, Mac, and Linux) collection of software tools to support whole building energy modeling using EnergyPlus and advanced daylight analysis using Radiance. OpenStudio is an open source (LGPL) project to facilitate community development, extension, and private sector adoption. OpenStudio includes graphical interfaces along with a Software Development Kit (SDK).
The graphical applications include the OpenStudio SketchUp Plug-in, OpenStudio Application, ResultsViewer and the Parametric Analysis Tool. The OpenStudio SketchUp Plug-in is an extension to Trimble's popular SketchUp 3D modeling tool that allows users to quickly create geometry needed for EnergyPlus. Additionally, OpenStudio supports import of gbXML and IFC for geometry creation. The OpenStudio Application is a fully featured graphical interface to OpenStudio models including envelope, loads, schedules, and HVAC. ResultsViewer enables browsing, plotting, and comparing simulation output data, especially time series. The Parametric Analysis Tool enables studying the impact of applying multiple combinations of OpenStudio Measures to a base model as well as export of the analysis results for EDAPT submission.
In addition to the graphical interface, OpenStudio allows building researchers and software developers to quickly get started through its multiple entry levels, including access through C++, Ruby, and C#. Users can leverage the Ruby interface to create OpenStudio Measures that can be easily shared and applied to OpenStudio Models. Visit Website
The graphical applications include the OpenStudio SketchUp Plug-in, OpenStudio Application, ResultsViewer and the Parametric Analysis Tool. The OpenStudio SketchUp Plug-in is an extension to Trimble's popular SketchUp 3D modeling tool that allows users to quickly create geometry needed for EnergyPlus. Additionally, OpenStudio supports import of gbXML and IFC for geometry creation. The OpenStudio Application is a fully featured graphical interface to OpenStudio models including envelope, loads, schedules, and HVAC. ResultsViewer enables browsing, plotting, and comparing simulation output data, especially time series. The Parametric Analysis Tool enables studying the impact of applying multiple combinations of OpenStudio Measures to a base model as well as export of the analysis results for EDAPT submission.
In addition to the graphical interface, OpenStudio allows building researchers and software developers to quickly get started through its multiple entry levels, including access through C++, Ruby, and C#. Users can leverage the Ruby interface to create OpenStudio Measures that can be easily shared and applied to OpenStudio Models. Visit Website
Development of a generic web based software tool that integrates standard building management systems and third party auditing applications. Visit Website
Relux Informatik AG, located in Switzerland, is involved in the development, production and distribution of
ReluxSuite, the free lighting planning software tool for lighting and sensor planners.
This suite provides users with all the software
and data necessary for professional lighting planning.
The ReluxSuite includes the following software tools:
The ReluxSuite includes the following software tools:
- ReluxPro
- ReluxSensor
- ReluxOffer
- ReluxEnergy
Sankom Sp. z o.o is a company out of Warsaw, Poland. It
develops and publishes software supporting the process of sanitary systems design.
Auditor OZC 6.9 Pro
is a desktop software tool and Autodesk Revit plug-in. The Revit plug-in extends the
capabilities of a standard Revit building block export to gbXML.
For example, Revit does not always export building materials that correctly define heat parameters.
In this case, the layers that are exported to gbXML are not defined in the material layer.
The gbXML Auditor plug-in eliminates this problem.
Visit the Sankom Website
Win_Ht is a calculation program focused on calculations for Swiss standards
- e.g. SIA Norms.
Win_Ht Version 3.11 imports versions 5.0 to 6.01 of gbXML. Imported data can be used to calculate heating loads, underfloor heating, radiators, system redundancy, thermal energy, heat transmission and more. Visit Website
Win_Ht Version 3.11 imports versions 5.0 to 6.01 of gbXML. Imported data can be used to calculate heating loads, underfloor heating, radiators, system redundancy, thermal energy, heat transmission and more. Visit Website
GBIS is a CAD application that provides a bidirectional gbXML-based connection to the SOLAR-COMPUTER suite of calculation programs for buildings (energy analysis, heat load, and cooling load) and systems (radiators, heat piping, ventilation, and drinking water). GBIS enhances the gbXML file with internal CAD data. This allows for a very detailed building model and error checking. SOLAR-COMPUTER building programs can also import gbXML files directly. Visit Website
SPEED (Simulation Platform for Energy Efficient Design) is a web-based and cloud-based energy/daylighting/solar design and simulation platform for
early design we developed for
architects enabling a 1-day turn-around from design question to a data-driven design answer. SPEED is particularly useful for
when you don’t yet have a mechanical or energy consultant, or do but budget and schedule constraints prevent them from meeting your project needs.
You can quickly create a project, run shading and solar studies in seconds, run a parametric study with hundreds or thousands of design options
on the cloud in a matter of hours including
statistical analysis, and interactively visualize the results and compare them against your project’s EUI benchmarks and targets.
Currently, a preview is available until the Fall of 2019. Afterwards, the full version will be released.
Visit Website
The BIMPort web dashboard from Talece is a simple-to-use platform that streamlines
the construction design-build delivery process.
It allows for BIM collaboration and communication of everyone relevant to the project. The BIMPort platform
allows users to display Revit models inside their browser and zoom, pan, rotate, and more. In addition,
the gbXML file format is supported so that users can also zoom, pan, and rotate gbXML models.
Visit Website
TRACE™ is an award-winning design-and-analysis software program that helps HVAC professionals optimize the design
of a building’s heating, ventilating and air-conditioning system based on energy utilization and life-cycle cost.
TRACE 700 helps users compare the energy and economic impact of building-related selections such as
architectural features, HVAC systems, HVAC equipment, building utilization or scheduling, and financial options.
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