About
The Green Building XML schema, or "gbXML", is the language of buildings. It was developed to
facilitate the transfer of building information stored in CAD-based building information models, enabling interoperability
between disparate building design and engineering analysis software tools. This is all
in the name of helping architects, engineers, and energy modelers to design more energy efficient buildings.
Today, gbXML has the industry support and wide adoption by leading Building Information Modeling (BIM)
vendors including Autodesk, Trimble, Graphisoft, and Bentley. With the development of export and import capabilities
in over 50 engineering and analysis modeling tools, gbXML has become a defacto industry standard
schema. Its use dramatically streamlines the transfer of
building information to and from architectural and engineering models,
eliminating the need for time consuming plan take-offs. This removes a significant cost barrier
to designing sustainable and energy efficient buildings.
It enables building design teams to truly collaborate and realize the potential benefits
of Building Information Modeling.
In June of 2000, the gbXML schema was submitted by a company called Green Building Studio for inclusion in aecXML(TM), the industry-led initiative
launched by Bentley Systems. Shortly thereafter,
gbXML became the draft schema for the Building Performance & Analysis Working Group.
In 2009, gbXML was spun off from Green Building Studio to become a stand-alone entity and things really took off then: funding was secured,
the schema
was drastically improved, a new website was launched, and a community of thousands of architects,
engineers, and energy modelers attended live webinars explaining the benefits of gbXML.
Today, gbXML is funded by organizations such as
the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), Autodesk, ASHRAE, Bentley Systems, and others. Click here
to view a detailed timeline of the history of gbXML.
Click here to go to our gbXML resources page where you can view videos and
other documents that explain and demonstrate usage of gbXML.
The technology behind gbXML
XML, eXtensible Markup Language, is a type of text-friendly computer language that allows
software programs to communicate information with little to no human interaction. You can actually open an XML file in your favorite
text editor and easily view and understand the information in it.
gbXML is a type of XML file that has over 500 types of elements
and attributes that allow you to describe all aspects of a building.
The way gbXML works is, a tool such as Autodesk Revit has an option in the "File" menu that allows you to "Save As gbXML" after designing
your 3D representation of a building. You can then take this gbXML file that includes all of the information about the building you just designed and go to your, say, favorite HVAC load
calculation tool like Trane TRACE and select "Import gbXML file". This will import the just-created gbXML file, create a new project, and
create all of the geometry and constructions (and more) that are required to perform an HVAC load calculation or building energy analysis.
If you have an application that is used by the building industry and are interested in making your customers' tasks easier -- look into gbXML today.
