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
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
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 and Interop Software Tools
Vendor
Tool
BIM/Analysis
gbXML Verified
Win_Ht Version 3.16 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
The abstractBIM tool automatically translate an architectural BIM (IFC file) into a gbXML file for further use in any supporting simulation tool. The workflow is as follows:
- Ask the architect for an IFC file with modeled spaces (IfcSpace) and windows (IfcWindow).
- Upload it on abstractBIM.com
- Download a view minutes later of the automatically generated abstractBIM gbXML.
- Import this new abstractBIM gbXML into any simulation tool.
- Focus on simulating and designing sustainable buildings instead of remodeling the architect's work. Studies show that this remodeling takes up to 50% of your valuable time.
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
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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.
- 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
- 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.
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
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
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
- 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
Pollination streamlines the interoperability workflow from Revit to gbXML by using the Pollination Revit plug-in and HBJSON. Click here for more information.
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 ReluxSuite includes the following software tools:
- ReluxPro
- ReluxSensor
- ReluxOffer
- ReluxEnergy
Miscellaneous gbXML Software Tools
Vendor
Tool
The following is a link to the gbXML repo on GitHub that includes the validator source code: gbXML GitHub Repo
The following is a link to the validator homepage: gbXML Validator Homepage
Purpose: This website is meant to process full Revit gbXML input files in XML format: (1) A geometry gbXML based on mass families without windows, (2) A "spaces" gbXML based on detailed elements with windows.
Inputs:
- Revit gbXML files in XML format. File locations are chosen via a typical directory GUI.
- Output file name and destination location via a typical directory GUI.
- Geometry from gbXML based on mass families and windows from gbXML based on spaces.
xgbXML extends lxml for working with gbXML files. It would be entirely possible to work with gbXML files using lxml alone. However xgbXML provides additional methods and features that make working with gbXML much quicker and easier.
Visit GitHub Repo
View the Online Documentation