About the Programme
Every high-performance building begins with a question: how will this design actually perform? Building energy simulation answers that question before construction begins and it sits at the heart of GRIHA’s performance-based approach to energy optimisation. Yet for most students of architecture and engineering, simulation remains a black box: frequently discussed in the classroom, rarely practised hands-on.
This two-day programme opens that box. Day 1 shall build the foundations i.e., the physics, the logic and the anatomy of a whole-building energy model and then walking, step by step, through how a model is actually constructed in EnergyPlus™, the open-source simulation engine developed by the U.S. Department of Energy that powers professional compliance workflows worldwide: envelope and shading, internal gains from occupancy, lighting and equipment, exterior loads, infiltration, HVAC zoning and systems, and the interpretation of results.
Day 2 shall move from engine to application. Participants will experience a live demonstration of the Building Investment Grader (B.I.G) i.e., a guided, browser-based application that converts design inputs into a complete EnergyPlus model and evaluates the design against GRIHA benchmarks followed by a mentored hands-on studio in which every participant shall models and evaluate a building design on their own laptop. In two days, participants shall go from first principles to a benchmarked building which is an experience that otherwise takes weeks of self-learning.
What You Will Learn
• The physics behind the model - heat transfer, climate and weather data, and thermal comfort, and how they come together in a whole-building energy simulation.
• The complete EnergyPlus workflow - building envelope and shading; internal gains from occupancy, lighting and equipment; exterior lighting and equipment; infiltration; and HVAC zones and systems.
• Result interpretation - reading EPI, end-use breakdowns and system performance the way an evaluator does.
• The GRIHA connection - where simulation feeds the rating’s energy criteria and what appraisal-ready analysis looks like.
• Hands-on capability - using the Building Investment Grader (B.I.G) to take a design from inputs to a GRIHA benchmark evaluation in a single sitting.
Why You Should Attend
• An industry-relevant skill: energy modelling is among the most sought-after capabilities in India’s green building consulting and design practice which is central to GRIHA compliance.
• Learn from practitioners: sessions are led by practising simulation experts and GRIHA evaluators who work on real certification projects.
• Do, don’t just watch: a dedicated hands-on studio ensuring every participant personally models and evaluates a building which is a rarity in two-day formats.
• Certificate of Participation from GRIHA Council.
• Studio-scale batch: seats are limited to keep the participant-to-mentor ratio conducive to individual attention.
Who Should Attend
- Professionals and practitioners from consulting and industry who want a structured, practical grounding in simulation-based design evaluation for GRIHA projects.
- Undergraduate and postgraduate students of architecture; civil, mechanical and electrical engineering; building science, energy and allied disciplines.
- No prior exposure to simulation software is assumed.
What to bring: a laptop with an up-to-date web browser is essential for the Day 2 hands-on studio. Pre-read material and the sample design brief will be shared with registered participants ahead of the programme.