Development of a solar radiation and BIPV design tool as EnergyPlus plugin for Google SketchUp

This paper describes the development of a BIPV design tool that integrates the building and PV simulation capabilities of EnergyPlus building performance simulation software and Google SketchUp 3D drafting software. The BIPV design tool builds on the OpenStudio plugin by Peter Ellis to include solar radiation analysis and PV simulation features that can be done from inside SketchUp. The BIPV design tool is an improvement in the BIPV design workflow in EnergyPlus that normally requires the user to manually input text-based files. Firstly, the solar and PV modelling capabilities in EnergyPlus are analyzed and validated by comparing with measured data. Next, the structure and features of the BIPV design tool are introduced. Finally, the features that are marked for future development are highlighted.