DOE's Google Plug-in Aids Green Building Design

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- the most important investment we can make toward energy security is to become more efficient with how we use it. With that goal in mind, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has just released an updated plug-in for Google's SketchUp 3-D software.

Called OpenStudio, the free software plug-in allows users to launch simulations based on materials, energy inputs and other considerations that affect how energy is used -- and wasted -- by structures. And since SketchUp leverages Google's various goodies, users also can pull in data from Google Earth related to the building's exact orientation to determine, for example, how exposure to the sun and the elements play into the big picture.

This version of the plug-in promises to add much more detail to the green building design process, according to an Earth2Tech article. Energy Secretary Steven Chu has talked publicly about making such software available free or at a low cost to help make energy-efficient building design more accessible and mainstream.

The following DOE video on YouTube highlights the merits of OpenStudio:

One of the most impressive features of OpenStudio is its integration with the DOE's EnergyPlus software, explained in the Earth2Tech article, which "simulates building heating, cooling, lighting, ventilation and other energy flows." The software also links up with a construction cost database and LEED certification standards.

I think Uncle Sam deserves a round of applause for what could become an extremely successful public-private partnership aiming to curtail our voracious appetite for energy.

Image courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy