Systems, devices, methods, and programs

Abstract

To efficiently support the appropriate energy-saving design of buildings. [Solution] The system comprises a receiving means for receiving building information, which is basic information about a building; an acquisition means for acquiring standard values ​​related to the energy balance of the building; and an output means for outputting information about building elements that satisfy the standard values ​​according to the received building information. By having this configuration, the system efficiently supports appropriate energy-saving design for buildings.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an energy-saving building design support system, an energy-saving building design support device, an energy-saving building design support method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a mechanism that receives input of information related to the construction of a building (construction information) from a user and outputs information related to energy saving (energy-saving information) such as primary energy consumption and BEI.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, when calculating energy-saving information after the design of a building, if the calculated energy-saving information is not a desirable value, the design has to be redone, and it has been difficult to efficiently achieve an optimal energy-saving design. For example, if information on building elements such as building materials that satisfy the reference values regarding energy balance can be provided before the design, appropriate energy-saving design can be efficiently supported. An object of the present invention is to efficiently support appropriate energy-saving design of a building.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To achieve such an object, the technology disclosed in this specification is a system including a receiving means for receiving construction information that is basic information of a building, an obtaining means for obtaining a reference value regarding the energy balance of the building, and an outputting means for outputting information on building elements that satisfy the reference value according to the received construction information.

[0006] In this case, the output means may output information indicating the performance required for the building element. Furthermore, the output means may output information that can identify the product as a building element. Furthermore, the system may be equipped with performance acquisition means for acquiring information on the thermal insulation performance of building materials as building elements, and the output means may output multiple building materials that meet the standard value based on the thermal insulation performance information. Furthermore, the information regarding the building elements may include combinations of different types of building elements. Furthermore, on a screen displaying the building elements that meet the aforementioned standard values, the system may accept user requests to change the combination of the building elements, and display information related to the energy balance of the building corresponding to the changed combination of building elements on the screen. Furthermore, on a screen displaying the building elements that meet the aforementioned criteria, the system may accept an operation from the user to change the combination of the building elements, and if the combination of building elements selected by the user does not meet the criteria, it may display a message indicating that the criteria are not met. Furthermore, it is preferable to display combinations of building elements based on user selection, combinations of building elements based on cost, and combinations of building elements based on performance. Furthermore, the output means may receive a specification from the user for the building elements to be used in the building, and output a combination of the building elements including the specified building elements. Furthermore, the output means may obtain information regarding the budget of the building and output information regarding the building elements that satisfy the budget. Furthermore, it is preferable to include a display means that displays a three-dimensional model of the building using element images that visualize the building elements output by the output means.

[0007] For this purpose, the technology disclosed herein is a method comprising the steps of: receiving building information, which is basic information of a building; obtaining reference values ​​for the energy balance of the building; and outputting information about building elements that satisfy the reference values, in accordance with the received building information. Furthermore, for the purposes described herein, the technology disclosed herein is a program that enables a computer to have the following functions: a function to receive building information, which is basic information of a building; a function to acquire standard values ​​for the energy balance of the building; and a function to output information about building elements that satisfy the standard values ​​according to the received building information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently support the appropriate energy-saving design of buildings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the energy-saving building design support system according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This block diagram shows the hardware configuration of the device included in the energy-saving building design support system according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the device. [Figure 4] This is a sequence diagram illustrating the basic processing flow in the energy-saving building design support system according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows the basic operation of the energy-saving building design support processing in the device. [Figure 6] This flowchart shows other operations of the energy-saving building design support processing in the device. [Figure 7] This is a sequence diagram illustrating the flow of other processes in the energy-saving building design support system according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] This flowchart shows other operations of the energy-saving building design support processing in the device. [Figure 9] It is a sequence diagram for explaining the flow of other processes in the energy-saving building design support system according to this embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a flowchart showing other operations of the energy-saving building design support process in the device. [Figure 11] It is a sequence diagram for explaining the flow of other processes in the energy-saving building design support system according to this embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a flowchart showing other operations of the energy-saving building design support process in the device. [Figure 13] It is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the energy-saving building design support screen displayed on the user terminal. [Figure 14] It is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the basic information input screen displayed on the user terminal. [Figure 15] It is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the basic information input screen displayed on the user terminal. [Figure 16] It is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the location information input screen displayed on the user terminal. [Figure 17] It is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the building shape information input screen displayed on the user terminal. [Figure 18] It is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the building shape information input screen displayed on the user terminal. [Figure 19] It is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the equipment / material information input screen displayed on the user terminal. [Figure 20] It is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the equipment / material information input screen displayed on the user terminal. [Figure 21] It is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the budget information input screen displayed on the user terminal. [Figure 22] It is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the result display screen displayed on the user terminal. [Figure 23] It is a schematic diagram showing an example of the display of performance information on the result display screen displayed on the user terminal. [Figure 24]This is a schematic diagram showing an example of how material usage information is displayed on the results screen shown on the user's terminal. [Figure 25] This is a schematic diagram showing other examples of how material usage information is displayed on the results screen shown on the user's terminal. [Figure 26] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of how to change combinations on the results display screen shown on the user's terminal. [Figure 27] This schematic diagram shows an example of how multiple material usage information is displayed on the results screen shown on the user's terminal, and an example of another operation method for changing the combination. [Figure 28] This schematic diagram shows other examples of how performance information is displayed when the combination is changed on the results display screen shown on the user's terminal. [Figure 29] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the building materials information selection screen displayed on the user's terminal. [Figure 30] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the 3D shape model display screen shown on the user's terminal. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The following describes, with reference to drawings, an example of an embodiment of the present invention, in which a user designing a building uses this system to receive suggestions for optimal building elements and their combinations in order to design a building that meets predetermined standard values ​​regarding the building's energy balance, before the design process begins. The building elements include building materials such as exterior walls, windows, and roofs, as well as building equipment such as air conditioning systems and solar power generation systems.

[0011] The embodiments described below are preferred examples of the present invention and are subject to various technical limitations. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these forms unless otherwise specified in the following description.

[0012] Incidentally, in recent years, "ZEB" has been attracting attention as one of the energy-saving building concepts. ZEB is an abbreviation for Net Zero Energy Building, and it refers to a non-residential building that aims to achieve a net-zero annual primary energy balance while creating a comfortable indoor environment.

[0013] This ZEB (Zero Energy Building) is defined in three stages depending on the degree to which zero energy is achieved. Specifically, there is "ZEB Ready," which is when energy consumption is reduced by 50% or more through energy conservation measures; "Nearly ZEB," which is when energy consumption is reduced by 50% or more through energy conservation measures, and the energy used, including self-generated energy, is reduced by 75% to less than 100%; and "ZEB," which is when energy consumption is reduced by 50% or more through energy conservation measures, and the energy used, including self-generated energy, is reduced by 100% or more.

[0014] The achievement of ZEB (Zero Energy Building) can be evaluated by, for example, calculating the Building Energy Index (BEI) value using the building energy consumption performance calculation program published by the National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, and then making a determination based on that value. Here, a building energy consumption performance calculation program is used to calculate the energy consumption performance of a building. The building energy consumption performance calculation program calculates the design primary energy consumption and standard primary energy consumption by combining basic information such as region, type of building (non-residential), floor area, and solar radiation zone classification with information such as the building envelope and heating.

[0015] Furthermore, BEI is a standard value related to the energy balance of buildings (an index that numerically shows the energy efficiency of a building), and is calculated by dividing the design primary energy consumption by the predetermined standard primary energy consumption. Here, design primary energy consumption refers to the primary energy consumption calculated based on the actual design specifications of the building, while standard primary energy consumption refers to the standard primary energy consumption that is determined based on each piece of equipment, region, and room use.

[0016] In other words, this value (BEI) is used to evaluate how efficiently a designed building uses energy, and a low BEI indicates that the building is energy efficient. Therefore, the level at which the primary energy consumption of a newly constructed building meets the standard is BEI ≤ 1.0, meaning that if the designed primary energy consumption is less than or equal to the standard primary energy consumption, the building meets the energy conservation standards.

[0017] Specifically, a BEI of 0.8 means that energy consumption has been reduced by 20% from the energy conservation standards set by the government, and a BEI of 0.5 means that energy consumption has been reduced by 50%. A BEI of ≤ 0.5, which represents a reduction of 50% or more excluding energy creation from renewable energy sources, is considered to have achieved ZEB (Zero Energy Building).

[0018] However, since the energy balance of a building is calculated after the design has been finalized, including the building materials that make up the "envelope" of the building, such as the exterior walls, windows, and roof, and the "equipment" such as air conditioning and lighting, if the calculated energy-saving information is not the desired value (for example, achieving a Zero Energy Building), the design must be redone by changing the configuration of building materials and equipment, making it difficult to efficiently realize the optimal energy-saving design.

[0019] The energy-saving building design support system of this embodiment works by working backward from the energy-saving standards for buildings to determine the equipment design, which includes the exterior and interior machinery. From the viewpoint of the building's thermal insulation (annual heat load) and energy load (consumption), it efficiently proposes the optimal building materials (building envelope materials), building equipment, and other building elements, as well as their combinations, using optimization technologies such as quantum annealing technology.

[0020] In other words, the energy-saving building design support system calculates the energy consumption that the building to be designed must meet, based on basic building information such as the building's structural conditions and standard values ​​related to the building's energy balance. It also calculates information regarding the building envelope performance necessary to meet this energy consumption and outputs information regarding building materials, equipment, and other building elements that achieve this performance. Output includes displaying the information on the system's screen, printing the information on paper, converting the information into electronic data such as PDF, and transmitting the information to a system other than this system via a network. The energy-saving building design support system of this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0021] <System Configuration> Figure 1 shows an example of the configuration of the energy-saving building design support system according to this embodiment.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the energy-saving building design support system in this embodiment is configured such that an energy-saving building design support device (hereinafter simply referred to as "design support device") 10, which presents or proposes optimal building materials, building equipment, and other building elements and their combinations in order to design a building that meets predetermined standard values ​​regarding the energy balance of a building, and a user terminal 30 used by a user who designs a building, are interconnected via a predetermined network N such as the Internet.

[0023] The design support device 10 shown in Figure 1 is a device that, when a user designs a building that meets predetermined standards regarding the building's energy balance, inputs building information, which is the basic information of the building, before designing. The device then generates and presents to the user the optimal building materials, building equipment, and other building elements and their combinations necessary to design a building that meets the predetermined standards. Here, building information, which is the basic information of the building, includes, for example, the structural conditions of the building and the geographical conditions of the building.

[0024] This design support device 10 has computational processing functions and communication functions, and functions as a server in the energy-saving building design support system. Therefore, in the following description, the design support device 10 may be referred to as the "server". The design support device 10 in this embodiment is implemented by, for example, an electronic device such as a personal computer.

[0025] The user terminal 30 is a computer operated by a user who designs a building, and before designing, it receives information on the optimal building materials and their combinations to create a design that meets predetermined standard values ​​regarding the building's energy balance. This user terminal 30 has computing and communication functions and is implemented by, for example, a desktop or laptop computer, a tablet computer, or a smartphone.

[0026] Furthermore, while network N is comprised of the internet, it is not particularly limited and may also be a communication network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network). Additionally, the communication lines of network N may be wired or wireless, or a combination of both may be used.

[0027] In the example shown in Figure 1, only one user terminal 30 is shown, but the number is not particularly limited. Furthermore, although only one design support device 10 is shown, the design support device 10 is not limited to a standalone device; it could also be a distributed server system or a cloud server that operates cooperatively by communicating via the network N.

[0028] <Hardware Configuration> Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the design support device 10 according to this embodiment.

[0029] The design support device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a bus 14, an input / output interface 15, an output unit 16, an input unit 17, a storage unit 18, and a communication unit 19.

[0030] The CPU 11 executes various processes according to the program stored in the ROM 12 or the program loaded from the memory unit 18 into the RAM 13. In other words, the CPU 11 is a processor that controls the operation of the entire server 10 by executing various processes according to the program. The program is, for example, an operating system or firmware for operating each part of the server 10, or application software for realizing the functional blocks described later.

[0031] RAM13 also stores data and other information necessary for the CPU11 to perform various processes. The CPU 11, ROM 12, and RAM 13 are interconnected via a bus 14. An input / output interface 15 is also connected to this bus 14. The input / output interface 15 is connected to an output unit 16, an input unit 17, a storage unit 18, and a communication unit 19.

[0032] The output unit 16 consists of a display, speakers, etc., and outputs various information as images and sounds. The input unit 17 consists of a keyboard, mouse, microphone, camera, etc., and inputs various information according to the received instructions and operations. For example, the output unit 16 and the input unit 17 may be integrated and implemented using a touch panel.

[0033] The storage unit 18 stores various data necessary for the server 10 to perform information processing, and is composed of, for example, a hard disk or DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory). The communication unit 19 communicates with other devices via a network N, including the Internet.

[0034] The design support device 10 may also be equipped with a drive that can be appropriately fitted with removable media such as magnetic disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, or semiconductor memory. This drive allows programs read from the removable media to be installed in the storage unit 18. Furthermore, the removable media can store various types of data stored in the storage unit 18, just as the storage unit 18 does.

[0035] <Design support equipment 10> Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of the design support device 10, which functions as a server in this embodiment.

[0036] The design support device (server) 10 includes a reception unit 110 that receives various types of information, an acquisition unit 120 that acquires various types of information, and a presentation unit 130 that presents information to the user terminal 30, along with a building materials information DB 210.

[0037] The reception unit 110 (an example of a reception means) is a means that has the function of receiving various types of information, and includes a building information reception unit 112, a change information reception unit 114, a building material specification request reception unit 116, and a building budget information reception unit 118. The acquisition unit 120 (an example of an acquisition means) is a means having the function of acquiring various types of information, and includes a reference value information acquisition unit 122 and a performance information acquisition unit 124. The presentation unit 130 (an example of an output means) is a means that has the function of outputting various types of information to be presented (transmitted) to the user terminal 30, and includes a building material information presentation unit 132, an exterior performance information presentation unit 134, and a 3D model information presentation unit 136 (an example of a display means).

[0038] The building information reception unit 112 is a means that has the function of receiving building information, which is the basic information of a building. In other words, the building information reception unit 112 is a means that receives building information from the user terminal 30, and as building information, it receives various information necessary for the design of the building, such as basic information such as the project name and building type, as well as location information of the building site, structural information of the building such as the height, width, depth, number of floors, window orientation and opening ratio, and equipment information of the building such as lighting equipment, air conditioning equipment, ventilation equipment, hot water supply equipment, and elevators. It also receives the budget set for the building as building information. In the following explanation, we will use an example where structural information is received as an example of building information, and information regarding building materials that meet the standard values ​​for the building's energy balance is output according to the received structural information.

[0039] Structural information (an example of building information) received by the building information reception unit 112 is used to output information about building materials in the building materials information presentation unit 132. Although not shown in the diagram, the building information received by the building information reception unit 112 may be stored in a separate design information database provided in the storage unit 18. This eliminates the need to re-enter all information from the beginning when the input of building information for a building is incomplete or when some of the building information for a building is changed. Instead, the system can be used efficiently and easily by inputting and modifying only the necessary information.

[0040] The change information receiving unit 114 is a means that has the function of receiving information (hereinafter referred to as "change information") that has been modified on the displayed result screen, such as information about building materials output by the building material information presentation unit 132. Examples of change information include information that changes the combination of building materials or information that changes the thermal insulation performance information of building materials. This allows for combinations of building materials tailored to the user's preferences.

[0041] Furthermore, the change information received by the change information receiving unit 114 may also include information regarding the building envelope performance (hereinafter referred to as "building envelope performance information"). For example, the "BPI (Building Palstar Index)," a commonly known index for evaluating the energy-saving performance of buildings, can be used as building envelope performance information. The BPI is an index that represents the building envelope performance against external heat loads, and a smaller value indicates a higher building envelope performance.

[0042] This BPI quantifies the annual heat load per floor area of ​​a building and indicates the reduction rate. It is calculated by dividing the design PAL (an index for evaluating the building envelope performance of non-residential buildings) of the building by the standard PAL set by the government.

[0043] Furthermore, it can be considered that there is a certain correlation between BPI and BEI. As the performance of the building envelope improves, the energy consumption of the building decreases. Therefore, buildings designed with a low BPI will have a small BEI and suppress primary energy consumption, and it is thought that a ZEB (Zero Energy Building) can be realized by meeting the prescribed standard values.

[0044] The building material specification request reception unit 116 is a means that has the function of receiving information (hereinafter referred to as "specification information") that specifies (selects) building materials to be used in a building. In other words, the building material specification request reception unit 116 also receives requests from users when they specify building materials to be used in the design, and for example, it receives specification requests in conjunction with the reception of building information at the building information reception unit 112. Specifically, in response to a request for specification (selection) of building materials from the user terminal 30, the building material information contained in the building material information DB 210 is sent to the user terminal 30, for example, as a list of building materials displayed as thumbnails, and the specification information of the building materials selected by the user is received on the screen where the list of building materials is displayed. This allows for the provision of suggestions for combinations that include the building materials specified (selected) by the user.

[0045] The building budget information receiving unit 118 is a means that has the function of receiving information related to the budget of a building (hereinafter referred to as "budget information"). In other words, the building budget information receiving unit 118 receives budget information as one of the conditions to be considered in the selection and combination of information related to building materials output by the building material information presentation unit 132.

[0046] The reference value information acquisition unit 122 is a means that has the function of acquiring reference value information regarding the energy balance of a building. That is, the reference value information acquisition unit 122 acquires reference value information from a pre-set table or from a user terminal 30, and as reference value information, for example, "BEI," which is a commonly known reference value regarding the energy balance of a building, can be used. BEI is an index that represents the energy consumption performance of a building, and as described above, the smaller the value, the more the primary energy consumption of the building is suppressed.

[0047] The reference value information acquired by the reference value information acquisition unit 122 is used to output information about building materials in the building material information presentation unit 132. Furthermore, the reference value information is not limited to any information that serves as a basis for calculating the energy balance, and different reference value information may be used depending on the country or region. Furthermore, the reference value information acquisition unit 122 may, for example, read and acquire reference value information that has been pre-stored in the storage unit 18, or acquire reference value information from outside the system via a network.

[0048] The performance information acquisition unit 124 is a means that has the function of acquiring information regarding the performance (specifications) of building materials (hereinafter referred to as "performance information"). This performance information can be, for example, thermal insulation performance information (hereinafter referred to as "thermal insulation performance information"). In other words, if the energy balance is significantly in surplus due to solar power generation or geothermal power generation, or if there is no need for heating or cooling in an environment like perpetual spring, then a detailed examination of building materials using thermal insulation performance is considered unnecessary. However, if the above is not the case, a detailed examination of building materials using thermal insulation performance is necessary. Therefore, it is desirable to be able to set conditions for selecting building materials according to the equipment and environment.

[0049] Therefore, the performance information acquisition unit 124, in response to the receipt of structural information (an example of building information) by the building information reception unit 112, acquires the specified thermal insulation performance information if the building information includes a specification for thermal insulation performance. The thermal insulation performance information acquired by the performance information acquisition unit 124 is used to output information about building materials in the building material information presentation unit 132.

[0050] The building material information display unit 132 is a means that has the function of outputting information about building materials that satisfy the standard value information acquired by the standard value information acquisition unit 122, in accordance with the building information received by the building information reception unit 112 (hereinafter referred to as "building material information"). In other words, the building material information display unit 132 is a means that identifies building material information that will satisfy the standard value and outputs (transmits) it to the user terminal 30, and for example, based on the building information and standard value information it proposes (outputs) optimal building material information and information on combinations thereof.

[0051] The proposal of optimal building material information and its combinations involves, for example, calculating an estimate of the energy consumption of the building to be designed based on building information and standard value information, and then identifying building material information in the building material information DB210 that has the performance to suppress the energy load so as to satisfy the calculated energy consumption of the building from the perspective of the building's thermal insulation (annual heat load). Furthermore, as an example of optimization technology, quantum annealing technology is used to propose optimal building material information, such as the building envelope materials and their combinations, based on the identified building material information.

[0052] Therefore, if the standard value information acquired by the standard value information acquisition unit 122 is BEI = 0.5, the building material information presentation unit 132 identifies (selects) and outputs building materials so that a building with a BEI of less than 0.5 is designed. This building material information can consist of performance information required for each building material. Examples of this performance information include wind pressure resistance, watertightness and waterproofing, airtightness, condensation prevention, sound insulation, security, fire resistance, thermal insulation, weather resistance, corrosion resistance, and cold resistance. Furthermore, thermal insulation performance information includes the heat transfer coefficient (UA value) and solar heat gain coefficient (ηAC value) applied as standards for the building envelope of building materials.

[0053] The thermal transmittance coefficient indicates how easily heat escapes from a building. Specifically, it is an index that shows the amount of heat that escapes to the outside through the floor, exterior walls, roof, windows, etc. Therefore, the smaller the value, the less heat escapes, and the less heating energy is required. Furthermore, the solar heat gain coefficient indicates how easily solar heat enters a building. Specifically, it is an index that evaluates the amount of solar heat entering through windows and other openings. Therefore, the smaller the value, the less heat enters, and the less cooling energy is required.

[0054] Furthermore, building material information can be specific to each building material, allowing for the identification of individual products. Specifically, this could include the product name or model number of each building material, such as "XXX" from Company A. This allows us to propose information on multiple building materials from different manufacturers, as well as information on multiple building materials from the same manufacturer with different performance grades or colors.

[0055] Furthermore, building material information can include combinations of different types of building materials. Specifically, it can include building material information related to combinations of wall materials, exterior window materials, roofing materials, etc. This allows for the presentation of information on multiple building materials from different manufacturers for each type of building material, as well as information on multiple building materials from the same manufacturer with different performance grades or colors. Furthermore, by suggesting optimal combinations of building material information from different manufacturers, or combinations using a single manufacturer, the variety of options available to the user can be increased.

[0056] Furthermore, the building material information display unit 132 also has the function of outputting building material information that satisfies the standard value information acquired by the standard value information acquisition unit 122, based on the building information received by the building information reception unit 112 and the performance information acquired by the performance information acquisition unit 124 (for example, thermal insulation performance information). This allows us to propose building material information that has the necessary performance characteristics depending on the equipment and environment.

[0057] Furthermore, the building materials information display unit 132 also has the function of outputting information (hereinafter referred to as "building materials list information") that displays, in a comparable manner, building materials information combined based on the user's selection, building materials information combined based on cost, and building materials information combined based on performance. Furthermore, when the building materials information display unit 132 receives change information regarding the combination of building materials from the change information reception unit 114, it also has the function of outputting other building materials list information that displays, in a comparable manner, building materials combined based on cost and building materials combined based on performance, along with the building materials information whose combination has been changed.

[0058] In other words, the building materials list information displays, in a comparable manner, building materials information selected or combined by the user, building materials information proposed by the design support device 10 based on cost, and building materials information proposed by the design support device 10 based on performance. This allows for the comparison of building material information based on different criteria, such as prioritizing user preferences, cost, or performance, enabling the proposal of a wide range of options when selecting building materials in actual design.

[0059] Furthermore, the building material information display unit 132 also has the function of identifying and outputting building material information that includes the selected designation information in the building material list information transmitted by the building material designation request reception unit 116. This allows us to propose combinations of building materials that suit the user's preferences.

[0060] Furthermore, the building materials information display unit 132 also has the function of identifying and outputting building materials information that meets the budget based on the budget information received by the building budget information reception unit 118. This allows us to propose building material information that meets not only the energy balance but also the set budget.

[0061] The building envelope performance information display unit 134 is a means that has the function of outputting building envelope performance information corresponding to the combination of building materials that has been changed based on the change information received by the change information reception unit 114, for example, building envelope performance information corresponding to the thermal insulation performance of the building materials. In other words, the building envelope performance information display unit 134 is a means that calculates new building envelope performance information (for example, BPI) based on the change information and outputs (transmits) it to the user terminal 30. This allows for the confirmation of building envelope performance information based on the combination of building materials.

[0062] The building envelope performance information display unit 134 also has a function to output information (hereinafter referred to as "warning information") that notifies the user that the newly calculated building envelope performance information (e.g., BPI) based on the change information does not meet the standard value of the standard value information acquired by the standard value information acquisition unit 122. In other words, if the change in the combination of building materials does not meet the predetermined standard value, the building envelope performance information display unit 134 outputs (transmits) warning information to the user terminal 30. This makes it possible to avoid combinations of building materials that would fail to meet the energy balance standards for buildings, thus preventing wasteful design.

[0063] The 3D model information display unit 136 is a means that has the function of outputting information that displays a 3D model of a building using material image information that visualizes building material information (hereinafter referred to as "3D model information"). In other words, the 3D model information display unit 136 is a means that outputs (transmits) 3D model information created using BIM (Building Information Modeling) software from the building material information displayed in the building material information display unit 132 to the user terminal 30. This allows for visual confirmation that a building is constructed using building materials that meet predetermined standards.

[0064] The Building Materials Information DB210 is a means of storing building materials information. Building materials information includes various information such as company name, product name, product number, performance, performance grade, color, and price, as listed in catalogs of building materials that can be used on the exterior (envelope) of a building, such as windows, exterior walls, and roofs. The Building Materials Information DB210 may also include BIM part (building material image) information for each building material.

[0065] As described above, the design support device 10 according to this embodiment functions as a device including a building information receiving unit 112, a change information receiving unit 114, a building material specification request receiving unit 116, a building budget information receiving unit 118, a standard value information acquisition unit 122, a performance information acquisition unit 124, a building material information presentation unit 132, an exterior performance information presentation unit 134, and a 3D model information presentation unit 136, when various programs (OS, applications, etc.) stored in the auxiliary storage device are loaded into the main storage device and executed by the CPU 11.

[0066] Next, the basic processing flow of the design support system according to this embodiment will be explained. Figure 4 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the design support process according to this embodiment.

[0067] First, although not shown in the diagram, the design support device 10 registers various information such as building material catalogs and BIM parts information in the building material information DB 210 prior to providing design support services to the user. Furthermore, in order to receive this service, users must access the design support device 10 using their user terminal 30 and complete the login process. This will allow users to enjoy the service.

[0068] In step S301, the user terminal 30 receives an instruction requesting the input of predetermined building information in order to receive building material information that meets predetermined standard values ​​regarding the energy balance of the building, and inputs the building information according to that instruction. In step S302, after the user terminal 30 has completed inputting at least the required building information, it transmits the entered building information to the design support device 10.

[0069] In step S303, the design support device 10 receives (receives) the building information transmitted from the user terminal 30. Furthermore, in step S304, after receiving building information, the design support device 10 acquires predetermined standard value information regarding the energy balance of the building.

[0070] Next, in step S305, the design support device 10 identifies (selects) building material information that meets the standard value according to the received building information. The identification of building material information is performed, for example, by calculating an estimate of the energy consumption of the building to be designed based on the building information and standard value information as described above, and selecting building material information that is the optimal combination with predetermined performance that suppresses the energy load from the building material information DB 210, from the building material information.

[0071] Then, in step S306, the design support device 10 outputs (replies to) the identified building material information to the user terminal 30. In step S307, the user terminal 30 receives building material information transmitted from the design support device 10 and displays it on the display screen (monitor) of the user terminal 30.

[0072] Next, we will explain the processing flow in the design support device 10. Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the basic operation of the design support process according to this embodiment.

[0073] As shown in Figure 5, in step S401, the building information receiving unit 112 performs a process to determine whether or not building information has been transmitted from the user terminal 30, that is, whether or not it has received the building information. If the building information receiving unit 112 has received the building information (YES in S401), it proceeds to step S402. Otherwise (NO in S401), the process of determining in step S401 is repeated.

[0074] In step S402, the reference value information acquisition unit 122 performs a process to acquire predetermined reference value information in response to the receipt of building information by the building information reception unit 112. Next, in step S403, the building material information presentation unit 132 performs a process to identify building material information that satisfies the conditions of the standard value information acquired by the standard value information acquisition unit 122, in accordance with the building information received by the building information reception unit 112, by referring to the building material information DB 210.

[0075] Then, in step S404, the building material information display unit 132 performs a process to output (send to the user terminal 30) the identified building material information. After that, the operation of the design support device 10 ends (END). This makes it possible to present building materials and their combinations that meet predetermined standards regarding the energy balance of buildings.

[0076] It should be noted that the design support device 10 does not provide precise design information, but rather proposes building material information to simplify and support some of the cumbersome design work (to assist in the design work).

[0077] Furthermore, in the design support system of this embodiment, building material information may be identified in processes other than those described above. This section explains when it is necessary to consider thermal insulation performance in relation to equipment and the surrounding environment when selecting building materials.

[0078] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of another design support process according to this embodiment.

[0079] In step S411, the process in which the building information receiving unit 112 determines whether or not it has received building information from the user terminal 30, and in step S412, the process in which the reference value information acquisition unit 122 acquires predetermined reference value information, are the same as the processes in steps S401 and S402 described above.

[0080] Next, in step S413, the performance information acquisition unit 124 performs a process to acquire predetermined thermal insulation performance information in response to the receipt of building information by the building information reception unit 112. In step S414, the building material information presentation unit 132, in response to the building information received by the building information reception unit 112, performs a process to identify building material information that satisfies the conditions of the standard value information acquired by the standard value information acquisition unit 122 and the thermal insulation performance information acquired by the performance information acquisition unit 124 by referring to the building material information DB 210.

[0081] Then, in step S415, the building material information display unit 132 performs a process to output (send to the user terminal 30) the identified building material information. After that, the operation of the design support device 10 ends (END). This allows us to suggest appropriate building materials and their combinations based on the equipment and environment.

[0082] Next, the process flow for changing the combination of building material information presented (proposed) by the design support device 10 after step S307 described above to the user's preference will be explained based on Figure 7. Figure 7 is a sequence diagram showing an example of another design support process according to this embodiment.

[0083] In step S321, the user terminal 30 receives information to change the combination of building materials on a display screen (monitor) that shows the building material information presented (transmitted) from the design support device 10. Next, in step S322, after the user terminal 30 has finished changing the combination, it transmits the combination change information to the design support device 10.

[0084] In step S323, the design support device 10 receives the combination change information transmitted from the user terminal 30. Furthermore, in step S324, the design support device 10 calculates the energy consumption and building envelope performance of the building when using the building materials after the combination change, in accordance with the received combination change information. Next, in step S325, the design support device 10 determines whether the calculated energy consumption and building envelope performance are appropriate based on predetermined standard values ​​regarding the energy balance of the building that have already been acquired.

[0085] Then, in step S326, the design support device 10 outputs (replies to) information based on the judgment result to the user terminal 30. In step S327, the user terminal 30 receives information based on the judgment result transmitted from the design support device 10 and displays it on the display screen.

[0086] Next, we will describe the flow of other design support processes in the design support device 10 according to the above embodiment. Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of another design support process according to this embodiment.

[0087] As shown in Figure 8, in step S421, the change information receiving unit 114 performs a process to determine whether or not combination change information has been transmitted from the user terminal 30, that is, whether or not it has received the combination change information. If the change information receiving unit 114 has received the combination change information (YES in S421), it proceeds to step S422. Otherwise (NO in S421), the process of determination in step S421 is repeated.

[0088] In step S422, the building envelope performance information presentation unit 134 performs a process to calculate the building envelope performance value in accordance with the combination change information received by the change information reception unit 114. Next, in step S423, the exterior performance information display unit 134 performs a process to determine whether the newly calculated exterior performance value meets the conditions of a predetermined standard value. If the exterior performance information display unit 134 determines that the conditions are met (standard value OK) (YES in S423), proceed to step S424. Otherwise (NO in S423), proceed to step S425.

[0089] Then, in step S424, the envelope performance information display unit 134 performs the process of outputting the newly calculated envelope performance information (sending it to the user terminal 30). On the other hand, in step S425, the outer shell performance information display unit 134 performs a process of outputting (sending to the user terminal 30) warning information that the standard value is not met. After that, the operation of the design support device 10 ends (END). This allows for arbitrary changes to the proposed combination of building materials, as well as verification of the suitability of the modified combination.

[0090] Furthermore, in the design support system of this embodiment, building material information may be identified in processes other than those described above. This section explains a case where a user specifies their preferred building materials, and building material information is output (provided) based on that specification. Figure 9 is a sequence diagram showing an example of another design support process according to this embodiment.

[0091] In step S331, the user terminal 30 receives an instruction requesting the input of predetermined building information and inputs the basic information according to that instruction. Next, in step S332, the user terminal 30 sends a request to the design support device 10 to select building materials in order to specify its preferred building materials as building information.

[0092] In step S333, the design support device 10 receives a request for selection of building materials transmitted from the user terminal 30. Then, in step S334, the design support device 10 outputs (replies to) the list of building materials to the user terminal 30 in response to the request to select building materials.

[0093] In step S335, the user terminal 30 receives the building materials list information returned from the design support device 10 and displays it on the display screen (monitor). In step S336, the user terminal 30 selects building materials according to its preferences on a display screen (monitor) showing a list of building materials. Furthermore, in step S337, the user terminal 30 inputs the remaining building information. If a building budget is to be set, it may be entered here as part of the remaining building information. Then, in step S338, after the user terminal 30 has finished inputting all the building information, it transmits all the entered building information to the design support device 10.

[0094] In step S339, the design support device 10 receives all building information transmitted from the user terminal 30. Furthermore, in step S340, after receiving building information, the design support device 10 acquires predetermined standard value information regarding the energy balance of the building.

[0095] Next, in step S341, the design support device 10 identifies (selects) building material information that includes the specified (selected) building materials and also satisfies the said standard values, in accordance with the received building information. Then, in step S342, the design support device 10 outputs (replies to) the user terminal 30 building material information, including the specified (selected) building materials. In step S343, the user terminal 30 receives building material information transmitted from the design support device 10 and displays it on the display screen (monitor).

[0096] Next, we will describe the flow of other design support processes in the design support device 10 according to the above embodiment. Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of another design support process according to this embodiment.

[0097] As shown in Figure 10, in step S431, the building material selection request receiving unit 116 determines whether or not a request for selection of building materials has been received from the user terminal 30, that is, whether or not it has received building material selection request information. If the building material selection request receiving unit 116 has received building material selection request information (YES in S431), it proceeds to step S432; otherwise (NO in S431), it proceeds to step S433.

[0098] In step S432, the building material specification request receiving unit 116 processes the output (sends to the user terminal 30) of building material list information in response to a request from the user terminal 30. Next, in step S433, the building information receiving unit 112 performs a process to determine whether or not building information has been transmitted from the user terminal 30, that is, whether or not it has received the building information. If the building information receiving unit 112 has received the building information (YES in S433), it proceeds to step S434; otherwise (NO in S433), it repeats the determination process in step S433.

[0099] Furthermore, if the building information includes budget information, the building budget information receiving unit 118 receives the budget information. Therefore, in step S433, in addition to determining whether or not the building information has been received, the process of determining whether or not the received building information includes budget information is also performed.

[0100] In step S434, the reference value information acquisition unit 122 performs a process to acquire predetermined reference value information in response to the receipt of building information by the building information reception unit 112. Next, in step S435, the building material information presentation unit 132, in response to the building information received by the building information reception unit 112, performs a process of identifying building material information that includes the building materials specified (selected) in the building material list information transmitted from the building material specification request reception unit 116, and that also satisfies the conditions of the standard value information acquired by the standard value information acquisition unit 122, by referring to the building material information DB 210.

[0101] Then, in step S436, the building material information display unit 132 performs a process to output (send to the user terminal 30) building material information including the selected building material. After that, the operation of the design support device 10 ends (END). This allows the building to meet predetermined standards regarding its energy balance, while also presenting combinations that include the user's preferred building materials.

[0102] Furthermore, the process flow for visually confirming the building constructed based on the building material information presented (proposed) by the design support device 10 after step S307 described above will be explained with reference to Figure 11. Figure 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the design support process according to this embodiment.

[0103] In step S351, the user terminal 30 sends a request to the design support device 10 to display a 3D model in order to visually confirm the actual building based on the building material information presented (transmitted) from the design support device 10.

[0104] In step S352, the design support device 10 receives a request to display a 3D model transmitted from the user terminal 30. Next, in step S353, the design support device 10, in response to a request to display a 3D model, creates 3D model information from the proposed building material information using software that implements BIM.

[0105] Then, in step S354, the design support device 10 outputs (replies to) the created 3D model information to the user terminal 30. In step S355, the user terminal 30 receives the 3D model information returned from the design support device 10 and displays it on the display screen (monitor).

[0106] Next, we will describe the flow of other design support processes in the design support device 10 according to the above embodiment. Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of another design support process according to this embodiment.

[0107] As shown in Figure 12, in step S451, the 3D model information presentation unit 136 performs a process to determine whether or not a request for display of a 3D model has been received from the user terminal 30, that is, whether or not it has received the 3D model display request information. If the 3D model information presentation unit 136 has received the 3D model display request information (YES in S451), it proceeds to step S452; otherwise (NO in S451), it repeats the determination process in step S451.

[0108] In step S452, the 3D model information presentation unit 136 performs a process to create 3D model display information in response to a request from the user terminal 30. Next, in step S453, the 3D model information display unit 136 performs the process of outputting (sending to the user terminal 30) the created 3D model display information. After that, the operation of the design support device 10 ends (END). This makes it possible to present a 3D image that allows users to visually confirm the structure of a building based on the proposed building material information.

[0109] Next, an example of the screen configuration displayed on the user terminal 30 in this embodiment will be described. When a user terminal 30 connects to this system, the first screen displayed can be, for example, shown in Figure 13. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the dashboard screen displayed on the user terminal 30.

[0110] When the user terminal 30 logs in to the system's site, the dashboard screen 300 shown in Figure 13 is displayed on the monitor.

[0111] In Figure 13, the dashboard screen 300, as an example, is equipped with buttons corresponding to the services the user enjoys, such as "Start Calculation" button 301, "Contact Us" button 302, "Learn about ZEB Case Studies" button 303, "Select Building Materials and Calculate BPI" button 304, "Export CSV for XXXPRO" button 305, and "Purchase from Manufacturer" button 306. In the following, as an example, we will explain an example in which conditions for building materials and other elements that meet the energy balance standards for a building are presented based on the BPI. Alternatively, although not shown in the diagram, the screen displayed on the user terminal 30 may present conditions for building materials, building equipment and other building elements that meet the energy balance standards for a building based on the BEI, etc.

[0112] Next, we will explain how users can receive suggestions for building material information. Users can prepare to receive suggestions for building material information by selecting (clicking) the "Start Calculation" button 301 on the dashboard screen 300. Specifically, the predetermined building information described in step S301 is entered. The screen for entering the predetermined building information can be shown, for example, in Figures 14 to 21.

[0113] Figures 14 and 15 are schematic diagrams showing examples of the configuration of the basic information input screen displayed on the user terminal. As shown in Figure 14, when the user selects the "Start Calculation" button 301, the basic information input screen 310 is displayed on the user terminal 30.

[0114] In Figure 14, this basic information input screen 310 is shown as having the basic information input window 311 displayed. The basic information input window 311 includes a project name input field 312, a building type input field 313, and a "Next" button 314.

[0115] The building type input field 313 can be entered directly, or it can be selected from a pull-down menu, such as the one shown in Figure 15, which is displayed by selecting the V mark (pull-down button) located at the right end of the building type input field 313.

[0116] As shown in Figure 15, a pull-down menu 3131 is displayed on the basic information input window 311.

[0117] In Figure 15, the pull-down menu 3131 includes options such as office model, business hotel model, city hotel model, general hospital model, clinic model, welfare facility model, and large-scale retail model. Therefore, in the basic information input window 311, the user enters information in the project name input field 312, and then either directly enters information in the building type input field 313 or selects the desired option from the pull-down menu 3131, before selecting (clicking) the "Next" button 314.

[0118] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the location information input screen displayed on the user's terminal.

[0119] As a result, as shown in Figure 16, the basic information input window 311 disappears from the basic information input screen 310, and the map information 315 is clearly displayed. Next, the user inputs location information for the construction site on the basic information input screen 310 shown in Figure 16, which is displayed on the display screen (monitor) of the user terminal 30. Location information may be input as address information including prefecture and city / ward / town / village, or as latitude and longitude information, but in this embodiment, it can be easily input by selecting (clicking) the corresponding location on the map information 315. In Figure 16, a pin mark 316 is indicated at the selected position.

[0120] Once location information is entered on the basic information input screen 310, a screen will then be displayed for entering various types of basic information about the building, as shown in Figures 17 to 21, as predetermined building information. Figures 17 and 18 are schematic diagrams showing an example configuration of the building shape information input screen displayed on the user terminal 30. This shape information input screen 320 is used to input the height, width, depth, and number of floors of a building.

[0121] In Figure 17, the shape information input screen 320 includes required input fields for the number of floors 321, the number of rooms 322, and the number of rooms subject to air conditioning 323. Additionally, an optional input field 324 for the number of basement floors is provided. This shape information input screen 320 is equipped with a "simple input" button 325 and an "8-direction input" button 326 for inputting information such as the height, width, and depth of the building to be designed.

[0122] If the "Simplified Input" button 325 is selected, as shown in Figure 17, the following input fields are provided as required fields: a height input field 3251 for the building to be designed, a depth input field 3252 indicating the length in the north-south direction, and a width input field 3253 indicating the length in the east-west direction. On the other hand, if the "8 Directions Input" button 326 is selected, as shown in Figure 18, along with the height input field 3261 for the building to be designed, the horizontal wall area input field 3262, west wall area input field 3263, south wall area input field 3264, north wall area input field 3265, and east wall area input field 3266 are provided as required input items. In addition, the southwest wall area input field 3267, northwest wall area input field 3268, northeast wall area input field 3269, and southeast wall area input field 3270 are provided as optional input items.

[0123] Next, scrolling down the shape information input screen 320 will display a screen for entering the building's equipment information. Figures 19 and 20 are schematic diagrams showing an example configuration of the equipment / materials (supplies) information input screen displayed on the user terminal 30.

[0124] The equipment and material information input screen 330 shown in Figure 19 is used to input the orientation and opening ratio of the building's windows, as well as the lighting equipment to be installed in the building. In Figure 19, the equipment and material information input screen 330 includes a main opening input field 331 as an optional input item for selecting and inputting the direction in which the window should be made larger, as well as a minimum opening ratio input field 332 and a maximum opening ratio input field 333 as mandatory input items, which indicate the ratio of the window to the wall surface. Furthermore, the lower limit input field 332 and upper limit input field 333 for inputting the aperture ratio can be entered either by directly entering numerical values, or by sliding the lower limit setting button 3321 and upper limit setting button 3331, located below, to the left or right, respectively.

[0125] Furthermore, in Figure 19, the equipment / material information input screen 330 includes a number of lighting units input field 334, a minimum power consumption input field 335, and a maximum power consumption input field 336 as required input items. Numerical values ​​may be entered directly into the power consumption lower limit input field 335 and the power consumption upper limit input field 336, or, similar to the input of the window opening ratio described above, the power consumption lower limit setting button 3351 and the power consumption upper limit setting button 3361 located below the input field may be entered by sliding them left or right.

[0126] Continuing by scrolling down the equipment and material information input screen 330, the equipment and material information input screen 340 shown in Figure 20 will be displayed. This equipment / materials information input screen 340 is used to input information about the presence or absence of air conditioning equipment, elevators, and energy-generating equipment installed in the building.

[0127] In Figure 20, the equipment and material information input screen 340 includes a field 341 for inputting the number of air conditioning units, a field 342 for inputting the lower limit of their rated output, and a field 343 for inputting the upper limit of their rated output as required input items. Numerical values ​​may be entered directly into the rated output lower limit input field 342 and the rated output upper limit input field 343, or, similar to the input of the window opening ratio described above, they may be entered by sliding the rated output lower limit setting button 3421 and the rated output upper limit setting button 3431, located below, to the left or right, respectively.

[0128] Furthermore, in Figure 20, the equipment / materials information input screen 340 is equipped with an elevator presence / absence button 344 to ask whether there is an elevator, and a solar power generation presence / absence button 345 to ask whether there is a renewable energy facility. The elevator availability button 344 and the solar power generation availability button 345 both indicate "yes" when moved to the right and "no" when moved to the left.

[0129] Furthermore, by scrolling down the equipment and materials information input screen 340, a screen will appear where the user can input the budget amount they have pre-set for the construction. Figure 21 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the budget information input screen displayed on the user terminal 30.

[0130] The budget information input screen 350 shown in Figure 21 is equipped with a lower limit input field 352 and an upper limit input field 353 for the budget. You may directly enter numerical values ​​into the lower limit amount input field 352 and the upper limit amount input field 353, or, similar to the input of the window opening ratio described above, you may enter them by sliding the lower limit amount setting button 3521 and the upper limit amount setting button 3531 located below them to the left or right.

[0131] Then, after all items have been entered, selecting the "Calculate" button 354 sends all the entered building information to the design support device 10, which then performs calculations to propose building material information as an example of building elements.

[0132] Next, we will describe an example of the result display screen configuration shown on the user terminal 30 in this embodiment. In other words, in step S307 described above, the result display screen shown on the user terminal 30 can be, for example, shown in Figure 22. Figure 22 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the results display screen shown on the display screen (monitor) of the user terminal 30. Figure 23 is a schematic diagram showing an example of how performance information is displayed on the results screen shown on the user's terminal. Figure 24 is a schematic diagram showing an example of how material usage information is displayed on the results screen shown on the user's terminal. Figure 25 is a schematic diagram showing other examples of how material usage information is displayed on the results screen shown on the user's terminal.

[0133] In Figure 22, the results display screen 360 shows the results list display unit 361. The results display unit 361 includes a performance display unit 362 showing the performance values ​​of the building, a cost display unit 363 showing the construction costs of the building, and a materials usage display unit 364 showing the building materials that meet predetermined standards. To the right of these display units, there is also a combination materials display unit 365 showing customizable building materials.

[0134] The performance display unit 362 displays performance information of a building using the proposed combination of building materials. For example, as shown in Figure 23, it can display the BPI, an index for evaluating the building envelope performance (energy efficiency), as performance information. This performance display section 362 includes a performance value display field 362-1 that displays the building envelope performance numerically, a performance value range display diagram 362-2 that visually indicates the desirable upper and lower limits of the performance value, and a performance value needle 362-3 that indicates the position of the performance value shown in the performance value display field 362-1 in the performance value range display diagram 362-2. For example, the display screen of the user terminal 30 may instead show a specific value such as BEI, instead of the BPI shown in Figure 23.

[0135] The cost display section 363 displays the estimated cost of constructing a building using the proposed combination of building materials.

[0136] The material usage display section 364 displays combinations of building materials that meet predetermined standards. As shown in Figure 24, for example, it can display window panel 364-1 showing window material information, exterior wall panel 364-2 showing exterior wall material information, and roof panel 364-3 showing roof material information, separated by type of building envelope. The panels can be exemplified by card-type images that summarize various types of information for each building material.

[0137] This window panel 364-1 includes a performance value display area 364-11 that displays the required performance of the window material numerically, a performance value range display diagram 364-12 that visually shows the desirable upper and lower limits of the performance value, and a performance value needle 364-13 that indicates the position of the performance value shown in the performance value display area 364-11 on the performance value range display diagram 364-12. In addition, the window panel 364-1 is provided with a performance name display area 364-14 that indicates the type of performance shown in the performance value display area 364-11, specifically indicating thermal insulation, which is an important performance aspect of window materials.

[0138] Furthermore, the exterior wall panel 364-2 includes a performance value display field 364-21 that displays the required performance of the exterior wall material numerically, a performance value range display diagram 364-22 that visually indicates the desirable upper and lower limits of the performance value, and a performance value needle 364-23 that indicates the position of the performance value shown in the performance value display field 364-21 in the performance value range display diagram 364-22. The exterior wall panel 364-2 is also provided with performance name display sections 364-24 and 364-25 that indicate the type of performance shown in the performance value display field 364-21. Specifically, two important performance aspects of the exterior wall material, thermal insulation and solar heat gain coefficient, are displayed. In this exterior wall panel 364-2, for example, thermal insulation can be shown in one performance name display section 364-24, and solar heat gain coefficient in the other performance name display section 364-25. These two performance name display units 364-24 and 364-25 both function as display buttons, allowing the user to switch between and display the desired performance by selecting each one.

[0139] Although not shown in the illustration, roof panel 364-3, like window panel 364-1 and exterior wall panel 364-2, includes a performance value display field that shows the required performance of the roofing material numerically, a performance value range display diagram that allows for visual identification of the desirable upper and lower limits of the performance value, and a performance value needle that indicates the position of the performance value shown in the performance value display field on the performance value range display diagram.

[0140] Thus, the material usage display section 364 indicates that a combination of window material having the performance value shown in the performance value display section 364-11 in the window panel 364-1, exterior wall material having the performance value shown in the performance value display section 364-21 in the exterior wall panel 364-2, and roof material having the performance value similarly shown in the roof panel 364-3 (not shown) is desirable. Therefore, in the design process, you should refer to the performance values ​​of each proposed combination and then combine specific building materials accordingly.

[0141] Furthermore, in the material usage display section 364, a catalog-like list panel may be displayed so that the specific building material products can be identified by selecting window panel 364-1, exterior wall panel 364-2, and roof panel 364-3. Specifically, for example, when window panel 364-1 is selected, a list of individual product panels 364-101, 364-102, etc., each showing a specific window material product, may be displayed, as shown in Figure 25.

[0142] Next, in step S321 described above, if you want to change the combination of building materials on the results display screen shown on the user terminal 30, you can do so, for example, as shown in Figure 26. Figure 26 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of how to change combinations on the results display screen shown on the user terminal 30.

[0143] In Figure 26, the materials used display section 364 of the results list display section 361 shows that window panel 364-1 and exterior wall panel 364-2 are proposed, and the combined materials display section 365 shows that exterior wall panel 365-2 and window panel 365-1 are proposed as customizable building materials.

[0144] Here, when changing the combination by swapping the building materials displayed in the Material Usage Display Unit 364 with the building materials displayed in the Combination Material Display Unit 365, this can be done by moving the panels of the building materials to be swapped between them. Specifically, for example, when swapping window panel 365-1 of the Combination Material Display Unit 365 with window panel 364-1 of the Material Usage Display Unit 364, first, as shown by the arrow in the figure, drag window panel 365-1 on the Result List Display Unit 361 to move it from the Combination Material Display Unit 365 to the Material Usage Display Unit 364 and drop it. Also, although not shown in the figure, drag window panel 364-1 on the Result List Display Unit 361 to move it from the Material Usage Display Unit 364 to the Combination Material Display Unit 365 and drop it. This allows for arbitrary changes to the combination of building materials.

[0145] After the combination change is complete, selecting the "Recalculate" button 366 located in the upper section of the results list display unit 361 will recalculate the performance values ​​after the combination change, and the new performance information values ​​for the building corresponding to that combination will be displayed in the performance value display field 362-1 of the performance display unit 362.

[0146] Furthermore, this combination change can be performed not only between the building materials displayed in the material usage display section 364 and the building materials displayed in the combined material display section 365, but also between the building materials displayed in the material usage display section 364 themselves. In other words, by proposing multiple combinations of building materials and displaying them in the results list display section 361 for comparison, the panels of the proposed building materials can also be moved relative to each other in the same way.

[0147] Figure 27 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the display of multiple material usage information on the results display screen shown on the user terminal 30, and an example of another operation method when changing the combination.

[0148] The results display unit 361 shows, in a comparative format, the user selection results column 361A, which displays the combination results selected by the user; the cost priority results column 361B, which shows the combination result with the lowest cost proposed by the design support device 10; and the performance priority results column 361C, which shows the result with the best performance.

[0149] Furthermore, the combinations selected by the user include not only combinations of building materials, but also combinations resulting from changes in the budget setting and combinations resulting from changes in performance information. In addition, the user selection result field 361A includes combinations of building materials that the user has specified in advance, as well as combinations of building materials that the user has changed. In other words, the user selection result field 361A displays combinations of building materials based on the user's selection.

[0150] The user selection result section 361A is provided with a user selection result performance display section 362A, a user selection result cost display section 363A, and a user selection result material usage display section 364A. The cost priority result section 361B is provided with a cost priority result performance display section 362B, a cost priority result cost display section 363B, and a cost priority result material usage display section 364B. Furthermore, the performance priority result section 361C is provided with a performance priority result performance display section 362C, a performance priority result cost display section 363C, and a performance priority result material usage display section 364C.

[0151] Therefore, on the results list display unit 361, the combination of building materials can be arbitrarily changed by moving the panels of building materials together, as shown by the dotted arrows in the figure. In this embodiment, for example, one exterior wall panel 364-2 and another exterior wall panel 364-2, which are displayed as rectangular panel images, are swapped by image manipulation on the user interface, such as drag and drop. After the combination change is completed, by selecting the "Recalculate" button 366 provided in the upper section of the results list display unit 361, the performance values ​​after the combination change are recalculated, and the new performance information values ​​for the building corresponding to that combination are displayed on the respective user-selected result performance display unit 362A and performance priority result performance display unit 362C. If the changed combination is undesirable, a warning message (error) will be displayed, as shown in Figure 28.

[0152] In other words, one of the pieces of information based on the determination result displayed on the user terminal 30 in step S327 described above can be shown in Figure 28, for example. Figure 28 is a schematic diagram showing an example of how performance information is displayed when the combination is changed on the results display screen shown on the user terminal 30.

[0153] In Figure 28, if the modified combination is undesirable, the performance display unit 362 will display a warning message 362-4 in the form of text, such as "Caution! / BPI conditions are not met." In other words, the material usage display unit 364 indicates that the combination of window panel 364-1 and exterior wall panel 364-2 does not meet the BPI conditions in terms of performance values. For example, instead of displaying the BPI shown in Figure 28, the user terminal 30 may display cautionary information regarding the failure to meet conditions such as BEI.

[0154] Furthermore, in step S335 described above, the list of building materials displayed on the user terminal 30 after the request for selection of building materials can be shown, for example, in Figure 29. Figure 29 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the building material information selection screen displayed on the user terminal 30.

[0155] In Figure 29, the building materials information selection screen 370 shows a building materials list display unit 371 with thumbnails. This building materials list display unit 371 is composed of multiple individual product panels, each showing a specific product, and each panel can be selected arbitrarily.

[0156] This building material information selection screen 370 is displayed on the dashboard screen 300 (see Figure 13) that is initially shown on the user terminal 30 when connected to this system. By selecting the "Select building materials and calculate BPI" button 304, it is displayed, for example, after entering the project name and building type, but before entering location information, allowing the user to select building materials.

[0157] Therefore, the building materials specified (selected) here will be reflected in the results as if chosen by the user themselves, and the combinations will be suggested. In Figure 29, window panel 372-1 and window panel 372-2 are shown as selected building materials.

[0158] In the above embodiment, the example of building materials is mainly used for explanation, but the building elements used for calculations based on energy balance and displayed on the screen are not limited to building materials. For example, various building equipment such as lighting equipment, air conditioning equipment, heating equipment, and solar power generation equipment can also be used for calculations based on energy balance and various displays on the screen. For example, this system accepts building information such as structural information of the building and information on building equipment installed in the building. Furthermore, this system calculates the amount of energy consumption for the entire building based on the accepted structural information and building equipment. Then, this system calculates combinations of building elements such as building materials and building equipment that satisfy the conditions related to the energy balance standard of the building. In this case, for example, the storage unit 18 is provided with a building equipment information DB that stores specific information such as the power consumption, product name (model number), price, and performance value of each building equipment, in addition to the building material information DB 210. The presentation unit 130 presents detailed information of each building equipment and the performance of the building equipment.

[0159] Furthermore, in step S355 described above, the 3D model display information displayed on the user terminal 30 can be shown, for example, in Figure 30. Figure 30 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the 3D shape model display screen displayed on the user terminal 30.

[0160] In Figure 30, the 3D shape model display screen 380 shows material image information (BMI parts) of individual building materials, including wall image 381, column image 382, ​​joinery image 383, staircase image 384, equipment image 385, and curtain wall image 386. The 3D shape model display screen 380 also displays a 3D shape model image 387, which allows for visual confirmation of a building that meets predetermined standards by assembling these building materials and other building elements in three dimensions. The 3D shape model display screen 380 can then visualize building elements such as building materials and building equipment that meet the energy balance standards, based on the basic building information received, and display a 3D building model on the screen.

[0161] As described above, according to this embodiment, by using this system, it is possible to propose information on building elements that meet predetermined standard values ​​regarding the energy balance of a building, as well as their combinations, before design. Therefore, it is expected that this will support users who design buildings in efficiently and effectively carrying out optimal energy-saving designs to realize ZEB (Zero Energy Building).

[0162] The series of processes described above are merely examples and are not particularly limited. Therefore, they can be executed by hardware or implemented by software. In other words, it is sufficient for the information processing system to have the functionality to execute the series of processes described above as a whole, and the functional blocks used to realize this functionality are not particularly limited to the examples given above.

[0163] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above-described embodiment is merely an example to facilitate understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the interpretation of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and modifications, improvements, etc., to the extent that the objectives of the present invention can be achieved are included in the present invention.

[0164] The system of this embodiment provides information on building materials that meet energy balance standards before design, thereby efficiently supporting optimal energy-saving design. Therefore, it is expected to be applied not only to buildings such as office buildings, factories, and schools that have implemented energy-saving measures, but also to the design of general residences that have implemented energy-saving measures. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0165] 10…Design support device, 30…User terminal, 110…Reception unit, 112…Building information reception unit, 114…Change information reception unit, 116…Building material specification request reception unit, 118…Building budget information reception unit, 120…Acquisition unit, 122…Standard value information acquisition unit, 124…Performance information acquisition unit, 130…Presentation unit, 132…Building material information presentation unit, 134…Envelope performance information presentation unit, 136…3D model information presentation unit, 300…Dashboard screen, 310…Basic information input screen, 320…Shape information input screen, 330,340…Equipment / material information input screen, 350…Budget information input screen, 360…Result display screen, 365…Material display unit, 370…Building material information selection screen, 380…3D shape model display screen

Claims

1. A means of receiving building information, which is the basic information of a building, A means for obtaining standard values ​​regarding the energy balance of the aforementioned building, An output means that outputs information about building elements that meet the standard values ​​in accordance with the building information received, A system equipped with these features.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the output means outputs information indicating the performance required for the building element.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the output means outputs information that can identify the product as an architectural element.

4. The aforementioned building element includes a performance acquisition means for acquiring information regarding the thermal insulation performance of building materials, The system according to claim 1, wherein the output means outputs a plurality of building materials that meet the standard value based on the thermal insulation performance information.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information relating to the building elements includes combinations of different types of building elements.

6. On a screen displaying the building elements that meet the aforementioned criteria, the system accepts an operation from the user to change the combination of the building elements. The system according to claim 5, which displays on a screen information relating to the energy balance of the building according to the changed combination of building elements.

7. On a screen displaying the building elements that meet the aforementioned criteria, the system accepts an operation from the user to change the combination of the building elements. The system according to claim 5, wherein if the combination of building elements selected by the user does not meet the standard value, the system displays that the standard value is not met.

8. The system according to claim 1, which displays combinations of building elements based on user selection, combinations of building elements based on cost, and combinations of building elements based on performance.

9. The user specifies the building elements to be used in the aforementioned building. The system according to claim 1, wherein the output means outputs a combination of the building elements including the specified building elements.

10. Obtain information regarding the budget of the aforementioned building, The system according to claim 1, wherein the output means outputs information relating to the building elements that meet the budget.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a display means for displaying a three-dimensional model of a building using element images that visualize the building elements output by the output means.

12. The first step is to receive building information, which is the basic information about the building. The steps include obtaining a standard value for the energy balance of the aforementioned building, The steps include outputting information about building elements that meet the standard values ​​in accordance with the received building information, A method for providing this.

13. On the computer, It has a function to accept building information, which is the basic information of a building, A function to acquire standard values ​​regarding the energy balance of the aforementioned building, A function that outputs information about building elements that meet the standard values ​​in accordance with the received building information, A program that makes this possible.

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