Welcome to the BIM HVACTool Community
Your platform for knowledge, collaboration, and innovation in building technology
What is the BIM HVACTool?
We code with passion and created the BIM HVACTool to address our own challenges. Now, we’re here to help you overcome yours.
As engineers with expertise in building design, we developed this software to simplify the complex world of simulations, with a focus on architecture and building services engineering (HVAC). Designed by engineers, Ph.D. holders, and professors specializing in building physics, architecture, and HVAC, the BIM HVACTool is software made by professionals, for professionals. While proudly developed in Germany, we serve users worldwide.
Using our software in our own projects has helped clients optimize designs and processes through numerical simulations. This enables informed decision-making, cost reduction, efficient resource use, and the prevention of failures resulting in high-quality outcomes for our clients.
The BIM HVACTool is specifically designed to meet the demands of modern building simulations. Under the concept of “Green Building Simulation,” it supports a wide range of tasks, including airflow simulations, energy modeling, fire safety simulations, and daylight analysis. With our tool, you can plan with innovation and foresight, shaping the future of sustainable building design.
Our commitment to improvement is driven by user feedback and experience, ensuring the software evolves to meet your needs. Providing excellent support to our users is a core part of our company culture.
Commercial Use
Non-commercial use
Commercial licenses for the BIM HVACTool are available either as a single-user license or a network license. You purchase the software once in its current version and have the option to keep it up to date through annual service and maintenance fees of 30% of the purchase price. (Attention: This rule applies only within the EU.) These service and maintenance contracts are optional. After a three-year lapse in the annual maintenance fees, the software must be purchased again at the full price. This measure ensures that our quality standards are maintained among our users.
Non-commercial licenses are often used for courses at universities or research institutions to allow students to learn the software. These licenses are designed to support the non-commercial use of the software, meaning they cannot be used for profit-making purposes. Students have the option to request a personal non-commercial license, enabling them to use the software for their learning and research purposes (Attention: This rule applies only within the EU.)
Single-User License
Network License
A single-user license permits the use of BIM HVACTool on one computer. A separate license is required for each computer on which the BIM HVACTool software will be used. A single-user license is tied to a specific PC, meaning the license is intended for use on that particular computer. However, if you change or move to a new computer, there is often the option to transfer the license via a web service.
A network license allows the software to be used on multiple computers within a LAN network. A central license server is used to facilitate the transfer of licenses across the network, removing the restriction of binding the license to a single computer. However, even with a network license, only the number of purchased licenses can be used within the network. The number of available licenses determines the maximum number of concurrent users or installations of the software in the network.
AddOns
Available packages
The BIM HVACTool is divided into various modules, also referred to as add-ons. Each module can be selected and combined individually, providing you with maximum flexibility in customizing the software. This allows you to choose the features relevant to your needs and adjust the pricing accordingly.
Additionally, theme-specific packages are available, covering certain key areas or application domains. These packages include bundled features and modules that are specifically tailored to a particular theme or field of application, offering a more targeted solution for your specific requirements.
Fluid Package
With the Fluid Package, you gain access to all add-ons needed for conducting flow simulations. This package enables the use of the open-source tool OpenFOAM in conjunction with the BIM HVACTool. As a result, you have all the necessary features and modules at your disposal to perform precise flow simulations and gain detailed insights into the behavior of fluids in your building projects.
Read more:
Fluid AddOn
Energy PackageWith the Energy Package, you gain access to all add-ons needed for conducting thermal building simulations. This package enables the use of the free open-source tool EnergyPlus in conjunction with the BIM HVACTool. As a result, you have all the necessary features and modules at your disposal to conduct detailed energy analyses of buildings. You can simulate and evaluate various aspects such as heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting, and other energy components to achieve optimal energy efficiency and thermal comfort.
Daylighting PackageWith the Daylighting Package, you gain access to all add-ons needed for performing daylight calculations. This package enables the use of the free open-source tool Radiance, including support for GPU calculations, in conjunction with the BIM HVACTool. As a result, you have powerful features and modules at your disposal to conduct detailed daylight analyses for your building projects. You can analyze natural lighting, account for shadows and reflections, and optimize the use of daylight in your spaces.
Rendering Package
With the Rendering Package, you can create photorealistic renderings and seamlessly integrate them with CFD results. OSPray+ offers advanced raytracing capabilities, delivering high-quality visual representations. Alternatively, Intel’s OSPRay can also be used to produce stunning renderings. By combining CFD results with these renderings, you can generate realistic visualizations that enhance the understanding of flow dynamics and their impact on your building projects.
CityComfort PackageWith the CityComfort Package, you have the ability to study urban climate effects. The less windy and sunnier it is, the more pronounced the urban climate effect becomes. The CityComfort+ module, which is unlocked with this package, provides advanced features and tools for detailed urban climate analysis. You can examine parameters such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation to gain a better understanding of the urban environment. The CityComfort+ module enables you to assess the impact of the urban climate on thermal comfort and building ventilation, helping you to take appropriate measures to improve urban well-being.
Fire Package
With the Fire Package, you gain access to all add-ons required for conducting smoke simulations. This package enables the use of the open-source tools OpenFOAM and FDS (Fire Dynamics Simulator) in conjunction with the BIM HVACTool. With these powerful tools, you can perform detailed smoke simulations to analyze the spread of smoke in buildings and assess fire risks. The Fire Package provides you with a comprehensive solution to address safety-related aspects of fire protection and evacuation, helping you take appropriate measures to minimize risks.
