# Building Information Modelling and Energy Simulation for Architecture Design
## 6 Application of the Methodology on an Existing Case Study
### Case Study Modelling  
As said, this case study was selected as an important sample of existing architecture characterized by the main data available, and, as well in this case, for simplicity. This latter concerns both the spatial and architectural quality of the building or housing, and the relationships with the ground and the characteristics of use that allow more effective control of the BEM energy analysis. The chosen building, in fact, has simple thermal zones, with no particularities (of use or construction) that can alter the calculation of the energy simulation. It is characterized by a simple structure, and a regular plan, with essential thermal zones (with a common residential type of user profile). It is a residential building and has three apartments distributed over three floors above ground connected by an external staircase. Only the apartment on the first floor was chosen. It must be specified that some simplifications regarding the articulation of the architectural and climate artefact can be made, where necessary, to ensure greater control over data processing by the software. Moreover, some simplifications, e.g., regarding the articulation of the architectural and climate artefact, were made. It endured greater control over data processing by the software. The selected building met all the necessary characteristics: The Langham House Close residential complex in Richmond (England), designed by [PERSON]. The apartment building consists of 18 residential units. They are spread over three elevations above ground (6 per floor). There are 3 different types of apartments, all based on the same floor plan, which differ in the number of rooms:  
* 3 apartments with one bedroom (approx. 65 m\({}^{2}\));* 9 apartments with two bedrooms (approx. 75 m\({}^{2}\));
* 6 apartments with three bedrooms (approx. 85 m\({}^{2}\)). The three smaller apartments, all on the ground floor, are identical to the apartments with two bedrooms. One of the rooms is intended for the service of condominiums, as an accessory storage. There are also three two-bedroom apartments on the ground floor. On the next floor, there are three two-bedroom apartments and three three-bedroom apartments; the same distribution is repeated on the second and last floor. At each level, a pair of housing units are served by a common stairwell; one block includes 6 apartments on 3 levels, served by a stairwell; the residential complex consists of 3 blocks (Figures 6 and 7). The complex is located in a suburban area of London, characterized by a low population density and a strong natural presence; the residential complex is open on all fronts and is surrounded by trees [44]. The entire structure is in load-bearing masonry, consisting of solid bricks (215 \(\times\) 102.5 \(\times\) 65 mm) and 10 mm lime mortar joints. The wall structures are differentiated into three types:  
* The external perimeter walls are cavity walls, very recurrent in English houses of the first half of the twentieth century; they have an overall thickness of about 270 mm (solid brick of 102.5 mm--air gap of about 65 mm--solid brick of 102.5 mm);
* the internal perimeter walls separate the apartments from each other and from the staircase body; they are entirely in solid bricks without cavities and have a thickness of 215 mm (length of a single brick);
* the internal dividing walls are the partitions of the houses, formed by individual courses of bricks (102.5 mm thick). Each apartment is characterized by the presence of a central block, where the fireplace is located, and the plant room; this block is in load-bearing masonry and plays a decisive role in the load-bearing structure of the building. Regarding the structure, the load-bearing masonry is combined with reinforced concrete beams characterized by a rectangular section (27 \(\times\) 35 cm). They work as curbs for the distribution of loads of the upper floors. Outside, the elevations are characterized by the alternation between brick and concrete.