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Progressive design practices are increasingly cognisant of the potential of building energy simulation to assist the delivery of energy efficient, sustainable buildings. However, the success of any building performance assessment hinges on the capabilities of the tool; the collective competences of the team formed to apply it; and, crucially, the existence of an in-house framework within which simulation can be applied with confidence (McElroy and Clarke 1999). There is also a need for the professions to set up mechanisms that facilitate dialogue with vendors in order to influence tool capabilities. And on the related issues of building an in-house competency and a framework for application, the two core issues facing the professions are:
- a need for the development of in-house procedures for management of simulation; and
- quality assurance of the related models and appraisal results.
Fundamental to the success or otherwise of the application of simulation in design practice is not the existence of such procedures, but the rigour with which these are developed, monitored and applied.