NORM and BOP make building simulations more efficient and cost-effective
NORM and BOP have entered into a strategic partnership to provide property owners and real estate asset managers with access to dynamic building simulations.
The cooperation combines two key competencies:
- NORM provides 3D building models generated from the digitization of existing buildings.
- BOP offers simulation solutions to analyze and optimize energy performance and thermal comfort.
Key customer benefit: BOP can work directly with NORM’s 3D model. This eliminates the otherwise necessary step of manual modeling, reducing a large portion of the costs for building simulations and enabling projects to be executed faster and more cost-effectively.
Advantages of dynamic simulation of heating load requirements
Precise sizing of heating capacity Determination of actual demand instead of blanket safety margins. Avoids oversized systems and unnecessary investments.
Reduced operating costs Properly sized systems operate within their optimal efficiency range, lowering energy consumption and extending lifespan.
Consideration of real conditions Weather data, building orientation, control strategies, usage profiles, and internal loads can be included in the calculation.
Scenario comparison for future climate conditions Analysis of different climate scenarios as a basis for long-term decision-making.
Direct use of NORM 3D models No need for additional modeling. Saves costs, time, and reduces potential sources of error.
Case Studies
1. Efficient renovation of an office building in Zurich As part of the energy renovation of a commercial property in Zurich, BOP analyzed the actual heating capacity demand using dynamic simulation based on the NORM 3D model.
The result: The planned heating capacity could be reduced from 460 kW to 360 kW – without any loss of comfort. By selecting a smaller heat pump, the client saved over CHF 40,000.
2. Optimized connection capacity for a logistics center For the logistics center, NORM developed a renovation concept with connection to the local district heating network.
BOP precisely simulated the required connection capacity – with a very positive outcome: instead of the currently installed 510 kW, only 300 kW of heating capacity was needed. This allows the client to save more than CHF 20,000 in annual connection fees.
Conclusion
The new partnership between NORM and BOP delivers clear added value for property owners and asset managers. By directly using the accurate NORM 3D models in BOP's dynamic building simulations, time- and cost-intensive additional steps are eliminated. The result is reliable performance values that enable precise sizing, reduce investment and operating costs, and lower energy consumption in the long term. At the same time, the simulations provide planning security – even under changing climate conditions – and support well-founded decisions for the energy future of buildings. The return on investment of the analysis is clear and quickly measurable, as the savings often exceed the initial analysis costs several times over within the first year.
