IES Virtual Environment
Simulates how a building will actually perform — energy, comfort and daylight — before it's built.
What it is
About IES Virtual Environment
IES Virtual Environment (VE) is dynamic thermal simulation software used to model a building's energy consumption, HVAC loads, daylighting and occupant comfort under real weather data, supporting compliance with Part L, SAP and SBEM and BREEAM and LEED requirements in the UK. It's widely used by building services consultants and sustainability engineers to compare design options (glazing, insulation, HVAC strategy) before construction, and integrates with Revit and BIM models. It's one of the accredited tools for UK Building Regulations energy compliance calculations.
What you can do with it
Capabilities
Run dynamic thermal simulations for annual energy use and peak heating and cooling loads
Model daylighting and solar gain to optimise glazing and shading design
Produce Part L, SBEM and SAP compliance calculations for UK Building Regulations
Assess overheating risk (CIBSE TM52 and TM59) for naturally ventilated and residential buildings
Compare design options (fabric, HVAC, renewables) against energy and carbon targets
How to learn it
Learning Resources
IES's own official training courses and certification (IES Virtual Environment Training)
CIBSE-accredited courses on building simulation
Practise on IES's sample project files bundled with the software
University building services and sustainable design MSc modules that use IES VE as coursework software
Pro Tip
Get your building geometry and zoning right before you touch HVAC or systems modelling — most simulation errors trace back to a poorly zoned model, not the thermal calculation itself.
Skills that use this tool
Roles that use this tool