BIRDS NEST is a web API that calculates whole building life cycle assessment (wbLCA) results for residential buildings using a standardized format (based on HPXML) to submit the necessary building characteristics and performance. The wbLCA results include full life cycle analysis, including embodied and operational environmental impacts throughout a building’s service life. The wbLCA includes building materials (leveraging ASMI’s Impact Estimator for Buildings), building systems, and operational energy consumption throughout the selected study period. BIRDS NEST has a companion OpenStudio (OS) Measure to convert information from OS to the necessary format and communicate with BIRDS NEST.
The BIRDS NEST OpenStudio Measure communicates with NIST’s BIRDS NEST API to generate and report whole building life cycle assessment (wbLCA) results for residential buildings modeled in OpenStudio. The Measure combines automated input extraction from the OS model, E+ results, and user inputs required by the Measure (values not defined or cannot currently be identified within the OS model) into an HPXML-based file structure that is sent to the BIRDS NEST API, which in turn sends back wbLCA results that are provided in a Results Report within OS.
For single-family detached homes only.
ReportingMeasure
Name: birds_api_key, Type: String, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: api_url, Type: String, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: birds_api_refresh_token, Type: String, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: api_refresh_url, Type: String, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: com_res, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: bldg_type, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: const_qual, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: state, Type: String, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: city, Type: String, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: zip, Type: Integer, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: climate_zone, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: num_bedrooms, Type: Integer, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: num_bathrooms, Type: Integer, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: door_mat, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Percentage of total lighting wattage that is incandescent. Name: pct_inc_lts, Type: Double, Units: %, Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Percentage of total lighting wattage that is metal halide. Name: pct_mh_lts, Type: Double, Units: %, Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Percentage of total lighting wattage that is CFL or linear fluorescent. Name: pcf_cfl_lf_lts, Type: Double, Units: %, Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Percentage of total lighting wattage that is LED. Name: pct_led_lts, Type: Double, Units: %, Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: attic_type, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: found_chars, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: pri_hvac, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: ductwork, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Ductwork inside the conditioned space is assumed to have no insulation. Name: pct_ductwork_inside, Type: Double, Units: %, Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: panel_type, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: inverter_type, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: panel_country, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: solar_thermal_sys_type, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: solar_thermal_collector_type, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: solar_thermal_loop_type, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: appliance_clothes_washer, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: appliance_clothes_dryer, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: appliance_cooking_range, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: appliance_dishwasher, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: appliance_frig, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: appliance_freezer, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: oper_energy_lcia, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Name: lc_stage, Type: Choice, Units: , Required: true, Model Dependent: false
Study period must be at least 60 yrs Name: study_period, Type: Integer, Units: yrs, Required: true, Model Dependent: false