  Prevailing computational tools available to and used by architecture and
engineering professionals purport to gather and present thorough and accurate
perspectives of the environmental impacts associated with their contributions
to the built environment. The presented research of building modeling and
analysis software used by the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and
Operations (AECO) industry reveals that many of the most heavily relied-upon
industry tools are isolated in functionality, utilize incomplete models and
data, and are disruptive to normative design and building optimization
workflows. This paper describes the current models and tools, their primary
functions and limitations, and presents our concurrent research to develop more
advanced models to assess lifetime building energy consumption alongside
operating energy use. A series of case studies describes the current
state-of-the-art in tools and building energy analysis followed by the research
models and novel design and analysis Tool that the Green Scale Research Group
has developed in response. A fundamental goal of this effort is to increase the
use and efficacy of building impact studies conducted by architects, engineers,
and building owners and operators during the building design process.
