The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) is now offering a Software Verification Assessment service to provide independent testing of software systems used for specific design functions.
Working on areas where CIBSE calculation methods are the accepted industry standard – such as ductwork sizing – the new CIBSE service runs a series of comparative checks to make sure a new software system produces the results expected of the standard calculation methods.
The objective of this new scheme is to remove the time-wasting practice of multiple users doing their own testing individually. CIBSE, as an independent chartered institution, has both the expertise and the authority for the conclusions of its testing process to be accepted across the sector.
The Software Verification Service does not provide testing for a whole software platform. It sets out a series of tests on specific calculation sets, such as ductwork and pipework calculations. Any software that has passed one of the CIBSE tests can then display the SVA logo, demonstrating that it has been rigorously tested and provides answers that can be trusted.
Trimble was the first software developer to work with the CIBSE scheme to test the accuracy of its new Stabicad platform for Revit and worked closely with other industry design software providers to develop the independent verification service as part of CIBSE’s Digital Engineering Steering Group.
Lawrence Smith, General Manager of Trimble’s MEP Division summarises the appeal of the service: “Having a CIBSE SVA logo will help our existing and new customers feel confident
in our software, so for the relatively small price for this assessment, we see real value being generated.”
CIBSE is currently able to offer this service for air systems (duck sizing and duct system analysis) and heating and cooling water systems (pipe sizing and system analysis). More details on the service can be found on the CIBSE website here cibse.org/SVA
