EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM) calculates the energy used by buildings. It was produced by BRE in 2006 for the Communities and Local Government Department (CLG) in England and Wales as part of the department's process for implementing the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. It has subsequently been adopted (with some changes) by the rest of the UK and by several other European Union member states. The software, User Guide and Technical Manual can be downloaded from www.ncm.bre.co.uk. A general overview is provided by BRE Information Paper IP 7/10.

This BRE Trust Report complements these sources by providing users with a practical insight into the processes and assumptions within SBEM. Its aim is to describe the structure, features and methodology of the calculations in terms that match the background and experience of building services engineers and architects. The report provides a description of SBEM in words rather than equations and contains background information on the reasoning behind the major choices underlying the model.