Open Source Tools for MEP Engineering
Over the past three decades, open source software has quietly made a huge impact in Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) engineering. What began as a collaboration among a handful of researchers has grown into a global ecosystem sustaining the design, simulation, and optimization involved in building performance. Today, open-source tools are important infrastructure for engineers trying to meet the demands of energy efficiency, sustainability, and regulatory compliance.
What Is Open Source Software for MEP Engineering?
Open source software is a philosophy as much as a technology. In the context of MEP engineering, open source tools are software platforms whose source code is freely available for anyone to inspect, modify, and improve. This transparency stands in contrast to proprietary software, where algorithms and data structures are typically private.
The History of Open Source in MEP
The roots of open source in MEP engineering can be traced to the late 20th century, a time marked by fast advances in building science and a growing awareness of the environmental impact of the built environment. As building codes and sustainability standards grew more complex, engineers found themselves constrained by the high costs and limited flexibility of proprietary tools.
Recognizing these challenges, researchers and government agencies began to champion a new approach. In 1997, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched EnergyPlus, an open source successor to earlier simulation programs. This move was innovative: for the first time, engineers could scrutinize, validate, and extend the algorithms that governed their building models.
This spirit of openness quickly spread. The DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) introduced OpenStudio, a platform for automating energy modeling workflows. Meanwhile, international research communities developed OpenFOAM and Elmer, expanding the open source ecosystem into fluid dynamics and multiphysics analysis.
Using Open Source Tools in MEP Engineering
Open source tools are reshaping every stage of the MEP engineering process, from initial design to advanced analysis and visualization for post-occupancy performance. The following section highlights practical ways engineers are using these platforms to create solutions customized to individual building and project needs.
Design and Modeling
- Use open source CAD platforms like FreeCAD and Blender (with add-ons such as Bonsai or CAD Sketcher) to create and manipulate 3D models of building systems and components.
- Leverage IfcOpenShell to read, write, and modify IFC files for Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows.
Simulation and Analysis
- Simulate HVAC, lighting, and envelope performance with EnergyPlus, an open source standard for whole-building energy analysis.
- Run advanced airflow and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations using OpenFOAM or Elmer.
- Apply ASCEND for system optimization and solving complex mathematical models.
Automation and Integration
- Integrate open source tools into existing design environments with OpenMEP.
- Perform finite element analysis (FEA) with tools like CalculiX and Code_Aster.
- Conduct life cycle assessments using tools like IfcLCA.
- Visualize data with OpenDX and Gmsh for engineering models.
Getting Started
If you're considering adopting open source tools in your MEP practice, this article is a great starting point.
For deeper dives, make sure to check out the documentation and user communities for EnergyPlus, OpenFOAM, and IfcOpenShell, as well as looking into openBIM initiatives for interoperability.