How Atelier Ten Uses IESVE to Deliver High-Performance Green Mark Projects

As sustainability goals in Singapore continue to rise, achieving Green Mark certification—particularly at the GoldPlus, Platinum, or Super Low Energy (SLE) level—requires advanced tools and a rigorous approach to performance modelling. At the forefront of this effort is Atelier Ten, a leading environmental design consultancy that has successfully integrated IESVE into its workflow to deliver award-winning, energy-efficient buildings across the region.

We spoke with Ian Yeh, Associate at Atelier Ten, to explore how his team uses IESVE to meet Green Mark compliance, the platform’s key benefits for high-performance projects, and practical advice for others navigating the GM:2021 framework.

Why did you choose IESVE to comply with Green Mark Assessments and how have you integrated it into your working practice? 

We chose IESVE because it offers an advanced, dynamic simulation platform that directly supports Green Mark’s performance-based approach to energy efficiency. Specifically, it enables us to model building energy use in detail, taking into account Singapore’s climate, occupancy patterns, internal loads, HVAC configurations, and renewable energy integration. 

We’ve embedded IESVE into our workflow across concept, design development, and documentation stages. It allows us as sustainability consultants to assess the building’s performance iteratively—helping shape envelope design, system sizing, and passive strategies early in the process to ensure compliance with key Green Mark energy-related criteria. 

What do you find are the greatest benefits of using IESVE for Green Mark? 

• Accurate Green Mark Compliance: IESVE enables us to simulate building-level energy consumption in accordance with GM:2021 methodologies, ensuring compliance with EUI and system efficiency thresholds.
• Advanced HVAC Modelling: The software provides detailed HVAC system simulation—chiller efficiency, plant load profiles, and part-load performance—which are essential for Green Mark verification.
• Climatic Responsiveness: With Singapore’s humid tropical climate, modelling ventilation strategies, envelope performance, and solar gains is crucial, and IESVE allows for this level of detail.

Are there any specific challenges that IESVE helps to overcome for Green Mark assessments? 

Green Mark assessments often require comprehensive proof of system efficiency and operational performance. IESVE helps us overcome several key challenges:

• Complex Load Profiling: IESVE supports zoning and diversity profiles to represent realistic operational scenarios, which are important for multi-use buildings.
• Chilled Water Plant Modelling: For large developments, we can simulate central cooling plants with precision, including plant configurations, COPs, and control strategies.
• Comparative Baseline Modelling: IESVE facilitates baseline-versus-proposed comparisons, which are essential for demonstrating energy improvement and securing targeted points.

These capabilities reduce the reliance on overly conservative assumptions and allow us to justify innovative energy-saving strategies with confidence. 

On how many projects have you used IESVE to successfully comply with Green Mark? Can you share a specific project example? 

We’ve used IESVE on 10+ projects, many of which have achieved Green Mark GoldPlus or Platinum certification. 

For example, in the Mandai Eco-resort achieving the GM2015 Super Low Energy, we used IESVE to:

• Analyse façade strategies for peak load reduction, including double-skin glazing and dynamic shading.
• Model a high-efficiency chilled water system and passive cooling in the Treehouse Suites.
• Validate energy savings through baseline and proposed design comparisons of each of the proposed Energy Conservation Meashre.

These simulations were essential for demonstrating a >30% energy improvement over the reference model and securing top-tier certification. 

What advice would you give to other professionals considering using IESVE for Green Mark compliance?

Invest time in understanding the full modelling workflow and structure your model to reflect Green Mark’s baseline vs proposed methodology from the outset. Align closely with M&E consultants on system details and control logic early, as this greatly impacts modelling accuracy. Lastly, leverage IESVE's modular capabilities—such as ApacheHVAC and MacroFlo—for projects targeting higher tiers like GM SLE or Platinum, where detailed simulation is not just beneficial but essential.

For more information on using IESVE for Green Mark, please download our guide, or visit our web page https://www.iesve.com/software/green-mark