[Bldg-sim] cheat-gpt

Wed Dec 10 13:36:07 PST 2025

Dear all,

I’m very grateful for everyone’s thoughts. Speaking of LMs I’ve opened a NotebookLM on this thread, by copying the text and pasting it in as a source. It gave this summary, and a nice little mind map:

The provided text consists of an email chain from December 2025 among building simulation professionals discussing the existential threat and ethical risks posed by Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative AI to their industry, specifically focusing on energy modelling and certification processes like LEED. Chris Yates initiates the discussion by questioning the value of modelling professionals if AI can easily generate seemingly legitimate reports and outputs, suggesting solutions like tying design models to building operation calibration and placing model input files in escrow. Other contributors elaborate on the dangers of fabricated documentation and the erosion of human decision-making, with Bill Bishop proposing ethical mandates such as requiring human review and clear identification of all AI-assisted content. Karen Walkerman highlights the actual value of human modelers in providing design feedback and building calibration, while Richard Sapwell reinforces the need for human expertise in regulatory interpretation and systems thinking to move beyond easily commoditised paperwork. Collectively, the emails explore how to safeguard professional value by reinforcing verifiable modelling practices against the rise of sophisticated automated reporting.

I hope loading your contributions into NotebookLM is OK with you all. Please let me know if you want them removed, or if you want me to share it with you… it even generated a podcast!

Cheers

Chris

From: Bill Bishop <William.J.Bishop at imegcorp.com> 
Sent: 10 December 2025 16:25
To: Karen Walkerman <kwalkerman at gmail.com <mailto:kwalkerman at gmail.com> >; Chris Yates chris.malcolm.yates at gmail.com <mailto:chris.malcolm.yates at gmail.com> ; David S Eldridge deldridge at grummanbutkus.com <mailto:deldridge at grummanbutkus.com> 
Cc: bldg-sim at onebuilding.org <mailto:bldg-sim at onebuilding.org> 
Subject: RE: [Bldg-sim] cheat-gpt

There may be no way to put the AI genie back in the bottle at this point. The temptation is growing larger every day to wish for more wishes.

We tell ourselves that we’ll only use AI to do grunt work like report writing. Next, we’ll extend that to templates that help auto-generate model inputs, and model geometry. We’ll upload project drawings to our AI agents to generate more model inputs. Of course those project drawings will be generated by AI to some extent, and a larger extent over time. We’ll use AI to auto-populate model input and output tables to facilitate report writing. At every step along the way, there will be less human decision making and less human review of assumptions – and less need to hire and train new professionals and maintain professional credentials. Five years from now, design firms will simply prompt the building-generative AI: “Design an office building large enough for 150 employees, at least two stories but no more than eight, to be built at the corner of Elm Street and Asimov Ave. Base it on the architectural style of Gehry but with more windows. Use all-electric building systems. Optimize for maximum on-site renewable energy generation.” The AI will generate the drawing set and specs but the design won’t accommodate 150 employees because the HR-AI told the Design-AI that the Management-AI will be recommending layoffs.

Sure, we can do damage control by proposing specific new requirements for some types of projects, but there are many applications of energy modeling and we should strive for adopting some simple, elegant, universal language and limitations governing AI use that can be applied to all energy modeling projects. All professions should be developing and adopting revised ethical codes to limit the real and perceived short- and long-term damage to the value our professions provide. Some ideas for sample language:

*	All design decisions will be made by humans.
*	All content and deliverables that have been created with AI assistance will be clearly identified as such.
*	All AI-generated content and deliverables will be reviewed for accuracy by humans consistent with standard QA/QC procedures.
*	QA/QC procedures will be performed by humans without AI-assisted autocorrections.

Thanks,

~Bill

William Bishop, PE, CEM, LEED AP, ASHRAE (BEMP, BEAP, CDP)
Associate Principal | Project Executive | Sustainability & Energy

[Human-generated. I am not a robot.]

 <https://www.imegcorp.com/> 

IMEG | formerly Pathfinder                                                 (585) 698-1956 | phone

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From: Bldg-sim <bldg-sim-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org <mailto:bldg-sim-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org> > On Behalf Of Karen Walkerman via Bldg-sim
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2025 9:25 AM
To: Chris Yates <chris.malcolm.yates at gmail.com <mailto:chris.malcolm.yates at gmail.com> >
Cc: bldg-sim at onebuilding.org <mailto:bldg-sim at onebuilding.org> 
Subject: Re: [Bldg-sim] cheat-gpt

External Email: Treat links and attachments with caution.

This is very timely... We're giving a webinar next Wednesday, Dec 17th at 12pm EST where we discuss our AI approach (and share the EP3 AI integration).  

https://ep3.solutions/webinarsignup/

I firmly believe that the value of energy modeling lies in the ability of modelers to provide feedback at the SD, CD and value-engineering stages of a project, and as a tool to catch building operation issues if a model calibration is completed. 

Other than delivering LEED points, a lot of LEED models don't deliver true value to the project, but that is where projects have a budget for modeling. 

With EP3, the goal is to provide one tool that allows modelers to easily provide design feedback and develop the final model for LEED, incentive, or code compliance. 

We'll be discussing all of it on Wednesday - come join if you're interested 

Best,

Karen 

On Wed, Dec 10, 2025, 14:44 Chris Yates via Bldg-sim <bldg-sim at lists.onebuilding.org <mailto:bldg-sim at lists.onebuilding.org> > wrote:

Hi there,

Just a philosophical one; maybe even an existential one 😐

Given LLMs’ “autocorrect on steroids” abilities, what risk do we see ourselves exposed to as modelling professionals?

Let’s give an example…

*	A full LEED application including reports, unmet load tables, “error” reports. 
*	Not based on modelling – all reports and outputs generated with LLMs.

I think it would be relatively easy to do this, and present something that would stand up to review.

I think this poses the following questions:

1.	If our main value offering can be replaced with auto-complete, what is the value of what we’re doing, anyway?
2.	How can we improve the value?
3.	How can we protect that value?

I’d like to propose some solutions:

*	Tie Design stage models into the Operation of the building – calibrate
*	Rather than just submitting reports, place model input files into escrow with GBCI (or their local equivalent)

Controversial?

Cheers

Chris

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