lexfomin

Energy Performance of a Residential Block

fominalexanderark@gmail.com (Alexander Fomin) — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Summary

Led the end-to-end Energy Performance Certification (EPC) process for a high-profile, new-construction multi-family residential building integrated with commercial office spaces. Serving as the primary technical driver, I maintained total ownership of the project workflow from initial architectural assessment and thermal zoning through to the final regulatory signing of the certificate.

Project Date: 2024

This project required a high degree of adaptability, involving the rapid self-taught mastery of specialized BIM software, navigating extensive client-side documentation delays, and executing major design revisions mid-lifecycle while strictly adhering to the Spanish Technical Building Code (CTE).

Role: Lead Project Engineer / BIM Modeler

Methodology: OpenBIM Workflow (CYPE MEP ➔ BIMserver.center ➔ CYPETHERM HE Plus)

Key Competencies

BIM & Engineering Software: CYPE MEP, CYPETHERM HE Plus, BIMserver.center, CE3X.
Regulatory Knowledge: Spanish Technical Building Code (CTE), Energy Performance Certificates (EPC/CEE).
Core Skills: Parametric thermal simulation, OpenBIM workflows, technical problem-solving, client and vendor communication, autonomous professional development.

Project Lifecycle & Technical Methodology

I established and executed a structured, multi-phase OpenBIM workflow to bridge the gap between initial architectural design and final thermal simulation:

Building Envelope Modeling: Developed the complete 3D digital twin of the building in CYPE MEP, inputting structural geometries, spaces, and thermal zones.

Systems Definition: Integrated HVAC, Domestic Hot Water (DHW), and lighting installations based on project specifications.

Cloud Synchronization: Exported the unified model to BIMserver.center, utilizing its cloud-based ecosystem to manage, share, and update project data via a licensed BIM account.

Regulatory Simulation: Imported the cloud-synchronized BIM model into CYPETHERM HE Plus (the official, Ministry-approved freeware tool) to perform official energy compliance calculations.

Engineering Challenges & Problem Solving

Mitigating Documentation & Data Gaps: The project faced a 1.5-month administrative bottleneck due to a total lack of client-provided construction specifications, carpentry schedules, and building service layouts. To maintain momentum, I proactively initiated the modeling phase using standardized, generic elements from the CYPE Price Generator (Generador de Precios), establishing a solid baseline that could be swiftly modified once finalized data arrived.
Managing Mid-Project Design Revisions: The initial floor plans provided by the client were fundamentally altered during construction. This required a comprehensive overhaul of the existing digital twin—manually re-mapping shifted layouts, re-defining internal spaces (recintos), adjusting structural units of use (unidades de uso), and re-routing the associated building services to match the final architectural reality.
Rapid Software Adaptation & Self-Guided Learning: Having no prior experience with CYPETHERM, I demonstrated rapid technical agility by mastering the platform independently. By dissecting the software’s official engineering manuals and leveraging its similarities to simplified tools like CE3X, I successfully bridged the learning curve without delaying the project timeline.

Troubleshooting & CYPE Support: Transitioning models from CYPE MEP to CYPETHERM frequently introduced complex data export anomalies. I methodically resolved critical pre-calculation errors, including domestic hot water (DHW) flow discrepancies across units of use, partition wall thermal definition issues, and unassigned installations. To bypass lengthy telephone queues, I established an efficient email-based liaison with CYPE’s technical support team to rapidly clear software-level bottlenecks.

Technical Analysis & Iterative Optimization

Successfully executing the compliance checks required a deep, fundamental understanding of the thermodynamic formulas and mathematical algorithms operating beneath the software’s user interface.

To achieve the highest possible energy rating and ensure flawless compliance with strict CTE regulations, I conducted exhaustive parametric studies. This involved running multiple simulation scenarios, testing distinct thermal transmittance values ( $U$ -values), experimenting with building envelope insulation thicknesses, and fine-tuning equipment efficiencies to drive down non-renewable primary energy consumption and $CO_2$ emissions indicators to their absolute technical minimums.

Final Results & Crisis Management

The ultimate objective of the project was fully realized, achieving a successful ‘B’ Energy Rating, exactly matching the architect’s target and design expectations.

However, securing this result required managing a critical, last-minute construction crisis. While the architect had originally specified solar thermal panel for domestic hot water (DHW), the site construction chief mistakenly procured and installed solar photovoltaic (PV) panels instead. This swap presented an immense regulatory hurdle, as the building suddenly failed to meet the strict legal minimum requirements for renewable thermal energy contribution.

To salvage the certification without tearing down the installed system, I spearheaded the technical strategy to resolve the discrepancy. I performed a rigorous, exhaustive set of compensatory thermodynamic calculations for the entire building to demonstrate equivalence.

Through precise modeling, I determined the exact deficit and negotiated the strategic purchase of additional photovoltaic panels. By offsetting the thermal shortfall with increased on-site renewable electricity generation, I successfully bypassed the regulatory bottleneck, satisfied the Spanish Technical Building Code (CTE) mandates, and delivered the targeted ‘B’ certificate.

Past Internship at IATP

fominalexanderark@gmail.com (Alexander Fomin) — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is Part 2 of my ongoing series documenting the practical experience gained during my academic internships.

For Part 1, please click here

- IATP

IATP is a specialized engineering firm established in 2017 in Málaga, with offices located in the Guadalhorce industrial estate. The agile team consists of three engineers (including the firm’s founder) and two technical draftspersons.

While the firm’s primary core competency lies in electrical engineering, its scope extends across comprehensive building services engineering (MEP), encompassing plumbing, sanitation, and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) design.

Duration: 5 months (February 2024 – June 2024)

My Core Responsibilities

During this placement, I transitioned into a more multi-disciplinary engineering support role, taking hands-on ownership of projects from initial concept to completion. My duties included:

Comprehensive CAD Drafting: Developed layout plans using AutoCAD, spanning foundational architectural layouts (sections, site plans, localization maps) as well as complex MEP service diagrams.
Low-Voltage (LV) Power Design: Structured and drafted low-voltage electrical installations, defining detailed circuit distributions and technical single-line diagrams.
MEP Systems Design: Designed complete plumbing networks, sewage/sanitation layouts, and targeted HVAC systems tailored to commercial and residential specifications.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Provided day-to-day technical troubleshooting and workflow support to engineering colleagues.
Assisting colleagues with their tasks and technical problems.

All projects showcased above were autonomously developed and fully processed by me, from initial layout calculation to final deliverable output.

Energy Performance Certification of a Residential Block

One of the most significant milestones of this internship was managing the Energy Performance Certification (EPC) for a substantial residential development block. I took exclusive ownership of this project, conducting the extensive thermal and system modeling required up until the official final signing of the certificate.

Here you can review the complete project case study and breakdown.

Past Internship at HCP

fominalexanderark@gmail.com (Alexander Fomin) — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

As part of my curriculum for the Higher Diploma in Building Projects (Grado Superior en Proyectos de Edificación), I completed a professional internship at the end of each academic year. In this initial post, I would like to highlight the key projects I contributed to and demonstrate the technical skills I developed during my first placement.

- HCP Arquitecture & Engineering

My first internship was with HCP Architecture & Engineering at their office in Málaga. I was integrated into the Execution Department, which focuses on projects currently under construction or transitioning into the development phase.

In this role, I worked directly alongside the architectural team, assisting with the drafting, refinement, and technical detailing required to ensure compliance with building regulations and a seamless execution on-site.

Duration: 3 months (March 2023 – May 2023)

Below are several examples of the technical documentation and layouts I developed during this period.

Note: Please excuse the lower resolution and interface overlays on some of the images; these archives were captured directly from my active workspace during production.

The primary software applications utilized during this internship were AutoCAD and Revit (BIM), aligning with the firm’s focus on high-density residential and commercial architecture.

Cross-sections

Big residential project in Revit. Adjustments for materials

Parking lot plans

Constructive details

These selections represent a snapshot of my core contributions during my time with HCP.

For Part 2 click here

Energy Perfomance Certification using CE3

fominalexanderark@gmail.com (Alexander Fomin) — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A long while ago, as part of my graduation project for a class that I had for my Higher Diploma in Building Projects (Grado Superior en Proyectos de Edfificación, in Spanish, something like a minor degree), I had to write a manual on using a software named “CE3” for Energy Performance Certification of buildings (Certificado de Eficiencia Energetica de viviendas). It was based on the work of my professor, architect Ildefonso Bermejos Berenguer “CE3, Certificación Energética de Edificios Existentes (Residencial y PMT)”.

What is CE3 (CE3X)?

CE3 -> Calificación Energética de Edificios Existentes

It’s a software distributed for free by the Spanish government and used here for EPC of buildings. It’s the official tool of the IDAE and was developed in collaboration with CENER. EPCs are necessary for all new constructions and renovations, and also for selling or renting any property.

Official webpage of IDAE for download

The manual

It was wriitten in 2024. The manual consists of basic intructions on how to make an EPC of a residential building. It explains the regulatory context, details the specific “By Plans” (Por planos) methodology using CAD architectural drawings (.dxf files), and provides a step-by-step walkthrough of entering administrative, constructive, and systemic data into the program. Finally, it breaks down how the software calculates energy demands, final/primary energy consumption, and $CO_2$ emissions to generate an official Energy Performance Certificate and Label. It’s written in Spanish, and I won’t be translating it into English, since it’s not used outside of Spain and doing so makes no sense.

Key points:

Regulatory Compliance: According to Spain’s Technical Building Code (CTE DB-HE) and Royal Decree 390/2021.
Purpose: This specific method is used for complex buildings that generate self-shadowing or have intricate geometries.
Process: Technicians map out the building using polylines in CAD software (such as AutoCAD) to define different climate-controlled zones based on usage and orientation, then export it as a .dxf file to load into CE3
Advantages: It offers exact geometric definitions, precise calculations, accounts for self-shading, and yields highly reliable certification results.
Step-by-Step Data Input in CE3.
Technical Calculations & Results: The software processes the input data to calculate the Global Energy Efficiency Index (IEE Global). It evaluates: Energy Demand, Final vs. Primary Energy Consumption, $CO_2$ Emissions, Air Renovation & Ventilation.
Gives the Energy Certificate & Label.

Check it out or download:

This browser does not support PDFs. Please download the PDF to view it: Download PDF.

About Me

fominalexanderark@gmail.com (Alexander Fomin) — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In Barcelona, 2024

My name is Alexander Fomin (or kc733, my digital artist nickname), I’m from Ukraine, currently a student at University of Malaga (UMA), in Spain. I am studying a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.

My interests include topics ranging from science and engineering to art and self expression. On this page you can obtain all my contact information and updated social links, along with my Curriculum Vitae and a PDF portfolio (for employers).

(CV and portfolio are currently a Work in Progress)

LinkedIn

GitHub

ArtStation Gallery Only some of the featured artworks

DeviantArt Abandoned, but has more stuff

Contact information

Email: fominalexanderark@gmail.com

Hello World

fominalexanderark@gmail.com (Alexander Fomin) — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

On the creation of this website

I had the idea of creating my own blog for a long time. But I never actually had anything to share with the World.

Since I started my engineering degree, I feel like I have a ton more to talk about. I want to use this website as a sort of personal blog and a portfolio at the same time.

I will cover lots of topics here: electronics, science, projects, art, music, movies.. etc. Hope you can find something useful here.

For now, the search on the website doesn’t work, so I’ll be working on that. There were also plans on making a Spanish version, but for now I won’t be getting into that, as it’s a ton of work.