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cove.tool

cove.tool is a cloud building-performance platform centered on analysis.tool that combines early energy, daylight, carbon, and cost studies with Revit and Rhino plugins for geometry exchange during schematic design.

Design teams often need defensible energy and carbon numbers before mechanical systems are fully defined. cove.tool targets that gap with analysis.tool, a browser workspace where location pulls weather, code baselines, utility rates, and regional cost data while users iterate on massing, envelopes, and systems.

Workflows range from napkin-sketch shoebox studies to 3D geometry uploaded from Revit, Rhino with Grasshopper, or SketchUp through cove plugins documented on cove.inc. The optimization views compare bundles of assemblies and HVAC options against cost premiums, while embodied carbon features sit alongside operational results for whole-life conversations. drawing.tool and loadmodeling.tool extend the same ecosystem for early modeling and HVAC load workflows per cove academy materials.

The parent company now brands publicly as cove (cove.inc) and also offers architecture services, but the help center and API docs remain under the cove.tool name architects still search for. Subscription pricing is not published online; teams request quotes through cove sales channels. A REST API at developers.covetool.com supports scripted geometry upload and analysis for firms automating design studies.

Specifications

Pricing

Enterprise quote

Platforms

WebWindows

Used for

Early energy modelingDaylight studiesEmbodied carbon screeningCost versus energy optimizationCode compliance studies

Used by

ArchitectsSustainability consultantsMEP engineersBIM coordinatorsOwners' representatives

Tasks

Shoebox energy analysisParametric facade studiesLEED documentation supportGeometry export from RevitUtility and carbon benchmarking

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Fast schematic studies without full compliance-grade models
  • Tight Revit geometry export path for architects already modeling in BIM
  • Combines energy, carbon, and cost tradeoffs in one interface
  • Extensive help center with methodology articles and academy courses

Cons

  • No public list pricing; procurement requires a sales conversation
  • Corporate rebrand to cove.inc can confuse buyers looking for standalone SaaS
  • Not a replacement for jurisdiction-submitted compliance simulation on every project
  • Advanced firms may still need specialist models for complex HVAC zoning

Key features

  • analysis.tool web app for energy, daylight, water, and cost optimization with machine-learning option bundles

  • Shoebox and manual modes for studies before detailed BIM geometry exists

  • Revit and Rhino/Grasshopper plugins to push geometry into cloud projects

  • Embodied carbon estimates paired with operational carbon results

  • Location-based weather, energy code, and utility rate auto-fill

  • Cost databases from manufacturer partners plus editable unit costs

  • project.assist optional consulting layer for report review per cove news releases

  • REST API documented at developers.covetool.com for automated uploads and results

Pricing

analysis.tool subscription

Contact sales

Vendor does not publish list price; request enterprise quote via cove.inc/contact.

Frequently asked questions

How much does cove.tool cost?

cove does not publish standard seat pricing on its public website or help center as of 2026. Third-party review sites also list quote-based plans only. Contact cove through cove.inc/contact or your account representative for current analysis.tool subscription pricing and whether project.assist consulting is bundled.

Is cove.tool the same as analysis.tool?

analysis.tool is the core web application for building performance studies within the cove.tool product family. Help articles refer to analysis.tool for energy, daylight, and optimization workflows, while cove.inc also markets drawing.tool, loadmodeling.tool, and professional services under the cove brand.

Does cove.tool work on Mac or only in the browser?

The analysis workspace is cloud-based and runs in a modern web browser. Geometry plugins install on Windows hosts for Autodesk Revit; Rhino and Grasshopper workflows run where Rhino is installed, typically Windows or macOS depending on your Rhino license.

Can I export Revit geometry into cove.tool?

Yes. cove documents a Revit plugin that uploads building geometry to existing cloud projects, with guidance on ideal model cleanliness and 3D daylight workflows. Similar plugins exist for Rhino with Grasshopper and for SketchUp per cove.inc plugin pages.

Does cove.tool support gbXML or IFC?

cove.tool emphasizes plugin-based geometry transfer and internal shoebox creation rather than advertising IFC as a primary import. Teams typically sync solids and envelopes from Revit or Rhino; confirm interchange needs with cove support if your pipeline depends on openBIM files.

cove.tool vs dedicated compliance engines like EnergyPlus workflows?

analysis.tool focuses on rapid design-phase comparisons, cost premiums, and carbon screening with automated baselines. Full EnergyPlus or OpenStudio models still win when authorities require submission-grade inputs and custom HVAC topology. Many firms use cove.tool early, then export lessons into detailed models later.

What analyses can I run in analysis.tool?

Help and academy materials cover baseline energy, daylight, 3D and site studies, embodied carbon, water use calculators, and optimization bundles that rank options by energy savings, cost premium, and payback years. project.assist adds human-reviewed reporting for certifications per cove press releases.

Who is cove.tool for?

cove targets architects, sustainability consultants, and owners who need collaborative performance data during schematic and design development. UKGBC materials note automatic UK NCM alignment with overrides, while U.S. projects rely on location-based code presets in the app.

Tutorials and learning

Sources

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