Hi Everyone!
I was reading with interest topics in this and other forums related with Building Performance Simulation, the last one of course is "Autodesk acquires Ecotect". And in the context of all these issues, I propose two questions for a discussion:
- what is your current experience while designing buildings within ArchiCad environment, doing performance simulation during the design stage?
- And how would you like to see the building performance simulation within ArchiCad in future?
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To open the discussion as a fluent Ecotect user and ArchiCad enthusiast, let me share my opinions, mainly focused on future:
I think that in general Building Performance in a pretty tricky thing, as an architects we do want to make the buildings that for example consume less energy, be healthier, look nicer daylit, etc. Yet we are faced with much wider challenges - from site, budget and program considerations, to visual qualities, etc. I really like the description of design process - that the synthesized design solution may be not the most rational alternative, but rather the most successful mediation between conflicts, priorities, concepts and affirmations.
As environmental performance is only a part of this bigger game, I think that for a success it is important to bring it in early, so that it may contribute to design process or even re-shift its direction. To my mind that is where the big success of Ecotect lies - in it's graphical ability to interactively visualise the predicted performance, it's beautiful OpenGL graphics. This interactivity makes incredible difference in communication greens ideas within design process, and also allows for designer himself/herself to loosen the imagination. The second thing that makes Ecotect strong - it's Analysis Grid concept and an ability to export data to specified programms, like Radiance/DaySim, E+ or EQ, or CFD engine NIST FDS (which still is in the stage of wishful thinking) and import results back for visualisation. Ecotect's internal engines on their turn, are not so strong, at least I wouldn't recommend BRE Split_Flux to anyone who is doing toplighting or indirect reflected lighting.
So in future I would also like to see these two components, only in much clear and stronger way. The 1st is constant re-evaluation of performance with credible software, starting from early stages and clear. And the 2nd beautiful visualisation of these results while doing the design process in ArchiCad. And good support in interpretation the results and helping setting up multifaceted criteria, as this makes Building performance simulation right now difficult accessible. Let's see how the connectivity between ArchiCad and Ecotect/GBS/whatever will develop via IFC/gbXML.
Yet, after acquiring more experience with AC, I would like to see ArchiCad having it's own Simulation capabilities. I think that AC already has incredibly much for that it - all AC interactive 3D visualisation capabilities, modelling capabilities, definition of external envelope and zone concept. Only missing part is good simulation engines themselves (which, for example Ecotect, doesn't either, only export/import). Maybe the same external freeware programs like Radiance/eQUEST can be used for that, or maybe their algorhytms can be integrated within AC. And similiar to Sheets that update automatically, once model is more detailed, the user can set up list of automatic simulations - for example: 1st simulation Illuminance on overcast winter day, 2nd - thermal comfort in sunny summer day, and 3rd - luminance distribution in summer day. Thus, once he/she deals with one of the issue, he/she automatically get feedback, how the other is changed. And this "sheet concept" of incremental development allows to have the different environmental awareness in different design phases. In schematic that would be more based on rules on thumbs and nice plan/sectional diagrams showing for example how air-flow might perform, but later, these intents could get quantified and compared.
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I'll be glad to hear other opinions and thoughts.
Sincerely,
Zigurds Greivulis,
Architect.
