Recently at the office we have been having weekly in-house “Lunch and Learns” as we transition from AutoCAD Architecture into Autodesk Revit. Today, listening to an explanation of some of the new features in Revit 2011, my mind began to wander (sorry Melissa), as I began to think about the new capabilities of BIM software (Building Information Modeling) and how it could be applied to sustainable design.
Currently sun angle calculation and modeling is an aspect of many 3D architectural software’s, including Revit. This feature allows accurate sun angels to be calculated and modeled for specific buildings at specific sites throughout the world. This knowledge can lead to designs that better take advantage of the suns energy, reducing heating loads in the winter and artificial lighting loads throughout the year. While this type of feature is a powerful tool in understanding site and designing sustainably, the potential for growth within future programs is immense. The possibility to incorporate other site specific climatologic information such as prevailing winds, temperature, and precipitation into BIM software would provide architects even more tools to use in the early stages of design to make more sustainable decisions. Essentially, because there is the potential to incorporate more tools, there is also the potential for greater knowledge, and it is with this knowledge that we as architects and designers can make better decisions which will ultimately lead towards a more sustainable future.
http://usa.autodesk.com/
It is incredible the information that can be obtained through BIM programs. At a recent training our instructor breifly discussed the advancement already with Revit and that we could conduct a “whole building energy analysis”. These “upgrades” to the software are definitely a great tool for sustainable design.