Advanced Building Performance Analysis Tools for Computation Design of Building Envelopes

An early-stage design analysis methodology will be investigated for evaluating preliminary building envelope design alternatives using advanced computation and analysis tools. Design alternatives will be generated based on different envelope materials, structure, insulation types and window-to-wall ratios and evaluated based on selected metrics including energy use, daylighting, life cycle analysis and life cycle costing. A master-planning project in Mississauga, Ontario, will be used as a test-bed for the methodologies explored in this research. Finding will assists in developing design guidelines for efficient and low-carbon building envelopes. The benefits to the partner from this project include expanding expertise in envelope performance analysis, experimenting with expansion of carbon accounting consultation, expanding expertise in computational design and analysis tools, developing tool comparison measures, and testing efficacy of in-house developed analysis tools and improving their efficiencies.

Faculty Supervisor:

Carl Haas

Student:

Sheida Shahi

Partner:

Entuitive

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

Other

University:

University of Waterloo