Monday, July 6, 2015 10:00 am
-
10:00 am
EDT (GMT -04:00)
Of
the
thesis
entitled: A
Computational Design
System
for
Environmentally
Responsive
Urban
Design
Abstract:
This thesis
introduces
a
computational
design
tool
that
attempts
to
coordinate
urban energy
transfers
and
needs
by
iteratively
organizing,
prototyping,
and
then evaluating
the
performance
of
different
typology
solutions.
Developing low-energy, high-density
urban
typology
is
a
critical
goal
for
cities
given current
energy
consumption
and
urban
growth
trajectories.
This
target
is contradicted
in
part
by
the
increase
of
operational
building
energy
due
to
the microclimatic
conditions
and increased
structural
and
mechanical
inputs required
by
dense
urban
typologies.
Studies
have
shown
that
the
energy
impact of
urban
typology
design
is
significant
and
justifies
auditing
and
coordinating building
energy
requirements
in
urban neighborhoods.
Despite this, current urban energy modelling tools do not account for the consequences of different typology choices, and urban modeling tools do not integrate state-of-the-art environmental and energy simulation methods. Recent advances in computational tools can be used to efficiently generate a solution space of potential typologies to fill this gap in current urban design and analysis software. As such, the broader goal of this research area is to develop a design system that derives high density urban fabric according to a nuanced simulation of urban energy demand.
Of the multiple energy reduction strategies available, daylighting offers significant opportunity for architectural optimization because it varies greatly, even at relatively high densities, due to the effects of ambient light, surface reflectance and building geometry. In conjunction with the decreasing contribution of heating demand in the overall building energy budget, this indicates that gains in urban energy efficiency today can be made by focusing on reducing lighting energy demand. Therefore the current goal is to develop a proof-of-concept that encodes and traverses an urban design solution space to increase the daylighting potential of built typology while achieving target density goals.
The proof-of-concept will consist of a parametric grammar-based form generator that is extended with existing software or algorithmic models to achieve the current goal. Specifically, the tool consists of three parts: a model of complex urban dynamics to derive density targets, a generative rule set to encode building typology, and a performance simulator to derive solar zoning envelopes and interior illuminance metrics. Daylighting metrics and material simulation is achieved with the RADIANCE/DAYSIM modeller. Existing urban modelling algorithms will be translated within the shape grammar-based system to map the dynamics of non-uniform urban densities.
The thesis design system integrates research from two domains through computational methods: urban modelling and building performance simulation. The synthesis of this existing research and work thus puts forward a model of integrated city design via generative design systems. The contribution of the synthesis lies in the development of the urban energy-centric form generator, which extends procedural type generation to simulated environmental and material data. The proof-of-concept is licensed under the open-source GNU General Public License, and packaged as an Python-based plug-in for Grasshopper3D, the visual scripting interface for the Rhinoceros3D CAD modeller.
Despite this, current urban energy modelling tools do not account for the consequences of different typology choices, and urban modeling tools do not integrate state-of-the-art environmental and energy simulation methods. Recent advances in computational tools can be used to efficiently generate a solution space of potential typologies to fill this gap in current urban design and analysis software. As such, the broader goal of this research area is to develop a design system that derives high density urban fabric according to a nuanced simulation of urban energy demand.
Of the multiple energy reduction strategies available, daylighting offers significant opportunity for architectural optimization because it varies greatly, even at relatively high densities, due to the effects of ambient light, surface reflectance and building geometry. In conjunction with the decreasing contribution of heating demand in the overall building energy budget, this indicates that gains in urban energy efficiency today can be made by focusing on reducing lighting energy demand. Therefore the current goal is to develop a proof-of-concept that encodes and traverses an urban design solution space to increase the daylighting potential of built typology while achieving target density goals.
The proof-of-concept will consist of a parametric grammar-based form generator that is extended with existing software or algorithmic models to achieve the current goal. Specifically, the tool consists of three parts: a model of complex urban dynamics to derive density targets, a generative rule set to encode building typology, and a performance simulator to derive solar zoning envelopes and interior illuminance metrics. Daylighting metrics and material simulation is achieved with the RADIANCE/DAYSIM modeller. Existing urban modelling algorithms will be translated within the shape grammar-based system to map the dynamics of non-uniform urban densities.
The thesis design system integrates research from two domains through computational methods: urban modelling and building performance simulation. The synthesis of this existing research and work thus puts forward a model of integrated city design via generative design systems. The contribution of the synthesis lies in the development of the urban energy-centric form generator, which extends procedural type generation to simulated environmental and material data. The proof-of-concept is licensed under the open-source GNU General Public License, and packaged as an Python-based plug-in for Grasshopper3D, the visual scripting interface for the Rhinoceros3D CAD modeller.
The examining committee is as follows:
Supervisor:
Committee Members:
Philip Beesley, University of Waterloo
Maya
Przybylski,University
of
Waterloo
Kevin
Stelzer,
B+H Architects
External Reader:
José Duarte
The
committee
has
been
approved
as
authorized
by
the
Graduate
Studies
Committee.
The
Defence
Examination
will
take
place:
Monday
July 6,
2015
10:00AM
Lawrence Cummings
Lecture
Theatre
-
ARC
1001
A
copy
of
the
thesis
is
available
for
perusal
in
ARC
2106A.