Site-specific optimal energy form generation based on hierarchical geometry relation

The use of computers in architecture has extended beyond computer-aided design (CAD) systems to include dynamic modeling and animation. The use of this technology moves beyond the rendering and refining of ideas to the generation of form. These programs have become collaborators in the creative process. Building simulation offers the potential to provide an alternative method for generating architectural forms. Currently, building simulation tools are used for analysis only, rather than for synthesis. This paper presents an innovative design method to generate building forms utilizing dynamic outdoor conditions to optimize the forms for reducing thermal load. Integration of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Energy Simulation (ES) has been used as a first step to more effectively analyze and model buildings and their surroundings, and new optimization technique is proposed to facilitate developing models for synthesis and to generate designs based on performance.