Optimizing Solar Insolation for an Elliptical Building
Design Variables
Building and Story Heights
Floor Depths / Radii
Floor Rotations
Number of Levels
Evaluators
Solar Insolation
Area / Floor Area
Aesthetics
Total Cost
Most Important Tradeoffs to Consider
Floor area
Aesthetics
Building & Floor Height
Total Cost
Evaluation of Span-to-Depth Ratios
Design Variables
Floor / Beam Span-to-Depth Ratios
Evaluators
Maximum Span
Minimum Floor / Beam Depths
Total Cost
Most Important Tradeoffs to Consider
Total Cost
Floor / Beam Depths
Optimizing a Truss Layout
Design Variables
Truss Span
Truss Depth/Height
Number of Joints
Truss Form
Evaluators
Truss Weight
Number of Joints
Total Cost
Most Important Tradeoffs to Consider
Total Cost
Safety / Stability
Weight
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Step 2 - Generative Design Study
Optimizing the solar insolation of an elliptical building by exploring the impact of an elliptical building form rotation, floor depth and height on the insolation potential of the wall surfaces.
Using number sliders and code blocks for design variables, the number of levels; floor and building heights; top and bottom rotations and, floor radii are used to generate a coordinate system and elliptical floors at parametric Z story heights.
The building cost, floor surface areas, volume and solar insolation are generated using SurfaceArea / Volume and SolarAnalysis nodes.
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Step 3 - Generative Design Study Results
Design Trade-off
The selected design option is the third option for maximum insolation, maximises floor area and considers floor rotations for aesthetics, while the building total cost and height are the trad-offs.
