Step 1 - Generative Design Framework
Construction Planning
- Design Variables
- Type of Material (structural, facade, interior)
- Number of Stories
- Floor Plate Area
- Evaluators
- Material Costs ($)
- Labor Costs ($)
- Time (days, months, years)
- Most Important Tradeoffs to Consider
- Material Cost vs. Procurement Time
- Labor Cost vs. Construction Time
- Equipment Cost vs. Building Design
Sustainable Design
- Design Variables
- Type of Material (structural, facade, interior)
- Glazing Type & Percentage
- Roof Area for PV
- Green Space Percentage
- Evaluators
- Energy Use Intensity (EUI)
- Window-Wall Ratio (WWR)
- Embodied Carbon of Materials (CO2e)
- Solar Generation (kWh)
- Hardscape Percentage of Lot (%)
- Most Important Tradeoffs to Consider
- Upfront Costs vs. Lifetime Costs
- Benchmark Performance vs. Upgraded Performance
- Material Costs vs. Embodied Carbon
Architectural Decisions
- Design Variables
- Type of Material (structural, facade, interior)
- Building Layout/Orientation
- Location
- Evaluators
- Material Costs ($)
- Project Costs ($)
- Aesthetic Value (score/rating)
- Most Important Tradeoffs to Consider
- Aesthetic Value vs. Project Cost
- Aesthetic Value vs. Functional Value
Step 2 - Generative Design Study
Sustainability vs. Construction Costs Generative Design
Design Constants
- Building Height
- Floor Height
- Construction costs (low and high value)
Design Variables (Study Inputs)
- Base Radius
- Middle Radius
- Top Radius
- Height
Evaluators (Study Outputs)
- Green Space
- Percentage of lot size not occupied by building floor plate
- Rooftop Solar Space
- Area of roof level available for solar
- Construction Costs
- Increase in cost/sq ft as height increases
Step 3 - Generative Design Study Results
The three evaluators I chose for my study (green space percentage, solar PV area, and construction costs) all seem to drag this design in different directions which makes it difficult to find a truly “optimal” design. For example, an increase in the base area would result in reduced green space and reduced construction costs per square foot while an increase in the roof area would result in increased solar and increased construction costs per square foot. Each variable has an effect on the other two variables in either a negative or positive manner. This makes it very difficult to reach a final decision just based on the data. Although, this data could be used to drive decision making on what metrics are more important to the building owner, contractor, or developer.
Figure 1. Image of the generative design outputs in Dynamo
Figure 2. Relationships between inputs/outputs in the generative design in Dynamo
Figure 3. Selections for the generative design option in Dynamo
Figure 4. Dynamo logic for Module 7