We carry the in-house expertise to conceptualise buildings and systems so that they can achieve the exemplary zero or net positive energy or carbon targets set for them by the client and the collective design team for perspective planning applications.

 

Employing advanced analytical skills and modelling techniques, using the latest simulation and optimisation tools, we analyse and simplify problems and increase understanding, so that zero energy, high efficiency, buildings become accessible, simplified and transparent (from an operational perspective) for those who want to invest in, own and operate them.

 

Performance (near AI) analysis and optimisation algorithms

Recent trends show that low carbon buildings and the design of them is becoming much more complex, but that does not mean they should be complex to operate.  

 

Through the use of a range of analytical tools, e.g.:

• thermal modelling

• daylighting simulation

• computational fluid dynamics and

• energy modelling analysis tools

 

comes a better understanding of the buildings likely patterns of behaviour, and with it, the ability to advise the architect and design team on ways to refine the building form and fabric, so that we get to better insights of the paths that will achieve more predictable and stable and easily understood behaviours for the building in use. Using  sophisticated optimisation analytical tools, we can add our extensive knowledge and expertise to help the design team:

 

• Develop the strategic pre-planning energy and low carbon approaches for masterplans, BREEAM outstanding buildings and even LEED compliant property that take our clients through what is becoming a legal compliance minefield is core to what we do.

 

• Optimise low carbon designs. Using new advanced simulation techniques, given any building configuration we can find the optimum building fabric parameters or renewables and building fabric combinations, to arrive at the optimal energy solution, or even zero carbon solution for the least cost. These advanced techniques combine standardised thermal modelling software with evolutionary algorithms, which set up and hunt for the strongest and most desirable solutions in much the same way that Darwin's theory of natural selection works. The software iterates the creation of parents and offspring, killing of the weakest solutions and allowing the genomes of the strongest solutions to provide future parent solutions. The outcome is much better, much more cost effective solutions, arrived at much quicker than traditional trial and error techniques to find optimum solutions.

 

Closing the performance gaps (in design and retrospectively)

There is much talk but little by way of action in design teams relating to closing the performance gap between design and in use energy. We are obsessive in making sure as far as practicable that this is not an issue for us.  Given our published track record of success in meeting the concept design targets, we have a well-established approach to developing and hitting the benchmarks we set for new and refurbished buildings during concept stages. 

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And of course these same techniques can be used to troubleshoot existing buildings, to evaluate how they are working now, and set benchmarks for how much better they could be working if the were properly tuned.  All of this then establishes a platform for what might be possible at different levels of investment in new or replacement plant or renewables.