Smart Energy Solutions as an Indispensable Multi-Criteria Input for a Coherent Urban Planning and Building Design Process—Two Case Studies for Smart Office Buildings in Warsaw Downtown Area

Abstract

The introduction of parametric tools has made a strong shift within a traditional approach to urban planning and building design, including the creation of a design awareness zone where environmental issues are concerned. This approach also uses sufficient data to be used already at the concept stage and provides initial interdisciplinary solutions. Analyses from the very initial stages allow the inclusion of smart energy choices influencing the massing, architectural features, proportions, flexibility of design, and economics. This is only a threshold; there is still a place for further development and more accurate analyses leading to the construction of buildings and urban areas with a stronger input of sustainable solutions, as existing approaches have certain limitations. This path has been followed in several research grants conducted at the Faculty of Architecture Warsaw University of Technology, and later on developed as a co-operation area with various stakeholders. Outside the general state of art, this paper will include two case studies which were provided as a concept design for prospective investors. Both locations are in the Warsaw Downtown Area, and analyses include algorithmic models dealing with the optimisation of the buildings’ forms, urban scale sun radiation levels, shadow and wind analyses indicating use of sunlight energy and wind as alternative energy sources. One of the case studies contains Pareto Front including both single- and multi-criteria optimization methods for analysing energy and economic efficiency issues, pointing out the best case solutions.

Multidisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Collaboration in Nature-Based Design of Sustainable Architecture and Urbanism

“…Parametric tools have a considerable impact at the concept stage [27][28][29] on developing design awareness regarding environmental issues in building design and urban planning for providing initial interdisciplinary solutions [34]. The study identifies Antoni Gaudí, Frei Otto, and Sergio Musmeci as pioneers of the use of gravity modeling as the single independent parameter in the analysis of structural shapes.…”

“…The study identifies Antoni Gaudí, Frei Otto, and Sergio Musmeci as pioneers of the use of gravity modeling as the single independent parameter in the analysis of structural shapes. Their analysis included algorithmic models that dealt with building form optimization, urban scale, sun radiation levels, shadow, and wind analyses, indicating the use of solar and wind energy as alternative energy sources [34].…”

“…To respond to the above challenges, the research aims to explore multidisciplinary (MDC) and transdisciplinary collaboration (TDC) in the nature-based design (NBD) of the sustainable built environment (SBE). NBD entails learning from nature to develop sustainable solutions, including the integration of nature in buildings [6], multidisciplinary collaboration and approaches for building design and improvement [7][8][9][10], innovative building materials [11][12][13], vegetation on and in buildings [14][15][16], planning of settlements [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] and infrastructures [25], as well as collaboration management [26][27][28][29] and related tools [30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38]. Nature-based solutions (NBS) are defined as actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems, which address societal challenges (e.g., climate change, food, and water security or natural disasters) effectively and adaptively while supporting human wellbeing and providing biodiversity benefits [39].…”

Dense and Proximate Development—Daylight in the Downtown Area of a Compact City

“…The primary energy (PE) was accepted as the preferable parameter and calculated as the final energy multiplied by the chosen energy carrier's non-renewable primary energy input coefficient wi. For electric energy, the wi coefficient equals 3.0, and for the Warsaw heating network, it is 0.79 [39]. The total primary requirement for the designed building was estimated at 5,127,843.01 kWh/year and a PE ratio of 412.85 kWh/m 2 year.…”

Methods to Optimize Carbon Footprint of Buildings in Regenerative Architectural Design with the Use of Machine Learning, Convolutional Neural Network, and Parametric Design

“…Architects need more tools that can help them during the decision process in the area of sustainable design as "analyses from the very initial stages allow the inclusion of smart energy choices influencing the massing, architectural features, proportions, flexibility of design, and economics" [4]. It has been observed that architecture students, when assisted with a tool that can facilitate their understanding of the effect their choices exert on the environment, create better architectural designs in terms of global warming and other environmental impacts [5].…”