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Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Run solar, wind, and temperature analyses on a residential design and review the resulting alternatives.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
8 min.
Transcript
00:03
Once you create a plan area in Forma, you can assess the impact of your design using the sustainable analysis tools.
00:11
There are several analyses available for your proposals, including sun, wind, noise, solar energy, and more.
00:20
Note that the options here may evolve as Forma is developed.
00:24
In this example of a residential design, rows of housing units have been arranged into groupings with courtyards.
00:31
Now, or at any point during the design process, you can use the analysis tools to identify any concerns that need to be addressed,
00:39
as well as the benefits of this design.
00:42
Start by clicking Sun hours, which measures the amount of time a part of the building or the ground has sun exposure on any given date.
00:50
For all analyses, in the right panel, set the Analysis area by selecting zones or portions of the site to include in the analysis,
00:58
which in this example is Selection (2).
01:01
Next, set the criteria specific to the analysis.
01:05
For Sun hours, select Analysis dates to see the hours of sun exposure over a specific 24-hour period, or for multiple dates.
01:14
In this case, pick April 21, June 21, and September 21.
01:21
Click Run Analysis.
01:23
Once it is complete, the results appear in a new Sun hours window for the selected proposal.
01:29
Note that some analyses may take some time to complete.
01:33
Best practice is to initiate all the analyses you need before reviewing the results.
01:38
While most of the analyses are quick, some, like the wind or noise analysis calculations, can take quite some time to finish.
01:46
You can make adjustments to the completed analysis.
01:50
In the Sun hours panel, click Settings.
01:53
In the Settings dialog, you can change the Date and adjust the Time interval to a specific time of day, such as only daylight hours.
02:01
In this example, the time is set between 09:00 and 16:00 hours.
02:07
Close the dialog.
02:09
To view analysis results at specific points in the site, click Inspect, or press the keyboard shortcut I,
02:16
and then click the site to add as many inspection points as needed.
02:21
Here, three inspection points are placed to see the hours of sun exposure on April 21 over a 7-hour period of daylight.
02:29
It is also possible to filter the results by adjusting the analysis bar.
02:34
You can also choose to export the results.
02:37
In the visibility and orientation toolbar, click Camera position,
02:42
and then select 4K Screen capture or 4K Screen capture with graphics, which downloads a PNG with the inspection points.
02:50
The site in this example is close to Oslo, Norway, where it is very cold for part of the year,
02:56
so sun exposure is important in the summer and spring months.
03:00
Based on these analysis results, the site is getting good sun exposure in April.
03:05
Click Close.
03:07
Click the Wind analysis to see how your development affects the local airflow patterns for the site.
03:13
You can choose from two types of wind analyses:
03:16
Rapid wind is intended to provide guidance as you design, with results based on instant predictions,
03:23
while Detailed wind involves a more complex simulation and requires more time to complete.
03:29
Here, a rapid wind analysis is performed, with the results showing immediately in the canvas.
03:35
A wind analysis displays both Comfort statistics for the pedestrian navigating through the site,
03:41
as well as the Direction and speed of the wind flow, depending on the options selected in the right panel.
03:47
Keep in mind that when you select the Wind analysis for the first time, a rapid wind analysis is automatically run for your site.
03:54
Click See detailed analysis to review a detailed wind analysis that was run previously for the same area.
04:01
In the right panel, the Comfort statistics indicate that 91% of the site is good for sitting and standing.
04:08
You also see a breakdown of standing versus sitting versus strolling.
04:13
Click Direction to view the streamlines for the wind flow.
04:17
The wind rose shows the frequency of a specific direction of the wind.
04:22
You can also use the slider to understand what different wind speeds would look like in this area.
04:28
Based on the Statistics, the area is very good for wind, with 100% falling under low wind speeds.
04:35
Overall, the results indicate no wind concerns for this site.
04:39
If you want to check the results of other analyses, open the drop-down,
04:43
where you can see all the analyses that have been run in your project, along with timestamps.
04:49
This will allow you to review previous iterations to see if you have managed to improve the situation.
04:55
Click the Microclimate analysis to combine sun hours, daylight,
04:60
and wind with location weather to compute the perceived temperature on the site.
05:05
This data is like the “feels like” temperature on a weather app.
05:09
In this case, a previously run microclimate analysis is complete for this area.
05:14
Once the analysis loads, in the right panel, you can select a specific month and year, such as January,
05:20
to view the most popular Air temperature for this area, as well as the Wind and Statistics.
05:26
Based on the legend, and not surprisingly, you see that it is generally very cold in January.
05:33
For more details, click the Inspect tool to find any patterns within this area.
05:38
Already, you see a pattern of brighter colors in the courtyards, indicating warmer temperatures.
05:44
On the roadway, click to place a couple of inspection points, which show temperatures of -17 degrees Celsius.
05:52
Now, place an inspection point in the courtyard, and notice that there is a 16° difference, with an experienced, or felt temperature of -1°C.
06:02
The inspection points confirm that the outside temperature within the courtyard
06:07
is much more comfortable than in one of the roadways or pedestrian walking paths.
06:12
This is important to note, because the temperature difference is significant.
06:16
Generally, -1°C (or about 30°F) is an acceptable temperature when you are outside,
06:24
whereas -17°C (or roughly 1°F) is much less comfortable.
06:31
The temperature difference is most likely a result of several factors,
06:35
including greater sun exposure and blocked wind flow in the courtyard, based on the building layout.
06:40
When July is selected in the right panel, you see similar results,
06:44
again illustrating that it is colder on the roadway and warmer inside the courtyard.
06:50
Finally, pick the Solar energy analysis
06:53
to determine the solar energy potential of solar panels installed on the roofs or another part of the building surface.
07:00
In the right panel, you see the Filter building surfaces option currently set to Roofs,
07:05
as well as the total Selected surface area and the Annual solar energy potential.
07:11
Under Estimate energy from solar panels,
07:13
use the sliders to adjust the Surface coverage and Panel efficiency
07:17
to estimate the total amount of solar energy potentially converted to electrical power with solar panels on the roofs of this site.
07:25
This is just one example of how you can use the analyses in Forma to quickly assess the risks and opportunities of your proposal,
07:32
so you can make informed and sustainable design decisions.
Video transcript
00:03
Once you create a plan area in Forma, you can assess the impact of your design using the sustainable analysis tools.
00:11
There are several analyses available for your proposals, including sun, wind, noise, solar energy, and more.
00:20
Note that the options here may evolve as Forma is developed.
00:24
In this example of a residential design, rows of housing units have been arranged into groupings with courtyards.
00:31
Now, or at any point during the design process, you can use the analysis tools to identify any concerns that need to be addressed,
00:39
as well as the benefits of this design.
00:42
Start by clicking Sun hours, which measures the amount of time a part of the building or the ground has sun exposure on any given date.
00:50
For all analyses, in the right panel, set the Analysis area by selecting zones or portions of the site to include in the analysis,
00:58
which in this example is Selection (2).
01:01
Next, set the criteria specific to the analysis.
01:05
For Sun hours, select Analysis dates to see the hours of sun exposure over a specific 24-hour period, or for multiple dates.
01:14
In this case, pick April 21, June 21, and September 21.
01:21
Click Run Analysis.
01:23
Once it is complete, the results appear in a new Sun hours window for the selected proposal.
01:29
Note that some analyses may take some time to complete.
01:33
Best practice is to initiate all the analyses you need before reviewing the results.
01:38
While most of the analyses are quick, some, like the wind or noise analysis calculations, can take quite some time to finish.
01:46
You can make adjustments to the completed analysis.
01:50
In the Sun hours panel, click Settings.
01:53
In the Settings dialog, you can change the Date and adjust the Time interval to a specific time of day, such as only daylight hours.
02:01
In this example, the time is set between 09:00 and 16:00 hours.
02:07
Close the dialog.
02:09
To view analysis results at specific points in the site, click Inspect, or press the keyboard shortcut I,
02:16
and then click the site to add as many inspection points as needed.
02:21
Here, three inspection points are placed to see the hours of sun exposure on April 21 over a 7-hour period of daylight.
02:29
It is also possible to filter the results by adjusting the analysis bar.
02:34
You can also choose to export the results.
02:37
In the visibility and orientation toolbar, click Camera position,
02:42
and then select 4K Screen capture or 4K Screen capture with graphics, which downloads a PNG with the inspection points.
02:50
The site in this example is close to Oslo, Norway, where it is very cold for part of the year,
02:56
so sun exposure is important in the summer and spring months.
03:00
Based on these analysis results, the site is getting good sun exposure in April.
03:05
Click Close.
03:07
Click the Wind analysis to see how your development affects the local airflow patterns for the site.
03:13
You can choose from two types of wind analyses:
03:16
Rapid wind is intended to provide guidance as you design, with results based on instant predictions,
03:23
while Detailed wind involves a more complex simulation and requires more time to complete.
03:29
Here, a rapid wind analysis is performed, with the results showing immediately in the canvas.
03:35
A wind analysis displays both Comfort statistics for the pedestrian navigating through the site,
03:41
as well as the Direction and speed of the wind flow, depending on the options selected in the right panel.
03:47
Keep in mind that when you select the Wind analysis for the first time, a rapid wind analysis is automatically run for your site.
03:54
Click See detailed analysis to review a detailed wind analysis that was run previously for the same area.
04:01
In the right panel, the Comfort statistics indicate that 91% of the site is good for sitting and standing.
04:08
You also see a breakdown of standing versus sitting versus strolling.
04:13
Click Direction to view the streamlines for the wind flow.
04:17
The wind rose shows the frequency of a specific direction of the wind.
04:22
You can also use the slider to understand what different wind speeds would look like in this area.
04:28
Based on the Statistics, the area is very good for wind, with 100% falling under low wind speeds.
04:35
Overall, the results indicate no wind concerns for this site.
04:39
If you want to check the results of other analyses, open the drop-down,
04:43
where you can see all the analyses that have been run in your project, along with timestamps.
04:49
This will allow you to review previous iterations to see if you have managed to improve the situation.
04:55
Click the Microclimate analysis to combine sun hours, daylight,
04:60
and wind with location weather to compute the perceived temperature on the site.
05:05
This data is like the “feels like” temperature on a weather app.
05:09
In this case, a previously run microclimate analysis is complete for this area.
05:14
Once the analysis loads, in the right panel, you can select a specific month and year, such as January,
05:20
to view the most popular Air temperature for this area, as well as the Wind and Statistics.
05:26
Based on the legend, and not surprisingly, you see that it is generally very cold in January.
05:33
For more details, click the Inspect tool to find any patterns within this area.
05:38
Already, you see a pattern of brighter colors in the courtyards, indicating warmer temperatures.
05:44
On the roadway, click to place a couple of inspection points, which show temperatures of -17 degrees Celsius.
05:52
Now, place an inspection point in the courtyard, and notice that there is a 16° difference, with an experienced, or felt temperature of -1°C.
06:02
The inspection points confirm that the outside temperature within the courtyard
06:07
is much more comfortable than in one of the roadways or pedestrian walking paths.
06:12
This is important to note, because the temperature difference is significant.
06:16
Generally, -1°C (or about 30°F) is an acceptable temperature when you are outside,
06:24
whereas -17°C (or roughly 1°F) is much less comfortable.
06:31
The temperature difference is most likely a result of several factors,
06:35
including greater sun exposure and blocked wind flow in the courtyard, based on the building layout.
06:40
When July is selected in the right panel, you see similar results,
06:44
again illustrating that it is colder on the roadway and warmer inside the courtyard.
06:50
Finally, pick the Solar energy analysis
06:53
to determine the solar energy potential of solar panels installed on the roofs or another part of the building surface.
07:00
In the right panel, you see the Filter building surfaces option currently set to Roofs,
07:05
as well as the total Selected surface area and the Annual solar energy potential.
07:11
Under Estimate energy from solar panels,
07:13
use the sliders to adjust the Surface coverage and Panel efficiency
07:17
to estimate the total amount of solar energy potentially converted to electrical power with solar panels on the roofs of this site.
07:25
This is just one example of how you can use the analyses in Forma to quickly assess the risks and opportunities of your proposal,
07:32
so you can make informed and sustainable design decisions.
Once a plan area has been created in Forma, the impact of the design can be assessed using the sustainable analysis tools, including sun, wind, noise, solar energy, and more.
Note: analysis options shown may evolve as Forma is developed.
In this example of a residential design, rows of housing units have been arranged into groupings with courtyards. Now, or at any point during the design process, the analysis tools can be used to identify both concerns and benefits of a design.
For all analyses, in the right panel, set the Analysis area by selecting zones or portions of the site to include in the analysis. Then, set the criteria specific to the analysis.
To create a sun analysis:
The results appear in a new Sun hours window for the selected proposal.
IMPORTANT: Some analyses may take some time to complete. Best practice is to initiate all the analyses you need before reviewing results.
To make adjustments to the completed analysis:
To export the results:
Note: The site in this example is close to Oslo, Norway, where it is very cold for part of the year, so sun exposure is important in the summer and spring months. Based on these analysis results, the site is getting good sun exposure in April.
To perform a wind analysis and see how the development affects the local airflow patterns for the site:
A wind analysis displays both Comfort statistics for the pedestrian navigating through the site, as well as the Direction and speed of the wind flow, depending on the options selected in the right panel.
Note: When Wind analysis is selected for the first time, a rapid wind analysis is automatically run for the site.
In the right panel, the Comfort statistics indicate that 91% of the site is good for sitting and standing. It includes a breakdown of standing versus sitting versus strolling.
The wind rose shows the frequency of a specific direction of the wind.
Based on the Statistics, the area is very good for wind, with 100% falling under low wind speeds. Overall, the results indicate no wind concerns for this site.
To check the results of other analyses:
To combine sun hours, daylight, and wind with location weather to compute the perceived temperature on the site:
Note: This data is like the “feels like” temperature on a weather app. In this case, a previously run microclimate analysis is complete for this area.
Already, a pattern of brighter colors is in the courtyards, indicating warmer temperatures.
The inspection points confirm that the outside temperature within the courtyard is much more comfortable than in one of the roadways or pedestrian walking paths. This is important to note, because the temperature difference is significant. Generally, -1°C (or about 30°F) is an acceptable temperature for outside, whereas -17°C (or roughly 1°F) is much less comfortable. The temperature difference is most likely a result of several factors, including greater sun exposure and blocked wind flow in the courtyard, based on the building layout.
To determine the solar energy potential of solar panels installed on the roofs or another part of the building surface:
Note: In the right panel, the Filter building surfaces option is currently set to Roofs, as well as the total Selected surface area and the Annual solar energy potential.
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