integrating modeling and simulation tools with learnings from nature

a form generation methodology through the constructal law of nature

It all starts with the constructal law of nature…

It starts when you look at nature and its tree configurations: how they can inspire architectural design, not just in terms of their forms, but more importantly in terms of their performance.

The purpose of this research is to illustrate a methodology for integrating the learnings from nature with modeling and simulation tools for form configuration of building components in the early phases of design. Although the form configurations of living organisms may look random at first sight, the "constructal law" of nature governs these configurations for a continuously optimized performance. In this performance, the goal is to minimize the flow resistance subject to global fitness constraints of time, space, and weight. Following the principles of constructal law and using Rhino/Grasshopper and the genetic algorithm, the form of a test case office plan as well as the configuration of its supply duct system have been optimized in this research. Using Autodesk CFD, the air flow within the proposed duct system has been simulated, which shows a considerably better performance compared with the typical plenum duct system.

I presented the paper on this research at the 2018 Building Performance Analysis Conference and SimBuild co-organized by ASHRAE and IBPSA-USA, which received a scholarship award from the conference. You may access the research paper here.

Existing Office Test Case

Location of air diffusers and AHU

proposed layout for the office plan

Reassigning the rooms based on the appropriate tree structure

More options in form finding using Genetic Algorithm based on the flow pattern

Proposed conceptual plan

Form follows flow

Existing office duct layout

Comparison of the velocity profiles

Existing right-angle duct layout versus proposed tree-branch duct layout