"Conceptual" "Analysis"

A lot of terms get thrown around the Factory. Very broad terms with multiple definitions and meanings have a tendency to take on a single (or even new) meaning within the context of an industry or discipline. For example:

"Conceptual design." What is the first image that this phrase brings to mind? For me, recently, it has all been about form making and massing. While critically important to even the simplest of architectural project, defining massing (and conversely: space) is really only part of the story. When talking to customers and examining data in the past few months, programming keeps coming up as another critical, if less "sexy" part of conceptual design.

Second is "analysis." With the extreme buzz around sustainability, the term "analysis" tends to imply performance accreditation (ala LEED) and energy analysis. Once again, these are extremely important scenarios - but does it paint the entire picture? What are some of the other frequent analysis tasks for architects and engineers that have nothing to do with sustainability? (Obviously I know some, but I ask naively to get it in your words ;-)

Comments

[Tim Waldock]

- Area analysis: floor areas, site areas, floor space ratios
- Space analysis: 3D volumes (internal & external)
- Stack & Blocking
- Adjacencies: links/distances between building functions
- Building function mix: eg. Apartment mix, and corresponding parking and storage requirements
- Travel distances
- Views
- lighting levels
- Disability access requirements
- Fire separation and escape paths

to name but a few . . .

[pcunningham]

Good point about a word taking on a new meaning. Our definition of "analysis" has evolved nearly to the point of "anything done outside of Revit". The analysis becomes a black box with inputs and outputs. Our conversation is more about the process of communicating with the black box than the actual analysis. We ask ourselves questions like, which inputs are easier done on the Revit side or the analysis side? How is my data transferred, gbXML, DWG, OBDC? Can I import analysis results to Revit? Is the process easy to repeat? Is it parametric?

These questions tend to result in complicated flow diagrams, that when viewed from a distance tells us simply that software interoperability has a long way to go.

To name a few of the "black boxes":
Peak Heating and Cooling Loads
Annual Energy Consumption
Performance Rating Method
Ventilation and Std. 62 calculation
Detailed Airflow balancing (variable exhaust, occ/unocc modes, pressurization, transfer airflow, etc)
Shading/Light Shelf studies
Daylighting Analysis (peak lighting level, glare)
Daylighting Controls (annual energy savings)

[Steve G.]

code analysis: It involves area separation calculation for a building on a site.

Also exiting calculations based on occupancies.

[Brad Clark]

Feasibility.