GerAPlanO - A new building design tool: design generation, thermal assessment and performance optimization

Building practitioners (architects, engineers, energy managers) are showing a growing interest in the design of more energy efficient and livable buildings. The best way to predict how a building will behave regarding energy consumption and thermal comfort is to use a dynamic simulation tool. However, the use of this kind of tools is difficult on a daily basis practice due to the heuristic and exploratory nature of the architectural design process. To deal with this difficulty, the University of Coimbra and three companies have been working on the development of a prototype design aiding tool, specifically devoted to the space planning phase of building design, under the project GerAPlanO (Automatic Generation of Architecture Floor plans with Energy Optimization). This project aims to combine the capabilities of design generation techniques, thermal assessment programs, and design optimization methods to provide assistance to decision makers. This paper presents the overall concept, as well as the current status of development of this tool.