Problem

Coordination between Architects, Contractors and Engineers can be improved with better 3D visualization tools. Sustainability metrics are needed to reduce environmental impact.

Virtual Reality

For Designers: Virtual reality is a great tool for internal design reviews. As architects, we think we know what a 13 foot long bedroom feels like, but with so many other factors at play, including fenestration, materials and lighting, it can get challenging to keep track of the whole experience. Virtual Reality helps assess all these variables together simultaneously.

For Clients: Seeing plans and renderings does not offer the same level of immersion as a headset. Virtual Reality helps clients visualize the end product and experience the space. It can be used to review various design options, such as building siting, exterior materials, and interior design and finishings.

For Contractors: Virtual reality is a great tool for all phases of construction. In the case of this project, the headset was brought to the site in the early stages of wood framing. We were able to have a productive conversation with the General Contractor, who for the first time saw in 3 dimensions what we had envisioned. We found it to be a valuable tool for communicating design intent and answering some unprecedented questions about how certain parts of the design were meant to come together. The GC was able to start thinking about the trickier details well ahead of time.

Sustainability

Carbon Assessment: This was the first project in the company that had a carbon assessment done at the beginning of every new design phase. This was done by calculating the operational carbon and embodied carbon, and using the total to estimate how many trees one would need to plant to offset carbon emissions.

Operational Carbon: This is the total quantity of carbon emissions from the energy that is used to operate a building and it's infrastructure. This includes all building systems and utilities. The lifetime of the building is estimated for this calculation.

Embodied Carbon: This is also known as Green House Gas emissions. This is the total quantity of carbon emissions associated with the lifecycle of every material in the building. This includes the material's extraction, production, transport and manufacturing.

Tally Carbon Calculator

The Tally Revit Plugin was used to input values for all of the materials for the building. This included all structural elements, finishes, fenestrations, and retaining walls. Exact dimensions were specified. The result was a calculation of the total embodied and operational carbon of the construction of this building, that started when the materials were sourced and ended at the end of life for this home.