Finding synergy in simulation modeling by architects and engineers in conceptual design

The interest in having architects utilize building simulation software to better inform conceptual design decisions has been present in the design industry for more than a decade, yet the adoption of simulation by architects in practice has been slow. Past research into the barriers of adoption has often looked through the lens of particular software, with conclusions aimed at improving the tools' interface and applicability to the architects' process. While software has made great advancement, we hear more often today of the engineer stepping forward to apply simulation to the conceptual design process rather than the architect learning to use simulation. In a survey of ten North American firms, diverse in offering design and/or engineering services, individual practices for incorporating simulation into conceptual design were compared. The more common presence of the engineer in conceptual design modeling promises a new collaborative approach to the sustainable design process, overcoming a significant barrier to the architects own adoption while highlighting a need for greater efficiencies in communication between software and analysis time.