Thursday, September 22, 2011

Vasari Eco-Analysis

The analysis tools in Vasari can provide crucial data on how a building form will perform in its environment. In just one 50 minute class period, Beach was able to test solar heat gain, analyze local site wind speed and direction, and see how wind interacts with a form. One of the most helpful features is the ability to focus in on a certain period of time (i.e. during the summer months in the afternoon), so designers can best respond to changing passive system needs from season to season. Since I am working with a more defined site (540 Commercial Street), I wanted to stretch Vasari’s abilities so that I might test how the surrounding built environment might affect my proposed mass model.

Overall model of proposed form and surrounding built environment

Solar heat gain average from December through March from 12:00pm to 6:00 pm, the time of year designers should take advantage of solar heat gain to passively heat buildings. Roofs and south facing walls absorb the most amount of heat, but west facing walls absorb a moderate amount of heat, especially the site-boundary wall.


Solar heat gain average from June through September from 12:00pm to 6:00 pm, the time of year when designers need to limit the amount of of solar heat gain.  
Solar heat gain average on the summer solstice from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The east facing walls have little heat gain. Even the south facing walls have minimal heat gain.


Average wind speed and direction for site


Average wind speed and direction for site from May to September from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm


Wind flow analysis, able to observe how wind moves around and through buildings


Wind velocity analysis, able to observe how wind moves around and through buildings on the horizontal plane (10' above ground).

Wind flow velocity, able to observe how wind moves around and through buildings on the vertical plane (through the proposed courtyard space).


Analysis of the surrounding context in addition to the site is only helpful when looking at the buildings directly surrounding the site. The larger the context, the less useful and less readable the analysis. In this particular example, only the building directly to the right of the site had much impact on the proposed form: it casts shadows on the building in the morning and creates a wind tunnel in the 12' space between the two structures. Especially for wind flow analysis, one will gain much more valuable information the more one can limit the area for analysis.

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