ECOTECT ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT

In order to start analyzing part of the Barcelona neighborhood La Sagrera, first I saved the Rhino file as DXF, but importing it into Ecotect it created problems because the buildings were transformed into lines not as surfaces. I, then, saved the Rhino file as 3DS which automatically saves the buildings as mashes, imported into Ecotect by changing the scale into Import manager from meters to millimeters, and using Modify> Purge coincident triangles I made the file easy to work with.

The next step was uploading the Barcelona weather file.

1. Shadows and overshadowingTo have the shadows of the buildings, I only used Display> Shadows (or simply by using the f10 button). It gives the shadows in specific time and period of the year. In my case it was on the 1st of April, at 13:00. By clicking on Shadows settings> Shadow display> Daily sun path, I was able to manually move the sun during the same day and see how the shadow is changing. By clicking on Shadow range>Show shadow range I was able to see the whole shadow range during the day.

SHAD

OWS

1st o

f Apr

il 13

:00

RESULT:

SHAD

OWS

1st o

f Apr

il da

ily s

un p

ath

SHAD

OWS

1st o

f Apr

il sh

adow

rang

e

2. Solar analysisFor the solar analysis on a bigger area I first selected some srfaces of the buildings, and bypressing Ctrl+F9 I checked if the surface normals are pointing outside of the building. Next step is getting into the Solar Access Analysis from the Calculate menu and going through the 7steps, where in the step4 I only used the selected objects. It gave me the solar insolation of the whole surfaces.

SOLA

R ANA

LYSIS

on la

rge

surfa

ces

For getting more precise information for the insolation of the facades I selected one facades and by choosing the Surface subdivision> Rectangular tiles from the Modify menu I divided the façade and go through same process as I did for the bigger areas.

SOLA

R ANA

LYSIS

on s

ubdi

vide

d su

rface

s3d

edi

tor

SOLA

R ANA

LYSIS

on s

ubdi

vide

d su

rface

svi

sual

ize

The Solar analyses on grid starts with the Display Analysis grid from the Analysis grid menu on the right side of the window and setting the grid around the selected objects- in my case all of the buildings. I went to the same procedure in the Solar Access Analysis, only in the step4 I chose the Analysis grid (insolation only), first without and then with the full 3D extends- but on a smaller area since it takes too much time to render.SO

LAR A

NALY

SISon

grid

top

view

SOLA

R ANA

LYSIS

on g

ridpe

rspe

ctiv

e

SOLA

R ANA

LYSIS

on g

rid3d

ext

ends

SOLA

R ANA

LYSIS

on g

rid3d

ext

ends

3. Spatial Visibility AnalysisFor the spatial visibility I set the grid first around the selected buildings, I selected one of thefacades of the buildings and I chose the Space Visibility Analysis from the calculate menu and went through the 4 steps.

SPAT

IAL VI

SIBILIT

Y Svi

sual

ize

SPAT

IAL VI

SIBILIT

Y Sse

lect

ed s

urfa

ce

4. Wind AnalysisIn order to start with the wind analysis I first copied the WinAir file into the C drive. Then using Preferences, under the 3rd party tool I checked the AirWin4 Application and clicked to Apply to All Sessions. The next step is setting the grid, using the 3D Air flow from the Auto-Fit grid to objects and adjusting it manually around all the objects. In the grid menu I checked the CFD Cell Blockage and perform the calculation using Covered in Z. Next step is Exporting the WinAir4 (CFD) from Export Manager, inserting the parameters settings changing the speed into 7.00m/s, changing the direction randomly, and checking the Run WinAir Application, Auto-start calculation and Equalize Air flows. In the Grid Manager I checked the Load CFD Data and loaded the Output, selecting it as a new file. I used the Flow vector and the Air Flow Rate to see tha changes.

WIND

ANAL

YSIS

auto

fitin

g th

e gr

id

WIND

ANAL

YSIS

flow

vec

tor

WIND

ANAL

YSIS

air f

low

rate