RWDI•habItat
www.rwdihabitat.comwhereclimatemeetsdesign
RWDI•Habitat is a cluster of capabilities within RWDI involved in creating spaces for people – indoor and out.
� We engineer the built environment to optimize comfort for people.
� We integrate climate aware strategies into building and masterplanning schemes.
� We use our experience and expertise in CFD, wind tunnel, solar (e.g. glare, daylighting) and other unique modeling capabilities.
� We apply a scientific approach.
� We deal with all elements of weather.
� We have project experience on all seven continents, in all climate types addressing passive and active means of working with nature.
� We work at all scales, from a small room in a building through to global climate modeling.
� We can help projects achieve recognition through 3rd party certification(s).
� We can demonstrate continuous progress towards compliance with
AIA 2030 challenge.
We have enGineerinG exPertiSe in:
Wind and temperature
� Natural ventilation
� Outdoor ventilation
� Microclimate assessment
� Massing optimization for air quality
� Stack effect
� Solar chimneys and wind towers
� Thermal comfort
� Indoor ventilation
� Indoor pollutant control
Transport of Particles
� Rain infiltration
� Sand and dust ingress
� Snow drifting
Sun
� District daylight potential assessment
� Glare diagnosis and mitigation
� Indoor daylighting analysis
� Solar shading
Meteorology
� Assessment of opportunities and constraints for climate
� Heat island
� Building site-specific meteorological data sets.
Noise & Vibration Effects
� Passive mitigation and control of noise impacts
� Strategies to reduce noise generation
energy
� Energy opportunities charrette
� Building energy modeling
� Façade optimization
� Compliance energy modeling
� Renewable / alternative energy
Where climate meets design
SuPPort for CliMate aWare deSiGnThe RWDI•Habitat team works more like a design
studio. We are nimble, innovative and can leverage a
range of experience and skills to a design challenge.
We provide quick screening assessments and
consultation in all our technical areas as well as detailed
modeling for proof of concept as design progresses.
the rWdi•haBitat differenCeBuilding systems, performance and the occupant
experience are all interrelated. The breadth of knowledge
and depth of experience our team brings to each
assignment allows us to take a holistic, whole building
approach to problem solving. For example, the
establishment of a window-to-wall ratio for a building
facade has implication to energy use, acoustics, daylight,
views and thermal comfort. Our tool set and experience
allows us to provide quick feedback or an in-depth
analysis with respect to each of these impact areas
ensuring a holistically considered solution.
No matter a projects scale or goals and objectives we
are able to create a custom service offering to meet
your needs. Our combined knowledge of green building
certification tools and high performance engineering
skills uniquely positions us to work in an integrated
fashion with project teams to not only identify problems
but to also help develop solutions.
Image above courtesy of Architects: Paul Laurendeau & François Beauchesne in joint venture. Front cover image courtesy of Gensler.
Green BuildinG CertifiCation Green building certification tools provide third party recognition
for the implementation of planning, design, construction and
operational best practices. The RWDI•Habitat team brings
a depth of experience with tools such as: LEED, Estidama,
BREEAM, the Toronto Green Development Standard, amongst
others. We leverage this experience to make the certification
process a value added experience for all project stakeholders.
PerforManCe enGineerinGOur approach to high performance goes much deeper
than pursuit of credits or points available through
green building certification tools. From project
conception through to operation we leverage our
tool belt of high performance engineering skills and
experience to help create better better buildings.
Sustainability Charrette
Integrated Design Support
SD Assessment Report
Sustainability Workshop
Updated Scorecards
Green Building Specfications
DD Assessment Report
Design Documentation
Integrated Design Support
Specifications Review
Contractor Coordination
Site Reviews
Shop Drawing Reviews
Construction Documentation Request
Submit for Certification
Brainstorming Options
Experienced Based Advice
Screening Calculations
Preliminary Modeling
Detailed Simulations
Wind Tunnel Testing
Drawing Reviews
Construction Verification
Commissioning
Concep
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Where We've Worked
Antarctic Bases
Dulles Aiport
Lotte Super Tall
KAUST
Our Approach
The achievement of a green building
certification requires detailed
documentation to confirm that
environmental best practices have
in fact been implemented. It is our
experience that when projects are
poorly managed and get 'bogged'
down with documentation the value
proposition presented by pursuing a
certification can quickly erode. It is
with this experience in mind that we
developed our innovation management
tool VAULT.
vaultVAULT allows us to very efficiently
track all documentation that is
required to achieve certification
and quickly produce scorecards
and assessment reports. Ultimately,
VAULT streamlines the certification
process and associated documentation
allowing us to focus our efforts on
the creation of a sustainable building,
whilst providing our clients continued
assurance that their project is on-track
towards achievement of certification.
vault - CaSe Study:
On the Elementary Teacher’s
Federation of Ontario, 84,000 sq.
ft., new headquarters building,
we implemented VAULT, and as
a result were able to submit for
LEED Certification review 2 weeks
following substantial completion
and were awarded LEED Platinum
certification in less than 5 months.
High Performance meets Certification
Above: Daylighting interior (Image courtesy of Gensler); Daylighting, Natural ventilation,Power generation
Green BuildinG CertifiCation
virtual WindTM (VW) A wind diagnosis tool that rapidly simulates wind
conditions around single buildings or cities.
eCliPSe (Solar Analysis)This solar modelling tool permits RWDI to assess the full solar
climate for any sized development. The solar climate, including
glare, daylighting and renewable energy potential, is simulated
using a custom radiation solver. This same code can provide initial
estimates of indoor daylighting performance early in building design.
Hence first estimates of daylighting can be performed at city scales.
oaSiS (Thermal Comfort)A tool that permits us to simulate the comfort conditions
in urban environments and semi-outdoor spaces, including
heat island, passive and active cooling methods.
virtual CliMate 360 (VC360) Combining the results of Eclipse, TC360 and Vwind, and
implementing droplets for rain, particles for snow and sand,
exhaust dispersion calculations and noise analysis RWDI•Habitat can
develop a picture of the full climate in a development: of any size.
CoMMunity enerGy ProfilinG (CEP)Used in predicting the hourly energy demand
profile of districts in cities.
StaCk effeCt Enables modeling the interaction of stack effect, ventilation and
wind pressures in and around buildings, in hot and cold climates.
vault Vault is RWDI’s Green Building certification management tool.
It permits RWDI to efficiently track all documentation that is
required to achieve certification and quickly produce scorecards
and assessment reports. Vault permits RWDI to focus on the
development of a high performance building while ensuring the
project is on-track to achieve the desired certification level.
2030 CoMPaSS (Tracking the AIA 2030 challenge)This tool provides architects with a means to track the evolution of
their design practice. RWDI can independently assess completed
projects, their energy use intensity, and offer insight as to how
the building performs relative to others in the portfolio. CeP tool
eclipse tool
virtual WindTM tool
oasis tool
RWDI•Habitat has developed a suite of custom tools to accelerate modeling and analysis for design. The tools were created as a result of specific questions from architects and engineers on projects.
These tools address different aspects of sustainable and climate aware building design including:
MeteoroloGyThe basis of any climate aware design is
good quality meteorological data. The
Habitat team conducts a comprehensive
analysis of the climate at the site to
identify options and constraints. When
the data is wrong for the project, we
can rebuild the data using forecasting
tools. This process is essential for
passive and climate responsive design.
Sun (Shade, Glare & dayliGhtinG)Depending on the climatic conditions at a project site,
architectural massing and orientation can be planned to encourage
either building self-shading; solar penetration for daylight
availability and passive thermal gain; or both. Early during
masterplanning and individual building studies, opportunities
exist to enhance the design for all facets of solar exposure.
~ 10,000 km
~ 100 km Meso
~ 10 km
~ 1 km
~ 0.01 km
~ 0.01 km
SCaleS of analySiS
~ 1,000 km Synoptic
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Wrong site data: The closest meteorological data available does not accurately represent the weather conditions at the project site.
hidden data in abu dhabi: Winds in the morning (right) have a specific behavior that is hidden in the overall (left) wind statistics.
Weather data Source
Project location
Manipulating solar exposure for comfort, daylighting and glare: Sky View Factor for a masterplan in the Middle East before and after landscaping.
RWDI has developed a means to address all climate impacts on a development, at the building and district scale. We do this by breaking down the individual components of climate and then look at the relationships between them, the project, and the interactions. We look for the advantages and opportunities provided in all climates, so that we can maximize advantages of passive design.
enerGyEnergy consumption predictions can be calculated
at all stages of design. Quickly at the beginning of
masterplanning and concept building design, and in
more detail as design progresses. Rapid energy analysis
provides a useful piece of information for decision making
to ensure design decisions are reducing energy demand.
As design progresses, detailed proof of concept of
innovative strategies can further reduce energy demand.
tranSPort of PartiCleSMassing and orientation are among the strategies used to limit
adverse snow, sand and dust movement. The Habitat team,
can advise on innovative means to controls these elements as
well as rain infiltration, in-cloud icing and snow deposition.
Wind and teMPeratureOn a masterplanning level, wind and shading in the urban
realm can be engineered to seek optimal thermal, wind,
visual, acoustical and air quality comfort conditions. This
approach also aids in reductions of building energy demand
by seeking to optimize the building within the climate so that
the viability of natural ventilation, for example, is optimized
and mechanical ventilation right sized.
urban realm enhancement: This semi-outdoor urban space, located in a hot region, is well shaded, but suffered from stagnant wind conditions. A series of simple wind towers provided ventilation which significantly improves comfort.
robust natural ventilation: Natural ventilation in a classroom operating in cooling mode: the classes were also designed for a heating mode. (Image to right: Courtesy of Bassetti Architects)
Rainfall behaviour is predictable: Computational model and rain penetration simulation results for three different mitigation options.
Passive design: An earth tube, sometimes called a labyrinth or Canadian duct, can reduce building energy
demand by providing pre-heated, or cooled, air to a building or space using ground
coupled heat transfer. Results below are for pre-cooling in a dry desert environment.
RWDI•Habitat has experience working on all
of these issues, holistically, for facilities of
vastly different scales, around the world, and
can provide a comprehensive assessment of all
factors influencing the comfort, safety, cost and
performance of inhabited spaces.
www.rwdihabitat.com | www.rwdi.com
As an integral part of Rowan Williams
Davies & Irwin Inc. (RWDI), RWDI•Habitat
can leverage resources such as wind
tunnels, physical model testing,
computational modeling capabilities
and on-site testing equipment. RWDI is a
comprehensive team of senior scientists,
engineers, specialists, meteorologists,
engineering technologists, modelers,
technicians and support staff. These
experts at RWDI work with designers
and developers to meet the world’s most
complex structural and architectural
challenges with experience, knowledge
and superior service. By using these
resources, RWDI•Habitat strives to
understand the impact of the environment
on a development, new and existing, and
vice-versa. The multi-disciplinary teams
of engineers, scientists, modelers and
technicians at RWDI have the experience
and tools to develop innovative solutions
to assist with design challenges. The
ultimate goal is to create safe, healthy,
comfortable spaces while reducing
energy usage and fiscal costs.
RWDI•habItat MaRket SectoRS SeRveD:
PlanninG � Masterplans
� Sustainable Campuses
� Renewable Energy
� Heat Island Impacts
outdoor SPaCeS � Harsh Environments
� Parks & Public Realm
� Microclimate Manipulation
airPortS � Airport Terminal Buildings
� Hangars
healthCare / hoSPitalS � Operating Rooms
� Patient Isolation Rooms
� Laboratories
hiGh-riSe BuildinGS � Tall Buildings & Structures
� Green Buildings
� Offices & Condominiums
� Hotels
SPortS faCilitieS � Stadiums
� Arenas
hiGher eduCation & reSearCh laBS
� University & College Campuses
� Laboratory Buildings
� Data Centers
� Lecture Halls
hoSPitality and entertainMent
� Performing Arts Centers
� Casinos
� Convention Centers
� Museums & Art Galleries
� Resorts & Hotels