Michael Worth Answers the Question Why Building Design is Important?
08 November 2022We occasionally get the question of whether building design still matters for a building’s performance, particularly in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability. It is predominantly the case, as evidenced by our understanding of the advantages of high-performance design. Even so, others still doubt the significance of design in producing high-performing buildings.
While it may seem that architects’ roles become less significant as building systems and technology become more advanced, in the opinion of Michael Worth, the architect’s job as lead designer of a building project has never been more important. Let’s discuss a few of them.
More Levers Than Ever Are at Our Disposal
We have access to a staggering range of innovative technology to assist us in achieving great performance. The design has increased in importance and complexity as a result of this same reason. Better building technologies will fail if they are not adequately designed and integrated from the start. Therefore, the only way to guarantee success is through outstanding design that effectively brings all the parts together.
The Need to Reach Very High-Performance Standards ASAP
Up to 40% of the world’s carbon emissions come from buildings. Although retrofitting older structures is a fantastic opportunity, addressing the performance of new construction is also necessary if we want to cut global emissions. Between now and 2050, the UN projects a rise in global urbanisation of approximately 2.5 billion people, resulting in a nearly two-thirds increase in the population density in our cities. All these people require new residences as well as new workplaces and educational facilities. We need to reach very high-performance standards as soon as possible since there will be an incredible amount of construction activity in the future. Incrementalism is inadequate; a radical shift in design is required. When everything works together perfectly, we can only create structures and building performance that is not just good but genuinely great and sensitive to our environment.
Overall Performance of a Structure Is Still Heavily Influenced by Its Fundamental Design
Building design and form alone can influence energy use on a typical construction project by 10% to 15%. Add to that glazing’s impact, which frequently has a 15–25% impact on a building’s performance. When daylight performance is taken into account, we may also design buildings that offer significantly improved occupant experiences without incurring additional capital expenses. If ever we saw a value proposition that was this strong, this is it.
We Don’t Have Unlimited Funds Available to Us
In a technological utopia, it would be simple to use the most advanced technology throughout an entire structure. However, we are continually forced to make trade-off decisions in the real world. In particular, we must be aware that most buildings will not immediately have the funds to install the most cutting-edge equipment. When investing money in construction projects, we must be highly astute and create designs that carefully strike a balance between all the competing demands while investing the least amount of money.
We Have the Resources Necessary to Do Tasks Properly
Importantly, we now have the technologies required to support our designers in making wise choices from the outset. We can now create software that can analyse design performance in real time and be integrated into the design process by combining improvements in cloud computing, building physics, and user interaction design.
Considering these five factors, we believe high-performance building design is more important than ever. Contact Us at Michael Worth for all your building design and construction needs. We will be glad to assist you.
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