Climate-Responsive Design: A Framework for an Energy Concept Design-Decision Support Tool for Architects Using Principles of Climate-Responsive Design

In climate-responsive design the building becomes an intermediary in its own energy housekeeping, forming a link between the harvest of climate resources and lowenergy provision of comfort. Essential here is the employment of climate-responsive building elements, defined as structural and architectural elements in which the energy infrastructure is far-reaching integrated. This thesis presents the results of research conducted on what knowledge is needed in the early stages of the design process and how to transfer and transform that knowledge to the field of the architect in order for them to successfully implement the principles of climate-responsive design. The derived content, form and functional requirements provide the framework for a designdecision support tool. These requirements were incorporated into a concept tool that has been presented to architects in the field, in order to gain their feedback.

By using the tool, architects can access relevant knowledge in different ways that suit their method of working. It enables the presentation of complex relationships in a clear way and by doing so unlocking a much broader part of the content to them. That will help speeding up the proces of design iteration before the energy concept can be assessed in the successive phase of the design process.