Virtual Climate provides an online platform with a SketchUp plugin for simplified microclimate and outdoor thermal comfort simulations. It uses cloud-based CFD and radiation analysis to deliver hourly environmental assessments, enabling designers to evaluate pedestrian comfort and climate resilience.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Traditional methods for analyzing outdoor thermal comfort and microclimate conditions require significant computational resources and specialized expertise, hindering their accessibility for many design and planning professionals. This complexity limits the ability to effectively assess and mitigate the impacts of urban heat island effects and climate change on outdoor spaces.
Solution
Virtual Climate offers an online platform integrated with SketchUp that simplifies complex microclimate and outdoor thermal comfort simulations. The tool leverages cloud-based Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and radiation analysis to provide annual, hourly assessments of environmental conditions. This empowers users to evaluate the impact of design decisions on pedestrian comfort and climate resilience. By providing intuitive access to sophisticated simulation capabilities, Virtual Climate enables iterative design exploration and compliance with urban planning guidelines.
Target Audience
The primary users are architects, urban planners, and landscape designers, particularly small to medium-sized firms, who need to conduct detailed outdoor thermal comfort and microclimate analyses for urban design and planning projects.
Features
- SketchUp plugin for seamless integration into existing design workflows.
- Cloud-based CFD engine for annual hourly wind distribution analysis.
- Radiation analysis module incorporating hourly weather data, building massing, and ground surface properties.
- Calculation of key thermal comfort indices including UTCI, PET, and outSET.
- Support for current and future weather files to assess long-term climate adaptation.
- Automated compliance reporting for various urban planning guidelines (e.g., City of London, Green Mark).
- Visualization of annual hourly variations in ground temperature and mean radiant temperature.
- Identification of areas with potential for natural ventilation or excessive wind speeds.