DEV Community: Orbital Stack

Lawson Wind Comfort Criteria

Orbital Stack — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 14:41:52 +0000

Decoding the Lawson Pedestrian Wind Criteria
Developed by T.V. Lawson at Bristol University, UK, the Lawson Pedestrian Wind Criteria is a globally accepted standard for evaluating wind impacts on pedestrian safety and comfort. These criteria, rooted in extensive research, serve as the benchmark against which the wind microclimate around buildings is assessed.

The fundamental principle driving this assessment is the acknowledgment that wind conditions should align with the intended activities in a given area. This knowledge creates opportunities for urban designers to work with the environment to create spaces that can be enjoyed for longer periods of time.

Categorizing Wind Comfort

The Lawson Criteria seeks to classify different areas based on the activities pedestrians engage in and their expected tolerance to predicted wind conditions. It recognizes that pedestrians, depending on their activities, will feel comfortable being exposed to different wind strengths.

For instance, a runner might tolerate or even enjoy a moderate breeze to keep cool, while diners savoring a meal on a patio could find those same winds disruptive to their dining experience if their napkins must be held down but their glassware to remain on the table.

Why Use Lawson Wind Comfort Criteria?

Introducing 3D Wind Streamlines for AI

Orbital Stack — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 12:57:00 +0000

AI Streamlines deliver a brilliant, highly visual representation of how wind flows through 3D space. By clearly depicting the movement, relative speed, and unique patterns of wind flow around developments, AI Streamlines offer Orbital Stack software users even greater early design insights.

Previously, the ability to observe wind flow patterns in 3D space was only offered on traditional CFD simulations. Like Orbital Stack’s CFD data, the development of the AI feature builds on the extensive industry expertise of RWDI , based on their extensive historical project data originally tested in their world-renown wind tunnels. The data is used to create hyper-detailed volume meshes generated and refined in key areas of the development to bring you the wind data with the most value to early design.

AI Streamlines now provides users access to over 1 million points of wind data from a standard 8 wind directions in the higher-speed AI simulations. These simulations can be added to new projects along with other features, like daylighting, outdoor thermal comfort, and pedestrian level wind analysis, in minutes.

Introducing 3D Wind Streamlines for AI: Revolutionize Early Design with Orbital Stack

Why is understanding wind effects so important?

Orbital Stack — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 13:39:26 +0000

Wind effects — at least as they relate to pedestrian comfort and safety (as opposed to a building’s structural integrity) — typically receive little attention in architecture and design courses.

Nevertheless, understanding wind effects is becoming increasingly important, both for receiving design approvals and for improving the efficiency of the design process.

Wind is a major contributor to the microclimate created by large structures. When wind ‘searches’ for a path around obstacles, the complex flows that result impact both comfort and safety.

For these reasons, ever-more cities and municipalities require Pedestrian Wind Analysis Guide before they approve site plans and building designs.

But beyond fulfilling a requirement, pedestrian-level wind analysis also helps architects and designers make cost-effective and thoughtful building designs.

For example:

Understanding wind effects allows designers to plan spaces that are suitable for outdoor amenities and that incorporate natural ventilation (e.g., to benefit from a cooling breeze on a hot summer day);
Alternatively, the same analysis can identify comfort and safety problems early in the design process, preventing expensive building re-designs when problems are only uncovered later.

Read a Deep dive into wind effects in urban design