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Building Performance with Ladybug Tools

Updated: Sep 10

Building Performance with Ladybug Tools: Integrating Environmental Analysis into Architectural Design


Why This Seminar?

As architects, our responsibilities extend beyond crafting appealing forms. We must also design buildings that are comfortable, sustainable, and energy-efficient. Building performance is the intersection of design and data.

In this seminar, we are going to talk about Ladybug Tools within Rhino + Grasshopper, a collection of free and open-source plugins that enable us to analyze sun paths, radiation, daylight, and energy consumption as part of our design process.

Key Takeaways from the Seminar

  • Understanding Building Performance and its significance in today's climate-sensitive environment.

  • An overview of Ladybug Tools and their functionalities.

  • Practical demonstration of sun path, radiation analysis, and daylight studies.

  • How students can leverage these tools to enhance their thesis projects and portfolios.


How to Get Started with Ladybug Tools

To participate in the seminar and begin experimenting independently, you'll need to set up few tools.

Core Software

  • Rhinoceros 8 (or 7) → Download Rhino 90 Day Version (link)

  • Grasshopper → pre-installed in Rhino.

Plugins

  • Ladybug Tools → Download from Food4Rhino (link)

  • Radiance → (link)

  • LunchBox → Package Manager (video tutorial)

  • Human→ Package Manager (video tutorial)

(Optional but not necessary for this seminar)

  • Honeybee (energy & daylight)

  • Butterfly (CFD airflow)

  • Dragonfly (urban scale analysis)

Climate Data (EPW files)

  • Download EPW weather files for your Delhi → EnergyPlus Weather Data

Video Tutorial

Watch this brief tutorial on installing Rhino, Grasshopper, and Ladybug Tools step by step:


Resources for Further Learning

  • Ladybug Tools Official Forum

  • Ladybug Tools on Food4Rhino

  • YouTube: Search “Ladybug Tools tutorials” for practical examples.

Final Note

This seminar is just the beginning. I encourage you all to experiment with Ladybug in your design projects. Even small steps, like conducting a sun path or daylight study can make your thesis stand out and prepare you for professional practice.

I look forward to seeing how you incorporate building performance, sustainability, and circularity into your future work.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn or drop me a message.

 
 
 

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