Visualizing Sustainability in Architectural Design: A Taxonomy of Environmental Performance Representation Strategies

Abstract

This study examines how environmental performance indicators—such as embodied carbon, lifecycle metrics, and material strategies—are visually communicated in architectural design. It addresses the underexplored relationship between sustainability metrics and graphical representation, with implications for how designers, stakeholders, and the public engage with environmental reasoning in built environments. Drawing on a dual-stream methodology, the research analyzes two datasets: 37 European dissemination projects aligned with LEVEL(s) principles, and 5 Spanish professional projects certified under BREEAM and LEVEL(s), accessed through collaboration with a sustainability-focused architecture firm. Through inductive coding of visual outputs, including technical drawings, lifecycle diagrams, and narrative visuals, the study identifies ten representational strategies, organized into three overarching categories: Compliance-Driven, Direct Performance Visualization, and Narrative Visualization. While dissemination projects employ visually rich storytelling, certified practice often lacks graphic integration of environmental data. In both contexts, sustainability indicators remain largely absent from early-stage design communication. The study proposes a taxonomy for operationalizing sustainability visually in architectural workflows and calls for more integrated protocols—particularly through BIM—to improve transparency, early decision-making, and civic understanding of environmental performance. These findings contribute to ongoing discussions on how design representation supports resilient and informed architectural practices.