HIVE Parametric Tool A simplified energy simulation tool for educating architecture students

Abstract

This paper presents HIVE, a new open source design toolbox, which focuses on teaching concepts of Energy and Climate Systems integration in buildings. .The aim is to empower architecture students to integrate aspects of energy efficiency during the architectural design process. The tool employs a simplified input format designed for ease of use and provides almost instantaneous, direct feedback to support students of all experience levels in the early, conceptual building design stages, where numerous iterations need to be conducted efficiently within a short period of time.The project aims to create a robust toolbox that will become an innovative reference in architecture and engineering-lectures, design studios, and project-based learning-through its capacity to quickly, and effectively, translate building energy systems concepts into graphic formats central to building design teaching and practice. The fast feedback that the users receive to their design parameters changes will enable an effective and quick build-up of tacit knowledge about building energy systems, complementary to the explicit, theoretical knowledge that is usually taught in courses, thus creating a more complete learning experience.