The Green Design Approach Digital Innovation Facility: BIM and New Industrial Processes

The chapter relates bioclimatic with the development of digital design in the field of Design Science, recalling some salient points of the origins and development of the concepts of bioclimatic from its origin in the search for alternative energy sources for space missions over the 1960’s. From the studies in this field have resulted in new calculation methods and energy and characteristics physical environment assessment. Energy research developed in parallel with distributed computational capabilities and the software that allowed them to automate not only the calculations but also parametric simulations. A chronological summary of this evolution is illustrated with references to the main modeling and energy simulation software. Some experimental projects developed over the last 20 years are presented, demonstrating the state of the art of Green Design with evidence relating to the actual performance in use conditions. In advanced areas such as the development of tertiary buildings and terminals, the three areas of sustainability are combined to obtain more sustainable projects not only on an environmental basis but also on economic and social ones. The phenomena are driven by market and management needs; it is evidenced by the increase in standards and life cycle certifications aimed not only at products but also at the overall management of the project and activities over the life cycle. With the evolution of CAD towards BIM platforms since the second half of the 1950s, the possibility of creating interoperable platforms useful for various purposes has opened up: in a first phase, it was possible to import data processed by specialized software and subsequently to integrate them into the field of modeling. With the perspectives opened by platforms on the web, a new way of designing and producing is started, fully compatible with the digital environment. Introducing these types of innovation that enable the full digitalization of processes appears to be the most plausible operating scenario for Green Design as it allows the connection and implementation of lean and efficient management of the project-production chain in all phases of the cycle of life and in perspective to create new project areas aimed at the digital construction of buildings directly from the digital model (Digital Twin).