Digital platform simplifies analysis and development of building constructions
Researchers at Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) have developed a digital tool for sustainable construction. On the dkon platform, users can check the impact of individual construction decisions on the environment, costs and construction methods.
The ZHAW has put its dkon.ch platform online. Students, specialists and interested parties can use it to analyse, compare and develop building designs themselves. According to a statement from the university, this digital tool provides them with information on the impact of individual design decisions on the environment, costs and construction methods. Users can disassemble, rotate and reassemble components in virtual space.
This makes it possible to visualise which materials a construction is made of and how they interact. By linking this with ecological assessment data, variants can be specifically compared with each other. According to the ZHAW, this opens up new possibilities in planning: “If you want to reduce the use of concrete or test alternative materials, for example, you can directly compare different solutions. Changes in the construction become immediately visible and their effects can be understood.”
According to the information provided, a special feature of this platform is the integration of real reference buildings. Their designs, materials and construction processes can be analysed in detail. “dkon.ch creates a direct link between teaching and application,” says Andri Gerber, Project Manager and Co-Head of the ZHAW Institute of Structural Design. “Knowledge is not taught in isolation, but can be experienced in the context of real and concrete construction projects.”
The platform is also helpful for specialists who have to integrate complex requirements and develop sustainable solutions, Gerber continues. That is why dkon.ch is “a tool that can be used both in training and in professional practice”.