Architect Caoimhe Loftus and her team at Arcadis have developed a work process that integrates sustainable design from the start of the project by using Autodesk Forma’s environmental analyses. This early integration facilitates and streamlines the pursuit of sustainability goals, a step towards Arcadis’ goal of becoming a net-zero emissions company by 2035. This is just one of the ways user-friendly tools can help architects drive sustainable change from the earliest design stages.

A New Change
Traditionally, sustainable design and collaboration with sustainability teams have often come later in the design process. Loftus emphasises the importance of shifting this focus earlier in the project lifecycle to make sustainability work more effective and cost-efficient.

Bridging the Gap to Prioritize Sustainability
Arcadis projects, such as the urban retail and hospitality centre Merlata Bloom Milano, commit to achieving a high level of sustainability. François Appéré, Global Autodesk Platform Director at Arcadis, highlights the importance of digital tools in handling complex challenges and providing project teams with powerful analytical tools.

Simplifying Sustainable Design
Arcadis’s team has developed an early-phase workflow focused on operational energy. Autodesk Forma can be scaled up and used to enable architects to perform initial environmental analyses and design with sustainability in mind from day one.

Early Indications, Informed Decisions
With early insights from Forma, the team can explore and test more design proposals and suggest solutions faster. The analyses enable early and frequent design evaluation, helping the team achieve their sustainability goals.

With a focus on operational energy, Arcadis’ workflow gives architects a better starting point for designing with energy in mind. Autodesk Forma plays a key role in making sustainable design more accessible and manageable for architects.