Arcbazar, the first global crowdsourcing platform for architectural design, has announced the launch of the Sustainability Score, which will be officially released in Q1 2017. Dr. Imdat As, CEO and Founder of Arcbazar, presented new and upcoming digital features for sourcing architectural design, at the 10th Annual Forum8 Design Festival, which took place in Tokyo between November 16 – 18. These features were showcased in particular with the Obama Presidential Center – a project completed with competition partners, Builtworlds, Forum8, Autodesk, Green Apple Campus, AIA Chicago, and Dwell on Design, on Arcbazar’s crowdsourcing platform between February and June 2016.
It acted as a vivid laboratory for many novel features, such as a new voting system to evaluate design projects based on idea, aesthetics, function, buildability and graphics, and the integration of Forum8’s Project VR technologies for virtual reality and design generation purposes. The presentation was followed by a question and answer session. During the presentation As introduced the new sustainability score feature. In collaboration with Forum8, a leading developer of state-of-the art Interactive 3D Virtual Reality simulation software, Arcbazar clients – home owners, businesses and public sector – will be able to assess the environmental impact of their architectural projects.
The Sustainability Score is made possible through the integration of Forum8 ProjectVR technology in the competition process. ProjectVR allows clients to utilize virtual reality in mapping out their projects, while further improving the quality of cooperation between a client and a designer through data visualization. The Sustainability Score is an optional feature that will allow designers while submitting their entries to perform environmental self-checks and produce a quick evaluation of their projects in regards to sustainability. Such self-assessment will not only reduce the environmental footprint of an architectural project, but, thanks to Arcbazar’s option of sourcing public votes, will ensure that the execution of the project falls in line with community’s standards. For example, using the VR simulation, a home owner or a business can access their project against such factors as landscape changes, sun exposure or airflow, among others.
Through the integrated software, Arcbazar will integrate the work of Mr. Hiroo Kasagi, CEO of NPO Workshop for Sustainable Community, and offer all its designers quick assessment tools, such as:
- Solar Panel Reflection Checks, by inputting data such as longitude, latitude, and panel angles;
- Green Coverage Rate Calculation, which gives feedback on the coverage rate of visible green areas within the visual range; and
- Environmental Diagnosis Result Mapping Support, a feature that allows for site photos to be integrated in various maps for better understanding.
Kasagi is a prominent advocate of “realization of a sustainable society,” having worked on community improvement for the last two decades.
“This is a big step in empowering home owners and businesses to make conscious decisions about sustainability and the environmental impact of their construction projects,” comments As. “Being aware of the environmental challenges we currently face is no longer enough. In order to mitigate our impact on the environment and foster a culture of sustainability, we need to make sure that people have easily accessible tools to make data-based decisions and assess their projects.”
About Arcbazar
Founded in 2010, Arcbazar is a first-of-its-kind crowdsourcing platform for architectural design. It offers an easy and fast connection interface between clients and architectural designers through a competition. At Arcbazar, anyone can initiate a design competition – remodeling jobs, additions, retail, office spaces, landscape, or any other architectural project. With over 5,000 registered projects and a community of over 15,000 designers from across the globe, Arcbazar makes architectural design affordable, accessible, and fun.
About Forum8
Forum8, the Japanese 3D software specialist, produces, develops and supplies state-of-the-art interactive 3D VR simulation, modeling and engineering software. Founded in 1987, Forum8 provides 3D capabilities to specialists from a variety of professions, including: Transportation, Urban & Traffic Planning, Tunnel & Highway Operational Management & Training; Engineering, Stakeholder Consultation & Planning, Emergency Training & Evacuation Simulation; Pedestrian Simulation; Architecture, Driving Simulation; Road Safety Training & Research, and many more.