How to Design: Emerging Methods and Tools

Kapitel i bok, 2026

The design of building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems in an urban setting is particularly challenging due to factors such as partial shading, dynamic energy demand, the need for seamless systems integration, and architectural considerations. Traditional tools and existing methods often cannot handle the complexity arising in dense urban environments, lack integration with complex system dynamics, and are insufficiently user-friendly to support design and decision-making. Therefore, this chapter introduces emerging methods and tools that leverage advances in artificial intelligence (AI), computational modelling, and high-resolution simulations to improve decision-making at various stages in the design process. Several methods and tools have been developed in the Powering the City module and integrated in a toolchain to design with BIPVs. These include AI-driven tools such as Segment4Solar and SolarGAN for computer-vision-based rapid facade assessments, browser implementations such as ACACIA for high-resolution lifecycle impact assessment, and comprehensive engineering tools such as CACTUS for optimizing BIPV layouts under partial shading. At the systems level, tools are presented such as Bombyx and Hive for integrated lifecycle and building energy design, City Energy Analyst for energy systems interaction at urban scales, and methods for sector coupling and local energy trading. These emerging approaches maximize the unprecedented potential of BIPV planning in urban environments at various design stages.