LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

Landscape architects utilize Virtualwind to analyze and visualize:

•   Microclimate effects on vegetation and humans in the development of master plans or site plans for environmental restoration, town or urban planning, urban design, parks & recreation planning, and green infrastructure planning & provision.

•   Wind and environmental effects on plants and trees and other vegetation used in landscaping, green roofs, living roofs, etc.

•   Wind effects on the spraying of water and other airborne particulates, including herbicides and pesticides.

•   Micro-climate environments, especially in suburban complexes to determine optimal locations for plants, or to analyze requirements for wind-blocks to protect vegetation. 

Virtualwind enables landscape architects to:

•   Easily, quickly and inexpensively undertake master planning to establish a clear framework for the later detailed design of the development area or overall site. Virtualwind enables landscape architects to create models of their new landscaping and incorporate those models into larger models of complex urban or rural environments with existing geometries of buildings and geographical features.

•   Determine the potential microclimate effects on the organization of land use zoning, access, circulation, privacy, security, shelter, and other factors. This is done by arranging the compositional elements of landform, planting, buildings and wind protection in site plans.

•   Conduct their own internal low-cost analyses of localized (micro-climate) wind speed on several early stage design concepts in order to predict impacts, comfort and risk as they relate to vegetation and humans.

•   Rectify unacceptable wind patterns early in the design phase before incurring expensive and time-consuming later stage design changes.

•   Engage customers earlier, and more often, in the design process. Since simulation models can be created quickly and inexpensively, this enables a seamless continuity of opportunities to engage with customers from conceptual design through final plans. Each of these engagement events represents opportunities for incremental revenue.

•   Win more competitions and business by compellingly and visually demonstrating to the client that their design incorporates best practices related to wind comfort, safety and risk.

•   Increase their competitive advantage and status by incorporating advanced technology to show their clients that they are versatile and able to consider the microclimate aspects of the design, and to support their sustainable design and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) initiatives. For additional details about sustainability, click here.

•   Accelerate the planning approval process by clearly demonstrating to regulators and city planners how their design incorporates human wind comfort, protection of vegetation and other environmental design considerations.