Wind interacts with buildings and structures in complex and often surprising ways. A building’s geometry, the surrounding terrain, nearby buildings and structures, and seasonal wind conditions all influence the way wind interacts with a building. Wind considerations are especially important for cladding and structural design.
Services for Commercial & Residential Buildings
Zoning, Concept Development & Schematic Design
During the concept, schematic design, and zoning stages of a project, buildings like high-rises and apartment complexes need informed consultation around the programming of outdoor spaces, entry and transition areas and the impacts of any unique architectural features. These types of buildings can benefit from pre-planning for wind impacts because wind can determine the success of the programs. A wind consultant can help by pointing out potential risks with exhaust and intake locations, wind loading, uncomfortable outdoor spaces, unsafe pedestrian thoroughfares, door operability, falling snow and ice, or drifting of snow due to wind.
Design Development
During the design and development stages is when a wind consultant can provide the most value to a project. At this stage, particularly large or unique projects are developed enough that utilizing a wind tunnel study can inform many aspects of a building’s design. Tall or super tall towers, large laboratories, schools, hospitals, or data centers can all benefit from designing with the wind in mind. At the scale of these projects, understanding the wind’s impacts precisely can minimize risk while saving significant costs. A few tests utilizing a wind tunnel can find a whole host of information to quantify the impacts on a building.
Construction & Renovation
Even after construction and renovation begins, buildings made for living and working can benefit from considering wind forces. If outdoor spaces are found to be windy, a wind consultant can determine the cause and help inform acceptable, tasteful mitigation options. If doors are not functioning properly during inclement weather, a wind consultant can inform strategies to improve operability. If occupants feel movement at the upper levels of a tower, we can monitor the building to quantify the behavior and offer solutions. On site anemometers can optimize exhaust fan settings, depending on the real-time wind behavior.
