Analytic target cascading in simulation-based building design

This article presents a rigorous simulation-based optimization framework that enables concurrent and consistent decision-making in building design. Analytical Target Cascading (ATC), a multi-level engineering design optimization framework, is extended to thermal and HVAC design in buildings. The framework facilitates computational decision support for meeting building performance goals, allows autonomy of specialized design tasks with timely and efficient use of analysis tools, and preserves dependencies between possibly competing building performance goals. A pilot application demonstrates how ATC functions in the context of building design. Relevance and benefits of this hierarchical optimization approach to multi-criteria building performance problems are also discussed.