In supporting the design process from conception to construction, CAR has contributed technical chapters of Environmental Impact Statements for large urban developments.

The same tools that support the good design of daylight and sunlight penetration of developments enable the preparation of the technical statements for planning submissions.

Ensuring that major developments will not lead to windswept plazas and draughty urban canyons requires an understanding of both the process that causes turbulence and gusts around buildings and the effects of wind on pedestrians.

Experience might help predict whether an east wind will flow over a development or whistle through the spaces between the buildings. However, only proper modelling can provide an informed answer.

To provide support for Environmental Impact Statements for urban redevelopment projects, CAR uses computer modelling. ‘Computational Fluid Dynamics’ divides the space under investigation into a large number of small computational cells and solves the equations for energy and momentum for the air movement in each cell. CFD simulation has been verified as a realistic model of real air flows. CAR has access to wind tunnels for larger projects.

Statistical models for the annual distribution of wind speed and direction enable us to predict the number of times the wind in specific locations will exceed speeds that are acceptable for activity.

Clients have included housing associations and developers, working with architects and planning consultants: Accord Architecture, Dyer Associates, Jestico & Whiles, Levitt Bernstein Associates, MacCormac Jamieson Prichard, Nathaniel Litchfield & Partners, Stock Woolstencroft and Waugh Thistleton Architects

Developers include: Capital Estates, East Thames Housing Group, H2Urban, Telford Homes, Tescos and Toynbee Housing Association.

Model of tower, flats and retail development for Bur Juman, Dubai, Kohn Pederson Fox Architects. Analysis of sun path and shading devices improves occupant comfort and enables savings on air conditioning.

Sun path analysis of Bur Juman, Dubai, 25 degrees north