Within the next couple of years, we’re going to see an amazing increase in knowledge.

This would revolutionise the speed with which up front design could be achieved, overcoming the challenge to investors presented by the need for more upfront design..Primary School Configurator.

, developed by Bryden Wood, with Innovate UK funding is an open source, user-friendly web-based app, which configures a primary school building on a specific site in line with DfE requirements.This reduces a process that normally takes weeks, to a matter of minutes.A similar configurator, called.

, has been created by Bryden Wood and Cast with the Mayor of London for housing and we see examples from outside the industry such as the Ikea 3D Kitchen Planner..These digital tools vastly increase both the speed with which designers progress from data to the digital model and the number of options and permutations that can be considered when it comes to reconciling specific requirements and performance criteria.

A school, for example, can be configured in just 15 minutes.. Key insight.

We will need more.Using fewer materials overall means less embodied carbon in the extraction of raw materials and their fabrication into building products.

There is also a direct correlation with producing less waste both in the fabrication process and on site, meaning that low carbon design also saves precious materials.With the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM), we can know the exact quantities of materials required, which limits over-ordering to site, and aids sustainable construction.

Using a DfMA strategy allows for deployment of resources and materials to be carefully pre-planned, making it even easier to monitor and limit over-spend..When you need fewer materials, there is less to be transported to site, meaning fewer transport movements, lower emissions and a reduction in local air pollution.