EDI - Early Design Integrator is a free web-based configurator that supports early-stage architectural design. It uses visual decision pathways to help users explore design goals and evaluate how key parameters influence a building’s energy performance.
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online tool
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EDI – Early Design Integrator is a web-based tool that supports informed decision-making during the early stages of architectural design, when key choices have a significant impact on a building’s energy performance. Developed for architects, students, and educators, the tool functions as an early design stage configurator that allows users to quickly explore how different design parameters influence energy-related outcomes.
Through intuitive visual decision pathways, EDI guides users in navigating central design goals and understanding the trade-offs between different architectural strategies. By adjusting parameters such as building form and envelope characteristics, users can immediately see how their decisions affect performance. This fosters a deeper understanding of the relationships between design choices and energy implications without requiring advanced simulation knowledge.
The tool was developed by the Institute for Building Technology and Process (IBP) at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) with support from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE). EDI is part of the Integrated Design Atlas (IDA). By providing a hands-on and easily accessible learning environment, EDI strengthens integrated and climate-conscious design thinking from the earliest project phases.
