What does building performance simulation achieve?

Building performance simulation is a critical tool used in architectural design and engineering. It involves the use of software and modeling techniques to simulate how a building will perform in different scenarios, such as varying weather conditions, occupancy patterns, and energy use throughout different times of the day and year. This approach allows designers, engineers, and stakeholders to evaluate various performance metrics, including energy consumption, thermal comfort, daylighting effectiveness, and ventilation effectiveness.

By accurately predicting a building's performance, designers can make informed decisions that enhance energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and overall sustainability, leading to buildings that perform better in real-world conditions. This predictive capability is essential for optimizing designs prior to construction and helps in making adjustments that might significantly impact long-term operating costs and environmental impact.

In the context of the other options, while aesthetic designs, structural integrity assessments, and construction process simplification are important aspects of building projects, they do not encompass the primary goal of performance simulation, which is centered on predicting and analyzing how a building will behave in real-life situations.