Building performance simulation in the built environment education: Experience from teaching two disciplines

Building performance simulations are increasingly being employed in built environment education to assist in the decision making process including design, operation and management. Selecting the ideal tool for building performance evaluation is challenging for environmental design. Because of the complex nature of sophisticated building simulation software, there are no guidelines on how to teach this most effectively and integrate with the curriculum. For effective learning, there should be a perfect balance between ease of use, interaction, steep learning curve, time constraint, compatibility with other drawing software, and flexibility in terms of on-campus and off-campus access. This paper reviews the building performance simulation tools used in built environment education and discusses the experience of teaching students from two different disciplines in the built environment. The study used student feedback and reflection from teaching staff to review the student experience, course development and delivery. The findings of this study will help in the development of curricula and resources for engaging students and improving their learning experience