ZHAW publishes digital tool for building constructions

(CONNECT) The ZHAW has put its dkon.ch platform online. This enables students, specialists and interested parties to analyze, compare and develop building constructions themselves. According to a statement from the university, this digital tool provides them with information on the impact of individual design decisions on the environment, costs and construction methods. Users can disassemble, rotate and reassemble components in virtual space.

This reveals the materials that make up a construction and how they interact. By linking to ecological assessment data, variants can be compared with each other in a targeted manner. According to the ZHAW, this opens up new possibilities in planning: "If you want to reduce the use of concrete or test alternative materials, for example, you can directly compare different solutions. Changes in the construction become immediately visible and their effects understandable."

According to the information provided, a special feature of this platform is the integration of real reference buildings. Their designs, materials and construction processes can be analyzed in detail. "dkon.ch creates a direct link between teaching and application," says Andri Gerber, Project Manager and Co-Head of the ZHAW Institute of Constructive Design. "Knowledge is not imparted in isolation, but is made tangible in the context of real and concrete construction projects."

The platform is also helpful for specialists who have to integrate complex requirements and develop sustainable solutions, Gerber continues. That is why dkon.ch is "a tool that can be used both in training and in professional practice". ce/mm