Calc Overview

Calc is a tool for architects to rapidly assess the environmental impact of early design phases. Our open data approach leverages:

• Autodesk Revit for design authoring
• Directus for centralized database management
• Speckle for geometry snapshot handling and 3D dashboard visuals

👉 Watch our AU session on LCA workflow integration

This repository houses the core applications we've developed in-house to facilitate this workflow.

Key Features

• 👪 Role-based data management with Directus UI
• 🧱 Custom assemblies using material data and Revit model groups
• ⛑️ Efficient Revit project breakdown via query templates
• 💞 Seamless assembly-to-model assignment
• 🤩 Real-time Revit visualization for model branching and assembly validation
• 🚀 Automated calculations uploaded to Directus using Calc schema

Workflow Steps

1. Configure Data in Directus

Set up material library and query templates in the Directus database.

2. Design Assemblies with Calc Builder

Use Calc Builder to create and manage custom assemblies.

3. Apply and Calculate with Calc Project

Use Calc Project to assign assemblies to project elements and generate calculation snapshots.

Get Started

👉 Example Setup

Calc Schema

The Calc Schema is designed to capture calculation results as snapshots, facilitating data exchange within the Calc workflow.

Assembly Snapshot

Represents calculation results for a single predefined assembly:

{ 
  "query_name":null, 
  "assembly_code":"DECK_SYST_STBE_DE11.001",
  "assembly_group":"reasonable group",		
  "assembly_name":"pretty assembly",
  "assembly_unit":"m2",
  "element_types":
    [
      {
        "element_type_id":"789",
        "element_ids":null,
        "element_amount":null,
        "materials":
          [
            {
              "material_function": "Basement Retaining Walls",
              "material_source_uuid": "06.003",
              "material_source": "KBOB (2023) - German",
              "material_name":"cool material",
              "material_unit":"m3",
              "material_amount":0.5,
              "material_carbon_a1a3": 6044.5,
              "material_grey_energy_fabrication_total": 26611.5,
              "calculated_carbon_a1a3": 524.8,
              "calculated_grey_energy_fabrication_total": 2310.48
            }
          ]
      }
    ]
}

Project Snapshot

The Project Snapshot bundles multiple Assembly Snapshots with metadata:

{
  "project_number":"123",
  "project_name":"snazzy project",
  "query_template":"smart template",
  "location":"GER",
  "lca_method":"somehow",
  "area":432.1,
  "life_span":50,
  "stages":["A1A3"],
  "impact_categories":["GWP","GE"]
  "assemblies":
    [
      {
        "query_name":"big tree",
        "assembly_code": "DECK_SYST_STBE_DE11.001",
        "assembly_group":"reasonable group",		
        "assembly_name":"pretty assembly",					
        "assembly_unit": "m2",
        "element_types":
          [
            {
              "element_type_id":null,
              "element_ids":[1,2,3],
              "element_amount": 13.566,
              "materials":
                [
                  {
                    "material_function": "Basement Retaining Walls",
                    "material_source_uuid": "06.003",
                    "material_source": "KBOB (2023) - German",
                    "material_name":"cool material",
                    "material_unit":"m3",
                    "material_amount":0.5,
                    "material_carbon_a1a3": 6044.5,
                    "material_grey_energy_fabrication_total": 26611.5,
                    "calculated_carbon_a1a3": 524.8,
                    "calculated_grey_energy_fabrication_total": 2310.48
                  }
                ]
            }
          ]		  
      }
    ]
}

Notice:

• Assemblies are grouped together when they have identical values for all three fields: query_name, assembly_code, and assembly_group.
• Within each assembly group, element types are further grouped by element_type_id.
• Materials within each element type are grouped when they have matching values for all three fields: material_function, material_source_uuid, and material_source.