Elevate your design process using powerful simulation tools to create sustainable, energy-efficient buildings that perform as beautifully as they look.
Building performance simulation is no longer a late-stage compliance task — it is becoming a core design tool that shapes better architectural outcomes from the earliest concept stages. When used effectively, simulation allows architects to test ideas, compare design options, and understand how buildings will perform long before decisions are locked in.
This session offers a practical, practice-focused introduction to building performance simulation for architects. It explores how tools can support early-stage decision-making across energy use, daylighting, solar exposure, thermal comfort, overheating risk, and microclimate conditions, and how these insights can be embedded into everyday design workflows. The focus is on turning simulation outputs into clear, actionable design intelligence that improves collaboration, strengthens sustainability outcomes, and supports more confident client communication.
Key Topics Discussed:
Senior Architect, Researcher | Perkins&Will
Mohamed Imam is an architect and research-focused design professional specializing in building performance, regenerative urban systems, and computational design. He currently works with Perkins&Will and is also associated with AREA Research, contributing to forward-looking work in sustainable and resource-generative architecture. He holds a Master’s-level academic background from the University of Calgary, where his research focused on “Resource Generative Skyscrapers,” exploring how high-rise buildings can integrate renewable systems and optimize environmental performance through parametric and systems-based design approaches. Mohamed’s work centers on Building-Integrated Agriculture (BIA), resource circularity, and climate-responsive design. He has contributed to award-winning research, including the RAIC Research and Innovation in Architecture Award-winning work on regenerative ecosystems and urban food systems. His projects combine architectural design, environmental simulation, and systems thinking to reimagine how cities can function as productive, living infrastructures. He has published and presented internationally on topics such as climate-adaptive building systems, urban agriculture integration, and sustainable skyscraper design, positioning his work at the intersection of architecture, sustainability, and applied research.
