Advanced and Robust Analysis of Wind Effects
As cities grow denser and buildings rise taller, environmental performance studies have become a critical part of the planning process. These studies ensure new developments integrate appropriately with their surroundings while maintaining adequate daylight, sunlight, and pedestrian comfort.
For a wind engineer, these technical assessments help translate architectural ideas into buildings that perform effectively in the real world. Through modelling and analysis, engineers can understand how a proposed development will interact with its environment long before construction begins.
At Windtech, these environmental assessments are carried out alongside wind tunnel testing to support planning applications. Together, they offer valuable insight into a building’s impact on surrounding properties, public spaces, and the site’s microclimate.
Planning authorities increasingly require developments to demonstrate that they will not adversely affect neighbouring buildings or public spaces. These assessments are central to this evaluation.
These wind studies typically address questions such as:
Addressing these issues early allows project teams to refine building form and orientation before final planning submissions, often avoiding costly redesigns later.
For wind engineers, this stage provides an opportunity to identify potential wind-related issues early, ensuring pedestrian comfort and safety are incorporated as the design evolves.
Environmental assessments use established metrics to quantify the availability of daylight and sunlight within buildings and surrounding areas.
VSC measures the proportion of visible sky from the centre of a window, expressed as a percentage. It compares actual daylight received to the amount available with an unobstructed sky.
APSH measures the annual direct sunlight reaching a window over the course of a year, accounting for surrounding buildings. It helps determine if residential spaces receive sufficient sunlight.
The NSL test identifies areas of a room where the sky is not visible due to external obstructions, helping determine how far daylight penetrates into interior spaces.
Sun Hours on Ground measures direct sunlight reaching outdoor areas such as courtyards, streets, or plazas. These studies are often conducted for specific reference days, such as the spring equinox.
Together, these measurements give planners and designers a clear understanding of how a proposed development may affect indoor environments and surrounding public spaces.
Environmental studies can be undertaken at multiple stages of the design and planning process.
In early design phases, preliminary modelling helps architects refine building massing and orientation, ensuring proposals align with planning expectations before formal submission.
For outline planning applications, where internal layouts are not yet defined, environmental analysis typically focuses on the building envelope and its potential impact on neighbouring properties.
At the detailed planning stage, comprehensive modelling is conducted in accordance with standards such as BS EN 17037 – Daylight in Buildings. Climate-based daylight modelling evaluates interior daylight performance and confirms compliance with guidelines.
Visual outputs are typically produced alongside technical results to help planners and design teams understand the implications of the modelling.
Environmental analysis supported the planning submission for the proposed redevelopment of Cambridge Business Park.
The masterplan aims to transform the business park into a mixed-use district with residential homes, laboratories, office space, retail, and community facilities. The scheme includes approximately 210 residential units, co-living accommodation, and supporting amenities.
Windtech conducted an environmental study for the outline planning application. As internal layouts were not finalised, the assessment focused on external metrics such as VSC, APSH, and site-wide sunlight availability.
Three development scenarios were analysed to provide flexibility in the planning process. This enabled planners and designers to understand how different configurations could affect daylight and sunlight in the surrounding area.
The results were included in the Environmental Statement supporting the planning application.
Windtech also carried out environmental modelling for the Waverley House redevelopment in Bournemouth.
The proposal replaces a seven-storey office building with a 27-storey mixed-use development, including purpose-built student accommodation, commercial space, and shared amenities such as study areas, lounges, a gym, and a public café.
To support the planning application, Windtech carried out a detailed daylight and sunlight study using detailed 3D modelling tools. The analysis assessed potential impacts on surrounding buildings and public spaces while also evaluating the daylight performance within the proposed development itself.
The study provided clear technical evidence for the planning submission, and the project has since received planning approval.
While daylight and sunlight studies address solar access, building height and massing also affect local wind conditions. Wind engineering is, therefore, an important complementary discipline within environmental design.
Design changes made to improve daylight performance can also affect wind behaviour around a building. Therefore, environmental and wind studies are often considered together to ensure outdoor spaces remain comfortable and usable.
By working closely with architects and planners, wind engineering consultants help ensure developments achieve a balance between strong environmental performance and comfortable public spaces.
Environmental studies are now a fundamental aspect of responsible urban development. Understanding how buildings interact with sunlight, daylight, and wind enables project teams to design more comfortable, well-integrated spaces.
At Windtech, these studies are part of a broader approach to environmental performance. Combining wind engineering with environmental modelling enables holistic assessment, supporting planning approvals and creating better outcomes for the cities where we build.
If you are working on any projects that could benefit from the capabilities presented in this article, please contact our regional office via our Contact Us page.
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It has now been eight years since Windtech first commenced wind tunnel testing and wind engineering consulting services for the New Sydney Fish Market. Returning to the completed project was a special moment for Tony, Simon, Elias and Matt, key members of our team who were closely involved in the project from its earliest design phases.
Walking through the waterfront promenades and pausing along the broad public steps, it was immensely rewarding to experience firsthand the grandness of this significant, wind sensitive roof structure and tall glazed façade which were the subject of very detailed wind tunnel studies, including assessment of loads during the construction phases. We were also delighted to wander through the carefully curated wind conditions in the various outdoor areas across the site. The outdoor areas, including the generous seating terraces and seating over the steps overlooking Blackwattle Bay, demonstrate how thoughtful wind engineering and rigorous wind tunnel testing can directly shape public comfort.
With the new market now open for three months and projected to attract 10 million visitors annually, the precinct is already alive with energy. The movement of people through the main steps, waterfront dining areas, and open circulation zones highlights the importance of performance-based wind engineering in creating spaces that are both vibrant and comfortable throughout the year.
From the earliest concept stages, the New Sydney Fish Market required detailed wind engineering analysis for the wind loading on the cladding and structure as well as to ensure that the ambitious architectural vision could be realised without compromising the pedestrian comfort, operational performance and transparency both inward and outward.
Through advanced wind tunnel testing in our boundary-layer wind tunnel facility, Windtech assessed:
The modelling and iterative refinement process allowed the design team to fine-tune each of the elements of the built form, the balustrades, wind screens and landscaping to achieve suitable comfort criteria while maintaining the openness and transparency that define the project.
Seeing the completed development in operation, with bustling public spaces and comfortable outdoor seating areas, is a testament to the value of early, integrated wind tunnel testing for a wind exposed major waterfront projects such as this.
The ambience of the new market is striking, with such a grand high clearance space inside, with the roof continuing in the form of a very large elevated cantilevered structure supported by deep laminated timber beams. The transparency of its operations, the visual connection to the harbour and the seamless flow between indoor and outdoor areas create an experience that feels both contemporary and distinctly Sydney.
Our recent site visit was made possible thanks to Infrastructure NSW, whose team generously showed us through the precinct and provided insight into the project’s delivery and ongoing operation. It was fascinating to observe how the architectural intent and engineering performance have come together in the built outcome.
Delivering a project of this scale required collaboration across a highly experienced consultant and construction team:
Architects: Bligh Voller Neild and 3XN/GXN
Landscape Architect: Aspect Studios
Construction: Multiplex
Engineering & Advisory: Mott MacDonald
Structural Engineering: WSP, Northrop and TTW
Project Management & Advisory: Infrastructure NSW
Independent Certifier: WT Partnership
Windtech is proud to have contributed specialist wind engineering and wind tunnel testing expertise to this landmark development. The New Sydney Fish Market demonstrates how integrated environmental analysis can enhance design quality, protect user comfort and support the long-term success of major public infrastructure.
Eight years on, it is deeply satisfying to see the precinct thriving and to feel, quite literally, the carefully engineered wind environment at work.
Figure 1. Aerial Image of Lake Shore Boulevard West Development
Occupying the 28-acre former Mr. Christie factory site, the development by First Capital REIT and Pemberton Group will transform the western lakeshore into a mixed-use, transit-oriented precinct anchored by a new integrated GO Station and TTC Hub. The plan includes multiple residential and commercial towers—several exceeding 200 m in height—together with retail, offices, and extensive public realm improvements that reconnect the city with the waterfront.
Windtech’s wind engineers delivered comprehensive wind tunnel testing, wind-induced structural load and motion testing, and façade cladding pressure studies for the first 3 towers, all conducted in its Sydney-based boundary-layer wind tunnel, utilising the firm’s advanced multi-sector analysis method to post-process the results. Windtech also conducted thermal stack-effect assessments for the towers. The studies were instrumental in shaping an aerodynamically efficient design that met stringent comfort and serviceability criteria while minimising material use, cost, and embodied carbon.
Precision Engineering and Performance-Based Design
The studies covered Towers C1 (154 m), D1.1 (223 m), and D2.1 (212 m), all slender residential structures rising from shared podiums.
Windtech’s multi-sector analysis of climate directionality proved pivotal in demonstrating that these slender towers can meet the limits on tip deflections and occupant comfort. By integrating aerodynamic responses across the various wind sectors, our wind engineers avoided the built-in conservatism inherent in sector-by-sector analysis.
This precision offered more than data accuracy; it was a form of risk mitigation. For towers operating near their motion limits, the ability to identify the exact wind sectors driving those peak responses allowed the structural engineer to fine-tune the structure without resorting to conservative redesign. In practical terms, the analysis avoided the need for costly supplemental dampers or structural thickening that often follows when less-sophisticated directional methods are used.
The outcome was a set of refined equivalent static load cases that faithfully represented the true aerodynamic behaviour of each tower, supporting both design confidence and material efficiency, a rare combination in high-rise performance engineering.
Cost and Embodied-Carbon Efficiencies
The design optimisations derived from Windtech’s wind tunnel testing resulted in substantial material savings. By proving that the towers could perform safely within serviceability and comfort criteria with no significant modification to the proposed structural system, the engineers eliminated the need for additional stiffening of the cores or the introduction of heavy outriggers, leading to:
These efficiencies demonstrate how performance-based wind design/testing can drive both economic and environmental outcomes—a key advantage in the development of this scale.
Façade and Environmental Studies
A wind tunnel study of the façade pressures used more than 1,000 sensors to map localised load effects across façades, balconies, soffits, and podium elements. Contours of maximum and minimum net pressures are presented in the report in a format that facilitates the design of the cladding and glazing systems.
Figure 2. Close up photo of the instrumented models in Windtech’s boundary layer wind tunnel facility
Meanwhile, stack-effect modelling identified wintertime pressure differentials at elevator lobbies and podium entries. Mitigations such as added vestibules and segmented lift lobbies were incorporated, ensuring occupant comfort and efficient HVAC operation year-round
A Holistic, Low-Impact Outcome
By integrating aerodynamic optimisation, façade pressure mapping, and environmental airflow analysis, Windtech’s wind engineers enabled the project team to achieve high-rise resilience with minimal material intensity. The studies ensured:
The 2150 Lake Shore Boulevard West development now stands as an exemplar of how advanced wind engineering can align sustainability, performance, and design economy, proof that smart data beats brute strength.
If you are working on any projects that could benefit from the capabilities presented in this article, please reach out to our regional office via our Contact Us page.
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We would like to extend our congratulations to Besley & Spresser on receiving the National Commercial Medal at the Concrete Institute of Australia 2025 Excellence in Concrete Awards for the Pier Pavilion at Barangaroo. Windtech is delighted to have collaborated with B&S, delivering tailored wind tunnel studies for this unique harbourside hub. The Pavilion is a striking architectural landmark designed to inspire both connection and creativity.
As part of our involvement in the Pier Pavilion at Barangaroo, Windtech conducted a Pedestrian Wind Environment Wind Tunnel Study to assess wind conditions at key outdoor areas within and around the development. Testing was carried out at Windtech’s boundary layer wind tunnel facility using a 1:400 scale model of the Pavilion. The wind tunnel study confirmed that wind conditions across the critical outdoor locations would be suitable for their intended use, with no adverse impacts identified.
In addition, Windtech provided valuable inputs for the determination of wind loading for the structural design of the Pavilion
Ready to tackle your next complex wind engineering challenge? Discover how Windtech’s innovative wind tunnel studies can transform your project’s performance and efficiency. Please contact our regional offices through our Contact Us page.
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Figure 1: Perspective Image of Terminal F at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport
When Dallas Fort Worth International Airport set out to build Terminal F, it wasn’t just adding another gate; it was engineering a solution to handle 100 million passengers annually by 2030. However, with a massive long-span roof and a complex skylink system, traditional wind load calculations wouldn’t suffice.
That’s where Windtech Consultants stepped in, working alongside PGAL Architects, Innovation Next+, and Turner to solve what would become one of the most sophisticated wind engineering challenges in modern airport design, using state-of-the-art wind tunnel testing.
Terminal F presented a unique engineering puzzle. The expansive terminal structure and elevated skylink system created complex wind interaction patterns that standard approaches couldn’t adequately predict. The long-span upper roof, positioned at the terminal’s heart, demanded a level of precision essential for the project’s structural efficiency.
Traditional analysis methods would have resulted in overly conservative designs, which would have driven up costs and potentially compromised the architectural vision. The team needed something better.
Windtech adopted the multi-sector analysis technique, which is the most rigorous method of combining the wind tunnel testing pressure coefficient data with the local wind climate model. In addition, the area-averaging method was used to accurately determine the loading on the main structural members, an industry-recognised approach for translating detailed wind tunnel testing data into actionable design loads. Rather than focusing on isolated peak pressures at individual points, the area-averaging method considers the combined effect of pressures distributed across larger panels of the structure as indicated in Figure 2. This provides a more realistic representation of how these large structural members experience wind actions.
By carefully defining representative panel sizes and shapes across the terminal envelope, our team delivered wind-induced load cases that accurately reflect the building’s true behaviour under extreme winds from different directions. The outcome: reliable, rationalised pressure distributions that give the structural engineer confidence, avoid overly conservative assumptions, and contribute to a more efficient, cost-effective design.
Figure 2. Panel Layout for Roof of Sector 604 of Terminal F at DFW
The scope extended far beyond structural loads. Windtech conducted exhaustive facade cladding pressure studies across every surface of both the terminal and skylink system, ensuring no detail was overlooked. A comprehensive wind tunnel testing process and wind microclimate assessment evaluated how the new terminal would affect ground-level conditions, protecting passenger comfort and operational efficiency.
Figure 3. Wind Tunnel Testing Model Terminal F at DFW
Aviation projects face a unique challenge that most buildings don’t: Federal Aviation Administration oversight of solar reflectivity. Terminal F’s modern facade and rooftop photovoltaic arrays required careful analysis to prevent solar glint and glare from affecting pilots during critical approach and departure phases.
Windtech’s Solar Light Reflectivity Analysis identified potential problem areas and guided design modifications, ensuring full FAA compliance while maintaining the terminal’s striking architectural aesthetic.
Terminal F now stands as a testament to what’s possible when advanced engineering meets ambitious architecture. The project demonstrates how thoughtful wind tunnel testing and wind engineering can unlock architectural possibilities while delivering measurable value through improved structural efficiency. For an industry where safety, performance, and cost-effectiveness are non-negotiable, Terminal F represents the future of intelligent design.
Ready to tackle your next complex wind engineering challenge? Discover how Windtech’s innovative wind tunnel testing approaches can transform your project’s performance and efficiency. Please contact our regional offices through our Contact Us page.
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