Abstract European building legislation increasingly emphasises improved indoor comfort, higher energy efficiency, and systematic reduction of CO₂ emissions across the building life cycle. In response, environmental simulations are becoming integral to architectural design workflows, particularly within the Building Information Modelling (BIM) environments. However, simulation processes in parametric platforms such as Rhinoceros 3D and Grasshopper typically remain dependent on active script files, limiting interoperability, scalability, and accessibility for non-expert users. This study proposes and experimentally validates a workflow that transforms Ladybug Tools-based Grasshopper environmental simulations into BIM-compatible parametric objects using VisualARQ GH-Styles. Instead of managing simulations as external or file-based scripts, the approach encapsulates simulation logic within reusable object-based elements embedded directly in the modelling environment. The restructuring of a Ladybug Incident Radiation script into a VA GH-Styles definition is documented and compared with the standard Grasshopper workflow. Quantitative evaluation across multiple simulation sensor grid sizes shows convergence of both approaches at high resolution, with deviation below one per cent, while the object-based workflow exhibits reduced sensitivity to grid variation. In addition, the proposed method removes dependence on an active Grasshopper window and simplifies variant management within the modelling environment. While the study is limited to a single case and specific software ecosystem, it demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed workflow for early-stage environmental analysis. The novelty of the study lies in demonstrating environmental simulation as a parametric BIM object rather than as a standalone script, contributing a functional interoperability strategy for early-stage environmental design integration.
Michal Križo (2026) studied this question.