Autodesk Forma and Healthy Building Design

Introduction

Healthy buildings are no longer optional—they are essential. Autodesk Forma, a cloud-based early-stage design platform, gives architects and planners the ability to integrate health-focused analysis into the earliest project decisions. From daylight and microclimate modeling to noise and energy analysis, Forma helps designers shape buildings that support human health from day one.

1. Start With Daylight Analysis

Exposure to daylight supports circadian rhythms, mood regulation, and sleep quality. The WGBC reports that workers in day-lit environments show higher satisfaction and reduced absenteeism, while poor daylight can lead to headaches, stress, and visual strain.

In Forma, daylight simulations run instantly during massing studies. Designers can evaluate:

• Daylight autonomy

• Glare risk

• Solar exposure

• Window-to-wall ratio impacts

This allows teams to shape building form, orientation, and façade treatments to deliver healthy levels of natural light—long before a detailed BIM model is created.

2. Use Wind and Microclimate Tools for Comfort and Airflow

Outdoor comfort directly affects how people use courtyards, streetscapes, and entry spaces. Wind modeling in Forma shows how massing choices influence wind pressure, turbulence, and pedestrian comfort.

Stable microclimate conditions also support passive ventilation—a key contributor to indoor air quality. Poor airflow contributes to stale air and higher indoor pollutant levels. Studies from the Harvard Healthy Buildings Program link improved ventilation and lower indoor pollutants with up to 100% better cognitive performance compared to conventional baseline conditions.

Forma’s solar and wind simulations help designers:

• Reduce excessive wind in public spaces

• Improve passive ventilation potential

• Optimize building orientation for thermal comfort

These adjustments reduce stress, overheating, and respiratory discomfort in both indoor and outdoor environments.

3. Evaluate Noise Exposure Early

Noise pollution contributes to stress, sleep disturbance, reduced learning outcomes, and cardiovascular strain. WHO identifies noise as one of the leading environmental health burdens in developed countries.

Forma’s noise analysis tools allow designers to test how different massing options block, reflect, or amplify sound from busy roads, transit corridors, or industrial sources. This supports healthier site placement, façade strategies, and outdoor amenity design.

4. Integrate Sustainability and Health

Healthy buildings are inherently low-carbon and energy-efficient. Forma’s early-stage energy and solar modeling support:

• Reduced overheating (a rising global health risk)

• Lower energy use

• More stable indoor temperatures aligned with ASHRAE comfort standards

By linking health metrics with sustainability goals, Forma helps designers create spaces that are resilient, efficient, and occupant-centered.

Conclusion

Healthy building design begins long before materials are chosen or systems are engineered—it begins with form, climate, light, and airflow. Autodesk Forma allows design teams to test these factors instantly, enabling evidence-based decisions that support human health. With global organizations underscoring the importance of indoor environmental quality, tools like Forma are essential for achieving a healthier built environment.