ECO Matrix Optimization
Explore More Design Options. Make Better Building Decisions.
Building design involves hundreds of interconnected decisions. The ECO Matrix Optimization Platform helps design teams systematically evaluate those choices and understand their impact on energy, cost, carbon and other project performance objectives.
By combining parametric modelling, building performance simulation and data-driven analysis, ECO Matrix makes it practical to explore a much larger design space than conventional scenario-based modelling.
THE CHALLENGE
Building Design Is a Series of Trade-offs
There is rarely one solution that is best in every respect.
A change in glazing can affect heating, cooling and daylight. A more efficient HVAC system may reduce operating energy while increasing capital cost. Improving the building envelope can reduce energy consumption, but may change construction cost and other performance outcomes.
Every design decision can influence several others.
Yet conventional modelling workflows often make it difficult to evaluate more than a limited number of alternatives.
The question is not simply:
“Which option performs best?”
It is:
“What does the larger design space look like, and which solutions offer the right balance of performance, cost and other project objectives?”
THE ECO MATRIX APPROACH
From Building Simulation to Better Decisions
The ECO Matrix approach extends conventional building performance modelling by systematically varying selected design parameters and evaluating their combined impact.
The process begins with a building design and a defined set of variables — such as envelope construction, glazing, shading, lighting, HVAC systems and other project-specific parameters.
These variables are then evaluated through a structured simulation and analysis process to understand how different combinations influence the building’s performance.
The process:
01 — Define the Design Variables
Identify the parameters that can influence the project’s performance, cost and other objectives.
02 — Generate Design Alternatives
Systematically vary the selected parameters to create a structured range of possible design combinations.
03 — Simulate Selected Alternatives
Use building performance simulation to establish reliable performance data across strategically selected combinations.
04 — Expand the Analysis
Use computational methods to extend the analysis across the broader design space.
05 — Compare the Outcomes
Evaluate alternatives using the KPIs that matter to the project.
06 — Identify Better Solutions
Filter and compare the results to understand the most suitable design options and the trade-offs between them.
EXPLORING THE DESIGN SPACE
From 72 Simulations to 51,840 Design Possibilities
A relatively small number of design variables can quickly create a very large number of possible combinations.
In one of our research applications, ten variable families generated 51,840 theoretical design combinations.
Rather than attempting to simulate every combination individually, the ECO Matrix methodology uses targeted simulation and computational analysis to systematically build an understanding of the larger design space.
The process progressively expands the analysis:
72
Initial simulation set
864
Expanded simulation set
2,592
Interpolated design combinations
5,184
Including additional performance analysis
51,840
Complete design matrix
This allows a much broader range of potential design solutions to be explored within a practical modelling workflow.
UNDERSTANDING THE RESULTS
Evaluate What Matters to Your Project
Optimizing a building is not simply about minimizing energy consumption.
Different projects have different priorities, and improving one metric can sometimes have an impact on another.
The ECO Matrix platform allows design alternatives to be evaluated across multiple project-specific performance indicators.
Energy
Annual energy consumption and energy-use intensity.
Cost
Capital and operating cost implications of different design strategies.
Carbon
Greenhouse-gas impacts associated with building energy performance.
Financial Performance
Potential savings, payback and other financial indicators where applicable.
Project-Specific KPIs
Additional metrics can be incorporated according to the objectives and requirements of the project.
The objective is not simply to find the lowest-energy solution. It is to understand the trade-offs and identify solutions that make sense for the project.
FROM ANALYSIS TO DECISION
Turn Complex Simulation Data into Engineering Insight
Running simulations is only part of the process.
The real value comes from being able to understand the results, compare alternatives and identify the implications of different design choices.
The ECO Matrix dashboard brings the analysis together in an interactive environment where users can explore relationships between design variables and performance outcomes.
Instead of reviewing hundreds or thousands of individual simulation results, design teams can filter, compare and identify the alternatives that best align with their project objectives.
Explore. Compare. Understand. Decide.
WHERE IT FITS IN THE DESIGN PROCESS
Better Decisions at the Right Stage
Optimization is most valuable when important design decisions can still be influenced.
Early Design
Explore major variables such as envelope, glazing, lighting and HVAC strategies while the design is still flexible.
Schematic Design
Compare competing design approaches and understand their implications for energy, cost and environmental performance.
Design Development
Evaluate increasingly detailed alternatives and validate whether the selected strategies continue to support project objectives.
Sustainability & Performance Analysis
Use simulation-driven analysis to evaluate design strategies against project performance targets and applicable requirements.
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
From Engineering Practice to Published Research
The ECO Matrix methodology has evolved through real engineering applications and has also been documented through international building simulation research.
Our paper, “A holistic framework for optimizing building decision metrics via advanced parametric modeling: The ECO-Matrix Protocol,” was published in the proceedings of Building Simulation 2025, the 19th Conference of the International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA), held in Brisbane, Australia.
The paper presents the ECO-Matrix Protocol as a structured approach for exploring building design alternatives across multiple decision metrics using advanced parametric modelling and simulation techniques.
The research demonstrates how a large design space can be explored using a targeted set of simulations, with the results organized into a framework for comparing energy, cost, carbon and other performance outcomes.
Engineering Practice. Research. Digital Innovation.
The ECO Matrix Optimization Platform continues to build on this approach, translating research and project experience into practical tools for building design teams.
BUILT AROUND REAL ENGINEERING PROBLEMS
Developed by Engineers. Built for Real Projects.
The ECO Matrix Optimization Platform was developed from our own experience delivering building performance analysis and optimization studies.
Rather than developing a software platform independently of engineering practice, we built the workflow around problems we encounter in real projects:
How do we compare more design alternatives?
How do we understand the interaction between design variables?
How do we balance energy, cost and carbon?
How do we turn large volumes of simulation data into information that design teams can actually use?
The result is a digital workflow that connects:
Engineering Models → Parametric Analysis → Simulation → Performance Data → Decision Support
BEYOND THE PLATFORM
Engineering Tools Built Around Your Needs
The same approach used to develop the ECO Matrix Optimization Platform can be applied to other engineering challenges.
We develop focused digital tools, calculators, dashboards and analysis workflows that turn complex or repetitive engineering processes into practical decision-support applications.
This can include:
- Engineering calculation tools
- Design comparison workflows
- Automated analysis tools
- Project-specific dashboards
- Data-driven decision-support applications
- Client-facing engineering tools
Whether the requirement is a focused calculator or a more comprehensive digital workflow, we can help take an engineering concept from methodology to working application.
Have a Design Decision Worth Exploring?
Tell us what you’re trying to evaluate.
Whether you’re comparing envelope strategies, assessing HVAC alternatives, targeting energy and carbon performance, or looking for a better way to explore a complex design space, the ECO Matrix team can help determine whether a parametric optimization approach is right for your project.