Background
While computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is well-established in aerospace and manufacturing, its use in building design has lagged. A world-leading global pioneer in the area partnered with 3i Strategy to democratise access to CFD for building engineers, architects, and sustainability professionals—especially in the context of net-zero goals.
Approach
We designed a national engagement campaign focused on awareness, capability building, and university–industry collaboration. Our goal was to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical adoption in retrofits, green building certification, and compliance assessments.
Journey
Through targeted workshops and strategy sessions, we brought together software vendors, academic experts, and engineering firms to co-design training programs, pilot simulations, and business cases for CFD adoption. The focus was on tangible use cases such as airflow optimisation in hospitals, data centres and commercial buildings.
Outcome
In Australia, we now are leading several conversations on CFD for energy-efficient building design in Australia. With university partnerships in place and early adopters in the private sector, the platform is poised to scale its impact, shaping how sustainable buildings are planned, upgraded, and approved.