Digitalization of climate adaptation planning: the potential of simulation software tools for landscape design

Abstract

Climate change plays a significant role in the landscape architecture discipline seeking to solve the problems related to floods and heatwaves. Climate adaptation planning deals with a high level of uncertainty while precipitating future climate events to prepare adaptable landscape designs. However, digital technologies are rarely implemented into landscape design projects with deep environmental concerns. Meanwhile, digital tools have the potential to improve climate adaptation planning while calculating and simulating the adaptive capacity of design. Therefore, this research investigates the capabilities and limitations of software tools suitable for climate adaptation projects. The software tools are evaluated using the ISO 25010 framework comparing their capabilities. The main method used for this research is based on objective experiments while implementing different software tools to conceptual landscape design on a case study project. The experiment revealed that the implementation process deals with many limitations including interoperability and data loss. Moreover, this research conducted in-depth interviews with project stakeholders including planners and clients to identify their problems, needs and expectations regarding software tools. Finally, the roadmap on the software selection resulting from this research provides the guidelines on how to select the most suitable tool for various climate adaptation projects.