TPT Building Designer

A parametric, end-to-end high-rise building design system. All structural, cost, carbon, compliance, and construction outputs are derived mathematically from a small set of input parameters — no manual configuration required.

Web GUI (browser) · CLI (Node.js) · REST API (Express) · MIT Licensed

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Features

Core Engineering

Module	What it does
Structural Engine	Core wall tapering, column sizing, wind & seismic load calculations (NZS 1170)
Facade Designer	Parametric curtain-wall grid, glass performance, thermal bridging analysis
MEP System	Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing services sizing and routing
Fire Engineering	Egress travel distances, evacuation modelling, smoke management
Energy Modelling	HVAC loads, envelope U-values, annual energy use intensity (EUI)
Acoustics	Inter-tenancy separation, impact noise, mechanical noise paths
Lift Traffic Analysis	Passenger demand, handling capacity, wait-time simulation

Cost & Carbon

Module	What it does
Cost Estimation Engine	Elemental cost plan from first principles, rate libraries (NZ/AU)
Carbon Footprint Calculator	Embodied carbon (A1–A5) from material quantities, transport, and plant
Carbon Budget Monitor	Live comparison of actual vs. target with presets (NZ Pathway, Green Star 6★, LEED Platinum, Net Zero) and substitution suggestions
Climate Scenario Modeller	100-year lifecycle carbon projection under IPCC 1.5 °C / 2.0 °C / 3.0 °C scenarios with NZ grid decarbonisation
Quantity Surveyor Benchmark	Benchmarks elemental costs against published NZ market data

Construction & Logistics

Module	What it does
Construction Logistics Planner	Programme, crane positioning, site hoarding, delivery sequencing
Trade Pack Generator	Eight discipline work packs (Groundworks, Structural, Steel, Facade, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Finishes)
Subcontractor Tender Engine	Generates self-contained HTML tender packages per trade; subcontractors fill rates in-browser, save portable .subprofile files and export .tenderreturn JSON for comparison
Construction Sequence Animator	In-browser timeline animation of the build sequence in the 3D viewer
Construction Risk Assessment	Programme risk register with probability/consequence matrix

Compliance & Documentation

Module	What it does
Code Compliance Checker	NZS 3101, NZS 1170.2/1170.5, NZBC clause-by-clause checks
Accessibility Compliance Auditor	NZS 4121 accessible path, sanitary facilities, signage
Emergency Evacuation Modelling	Stair capacity, travel time, occupant load per floor
Report Generator	PDF design reports, Excel BoQ, climate scenario tables
BCF Export Engine	BIM Collaboration Format issue export for coordination
Specification Writer	NatSpec-style specification clauses per trade

Visualisation & Export

Module	What it does
3D Viewer	Three.js real-time viewer with floor-by-floor material states
Floor Plan Generator	2D SVG plans per level with layered MEP overlays
DXF Exporter	AutoCAD-compatible DXF R2000 floor plans and site plans (no paid library)
IFC BIM Exporter	IFC4 model for Revit / Navisworks / OpenBIM workflows
Rendering Engine	Ambient-occlusion style SVG/PNG elevation renderings

Optional Integrations

Module	Status	Requires
AI Assistant	Stubbed — activates with API key	Anthropic / OpenRouter / xAI key in browser localStorage
GIS Context Loader	Full (free, no key)	OpenStreetMap Nominatim + Overpass API
EPD Integration	Stub	Environdec API key
Live Pricing Integration	Stub	Rawlinsons/Cordell API key
Primavera Exporter	Stub (valid XML shell)	P6 XML schema implementation

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Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• A modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)

Install & Run

git clone https://github.com/PhillipT1/tpt-building-designer.git
cd tpt-building-designer
npm install
npm run web        # Start web GUI at http://localhost:3737

CLI (no browser)

npm start          # Generate 60-storey Auckland tower, print all reports to console

Run tests

npm test

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Web Interface

1. Adjust building parameters in the left sidebar (storeys, dimensions, floor-to-floor height, etc.)
2. Click Update Building Model — all outputs cascade automatically
3. Explore the 3D viewer and use ▶ Animate to play the construction sequence
4. Right sidebar tabs:
   • Summary — key statistics and compliance flags
   • Trades — per-discipline scope and quantities
   • Reports — export PDF / Excel / IFC / DXF
   • Tender — generate HTML tender packs and import tender returns for comparison
5. Carbon Budget panel (left sidebar) — set a target or choose a preset; the progress bar turns amber/red as you exceed it
6. GIS Site Context panel — enter an address to load nearby buildings, streets, and amenities from OpenStreetMap
7. ⚙️ AI Settings — configure an optional API key for AI-assisted brief interpretation, compliance Q&A, and report narrative generation

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REST API

Server runs on port 3737. All endpoints accept and return JSON unless noted.

Method	Endpoint	Description
POST	/api/generate	Generate full building model from parameters
POST	/api/generate-trade-report	Trade-specific report
POST	/api/generate-trade-work-pack	Structured trade work pack
GET	/api/trades	List of trade codes and names
POST	/api/export-trade-pdf	Trade pack as PDF download
POST	/api/v1/generate-tender-html	Self-contained HTML tender package (download)
POST	/api/v1/parse-tender-return	Parse a .tenderreturn JSON submission
POST	/api/v1/carbon-budget	Carbon budget status for given parameters
POST	/api/v1/climate-scenarios	100-year climate scenario projections
POST	/api/v1/export-dxf	DXF floor plan or site plan (text download)
POST	/api/v1/gis-context	Site context from OpenStreetMap (lat/lng or address)

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Project Structure

tpt-building-designer/
├── src/
│   ├── core/
│   │   ├── BuildingModel.js          # Central parametric model (single source of truth)
│   │   ├── MaterialsRegistry.js      # Material database + BoQ generator
│   │   ├── StandardsRegistry.js      # Regional building codes (NZ/AU/US/EU)
│   │   └── ModuleManager.js          # Dependency-ordered module cascade
│   ├── modules/                      # 50+ engineering discipline modules
│   │   ├── StructuralEngine.js
│   │   ├── FacadeDesigner.js
│   │   ├── MEPSystem.js
│   │   ├── FireEngineering.js
│   │   ├── CostEstimationEngine.js
│   │   ├── CarbonFootprintCalculator.js
│   │   ├── CarbonBudgetMonitor.js    # NEW — live carbon budget comparison
│   │   ├── SubcontractorTenderEngine.js  # NEW — HTML tender packages
│   │   ├── ConstructionSequenceAnimator.js  # NEW — 3D build animation
│   │   ├── ClimateScenarioModeller.js   # NEW — IPCC scenario projections
│   │   ├── DXFExporter.js            # NEW — DXF R2000 export
│   │   ├── AIAssistant.js            # NEW — optional AI integration
│   │   ├── GISContextLoader.js       # NEW — OpenStreetMap site context
│   │   └── ... (40+ more)
│   ├── output/
│   │   ├── ReportGenerator.js        # PDF + Excel exports
│   │   └── TradePackGenerator.js     # Trade work packs + tender delegation
│   └── index.js                      # CLI entry point
├── public/
│   └── index.html                    # Single-file web GUI
├── server.js                         # Express REST server
├── output/                           # Generated files land here
├── CLAUDE.md                         # Developer reference (architecture, patterns)
├── TODO.md                           # Task backlog
└── package.json

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Key Parameters

Parameter	Default	Range	Description
storeys	60	10–150	Number of occupied floors
buildingWidth	42 m	20–80 m	Tower footprint width
buildingDepth	42 m	20–80 m	Tower footprint depth
typicalFloorHeight	3.9 m	2.7–6.0 m	Slab-to-slab height
coreRatio	0.22	0.15–0.35	Core area as fraction of GFA
glassRatio	0.7	0.3–0.95	Vision glass fraction of facade
region	NZ	NZ, AU, US, EU	Sets applicable standards and cost rates

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Subcontractor Tender Workflow

1. In the Tender tab, click Generate Tender Pack for any trade.
2. The browser downloads a self-contained HTML file — no server required for the subcontractor.
3. The subcontractor opens the file in any browser, sees pre-filled quantities and locked item codes, and enters their rates.
4. They can Save Profile → exports a .subprofile JSON file (portable across projects).
5. They click Export Tender Return → downloads a .tenderreturn JSON file.
6. Back in the main app, click Import Tender Return to load it into the comparison table.
7. Import multiple returns to compare rates line-by-line; the lowest rate per item is highlighted automatically.

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Carbon Budget Presets

Preset	Target	Based on
NZ Pathway	600 kgCO₂e/m²	NZ Climate Commission 2050 pathway
Green Star 6★	500 kgCO₂e/m²	NZGBC Green Star rating threshold
LEED Platinum	450 kgCO₂e/m²	LEED v4 Platinum material credit
Net Zero Embodied	0 kgCO₂e/m²	Shows gap to full net-zero embodied carbon

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Compliance Standards

Standard	Region	Coverage
NZS 3101	NZ	Concrete structures
NZS 1170.2	NZ	Wind actions
NZS 1170.5	NZ	Seismic actions
NZS 4211	NZ	Windows and glazed facades
NZS 4121	NZ	Accessibility (DDA)
NZBC Clause G	NZ	Means of escape, lighting, ventilation
ASHRAE 90.1	US/International	Energy efficiency

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Development

npm run web        # Web GUI on port 3737
npm start          # CLI full report
npm test           # Vitest unit tests
npm run test:watch # Watch mode
npm run build:css  # Compile Tailwind CSS → public/dist/
npm run watch:css  # Watch CSS changes

See CLAUDE.md for architecture details, module patterns, and contribution guidelines.

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License

MIT — free to use, modify, and distribute.

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Last updated: 2026-05-22