Integration of Building Information Modeling and Stormwater Runoff Modeling: Enhancing Design Tools for Nature-Based Solutions in Sustainable Landscapes

Abstract

Building information modeling (BIM) has been used by the architectural and engineering disciplines to streamline the building design, construction, and management process, but there has been much more limited experience in extending the application to landscape design and implementation. This study integrated BIM software (Autodesk InfraWorks 2024.1) with a dynamic, process-oriented, conceptual hydrologic/hydraulic model (PCSWMM 2023, version 7.6.3665) to enhance the analytical tools for sustainable landscape design. We illustrate the model integration through a case study that links an existing nature-based solution (NbS) development, the PTT Metro Forest Park, Bangkok, Thailand, with theoretical new-build NbS for an adjacent property. A BIM school building was virtually situated on an empty lot beside the Metro Forest Park and seven NbS scenarios were run with design storms having 2-year, 5-year, and 100-year return intervals. The combination of a rain garden, permeable pavement, a retention pond, and a green roof was effective in sustainably managing runoff from the theoretical new-build site discharging to the Metro Forest. NbS design characteristics such as rain garden substrate depth and green roof area were optimized using the hydrologic/hydraulic model. Model results showed that even with the 100-year rainfall event, the existing Metro Forest pond storage capacity was sufficient so that flooding on the property would not occur. The consideration of connectivity between NbS features is facilitated by the modeling approach, which is important for NbS planning and assessment at a regional scale.