Help CenterThis release news includes Naviate BioScore Beta version.
This release introduces the first beta of Naviate BioScore for Autodesk Forma Site Design. Naviate BioScore helps early-stage design teams evaluate building performance using one overall score and separate category scores for daylight, views, acoustic comfort, and material choices.
The solution supports early design decisions by giving fast feedback on how a building performs based on available model data and simple design assumptions. It helps teams identify strengths, weaknesses, and possible improvements before moving into more detailed design or specialist analysis.
What is Naviate BioScore
Naviate BioScore is an early-stage building evaluation tool for Autodesk Forma Site Design. It provides a structured way to analyze and compare buildings during concept and site design.
The tool calculates an overall BioScore for the selected building and breaks the result down into individual analysis categories:
- Daylight Potential
- Views
- Acoustic Comfort
- Material Choices
BioScore is intended to support design guidance, not final certification or compliance checking. The results are based on available Forma data, the selected building, and user-defined assumptions.
The first beta release covers the complete basic workflow:
- Select a building in Autodesk Forma Site Design.
- Configure which analysis categories should be included.
- Add assumptions for daylight, views, acoustic comfort, and material choices.
- Run the analysis.
- Review the overall BioScore and category scores.
- Expand categories to see more detailed results.
- Use heatmap on the model to understand category performance.?
- Capture results using the Screenshot button.
BioScore app in Autodesk Forma Site Design
The workflow for using BioScore contains the following main functions.
Select building — choose the building to analyze
Before running an analysis, the user selects the building that BioScore should evaluate.
The selected building is shown in the Config tab. BioScore uses this building as the basis for the enabled analysis categories and the final overall score.
Config tab — configure analysis categories
The Config tab is used to define which categories should be included in the BioScore.
Users can turn analysis categories on or off. Only enabled categories are included in the final BioScore.
The first beta release includes:
- Daylight
- View
- Acoustic Comfort
- Material Choices
This allows the user to run a full BioScore analysis or focus only on selected performance areas.
Add assumptions — define early design inputs
Some categories require simple assumptions because the model may not yet contain detailed design information.
Examples of assumptions include:
- Window-to-wall ratio
- Facade pattern
- Building use
- Intended use
- Sustainability and wellness intent
- Material character
- Daylight and views assumption
These assumptions help BioScore provide useful feedback before detailed facade design, room layouts, acoustic reports, or final material specifications are available.
Run Analysis — calculate the BioScore
After selecting the building and configuring the categories, click Run Analysis.
BioScore calculates the overall score and the individual category scores for the selected building. When the analysis is complete, the results are available in the Result tab.
Result tab
The Result tab shows the calculated BioScore and supporting results for the selected building.
The result view includes:
- Overall BioScore
- Building name
- Number of floors
- Number of units
- Category scores
- Detailed results for expanded categories
- Visual representation of category scores on the building
- Screenshot button for reporting and design reviews
The overall BioScore gives a quick summary of the building performance. The category scores help users understand what is performing well and what may need improvement.
A high overall score does not always mean every category performs well. Users should review the individual category scores to identify weaker areas.
Analysis categories
Daylight Potential
Daylight Potential estimates how much daylight the building can receive.
It uses inputs such as window-to-wall ratio, facade pattern, building form, and basic design assumptions.
A higher score means the building has better daylight potential. A lower score may indicate that the building could benefit from improved facade design, window placement, orientation, or spacing from surrounding buildings.
Views
Views evaluates the expected quality of views from the building.
The View score explains how much of the building’s visible surroundings are made up of open sky, trees and vegetation, terrain, buildings, water, and roads, helping users understand whether the view is dominated by positive natural elements or by surrounding built context.
A higher score means the building has better expected access to positive views. A lower score may indicate that the building should be adjusted in placement, orientation, or relationship to the site context.
Acoustic Comfort
Acoustic Comfort evaluates expected noise performance.
It compares estimated noise levels with the target for the selected building use, such as residential, office, healthcare, or education.
The result may show exterior noise, interior noise, target noise level, and performance rating.
A good score means the expected indoor noise level meets the target. A low score means the building may need better placement, shielding, facade treatment, or acoustic design.
This analysis depends on noise data from Autodesk Forma Site Design. If Forma noise analysis is not available or has not been run, Acoustic Comfort results may be unavailable.
Material Choices
Material Choices evaluates the expected material strategy for the building.
It uses inputs such as intended use, sustainability and wellness intent, material character, and daylight and views assumption.
A higher score means the selected material strategy better supports the building’s purpose, comfort, sustainability, and wellbeing goals.
Use this result to review whether the selected material approach matches the design ambition.
Screenshot function
The first beta release includes a Screenshot button in the Result tab.
This function allows users to capture BioScore results for:
- Design reviews
- Internal reports
- Customer presentations
- Scenario comparisons
- Early design documentation
The screenshot function helps communicate the BioScore result and category performance to the wider project team.
Screenshot example
Limitations
BioScore is intended for early-stage design analysis.
Results are based on available model data and user-defined assumptions. The analysis does not replace detailed engineering studies, local standards, certification workflows, or specialist project reviews.
Daylight results are simplified and may not match a full daylight simulation.
View results depend on available site context and surrounding data.
Acoustic Comfort uses estimated values and assumptions, not a full acoustic report. It also depends on available noise data from Autodesk Forma Site Design.
Material Choices are based on selected intent and assumptions, not detailed material specifications.
Final design decisions should always be checked with detailed analysis, local standards, and project specialists.