World’s first AI-powered timber design software

Q: What is DAISY AI?

DAISY AI (Design AI Systems) is an AI-powered timber floor design tool developed by Brainpool and Staircraft Group to automate the generation of floor layouts and help designers identify efficient, compliant designs.

Q: How does AI help automate timber floor design?

DAISY uses a genetic algorithm to explore potential floor layout combinations and identify suitable designs. This can reduce the manual effort involved in producing standard layouts and help designers respond to requests more efficiently.

Q: How quickly can DAISY generate a timber floor design?

The web application was developed to generate new designs in under 10 minutes. The time required can depend on the complexity of the design and the relevant requirements.

Q: How can AI design optimisation help reduce timber waste?

Exploring different layout combinations can help identify designs that use timber more efficiently. Actual material savings depend on the project, the design constraints and the solution selected.

Q: Does AI replace timber design expertise?

DAISY is intended to automate standard, repetitive design work and support the existing design team. This allows experienced designers to devote more attention to complex layouts and decisions that require their specialist knowledge. See also AI in construction.

Brainpool partnered with Staircraft Group, the UK’s largest timber floor and stair manufacturer, to develop DAISY AI — an AI-powered timber design tool that automates floor layouts and helps designers produce efficient, compliant designs in minutes.

Construction design automationGenetic algorithms

The project at a glance

The challengeScaling timber floor design without increasing headcount.An experienced designer could produce 2–3 designs on a good day.

The solutionDAISY — AI that automates timber floor layout design.A web application that generates new designs in under 10 minutes.

The outcomeGreater design capacity and more efficient use of timber.Within two years, DAISY was designing 12% of floors in the UK residential timber housing market.

The challenge

Scaling timber floor design

Staircraft received a high volume of requests for timber floor designs and quotations, but each design required specialist knowledge and manual work. Even an experienced designer could typically produce only 2–3 designs on a good day.

This limited Staircraft’s ability to respond to demand and pursue new business. Expanding the design team was not a practical long-term solution. Staircraft needed a scalable way to increase design capacity and improve material efficiency without proportionally increasing headcount.

Before DAISY2–3Designs per experienced designer, on a good dayEvery layout was produced manually, capping how many enquiries Staircraft could respond to — and how quickly.

Three challenges stood in the way:

Recruitment and retention

Finding and retaining experienced designers was difficult.

Design efficiency

Layouts that met technical requirements did not always minimise timber use, material costs or waste.

Limited capacity

Manual design processes restricted how many requests each designer could handle.

The scale of the problem~50,000Possible combinations for a single rectangular floor plan

With DAISY<10 minTo generate a new design in the web app

The solution

DAISY AI

Brainpool began with a scoping programme to identify an AI approach capable of producing valid, compliant timber floor designs.

The challenge was complex: a single rectangular floor plan can have approximately 50,000 possible design combinations, with further complexity introduced by pillars, staircases and irregular layouts.

DAISY uses a genetic algorithm to explore potential layouts and identify suitable designs, reducing the need for designers to assess every option manually — an example of how AI is changing design in the construction sector.

From proof of concept to production

The initial proof of concept aimed to generate valid designs for simpler floor plans in under an hour. Following successful testing, Brainpool and Staircraft developed a web application that enables multiple users to generate designs in under 10 minutes with the click of a button.

This automates much of the standard design work, allowing experienced designers to focus on more complex layouts that require their expertise. The project highlights how AI can support the construction industry by automating complex design processes and improving operational efficiency.

How DAISY works:

Inputs

Floor plan

Pillars, staircases, non-rectangular shapes

Technical & compliance requirements

DAISY genetic algorithm

Explore layout combinations

Optimise for efficient timber use

Check technical compliance

Output

Valid, optimised floor layout

Generated in under 10 minutes

Ready for designer review

Human expertise at the centreStandard layouts are automated, so experienced designers can concentrate on complex layouts that need their expertise.

The outcome

Greater design capacity

DAISY gives Staircraft a way to handle more design requests, reduce repetitive manual work and improve the efficiency of timber floor layouts. For another example of technology supporting more sustainable construction decisions, explore Brainpool’s carbon calculator project with Quebec Wood Export Bureau.

Expanding into new markets

According to the project information, after two years in the UK market, DAISY was designing 12% of floors in the UK residential timber housing market.

In 2023, the platform launched in Canada and began pilot testing with North American firms.

The underlying optimisation technology could also be adapted for other construction elements, including stairs, walls and roofs. Future development will focus on improving performance and addressing emerging industry needs.

DAISY demonstrates how AI-powered design automation can help construction businesses scale specialist processes while keeping human expertise at the centre.

Discover more: daisy.ai

Market impact12%Of floors in the UK residential timber housing market, after two years

Productivity~100%Expected increase in design productivity

Key benefits include:

Increased productivity

Automating standard designs helps the team handle more requests with existing resources.

More efficient material use

Design optimisation can help reduce unnecessary timber consumption and associated costs.

More time for complex work

Designers can focus on projects requiring specialist knowledge and judgement.

We think DAISY will increase our productivity by about 100% — so we will get twice as many floors designed as we could do with the resources we have.

Dr Luke WhaleTechnical Director, Staircraft Group

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is DAISY AI?

DAISY AI (Design AI Systems) is an AI-powered timber floor design tool developed by Brainpool and Staircraft Group to automate the generation of floor layouts and help designers identify efficient, compliant designs.

How does AI help automate timber floor design?

DAISY uses a genetic algorithm to explore potential floor layout combinations and identify suitable designs. This can reduce the manual effort involved in producing standard layouts and help designers respond to requests more efficiently.

How quickly can DAISY generate a timber floor design?

The web application was developed to generate new designs in under 10 minutes. The time required can depend on the complexity of the design and the relevant requirements.

How can AI design optimisation help reduce timber waste?

Exploring different layout combinations can help identify designs that use timber more efficiently. Actual material savings depend on the project, the design constraints and the solution selected.

Does AI replace timber design expertise?

DAISY is intended to automate standard, repetitive design work and support the existing design team. This allows experienced designers to devote more attention to complex layouts and decisions that require their specialist knowledge. See also AI in construction.