No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

Sustainability in ArchitectureThe World Commission on Environment and Development has put forth a

definition of “sustainability” as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. — From Our Common Future (London: Oxford University Press, 1987).

This definition of sustainability does not specify the ethical roles of humans for their everlasting existence on the planet. It also fails to embrace the value of all other constituents participating in the global ecosystem. The need for finding long-terms solutions that warrant continuing human existence and well-being is far more compelling than that of finding a proper terminology to describe the human need. In this respect, the debate on the terms “green,” “sustainable,” or “ecological” architecture is not terribly important. Reference: http://www.umich.edu/~nppcpub/resources/compendia/ARCHpdfs/ARCHdesIntro.pdf

A general term that describes environmentally-conscious design techniques in the field of architecture, Sustainable architecture is framed by the larger discussion of sustainability and the pressing economic and political issues of our world. In the broad context, sustainable architecture seeks to minimize the negative environmental impact of buildings by enhancing efficiency and moderation in the use of materials, energy, and development space. Most simply, the idea of sustainability, or ecological design, is to ensure that our actions and decisions today do not inhibit the opportunities of future generations. Reference: http://www.ecowho.com/defn/s/sustainable+architecture/4d532

Methods of Sustainable ArchitectureIn the last decades, “sustainable architecture” has emerged as a movement

in architectural design towards the sustainability of the built environment. Associated with its development are also many disputes on the meaning and implications of this new concept.

There has been no agreement amongst scientists and architects in defining the term and on how it should be implemented in practice. Some other terms such as “green building” and “ecological design” have also been used in parallel with “sustainable architecture” in order to clarify or more specifically express its implications.

Several scientists define “sustainable architecture” as “the social and cultural shift in the world order, patterns and styles of living” (Kremers 1995) and others consider it as “environmentally friendly modes of design, construction and operation geared towards producinghealthy enduring communities” (Zachariah, Kennedy, and Pressnail 2002). Some of them have also attempted to relate the termto the Second Law of Thermodynamics in order to argue that sustainable architecture is an impossible goal. Steven Strong stated: “the term is intellectually dishonest...” and moreover, Dick Levine argued that sustainable architecture is an oxymoron” (Kremers 1995).

No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

However, Sustainable architecture should be understood in a broader meaning rather than in the meaning of words. It can be interpreted as an approach to architectural design that minimizes resource consumption, utilizes natural energy, mitigates environmental damages, and improves human health. More importantly, it should also be considered as a tool for raising people’s awareness of environmental protection or in other words a response to mother nature, who always coexists and supports mankind.

Despite the controversial discussions regarding the term definition, the agreement that has been reach among the scientists is the identification of eight areas that sustainable architecture needs to deal with, namely:

site selection and building orientation, energy consumption,material selection, indoor environmental quality,water consumption, waste disposal, construction methodology, lifecycle costs

These areas cover most of the issues that contribute towards sustainable architecture. This paper is going to make a review on methods and technologies employed to create the sustainability in the built environment. The paper is structured following the above areas and in each area, popular methods and technologies will be discussed.Reference: http://unaus.eu/pdf/A006.pdf

Acknowledgment to:

http://www.umich.edu/~nppcpub /resources /ompendia/ARCHpdfs/ARCHdesIntro.pdf

No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

Principles of Sustainable ArchitectureI. Economy of Resources is concerned with the reduction, reuse, and

recycling of the natural resources that are input to a building.

By economizing resources, the architect reduces the use of nonrenewable resources in the construction and operation of buildings. There is a continuous flow of resources, natural and manufactured, in and out of a building. This flow begins with the production of building materials and continues throughout the building’s life span to create an environment for sustaining human well-being and activities. After a building’s useful life, it should turn into components for other buildings. When examining a building, consider two streams of resource flow.

Upstream, resources flow into the building as input to the building ecosystem. Downstream, resources flow out of the building as output from the building ecosystem.

In a long run, any resources entered into a building ecosystem will eventually come out from it. This is the law of resource flow conservation. For a given resource, its forms before entry to a building andafter exit will be different. This transformation from input to output is caused by the many mechanical processes or human interventions rendered to the resources during their use in buildings. The input elements for the building ecosystem are diverse, with various forms, volumes, and environmental implications.

The three strategies for the economy of resources principle are:o energy conservationo water conservationo Material conservation.

Each focuses on a particular resource necessary for building construction and operation.

Energy ConservationAfter construction, a building requires a constant flow of energy input during its operation. The environmental impacts of energy consumption by buildings occur primarily away from the building site, through mining or harvesting energy sources and generating power. The energy consumed by a building in the process of heating, cooling, lighting, and equipment operation cannot be recovered. The type, location, and magnitude of environmental impacts of energy consumptions in buildings differ depending on the type of energy delivered. Coal-fired electric power plants emit polluting gases such as SO2 , CO2 , CO, and NOx into the atmosphere. Nuclear power plants produce radioactive wastes, for which there is currently no permanent management solution. Hydropower plants each require a dam and a

No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

reservoir which can hold a large body of water; construction of dams results in discontinuance of river ecosystems and the loss of habitats for animals and plants.

Water ConservationA building requires a large quantity of water for the purposes of drinking, cooking, washing and cleaning, flushing toilets, irrigating plants, etc.. All of this water requires treatments and delivery, which consume energy. The water that exits the building as sewage must also be treated.

Material ConservationA range of building materials are brought onto building sites. The influx of building materials occurs primarily during the construction stage. The waste generated by the construction and installation process is significant. After construction, a low-level flow of materials continues in for maintenance, replacement, and renovation activities. Consumer goods flow into the building to support human activities. All of these materials are eventually output, either to be recycled or dumped in a landfill.

Life Cycle Design provides a methodology for analyzing the building process and its impact on the environment. Humane Design focuses on the interactions between humans and the natural world. These principles can provide a broad awareness of the environmental impact, both local and global, of Architectural consumption.

II. Life Cycle DesignThe conventional model of the building life cycle is a linear process consisting

of four major phases: design; construction; operation and maintenance; and demolition. The problem with this model is that it is too narrowly defined: it does not address environmental issues (related to the procurement and manufacturing of building materials) or waste management (reuse and recycling of architectural resources).

The second principle of sustainable architecture is life cycle design (LCD). This “cradle-to-grave” approach recognizes environmental consequences of the entire life cycle of architectural resources, from procurement to return to nature. LCD is based on the notion that a material transmigrates from one form of useful life to another, with no end to its usefulness. For the purpose of conceptual clarity, the life cycle of a building can be categorized into three phases:

pre-building, building,post-building,

No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

These phases are connected, and the boundaries between them are not obvious. The phases can be developed into LCD strategies that focus on minimizing the environmental impact of a building. Analyzing the building processes in each of these three phases provides a better understanding of how a building’s design, construction, operation, and disposal affect the larger ecosystem.

III. Humane design is the third, and perhaps the most important, principle of sustainable design. While economy of resources and life cycle design deal with efficiency and conservation,

Humane design is concerned with the livability of all constituents of the global ecosystem, including plants and wildlife. This principle arises from the humanitarian and altruistic goal of respecting the life and dignity of fellow living organisms. Further examination reveals that this principle is deeply rooted in the need to preserve the chain elements of the ecosystems that allow human survival. In modern society, more than 70% of a person’s lifespan is spent indoors.

An essential role of architecture is to provide built environments that sustain occupants’ safety, health, physiological comfort, psychological well-being, and productivity Because environmental quality is intangible, its importance has often been overlooked in the quest for energy and environmental conservation, which sometimes seemed to mean “shivering in the dark.” Compounding the problem, many building designers have been preoccupied with style and form-making, not seriously considering environmental quality in and around their built environments.

No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

Remember the performance factor of design. When a product saves energy, does it perform as well as what it is replacing? And how does it affect the performance of building occupants?

For instance, early fluorescent lighting systems were more efficient than their incandescent counterparts; however, some fluorescents were known to buzz. The bulb might save $30 in annual energy costs, but if the noise irritated the employee working nearby, the employee’s resulting drop in productivity could cost the employer a lot more, thereby wiping out any financial benefits gained from lighting energy conservation.

A general rule of thumb in such comparisons is that the annual energy bill of a typical office building amounts to around five hours of employee labor cost; therefore, any building energy conservation strategy that annually reduces productivity by more than five hours per employee defeats its purpose. This is not to say that energy conservation can’t be financially beneficial, just that it should be kept in holistic perspective, taking other pertinent factors into account.

Materials on Sustainable ArchitectureMaterials Conservation

The production and consumption of building materials has diverse implications on the local and global environments, extraction, processing, manufacturing, and transporting building materials all cause ecological damage to some extent. There are input and output reduction methods for materials conservation. As with water, some of these methods overlap.

No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

Adapt Existing Buildings to New Uses One of the most straightforward and effective methods for material conservation are to make use of the resources that already exist in the form of buildings. Most buildings outlive the purpose for which they were designed. Many, if not all, of these buildings can be converted to new uses at a lower cost than brand-new construction.

Incorporate Reclaimed or Recycled Materials Buildings that have to be demolished should become the resources for new buildings. Many building materials, such as wood, steel, and glass, are easily recycled into new materials. Some, like brick or windows, can be used whole in the new structure. Furnishing, particularly office partition systems, are also easily moved from one location to another.

Use Materials That Can Be Recycled during the process of designing the building and selecting the building materials, look for ways to use materials that can themselves be recycled. This preserves the energy embodied in their manufacture.

Size Buildings and Systems Properly A building that is oversized for its designed purpose, or has oversized systems, will excessively consume materials. When a building is too large or small for the number of people it must contain, its heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, typically sized by square footage, will be inadequate or inefficient. This method relates directly to the programming and design phases of the architectural process. The client’s present and future space needs must be carefully studied to ensure that the resulting building and systems are sized correctly.

No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

Architects are encouraged to design around standardized building material sizes as much as possible. In the U. S., this standard is based on a 4'x8' sheet of plywood. Excess trimming of materials to fit non-modular spaces generates more waste.

Applications in Sustainable ArchitectureDue to the growing concerns on the environment during the

21st century, people started to think of ways that can be environmentally friendly for the sake of the future generation. This explains the reason why sustainable architecture grew very rapidly during this period. It is however important to keep in mind that our forefathers have been building sustainably because of the mere fact that sustainable projects are mostly practical in nature.

As the name may suggest, sustainable architecture is a kind of architecture designed in the most eco-friendly way possible. Otherwise known as green architecture, its main aim is to design and construct structures that are attractive without compromising on their functionality i.e. that of contributing and supporting a sustainable culture and lifestyle.

Building sustainably includes having a sustainable design i.e. a design that will address the major concerns of sustainability i.e. water usage, energy usage, environmental quality, and heating and cooling. Sustainable architects are qualified to deal with different environmental aspects of a structure in different ways, all of which are meant to enhance the efficiency of the structure without detracting or being burdensome from the main function of the structure.

No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

A lot of green architecture deals with building intelligently. For instance, you will find a structure oriented towards the south so that the structure can warm itself using natural sunlight during the day. Further, the structure will be well insulated to reduce the loss of heat. The plumbing systems of a building will equally be designed in such a way that it will use less water while still work normally. Still on point,

a sustainable building, thanks to the good and capable works of a sustainable architect, can include smart lighting options whereby the building lights turn off automatically when not in use to save energy.

Using living walls and the installation of green roofs is another great example of sustainable architecture. Such sustainable projects enhance the heating and cooling efficacy of the building, help in scrubbing the air, and what is more they appear beautifully interesting hence qualifying them as beneficial sustainable projects from many different points of view.

Majority of sustainable architects today build sustainability for the main reason of showing to the general public that building sustainability doesn’t have to be ugly. Actually, different sustainable measures known to enhance the efficiency of a building can make a building appear more beautiful and interesting in addition to improving the quality of life of the people inside the buildings. A perfect example is creating a courtyard full of plants, while this is a good and viable sustainable move, it equally creates a great outdoor space where people can relax and unwind.

An office building as well as a private residential home can be built sustainably with green concepts in mind. The principles of sustainable architecture are applicable both in remodeling and fixing new structures because more often than not, you will discover that conversion is more eco-friendly than rebuilding and demolition.  The success and prevalence of sustainable architecture is due to the incentives extended by most jurisdictions today.Reference: http://carrieanddanielle.com/different-applications-of-sustainable-architecture/#ixzz2CxFAzT69 

CASE STUDY

Overview Location: Eugene, OR Building type(s): Public order & safety New construction 267,000 ft2 (24,800 m2) Project scope: a single building Urban setting Completed November 2006 Rating: U.S. Green Building Council LEED-

NC, v.2/v.2.1--Level: Gold (39 points)

The Wayne Lyman Morse United States Courthouse serves the District of Oregon as part of the Ninth Judicial Circuit. The courthouse has five stories above grade and one below grade; the first and second floors hold offices for the courts

No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

and their clerks, the U.S. attorney, probation and pretrial services, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. General Services Administration, two U.S. senators, and one member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The building's six courtrooms (two district courtrooms, two magistrate courtrooms, and two bankruptcy courtrooms), all on the third floor, range from 1,800 ft2 to 3,000 ft2. Above the courtroom level are six judges' chambers, one visiting judge's chamber, and two judicial library spaces.

This project was chosen as an AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Green Project for 2007. It was submitted by DLR Group, in Phoenix, Arizona. Additional project team members are listed on the "Process" screen.

Environmental AspectsBecause the courthouse works

with high-risk law enforcement and intelligence agencies, courts, judicial offices, and highly sensitive government records, the facility has stringent and complex security requirements to protect against bombings as well as ballistic, biological, and chemical attacks. Despite these design challenges, the building provides an architectural expression of judicial presence at a healthy, human scale.

Set along the edge of central Eugene, Oregon, the courthouse serves

as the nucleus of a small district of mixed-use warehouse renovations. The site is within a half-mile of basic services and three high-density residential neighborhoods. Rail and bus lines connect the courthouse to the greater community.

Parking is located underground, and the landscaping features native, drought-tolerant plants. Reduced irrigation combined with waterless urinals and low-flow toilets, faucets, and showerheads reduce the project's water use by more than 40%, compared with a comparable, conventional facility.

The project's energy use was also reduced by approximately 40% through the use of extensive daylighting, shading, high-performance glazing, efficient electric lighting, displacement ventilation, and radiant-floor heating and cooling. At night, air from the building is replaced with ambient air, reducing the cooling load. Materials were selected

No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

for their recycled content, regional availability, minimal maintenance needs, and low chemical emissions.

Owner & Occupancy

o Owned and occupied by U.S. General Services Administration, Federal government.

o Typically occupied by 163 people, 40 hours per person per week; and 1,550 visitors per week, 2 hours per visitor per week.

Green Architecture Green architecture, or green design, is an approach to building that minimizes harmful effects on human health and the environment. The "green" architect or designer attempts to safeguard air, water, and earth by choosing eco-friendly building materials and construction practices.

Green architecture may have many of these characteristics:

Ventilation systems designed for efficient heating and coolingEnergy-efficient lighting and appliancesWater-saving plumbing fixturesLandscapes planned to maximize passive solar energyMinimal harm to the natural habitatAlternate power sources

such as solar power or wind powerNon-synthetic, non-toxic materialsLocally-obtained woods and stoneResponsibly-harvested woodsAdaptive reuse of older buildingsUse of recycled architectural salvageEfficient use of space

No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

While most green buildings do not have all of these features, the highest goal of green architecture is to be fully sustainable.

Tropical and Sustainable ArchitectureThe Florida Keys, an archipelago of 1,700 islands in the southeastern United

States, are known for their world class sport fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling. The area is abundant with numerous varieties of fish, animal and plant life, it also has its fair share of insects with “No-See-Ums” and mosquitoes leading the list. They make their presence known, especially after Florida’s post card, picture perfect, sunsets.

The Keys begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about 15 miles south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West. The islands lie along the Florida Straits, dividing the Atlantic Ocean to the east from the Gulf of Mexico to the west, defining one edge of Florida Bay. The Florida Keys are geographically in the subtropics; however the climate of the Keys is considered to be tropical with the Gulf Stream just a few miles off shore which has a significant effect on the region’s climate. These unique characteristics embrace a design strategy for a passively cooled, tropical house.

The prototypical passively cooled, tropical house design works toward one basic overriding goal: staying comfortable without relying on air conditioning. This is accomplished by the moderation of three variables: temperature, humidity and air circulation.  Victor Olgay in his book, Design with Climate, developed guide lines for climate responsive architecture in four distinct climate regions; one is a hot humid tropical environment. Designing a passively cooled house starts with the site and includes every aspect of the house right down to the color.

Historically characteristics of these distinct tropical house types are seen in the Florida Seminole Indian chickee huts which are elevated platform, open sided structures with palmetto frond thatched roofs. The open sides offer free air movement through and around the structure and the thatched roof offers protection from the sun and rain. Prior to the use of air conditioning in South Florida, homes responded to the needs of the environment with the wide use of attic venting and later,

Jalousie windows to promote air movement, excellent examples can also be seen in “Florida Cracker Houses” and the modernist work of Paul Rudolph in the Sarasota Florida area. in a hot, humid environment wind and shade are your friends, they help to lower the air temperature, moderate humidity and promote air circulation. Passive cooling techniques rely on increased air movement; therefore prevailing breezes are primary considerations in site selection.

An individual, somewhat elevated, freely elongated house, on an east-west axis is preferred. With the long south or north façade situated to capture the prevailing breeze. The shorter east and west walls minimize the sun’s strong

No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

radiation effects from the rising eastern sun and intense setting sun in the west.  Ideally the prevailing breeze will first pass over a water body then under high branching trees to reduce the temperature before passing through the house’s interior spaces. Appropriately sized roof overhangs allow exterior walls to remain in shade and allow windows to remain open during wind driven tropical rain storms.

The Tavernier House site is oriented to the southeast overlooking an expansive wetlands conservation area with native trees and vegetation. The prevailing breeze is out of the southeast over the Atlantic Ocean allowing for optimal air flow through the long south wall of the house. The air is tempered first as it comes off the Atlantic Ocean. The air temperature is further reduced as the air passes through the trees located in the conservation area. Finally the air passes through another layer of shade, the roofed screened room, at the southeast portion of the house.

The now tempered air enters the interior through a southeast facing wall of pocketed sliding glass doors opening the full length of the mosquito free, screen room collecting the prevailing passively cooled breeze from the southeast.

Increasing air flow across the skin stimulates vaporization and with it a cooling effect. Open wall solutions are preferable, walls being less important here than in other regions. Customary distinctions between walls and openings disappear as ventilation is needed the great majority of the year. With the exterior walls as open as possible allowing for maximum air flow, screen protection is required from insects and small animals. Creating the covered screen entry space at the front of the house provides sun, rain, insect and animal protection while allowing the wall to be open to collect as much breeze as possible.

To induce air flow, especially on those “dead air” days, above the stairwell leading to the roof deck, is an operable windowed copula, which creates a “stack” effect to thermally induce air flow, with additional help from a whole house fan when required.  Any form of heat storage should be avoided with interior walls opened to induce cross ventilation. In response, louvered interior doors and

No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

transoms are used to promote air movement through the house. To additionally promote free air movement and to visually lighten the form, the house is elevated off the ground.

The roof takes on the strongest thermal impacts; here the design emphasis changes from walls to roof. It must be water tight, insulated and reflective. The roof of the Keys Houses is vaulted on the interior, with an insulted roof above, radiant barrier and a reflective “5V crimp” galvalume roof to the exterior.Intangibles such as state of mind and clothing play an important part of staying comfortable. Not letting the heat of the day, enter into your psyche, wearing breathable cotton clothing and a broad brimmed, ventilated hat is helpful.

Other sustainable practices are incorporated in the Tavernier House including: Rain water harvesting Basement water storage cistern Photovoltaic and hot water solar panels on the roof Drip irrigation Planting native drought tolerant vegetation High efficiency plumbing fixtures FSC certified and reclaimed lumber Environmentally preferable products

No

ve

mb

er

22

, 2

01

2Research on Sustainable Architecture

BioTectureThe art of combining architecture and biology with the goal of liveable sustainability in the design and structure of buildings and environments.

Any of several types of architecture that use forms influenced by biological structures

Example:

Earthship Biotecture

". . . The Earthship is the epitome of sustainable design and construction. No part of sustainable living has been ignored in this ingenious building."

Design Principles:

Electricity: from sun and wind. Water:  from rain and snow. Sewage: sanitary treatment. Heating & Cooling:  from sun

and earth. Food:  grow inside and outside. Building with Natural and

recycled Materials

Design & Construction:

Sustainable, Green Architectural services offered worldwide.o Single family residenceo Residential developmentso Commercial Structureso Disaster Relief Projects

The Ultimate in Green Buildings.