2016 Symposium on Building Science Education in North America

MORNING PANEL

Finding the “Art” in the Science

2016 Symposium on Building Science Education in North America

Building Science Resources in

Architectural Education

Walter Grondzik Ball State University

Society of Building Science Educators

TO BE HONEST

I am, on a daily basis, much more interested and concerned with finding

(and ensuring the accuracy of) the science in the art.

BASIC PROPOSITIONS

A building design proposal is a hypothesis, which must be tested for validity.

If not tested, a fallacy may be constructed

and occupied.

Such testing, for many design proposals, will involve building science.

SUB-PROPOSITION

A diagram (graphic or mathematic) is a great preliminary testing tool.

SUPPORTING PROPOSITION

“In a way, science might be described as paranoid thinking applied to Nature …”

“The creative act has major right-

hemisphere components. But arguments on the validity of the result are largely left-

hemisphere functions.”

Carl Sagan: The Dragons of Eden

COMMON ARCHITECTURAL HYPOTHESES WHICH MIGHT BENEFIT FROM PARANOIA

cross ventilation to provide comfort

arrangements to provide daylighting green roofs to …

double envelope facades that … opaque envelope assemblies that …

ground source heat pumps (whoa; magic)

BRINGING THE SCIENCE TO ART

a recently encountered case study

a graduate teaching assistant was tasked with developing a 3-minute

explanation of

low-e glazing

it needed more science: RESOURCES

low-e glazing RESOURCES AGS

no background science

Architectural Graphic Standards, 11th ed

low-e glazing RESOURCES MEEB Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings, 12th ed

not much background science

low-e glazing RESOURCES GSH

not much background science

The Green Studio Handbook, 2nd ed

low-e glazing RESOURCES SWL Sun, Wind & Light, 3rd ed

not much background science

low-e glazing RESOURCES WIKI Wikipedia, Jan 2016; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Window#Glazing_and_filling

not much background science

low-e glazing RESOURCES FBC

some background science

Fundamentals of Building Construction, 6th ed

low-e glazing RESOURCES HLC Heating, Cooling, Lighting, 3rd ed

some background science; but … emissivity reflects?

low-e glazing RESOURCES WBDG

some background science; but … emissivity reflects?

Whole Building Design Guide, Jan. 2016

ww

w.w

bdg.

org/

desi

gn/e

nv_f

enes

tratio

n_gl

z.ph

p

low-e glazing RESOURCES MFG 1

Marvin Windows Web site, Jan. 2016

some background science; but … emissivity reflects?

ww

w.m

arvi

n.co

m/p

lan/

ener

gy-e

ffici

ency

?men

u=in

sula

ted-

glas

s-co

atin

g

low-e glazing RESOURCES MFG 2 www.pella.com/features-and-options/energy-efficiency/determining-energy-efficiency.aspx

Pella Windows web site, Jan. 2016

some background science; but … emissivity reflects?

low-e glazing RESOURCES EWC

getting to the background science; but … emissivity reflects / absorbs?

Efficient Windows Collaborative, Jan. 2016

ww

w.ef

ficie

ntw

indo

ws.

org/

low

e.ph

p

low-e glazing RESOURCES HOF

getting close to the background science; almost; ASHRAE Handbook 2013 Fundamentals,

OPINION

We can use more initial paranoia; which may be mitigated by bringing more science

to the art of architecture.

On the specific issue of low-e glazing, that science seems hard to find.

This “hard to find” conclusion most likely applies (more or less) to other

architectural design hypotheses.