Arch 126:
Environmental Building Design

Winter 2018:
Course Home Page

This course takes the more general notions of passive design as introduced in Arch 125 and looks to apply them in a more technical way. The course centers on issues surrounding the integration of Sustainable and Passive Design principles, into conceptual and practical architectural design. Topics will include: Living Building Challenge, daylighting, PV, wind, Cradle 2 Cradle, Design for Disassembly, Zero Carbon/Carbon Neutral strategies and other sustainability initiatives. Case studies will be used extensively as a vehicle to discuss the success/failure of ideas and their physical applications.

Teaching Assistants: Michelle Bullough, Sarah Hunter

Log-in to LEARN: here

Schedule of Classes: Wednesdays 10am to 1pm Main Lecture Hall

Office Hours:
Tuesdays and Wednesdays 1pm to 2pm, ARC 3012 or TBA
Email tboake@uwaterloo.ca anytime

Laptop policy:
Please note. ALL notes are to be taken by hand in a notebook of your choosing. Failure to attend class and take notes will be very evident. Laptops are NOT permitted in the class, nor are cellphones or mP3 players.

TOPIC

CARBON NEUTRAL DESIGN:
What is it? How is it different from Zero Energy Design? Differentiating by operating energy vs. holistic carbon concerns.

The UK Carbon Strategy

The 2030 Challenge from WD Partners on Vimeo.

www.architecture2030.org

More 2030 videos link

Solar Today Article, “It’s the Architecture, Stupid!” (review)
http://www.backspace.com/notes/images/its_the_architecture.pdf

Architecture and Global Warming: www.architectureweek.com

CaGBC Zero Carbon Framework 2017 Summary

Project #1: Sustainable Case Study 25%

brief

READING ASSIGNMENT:
A Road Map for Natural Capitalism
Students will read a summary of the book's basic business case reprinted from the Harvard Business Review (May-June 1999) and write an in class quiz during Class 2.

Full text: file
Summary: https://hbr.org/2007/07/a-road-map-for-natural-capitalism

and http://hettingern.people.cofc.edu/Business_&_Consumer_Ethics_SP_09/Lovins&Hawken_Natural_Capitalism.htm

Alternate Viewpoints:
The Idols of Environmentalism by Curtis White (Orion Magazine) link
The Ecology of Work by Curtis White (Orion Magazine) link

MINING LEED FOR CARBON:
A look at LEED 2009 and LEED V4 and their credit systems for potential as a starting point for low carbon design strategies.

Construction Canada Article Comparing LEED V1.0 to LEED 2009 link

Choosing the right LEED Evaluation system link

LEED Rating System Information:
Canadian Green Building Council: http://www.cagbc.org/
US Green Building Council: http://www.usgbc.org/

Extensive information on the LEED credits https://www.usgbc.org/credits

LEED handbooks https://www.usgbc.org/resources/grid/credentialing

Energy Targets for Ontario Buildings to meet Architecture2030

Verifying and Marketing Green Buildings:
Selling environmental design requires quantification and data. We will look at some of the Green Building tools and evaluation methods; including Athena Environmental Impact Estimator, ENVest, LEED™, and Green Globe Standards.
Some of the information for this lecture will be derived from the RAIC Seminar, SDCB 201 2002. 2002 was a while ago, but the need to effectively market green design has increased in importance.

LECTURE BY EFFIE OUR LIBRARIAN ON RESEARCH METHODS FOR YOUR CASE STUDY PROJECTS

PHILOSOPHIES OF SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Not all of the applications of "green" to design are necessarily pragmatic in their normative applications to architectural design. Many ask that we rethink things from scratch, thereby becoming more philosophical.

Cradle to Cradle (aka c2c):
Understanding the life cycle of building materials and how this both affects, and can be worked into the design of sustainable buildings. This will reflect on the key work of William McDonough. This lecture will also look at detailing with some of the lower technology systems such as strawbale and rammed earth.

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way we Make Things http://www.mcdonough.com/cradle_to_cradle.htm
Cradle to Cradle Design Protocol: http://www.mbdc.com/cradle-to-cradle/c2c-framework/

More links:
http://www.designboom.com/eng/funclub/cradle.html
http://www.archidose.org/Apr05/041805.html

Carpet manufacturer Ray Andersen's famous TED talk

Design for Disassembly (aka DfD): design manual
A philosophy of design that requires objects to be manufactured with their end life in mind and results in processes that produce less waste and require a revisioning of the design and construction process. Already a requirement for German industry.
Real Men are Environmentalists: http://www.elegant-technology.com/TVArelEn.html
Design for Disassembly (philosophy) by Jonathan Larson: http://www.elegant-technology.com/TVAdfd.html
Did Anyone Really Believe there were Weapons of Mass Destruction?: http://www.elegant-technology.com/WMD.html
Design for Disassembly and Deconstruction: http://www.archrecord.com/resources/conteduc/archives/0410edit-1.asp

Quiz #1: A Roadmap for Natural Capitalism 5%

BIOMIMICRY
A look at the methodogoy of Janine Beynus in the application of the principles found in nature to architectural design.

READ:
http://biomimicry.org/

LIVING BUILDING CHALLENGE
The most aggressive of the current standards of green design in that it pushes for buildings that are regenerative.

READ:
Living Building Challenge link
Living Building Challenge current version 3.0 link

Living Building Challenge Example Projects:
Bullitt Center, Seattle
Bill Fisch Forest Stewardship and Education Centre, Toronto

GREEN GLOBES
An alternate rating system to LEED.

READ:

Green Globes System

Quiz #2: The Basics of Carbon Neutral Design 5%

ACTIVE SYSTEMS:
How can the use of active systems (pv, wind, solar thermal, etc.) benefit sustainable design. How do these systems work? When are they appropriate?

READ:
Lechner: Chapter 8

links to more information on environmental heating systems, trickle vents
http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wres/index.htm
Canadian Wind Atlas

More info on renewables, etc. link

Info on recycling PV!

CHICAGO STYLE CITATIONS: LECTURE BY EFFIE OUR LIBRARIAN TO CLARIFY REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR PAPER

Effie's notes on Citations, Effie's notes on Bibliographies

LIGHTING AND BUILDINGS:
Detailed look at the use of light in buildings from the point of view of issues of source, quantity, quality, human response, glare, room use, control, strategies, applications. The importance of natural lighting, both from an energy conservation point of view, as well as the aesthetic impact of natural light on interior architecture and the function of space.

READ:
Lechner: Chapter 13

Daylighting in Canada 1.5MB pdf
Daylighting Guide by Lawrence Berkeley Labs 1.0MB pdf

MODELING AND DATA TO HELP YOU DESIGN

There is only so far that you can go with "gut feelings" when you are designing for the climate. Each site is quite unique and has its own potentials and problems. We will look at some tools that can assist with design decisions.

understanding the Psychrometric Chart

Download Climate Consultant Software (PC or Mac, free)

Climate Consultant

Please download and install Climate Consultant: http://www.energy-design-tools.aud.ucla.edu/

READ:
Lechner. Chapter 5. Climate

Article: It's Not Easy Being Green

READING WEEK

THE TECTONICS OF THE DOUBLE SKIN:
A detailed discussion using numerous case studies of double façade envelope design, highlighting buffer, extract air, twin face and hybrid systems.

READ:
https://www.academia.edu/4812685/Hot_Climate_Double_Facades_Avoiding_Solar_Gain

https://www.academia.edu/3437915/The_Tectonics_of_the_Double_Skin_Hi-tech_or_Hi-jinx

https://www.academia.edu/4621345/Tectonics_of_the_Double_Skin_North_American_Case_Studies

FIELD TRIP TODAY AS WELL!!!

MAKE SURE THAT YOUR LAPTOPS ARE CHARGED AS THERE ARE LIMITED PLUGS AND THIS IS AN INTERACTIVE CLASS.

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER ASSISTED ENERGY DESIGN:
HEED AND CLIMATE CONSULATANT
Computer simulations are becoming increasingly important as a means to both create and validate environmentally motivated designs. Several types of software are available for use, each with their advantages and disadvantages. Caroline Prochazka's Masters Thesis is focussed on a comparative analysis of these and other simulation/design programs and their relevance to daylighting and energy issues. link

FOR THIS CLASS YOU MUST BRING YOUR LAPTOP AND COME WITH HEED INSTALLED.

download HEED Energy tool for houses - free. (Mac version too!) required part of the final project of a HEED model!!

HEED PPT

Tools for Sustainability Tutorials (make your own log-in to access) link

And for your amusement.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pezKEkBIhqA&feature=fvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpzmB37G_6A

Quiz #3: Active Systems 5%

WATER AND BUILDINGS
Some information on issues related to water supply, shortages and architecture and urban planning.

Canadians are quite unaware about the problems with world water resources. "Blue Gold, World Water Wars" describes the international conditions of water scarcity that we must work to mitigate through both architectural design and our personal choices.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/us/28mead.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=homepage

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/sci-fi-film-starring-ai-weiwei-shows-a-dystopian-future-1630452287

Complete this Water Footprint Calculation:
http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=cal/WaterFootprintCalculator

NORTH HOUSE TOUR

We will be going in 3 groups on a bus that sits 25 due to site restrictions. First group will board the bus at 9:45, others to follow in sequence.

SOURCING OUR ENERGY

Architects make a conscious choice when selecting the energy sources for their buildings. We need to know where the energy comes from and its effects on the environment.

Natural gas is oft touted as a clean energy source. But is it? Do you know how it is extracted? In Gasland - Can You Light Your Gas on Fire? the impact of natural gas fracking is examined. Designing to low carbon, using passive design can assist in moving away from dependence on this fuel source.

READ:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_fracturing

Project due at 11:59 p.m., (submit to Dropbox on LEARN)

Final Project Details:

The idea behind the final project will be to execute the design of an "Off Grid/Low Carbon Research Cabin" such that it encompasses all of the aspects of sustainable design, passive heating and passive cooling that have been addressed this term and achieves an "Oasis-like" state.

The project is to be done in PAIRS. You will need to produce plans, sections, elevations, details, views, lighting studies, solar diagrams, magic arrow diagrams, all at appropriate scales (suited to the level of detail required.) A HEED analysis will also be required.

Project Info

The project will be worth 50% (design) + 10% (HEED) of your final term grade.

Reference Texts:

Required:
Heating, Cooling, Lighting. (from Arch 125)
Course Notes are all available online @
crsnotes.html

Carbon Neutral Design Project Web Site:
http://www.tboake.com/carbon-aia/index.html

LEED Rating System:
Canadian Green Building Council: http://www.cagbc.org/
US Green Building Council: http://www.usgbc.org/

Recommended:
LaRoche, Pablo. Carbon Neutral Design.
Cradle 2 Cradle. William McDonough.
Brown, G.Z. Sun, Wind and Light.
Moore, Fuller. Environmental Control Systems.
Rocky Mountain Institute. A Handbook for Sustainable Design.

Evaluation:

Evaluation will be based both on the formal/technical execution of the projects, as well as the seminar presentation of material and contributions to the discussions.

Late Penalties:
Projects or assignments submitted after the due date or due time will be penalized 5% per calendar day of lateness, with no maximum.

Quizzes: 3 @ 5% each = 15%
Project 1: Sustainable Case Study Essay 25%
Project 3: Design Project 50%
Project 4: HEED Analysis of Final Project 10%

Total: 100%

Avoidance of Academic Offenses

Academic Integrity: To create and promote a culture of academic integrity, the behaviour of all members of the University of Waterloo is based on honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility.

Grievance:  A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4, http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy70.htm

Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid committing academic offenses, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offense, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offenses (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or the Undergraduate Associate Dean. When misconduct has been found to have occurred, disciplinary penalties will be imposed under Policy 71 – Student Discipline. For information on categories of offenses and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 - Student Discipline, http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy71.htm

Appeals: A student may appeal the finding and/or penalty in a decision made under Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances (other than regarding a petition) or Policy 71 - Student Discipline if a ground for an appeal can be established. Read Policy 72 - Student Appeals, http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy72.htm

Note for students with disabilities:The Office for Persons with Disabilities (OPD), located in Needles Hall, Room 1132, collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with the OPD at the beginning of each academic term. Once registered with OPD, please meet with the professor, in confidence, during my office hours to discuss your needs.