Studio Design 3B July 2023

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Input Lecture Series

Sustainable Design

Introduction

Sustainable building design is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life cycle from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction.

Sustainable building design aims to reduce the negative impacts of buildings on the environment and human health, while enhancing the well-being and productivity of the occupants.

Some of the benefits of sustainable building design include:

Lowering energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by using renewable and efficient sources of power, such as solar, wind, geothermal and biomass.

Conserving water and improving water quality by using rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, green roofs and permeable pavements.

Reducing waste and pollution by using recycled, biodegradable and non-toxic materials, minimizing construction and demolition waste, and implementing proper waste management practices.

Improving indoor environmental quality by using natural ventilation, daylighting, low-emission paints and finishes, and plants.

Enhancing social and economic aspects by creating healthy, comfortable and accessible spaces that foster community, diversity and equity.

Basic Strategies for Sustainable Design

Design for Disassembly: This strategy aims to make products easy to take apart and reuse or recycle their components.

Design for Longevity: This strategy aims to make products durable, repairable, and adaptable to changing needs and preferences.

Design for Reusability: This strategy aims to make products that can be used for multiple purposes or by multiple users.

Design for Dematerialization: This strategy aims to reduce the amount of material and energy used in the production and consumption of products.

Design for Modularity: This strategy aims to make products that consist of interchangeable parts that can be updated or replaced.

Design for Efficiency: This strategy aims to optimize the performance and functionality of products while minimizing their environmental impact.

Architectural Environmental Design Strategy

Environmental science strategy for architecture is an approach that applies the principles and methods of environmental science to the design and construction of buildings and other structures.

Environmental science is the interdisciplinary study of the natural and human-made systems that affect the environment and human health.

Some of the goals of environmental science strategy for architecture are:

To minimize the environmental impact of buildings by reducing their energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, water use, waste generation, and pollution.

To enhance the environmental quality of buildings by improving their indoor air quality, thermal comfort, natural lighting, acoustics, and aesthetics.

To promote the environmental awareness and responsibility of building occupants and users by providing them with information, feedback, and incentives to adopt sustainable behaviors and practices.

To contribute to the environmental restoration and conservation of natural resources and ecosystems by integrating buildings with their surrounding landscape, biodiversity, and culture.

Some examples of environmental science strategy for architecture are:

Using passive design techniques that utilize natural ventilation, daylighting, shading, insulation, and thermal mass to reduce the need for mechanical heating and cooling.

Using renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass to generate electricity and heat for buildings.

Using rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, green roofs, and permeable pavements to conserve water and improve water quality.

Using recycled, biodegradable, and non-toxic materials to construct buildings and minimize construction and demolition waste.

Using plants, green walls, and vertical gardens to improve indoor air quality, reduce noise, and create a pleasant atmosphere.

Architect Roles

Architects play a crucial role in environmental science strategy for architecture. They are responsible for designing and constructing buildings that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout their life cycle.

Architects can contribute to a healthier planet by:

Building with timber, which can sequester large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere and store it within a building for as long as it stands.

Making buildings carbon-neutral or, better still, carbon-negative architecture by reducing emissions generated through construction and operation.

Using passive design techniques that utilize natural ventilation, daylighting, shading, insulation, and thermal mass to reduce the need for mechanical heating and cooling.

Using renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass to generate electricity and heat for buildings.

Using rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, green roofs, and permeable pavements to conserve water and improve water quality.

Using recycled, biodegradable, and non-toxic materials to construct buildings and minimize construction and demolition waste.

Using plants, green walls, and vertical gardens to improve indoor air quality, reduce noise, and create a pleasant atmosphere.

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In addition to these strategies, architects can also address the impact of the built environment on the planet through grassroots initiatives such as climate action groups ⁠

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3 Basic Approaches

There are 3 basic approaches that architect need to consider:

Building Orientation and Layout

Natural Lighting

Natural Ventilation

Building Orientation and Layout

Building orientation is important because it affects the amount of natural light, heat, and ventilation that a building receives. By choosing the right orientation, a building can reduce its energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, water use, waste generation, and pollution.

It can also improve its indoor environmental quality, thermal comfort, natural lighting, acoustics, and aesthetics.

Moreover, building orientation can enhance the social and economic aspects of a building by creating healthy, comfortable and accessible spaces that foster community, diversity and equity.

Some basic strategies for choosing the optimal orientation are:

Orienting the building along the east-west axis to maximize the exposure of the north and south walls to the sun and wind.

Orienting the building to avoid direct sunlight from the east and west during summer months, which can cause overheating and glare.

Orienting the building to capture the prevailing winds for natural ventilation and cooling.

Orienting the building to take advantage of the site conditions, such as rainwater harvesting, landscape features, and street life.

Natural Lighting

Natural lighting is an important aspect of sustainable building design. It can reduce the need for artificial lighting, lower energy consumption, and improve the indoor environmental quality of a building.

Here are some basic strategies for incorporating natural lighting into building design:

Orientation: As mentioned earlier, the orientation of a building can affects the amount of natural light it receives. Orienting a building along the east-west axis can maximize the exposure of the north and south walls to the sun and wind. This can help to reduce glare and overheating during summer months while allowing for more natural light during winter months.

Window placement: Placing windows strategically can help to maximize natural light while minimizing heat gain and loss. For example, placing windows on the south-facing wall can allow for more direct sunlight during winter months, while shading devices such as overhangs or louvers can prevent excessive heat gain during summer months.

Glazing: Choosing the right type of glazing can also affect the amount of natural light that enters a building. High-performance glazing such as low-e glass or spectrally selective glass can help to reduce heat gain and loss while allowing for more natural light.

Light shelves: Light shelves are horizontal surfaces that reflect natural light deeper into a building’s interior. They can be used to increase daylight penetration and reduce glare.

Skylights: Skylights are another way to bring natural light into a building. They can be used to provide daylight to interior spaces that are far from windows or to create visual interest in a room .

Examples:

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https://www.dezeen.com/2020/01/20/sainsbury-centre-norman-foster-video/⁠

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Natural Ventilation

Natural ventilation is the use of natural forces, such as wind and buoyancy, to provide fresh air and cooling to a building without using mechanical systems. It can help reduce energy consumption, improve indoor air quality, and create a more comfortable and healthier environment for the occupants. There are several ways to increase natural ventilation in a building, depending on the climate, site, and design of the structure.

Here are some basic strategies for incorporating natural ventilation into building design:

Orient windows and doors based on the prevailing breezes and the landscape. This can help maximize the intake of cool air and minimize the exposure to hot air⁴.

Choose window types that can direct or deflect air flow. For example, casement windows can offer maximum ventilation when fully opened, and louvre windows can vary ventilation paths and control air speed⁴.

Position openings for cross ventilation. This means having openings on at least two sides of a room, preferably on opposite or adjacent walls, to create a pressure difference that draws air through⁵.

Use stack ventilation to take advantage of the buoyancy effect. This means having openings at different heights, such as skylights, clerestory windows, or vents, to allow warm air to escape from the top and cool air to enter from the bottom⁵.

Increase the size and number of openings to allow more air flow. However, this may also increase heat loss or gain, noise, and security issues, so it should be balanced with other factors⁶.

Avoid or reduce obstructions that can block or divert air flow. For example, furniture, curtains, screens, partitions, or plants can interfere with natural ventilation if they are placed too close to the openings.

Problems with Natural Ventilation:

It is highly dependent on the external climatic conditions, which can vary greatly and unpredictably. This means that natural ventilation may not be able to provide adequate or consistent ventilation in some situations, such as when the outdoor air is too hot, cold, humid, polluted, or noisy1234.

It is limited in the extent to which it can provide cooling in hot and humid climates. For natural ventilation to be effective in such climates, it may need to be combined with some form of passive or low-energy cooling system, such as evaporative cooling, radiant cooling, or earth tubes13.

It can be challenging to install in existing buildings that are not designed for natural ventilation. It may require significant modifications to the building envelope, such as adding or enlarging openings, installing vents or louvres, or creating atriums or courtyards12. These changes may affect the structural integrity, thermal performance, security, and aesthetics of the building.

It can be difficult to control the amount and direction of air flow in natural ventilation systems. This may result in over-ventilation or under-ventilation, draughts or stagnant air, uneven distribution of temperature and humidity, and poor mixing of fresh and stale air124.

It can be hard to filter out pollutants from the outdoor air, such as dust, pollen, smoke, or noise. This may affect the indoor air

There are many ways to compliment natural ventilation in a building, depending on the design, location, and climate of the structure. Some of the possible methods are:

Installing natural ventilation systems that automatically adjust openings based on temperature, humidity, and wind speed. These systems can optimize the air flow and comfort level of the occupants without requiring manual intervention.

Encouraging convective air movement by creating vertical shafts, atriums, or courtyards that allow warm air to rise and escape from the top, while drawing in cool air from the bottom.

Taking advantage of cool night air by opening windows and doors during the night and closing them during the day. This can help reduce the indoor temperature and create thermal mass that can store and release heat later.

Using passive or low-energy cooling systems, such as evaporative cooling, radiant cooling, or earth tubes, to supplement natural ventilation in hot and humid climates. These systems can lower the temperature and humidity of the incoming air without consuming much energy.

Incorporating vegetation and water features into the building design to create microclimates that can modify the air temperature, humidity, and quality. Plants can also provide shade, filter pollutants, and reduce noise.

Designing the building envelope to be responsive to the changing environmental conditions, such as using movable shades, shutters, screens, or louvres to control solar radiation, glare, and privacy.

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https://www.linquip.com/blog/natural-ventilation/?amp=1⁠

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