resource efficient architecture

Very good introduction to passive house design by Tim Eian

2010-01-18T20:01:00.005+01:00

Small change to keep blog organized

2009-12-12T17:09:00.010+01:00

I think that this blog is becoming a little hard to keep track of. It would be nice to keep it organized, so that other REAP students can use it as well. Hence, I made some changes to the code which will help us keep the future blog posts shorter. We are now using the new blogger editor, which has a number of new features. Read here if you are interested. If not, all you have to know is that there is an easy way to keep posts short on the main blog page, as demonstrated here. You will have to read more to continue reading the remainder of the post.

If you think that your post will be too long to be displayed at once (more than 20 lines or so), you should make use of the "Insert Jump Tag" button on the Compose toolbar (all the way to the right).

Another thing that is useful to organize large blogs are tags. There should not be too many tags, so its good to reuse them often. Tags like LABEL or ENERGY can be used for many posts. Tags help to only display the posts that contain information about the topic LABELS or LEED. This way, if e.g. the materials group will post here, they can tag their relevant blog entries with MATERIALS, and it will be easy to overview the information in this blog.

Passive House Strategies

2009-12-11T19:44:00.004+01:00

I extracted only the part that explains passive house standards for you. To get a full overview of the PHPP standard, and how it can be implied in different climates such as in Portugal, France or England, check out http://www.passive-on.org/CD/3.%20Training%20Module/TrainingModule-27Sep2007.zip for the full presentation

Passive House Strategies

View more presentations from jschumacher.

Is LEED on track to save the world?

2009-12-08T18:46:00.013+01:00

From the BuildingGreenBlog:

Rob Watson recently published "Green Building Market & Impact Report," his second annual report on the impact LEED is having in addressing environmental problems. The report highlights the continuing remarkable expansion of LEED: 2009 registrations for new design and construction projects in the U.S. may actually exceed total new construction starts! (This is possible because projects don't typically register when they start construction, and a flurry of projects were registered just before the requirement to use LEED 2009 kicked in, to keep their options open.)

Watson takes note of the shift from whole building construction to Commercial Interior tenant fit-outs (CI) and Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (EBOM) registration and certification. And he compares 2009 certifications to registration numbers from 2006 and 2007 to see what fraction of projects are making it through the system. (In this analysis he assumes a three-year registration-to-certification timeframe for all except LEED-CI projects, for which he assumes two years. I would have given EBOM projects a shorter turn-around as well — in our market analysis for LEEDuser we assumed 18 months.)

Analyzing certification and registration trends is not Watson's main point, however. His focus is on the environmental benefits that follow. And that focus is what really caught my attention. I'm thankful he's taken that on, because it's so easy to forget what LEED was created for in the first place.

So, how is LEED doing at achieving its original goal? Watson explores this question category by category, looking at numbers of projects in each of the various rating systems that have achieved certain credits.

Through 2009, for example, he credits LEED projects with 780 million avoided vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and 15 billion gallons of water saved. He finds that operating energy use in 2009 led to CO2 emissions reductions of 2.9 million tons. He then extends these estimates to 2020 and 2030, with magnified results.

Watson's overall conclusion — at least in terms of carbon emission reductions — is that LEED is effective but is not going far enough to help head off a climate crisis. In reaching this assessment Watson does take time to address accusations that LEED buildings may not be saving any energy at all — that debate was covered in detail in a previous post. His arguments are unlikely to win over the skeptics — but that's a tough thing to do.

In producing this report he has had to radically oversimplify the analyses, any one of which could easily become fodder for more than one doctoral thesis. And it's worth noting that, as the "father of LEED," he's hardly the most unbiased of analysts one could pick to take this on. But he cares enough to do it and is willing to put out numbers for others to react to, both of which are worth a lot.

Looking at the specific analyses, I think he has managed to radically overstate the impact of LEED and radically understate it. Yes, both. At the same time. Whether or not the two cancel each other out to make his estimates valid — well, we'll have to wait for those doctoral candidates to sort that out.

The Overstatement

The report overstates the impact of LEED because it attributes to LEED the environmental benefit of a project having achieved a certain point, without exploring the question of whether or not LEED actually contributed to that decision, choice, or action.

For example, lots of LEED buildings are in urban centers, where they get points for being located near public transit and basic services. Watson associates those points with reduced vehicle miles traveled, which is the intent of those credits. But wouldn't most of those projects have been in those locations regardless of whether or not they pursued LEED? The only way I can think of to correct for this assumption would be to interview a representative sampling of LEED project teams about their decision-making process for each credit, and find out which points were actually affected by their decision to go for LEED certification.

To some extent this is a matter of semantics. In talking about reduced VMT and water use, Watson refers to the "savings from LEED," but in discussing operation energy savings he refers to the benefits "from LEED buildings." The latter is less presumptive, because it doesn't imply that LEED itself is responsible for all those benefits.

The Understatement

Watson describes a few assumptions he's made to keep his projections on the conservative side. But there are some others that he doesn't mention, such as the number of buildings that are built to LEED standards that never sign up with GBCI. The report does include a factor for "built-to-LEED" projects, but Watson only includes in this category buildings that are registered but don't reach certification — about 30% of the total. (My guess is that many of those registered-but-not-certified projects never get built at all.) There is a much larger group of projects that use LEED as a design and construction guide, either at the request of the owner or to meet government regulations. How well these projects actually follow LEED and ultimately perform is anyone's guess, but there are a lot of them and they must have some benefits. Even more significant, but harder to quantify, is LEED's market transformation impact. LEED is not affecting just individual buildings. It is educating and inspiring project teams, leading to more aggressive energy and environmental codes, and generally having an impact on the way all buildings are built (at least in some locales). Watson's report doesn't try to factor in these secondary benefits of LEED. I don't know how one might do that, but I suspect that they're huge.

In Conclusion

There are many places where a more nuanced analysis would be helpful. For example, Watson describes the growing evidence that workers in green buildings are more comfortable, and conservatively assumes a 1%–2% productivity gain. But other studies have indicated that these benefits are most strongly correlated with daylighting and increased ventilation, which are not achieved as often in EBOM projects as in the others — so assuming those benefits in the rapidly increasing EBOM-certified space is something that needs a closer look.

Ultimately, even though the report quantifies a range of benefits, I don't think it intends for those numbers to be taken too literally. The report represents the results of a thought exercise about how LEED is doing at accomplishing what it set out to do. And that's a great thing, because it gets us all thinking about the things that LEED was created to address in the first place.

Energy Star suggest these steps to ntegrate energy efficiency into the design approach

2009-12-04T13:44:00.006+01:00

As guidelines for an integrated design approach, I found this set of rules from EnergyStar to incorporate energy performance into the building design:

These guidelines are a strategic management approach, not a technical reference, to incorporate energy performance in the building design process. It is a set of suggested actions for design professionals and building owners to establish and achieve energy goals. These guidelines encourage best practices for energy design as part of the overall design process, and can help translate design intent to top energy performing buildings.

Start Right – Set energy goal and assemble design team
Pre-Design – Investigate energy design concepts
Schematic Design – Simulate and compare energy strategies
Design Development – Confirm that your design energy meets the target
Construction & Bid Documents – Include energy goal in specs
Follow Through – Commission building, rate operational performance, and apply for ENERGY STAR

Start Right: Set Goal — Assemble Design Team

Setting a definitive and measurable energy performance target is an important step in designing sustainable buildings that reduce operating costs and prevent pollution. Once your goal is set, a method to achieve it is required.

Action Items

Set an energy performance target by using the EPA Energy Performance Rating — Target Finder — for design projects.
Use energy design guidance to help choose energy-efficient strategies and technologies that will achieve your target. See Advanced Building Guidelines — E-Benchmark — at Building Design Links.
Review case studies that demonstrate enhanced energy performance in buildings similar to your project. See Resources for case studies and links to profiles of ENERGY STAR labeled buildings.
Review your firm’s relevant past projects and compare their energy performance with the target for your new project. Consider touring local facilities to understand how design and energy strategies were successfully implemented.
Consider financial and environmental impacts by using Target Finder to assess the cost of target energy use and the associated greenhouse gas emissions for the design.
Work with client to allocate sufficient funds to carry out an integrated design process and reach your energy performance target.

Assemble Design Team

Achieving superior energy performance requires assembling a multi-disciplinary team that works together from goal setting to building operation. The team should investigate energy performance design strategies and determine how these strategies can be integrated in the design. Team buy-in, experience, and early involvement are vital so that they can establish and achieve design and energy performance goals.

Action Items

Select a multi-disciplinary team early in the process, including the building owner, architects, energy consultants, engineers, proposed tenants, state and local government officials, construction contractors, commissioning agent, and Operations & Maintenance (O&M) staff.
Adopt an integrated design approach and educate the project team on goals, costs, and benefits of the process. Use a front-loaded, research-intensive process to determine strategies for creating buildings that achieve energy performance goals.

Pre-Design

The conventional design process usually introduces energy-efficient technologies during design development. However, the greatest opportunity for cost-effective energy measures occurs earlier in the design process. The pre-design stage is when the team investigates energy-related design concepts that consider the environment, climate, building orientation, and other features that will impact performance well into the future.

Action Items

Have a facilitated charrette that includes addressing energy objectives pertinent to the design. Identify synergies between design concepts and energy use. Develop a plan and adopt a method for delivering a top performing energy-efficient building. Determine requirements needed to start schematic design.
Develop scope of work, project budget, and schedule, which include energy-efficient strategies and your performance target.

Schematic Design

As the team’s ideas are taking form during schematic design, do preliminary simulations of various energy options and technologies. Compare the results to your energy target to know which strategies meet your goal.

Action Items

Analyze the site based on how it will affect energy and determine building orientation that enhances energy performance. Use natural shading features to reduce cooling load. Consider daylighting to reduce electrical lighting requirement and the air-conditioning load. These contribute to quality of the space.
Use energy design guidance to select the technologies that help deliver superior energy performance and indoor environmental quality. Right-size mechanical systems based on anticipated systems performance and loads, rather than rules of thumb. Ensure compliance with energy codes and standards during schematic design rather than tweaking the design later in the process. Enhance code compliance by using the Advanced Building Guidelines — E-Benchmark — at Building Design Links.
Include energy expert to review the selected energy strategies and provide preliminary costs and benefits for various design options. Begin energy analysis of design concepts using appropriate system design tools. Perform progressive analysis during schematic design to determine the relative efficiency of energy strategies and make improvements to your design.
Compare estimated energy use to design target using Target Finder. Make adjustments and integrate energy performance strategies in building design to achieve your performance target.

Design Development

Refine the project in Design Development and confirm that your energy performance target can be achieved. Include the energy performance goal in specification language.

Action Items

Prepare energy performance specification with estimated energy use target, anticipated outcome, and compliance schedule. Include the Building Energy Performance Specification in construction documents.
Identify energy-efficient design elements that require careful specification and assemble resources that explain installation, operation, and any other requirements.
Gather manufacturers’ technical literature for energy systems and components to include in construction documents and for use during building commissioning. Supplement literature with design team’s summaries of intended operation.

Construction & Bid Documents

It is important to select a qualified construction team that is able to execute the specified energy efficiency strategies that meet your design target. Seek a contractor who has a track record for constructing buildings that achieve superior energy performance.

Action Items

Include Statement of Energy Design Intent (SEDI) from Target Finder, which shows the intended energy performance outcome for your design in final construction documents and bid package.
Specify design team participation during construction to ensure that energy performance features are incorporated and to help produce a more comprehensive set of as-built documents.
Include approval process for change orders to methods and materials prior to construction, or require design team supervision during construction. Encourage building owner or designee to hold all parties accountable for achieving your energy performance goal.
Document construction methods associated with specific energy-efficient products and materials by including manufacturers’ literature and contact information for local technical reps. Include design team’s summaries of energy-efficient features in specifications and drawings. Explain anticipated functions of features to assist construction team in understanding desired outcome.
Select qualified manufacturers and do not accept unapproved alternatives for installing/constructing key energy-efficient features/systems. Be specific with explanations to all manufacturers so that proposals are compatible with one another.
Seek incentives for meeting your energy performance goal. Local utility companies may offer incentives to offset costs for the design team/owner to explore options that achieve the desired energy performance target.
Communicate your superior energy design intent by placing the “Designed To Earn The ENERGY STAR” graphic on final drawings that achieve 75 or better in Target Finder.

Follow Through: Commissioning — Tracking, M&V — ENERGY STAR

Commissioning is the process of verifying that a new building functions as intended and communicating the intended performance to the building management team. This usually occurs when the building is turned over for occupancy. In practice, commissioning costs aren’t included in design fees and often compete with other activities. As a result, it is seldom pursued properly. It is critical that the building is commissioned to ensure that energy performance and operational goals are met.

Action Items

Communicate your energy performance goal during commissioning to ensure that the design target is met. Encourage energy-use tracking that will allow performance comparisons to be made over time.
Specify detailed commissioning activities in your project contracts. Seek separate funding for commissioning work to ensure that it is given the appropriate level of importance.
Hire experts that specialize in building commissioning. Include the commissioning firm as part of the design team early in the project.
Finalize and transfer a set technical documents including manufacturers’ literature for systems and components. Supplement technical literature with summaries of intended operation. Provide additional explanation for innovative design features.

Tracking, Measurement & Verification

Building automation systems in commercial buildings allow users to track actual energy consumption over time. In contrast, the EPA Energy Performance Rating allows users to evaluate overall annual building performance using a 1-100 scale.

Action Items

Communicate the energy performance target (of your design) to the M&V team and ensure they understand specific performance expectations for the new building.
Document how sustained energy performance compares to the design intent and best practices from the project design.
Use EPA’s Web-based Portfolio Manager, once the building has been operating for 12 months, to track and rate annual energy performance. To check a building’s eligibility for ENERGY STAR, see “Evaluate Building Performance” on the ENERGY STAR Web site.

The ENERGY STAR for Commercial Buildings

New buildings created using an integrated design approach with emphasis on energy performance will be strong candidates to meet the design team’s target of 75 or better and qualify for the ENERGY STAR. Architects can follow up with the building owners and encourage them to measure the building’s energy performance using Portfolio Manager and gain EPA recognition for superior energy performance.
As soon as a building has one year of utility data, its energy performance can be compared to an industry benchmark of similar space types. Buildings that achieve a score of 75 or higher are eligible for the ENERGY STAR label. The entire process can be completed at EPA’s ENERGY STAR Web site, using Portfolio Manager.

Action item for building owners

Compare the building’s actual energy consumption to the industry benchmark.
Apply for the ENERGY STAR. Complete the application letter and the Statement of Energy Performance (SEP) and have a licensed Professional Engineer certify that certain indoor environmental criteria have been met. Submit both documents to EPA.
Communicate the success of the building design team/firm and their energy design strategies and in case studies and other outreach materials. Promote the fact that the building and the design team have achieved superior energy performance that earned the ENERGY STAR.

Energon passive office building

2009-11-29T18:40:00.001+01:00

http://www.enob.info/en/new-buildings/project/details/energon-passive-office-building/

Best cases DGNB and LEED

2009-11-28T20:22:00.002+01:00

This are two good examples for LEED and DGNB certified new office buildings

Best cases DGNB and LEED

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CEPHEUS - A Europe wide passive house implementation

2009-11-27T18:17:00.007+01:00

»The Passive House standard:
High comfort, minimal energy consumption, negligible heating costs – Pollution prevention pays!«

CEPHEUS – a project involving the construction and scientific evaluation of ca. 250 housing units built to Passive House standards in five European countries – has set itself the following goals:
• To demonstrate technical feasibility (in terms of achieving the targetted energy performance indexes) at low extra cost (target: compensation of extra investment cost by cost savings during use) for an array of different buildings and designs implemented by architects and developers in a variety of European countries; • To study investor-purchaser acceptance and user behaviour under real-world conditionsfor a representative range of buildings;
• To test the implementability of the Passive House quality standard throughout Europe with regard to cost-efficient planning and construction;
• To provide opportunities for both the lay and the expert public to experience the Passive House standard hands-on at several sites in Europe;
• To give development impulses for the design
of energy- and cost-efficient buildings and for the further development and accelerated market introduction of individual, innovative technologies compliant with Passive House standards;
• To create the preconditions for broad market introduction of cost-efficient Passive Houses;
• To illustrate, for the concrete example of the Hannover-Kronsberg subproject, the potential of the Passive House standard to provide a basis on which it is possible to meet the energy requirements of new housing in a manner that is both cost-efficient and, in sum over the whole year, produces zero greenhouse gas emissions (climate neutrality criterion);
• To present this sustainable – fully primary-energy and climate neutral – approach to the energy supply of new housing developments at the EXPO 2000 World Exposition in Hanover, in conjunction with all CEPHEUS subprojects.

Where to find information about LEED for homes

2009-11-25T16:07:00.009+01:00

LEED is increasingly becoming more important in the United States. I just came across a list of 28 cities in the U.S. (and in Vancouver, BC) that require LEED certification, often with "Silver Rating".

Chicago (IL) features a total of 88 LEED certified buildings, followed by Portland (OR) with 73 and Seattle (WA) with 63 buildings (Chicago Tribune, Sep.2009). Much of the information about LEED certified buildings is found on commercial and public buildings. Struggling to find information on small scale residency buildings, I came across a few lists on the USGBC website that include all of the LEED certified buildings to date. So if you are ever in need for finding best case examples, this lists might be a good starting point to look through all buildings that received LEED certification or this one (Oct 20th, 2009). Or you might start by browsing through the LEED project profiles featured at http://www.usgbc.org/.

Looking further through the USGBC website, I also came across a range of PowerPoint presentation files that give good background information about the impact of green buildings, the functionality of green homes, and general info about LEED and the USGBC.

Being interested in green homes, I picked a Platinum rated 2-family house (LEED Project #1391). There's plenty of information to be found on this green development in Chestnut Hill, PA such as floor plans and technical specs as well as photographs and a report, that give a good impression of the newly built projects.

Chicago Climate Action

2009-11-22T20:06:00.007+01:00

http://www.chicagoclimateaction.org/filebin/pdf/finalreport/EnergyEfficientBuildings.pdf

This is a great example of how a city, like chicago, care about the energy issue. the strategic plan aims to reduce the energy consumption using the concept of retrofitting on existing building.
well check it out!

further infos on...
http://www.chicagoclimateaction.org

LEED™ Green Building Rating System Explained

2009-11-22T16:00:00.011+01:00

Humber Arboretum Centre for Urban Ecology, LEED GoldToronto, Ontario

Source: http://www.enermodal.com/Canadian/leed_explained.html

The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building rating system was originally developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) to provide a recognized standard for the construction industry to assess the environmental sustainability of building designs. Canadian Green Building Council (CaGBC) has since adapted the USGBC LEED rating system to the specific concerns and requirements of buildings in Canada.
LEED is a point-based rating system; points are earned for building attributes considered environmentally beneficial. LEED differs from other rating systems in that it has quantified most of the "green credits." For example, 5% of the building materials must be from salvaged materials to earn a point for the salvaged materials credit.

LEED has 69 points (70 for LEED Canada) covering six topic areas. Each topic area has a statement of associated goals.

Site Development: minimize storm water run-off, encourage car pooling and bicycling, increase urban density and green space
Water Efficiency: eliminate site irrigation, reduce water consumption, minimize or treat wastewater
Energy Efficiency: reduce building energy consumption, use renewable energy, eliminate ozone-depleting chemicals, commission building systems
Material Selection: minimize construction waste, re-use existing building façade, use recycled and salvaged materials, use renewable construction materials and design and build more durable buildings
Indoor Environmental Quality: incorporate daylighting, use low off-emitting materials, provide operable windows and occupant control of work space, improve delivery of ventilation air
Innovation in Design: use a LEED Accredited Professional, greatly exceed the requirements of a credit, incorporate innovative environmental features not covered in other areas, develop a green education plan (such as installing an Enermodal Signature Green Building Kiosk)

Designers can pick and choose the credits most appropriate to their project to achieve a rating. LEED has four performance ratings:

26 to 32 points: Certified	33 to 38 points: Silver
39 to 51 points: Gold	52 or more points: Platinum

In addition to different levels of achievement, there are different types of certification. Besides the traditional LEED-NC (New Construction), there is LEED-EBOM (Existing Buildings), LEED-ND (Neighbourhood Development), LEED-CI (Commercial Interiors), and LEED-CS (Core and Shell).
The LEED system can be used in three ways to improve the “green-ness” of a building design:

LEED can serve as a design guide for the design team. The LEED credit system is a systematic way of ensuring that the most important environmental issues are considered during the design of a building.
LEED reports are a valuable means of showing the client and other interested parties that the design has effectively addressed environmental issues.
A building design can be certified by the USGBC or CaGBC.

Certification provides increased market exposure and places the building in elite company among the most green buildings in North America. LEED registration and certification fees are 4 cents US or 7 cents CDN per square foot. In addition, LEED requires calculations and documentation to validate each credit claimed.
LEED is the most recognized green building rating system in North America. There are about 1,000 buildings that have been registered with the CaGBC. Many developers, particularly those working on federal government and leading-edge private sector buildigs, are requiring that building designs meet LEED Silver performance. Given that conventional new buildings would likely score only a few LEED points, achievement of any LEED level represents a significant reduction in building environmental impact and improvement of indoor environment.
The Canadian version of LEED is similar to the US version with the exception that energy efficiency is relative to the Canadian Model Energy Code for Buildings.
The larger benefit of LEED buildings is an improved indoor environment (lower absenteeism, greater productivity, better thermal comfort), lower maintenance costs (commissioned building, more durable materials, smaller or eliminated building systems), higher corporate profile (increased product sales, marketing advantage, improved employee morale), and reduced risk of remedial measures (to deal with sick building syndrome or environmental contaminants). The table below summarizes typical costs and payback periods for LEED buildings. The payback includes only annual utility energy savings.

LEED Rating	Certified	Silver	Gold	Platinum
LEED Points	26 to 32	33 to 38	39 to 51	52 to 69
Energy Savings	25 to 35%	35 to 50%	50 to 60%	>60%
Annual Utility Savings	$0.75/ft²	$1.00/ft²	$1.25/ft²	$1.50/ft²
Typical Payback	Under 3 yrs	3-5 yrs	5-10 yrs	10+ years
Incremental Construction Cost
Small Buildings	3%	7%	10%	15%
Large Buildings	1%	3%	5%	8%

Enermodal Services

Enermodal is one of Canada’s premier sustainability consultants, with staff members who were Ontario’s first LEED APs. Our staff includes LEED Faculty members and members of LEED advisory groups. We are currently working on over 180 LEED building projects worth over $4 billion and have certified more buildings in Canada than any other firm.Enermodal can lead the design teams through the LEED process and provide insight on how other green projects meet the requirements of each credit. As LEED APs, Enermodal staff can evalute which credits the design has met and issue a LEED Assessment Report outlining the level achieved. Finally, Enermodal can develop the application package for submission to the CaGBC and provide the necessary expertise to ensure the project receives the designation it is entitled.

I found this article very interesting, because they explain a little bit better ( in the table) how the LEED works in a matter of Energy saving related with the labels (Gold, Platinum, etc).

Commercial Buildings: Energy Efficient Building Practices

2009-11-22T15:30:00.007+01:00

(http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/)

The commercial building market encompasses a diverse mix of structures and purposes – from small retail establishments to corporate office parks, from neighborhood schools to regional hospitals, and from multi-family apartment buildings to universities.
Despite their differences, commercial buildings share a large and growing appetite for energy. They account for 18 percent of total U.S. energy consumption. In a typical office building, energy use accounts for 30 percent of operating costs, the largest single category of controllable costs.
The design and construction of energy-smart buildings offers tangible benefits to building owners and occupants and our nation as a whole.

Building owners can lower their energy costs by 50 percent or more while lessening maintenance and capital costs.
Building occupants realize increased comfort, health and productivity.
Our nation conserves energy resources and enjoys cleaner air and a healthier environment.

Realizing energy savings requires knowledge of best practice guidelines, which are based on Department of Energy research, including collaborations with private-sector partners. The Department of Energy is committed to driving continuous improvements in energy efficient technologies and practices.
The guidelines summarized on this site address each step of the design and building process, giving an integrated, or whole building, approach to new construction and renovation. Whole building design integrates each building system so all the components work together for maximum efficiency.
The guidelines cover the planning and financing of new construction or renovation projects, the design and construction phase, and operations and maintenance. For building owners who want more dramatic reductions in purchased energy, there are opportunities for on-site energy production such as photovoltaic systems, geothermal, and other forms of renewable energy.
In addition to detailed best practice guidelines, this site discusses issues and opportunities for specific building types as well as considerations related to climate zones. The site offers an array of information including commercial building success stories, and energy related software and publications. It is aimed at building owners, facilities managers, architects, engineers, and builders who seek to incorporate energy efficient building practices into a new or existing commercial building.

I think this could be a small summary of what we are doing about our Best Practice's definition, which includes the "good architecture" and building design working together for a maximum efficiency.

Institute for Global Environmental Strategies

2009-11-21T23:55:00.013+01:00

Best case for CASBEE

From:http://www.ibec.or.jp

Project Outline

IGES is a think tank whose aim is to research policy-oriented or practical measures designed to solve problems of the global environment, and to concretize the results of such research via the policies of governments and local authorities as well as the actions of corporations and citizens in various countries. The design concept was to create a practical yet comfortable, highly flexible research environment that can support research spanning different sectors flexibly over the long term, bearing in mind that such research changes every few years. Another objective was to positively introduce passive technologies that draw on the superb natural environment inside the site, and to present this as a prototype for eco-friendly architecture befitting this Institute.

Basic Information

[CASBEE rank]	S ()
[CASBEE tool used]	CASBEE for New Construction (2004 edition)
[Location]	2108-11 Kamiyamaguchi, Hayama-machi, Miura-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
[Completion date]	April, 2002
[Site area]	20,974.49 ㎡
[Total floor area]	7,408.11 ㎡
[Structure]	RC (below ground) / S (above ground)
[Floors]	1 basement level / 2 floors above ground
[Owner]	Kanagawa Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture Housing Supply Corporation
[Designer]	Nikken Sekkei Ltd.
[Contractor]	Kajima / Mitsui Construction / Kobai Kensetsu JV

Awards

FY2001 Architectural Institute of Japan Design Contest (Technology Section) – Prize of Excellence for “Architectural design aiming for a 30% reduction in LCCO2 and three-fold increase in serviceable life (100-year lifespan) – Nonresidential Section”

NEC Glass Space Design Competition – Commendation

Architectural Institute of Japan – Selected Works (2004)

1st Design Award for Light & Lighting (2003)

3rd Environment & Equipment Design Awards (Environmental Design Section) (2005)

Arcasia Awards 2005-2006 Gold Medal

31st International Illumination Design Awards

15th IEIEJ Awards (Development Encouragement Prize, Technology Section)

6th Japan Institute of Architects (JIA) Environmental Architecture Prize (General Architecture Section)

Special Features

Q-1 Indoor Environment	Double glazing Improved heat insulation Light shelf Use of daylight from diagonal ceiling with vertical louvers Automatic light control Natural ventilation via atrium using prevailing wind Smoking control
Q-2 Quality of Service	Barrier-free measures Highly flexible research space Measures for renewal of equipment and machinery Use of highly durable construction materials
Q-3 Outdoor Environment on Site	Installation of biotope pond Rooftop greenery Greenery and walking routes throughout the site Exterior space open to surroundings
LR-1 Energy	Double glazing Improved heat insulation Light shelf Use of daylight from diagonal ceiling with vertical louvers Automatic light control Natural ventilation via atrium using prevailing wind Cool heat trench Solar panels Solar heat accumulator Wind power generator Improved efficiency of equipment system using IESS Micro gas turbines Ice-heat storage heat source device Management by BMS Monitoring of energy consumption
LR-2 Resources and Materials	Rainwater / gray water reuse system Use of blast furnace cement Use of recyclable materials and low environmental load materials Use of eco-materials
LR-3 Off-site Environment	Permeation of rainwater into site Composting of waste Appropriate allocation of parking spaces

CABEE Score

【 Q. Building Environmental Quality & Performance 】 SQ = 4.4 (SQ：Score of Q category )

【 LR. Reduction of Building Environmental Loadings 】 SLR = 4.3 (SLR：Score of LR category )

Natural light intake

Using the light shelf and recycled wood vertical louvers installed on the western side, uncomfortable direct light can be screened almost completely without lowering blinds, making it possible to enjoy the superb views to the west. Light reflected from the light shelf is converted to soft dispersed light by means of the milky glass in sections between the buildings, traveling along the sloping ceiling into the back of the research space. Reflected light is also introduced from the corridor side via the atrium, assuring a natural light intake from both east and west sides.

Natural ventilation

Taking advantage of the suction effect that arises when prevailing winds from the west of the site flow along the cross-sectional shape of the building,

natural ventilation is provided

for the entire facility via the atrium. By securing ample space for hot air to gather at the top of the atrium, we ensure that the zone of temperature increase due to sunlight inside the atrium does not descend to the residential zone.

Kansai Electric Power Building

2009-11-21T23:19:00.012+01:00

Best case for CASBEE

From:http://www.ibec.or.jp

Project Outline

This building was designed to house the Head Office functions of Kansai Electric Power Company. Built as Phase I of the “Nakanoshima 3-Chome Joint Development Project”. One of the basic concepts for this building is a "model building for environmental symbiosis". In areas around windows, the outer frames (columns, beams) protrude by about 1.8m outwards from the window surface. This not only constitutes a shaded exterior but also provides functions such as a natural light intake from the large window surfaces, shielding of sunlight by the canopy, introduction of natural ventilation via the eaves, and space for installation of solar panels. Besides these, we have also introduced a task-ambient air conditioning system, internal heat storage and other technology for environmental symbiosis. The building also features a “communication well” (a three-floor atrium in the high-floor office zone), the aim of which is to communicate widely.Basic Information

[CASBEE rank]	S ()
[CASBEE tool used]	CASBEE for New Construction (2006 edition)
[Location]	Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
[Completion date]	December, 2004
[Site area]	21,089 ㎡
[Total floor area]	106,484 ㎡
[Structure]	S / part SRC / RC
[Floors]	5 basement levels / 41 floors above ground
[Owner]	Kanden Fudosan Co., Ltd. , Kansai Electric Power Co.,Ltd
[Designer]	Nikken Sekkei Ltd. / NEWJEC Inc. JV
[Contractor]	(Construction) Takenaka / Obayashi / Konoike Construction / Asanuma / Zenitaka / Okumura JV (Electricity) Kinden / Kansai Tech / Kanden Kogyo / Sumitomo Densetsu JV (Climate Control Equipment) SANKI Engineering / Kinden / Takasago Thermal Engineering / Shinryo JV (Plumbing, drainage and sanitary Equipment) Sanko Air Conditioning / Dai Dan JV (Precast Concrete Panel) Kinki Concrete Industries Co.,Ltd.

Awards

2nd Sustainable Architecture Awards: IBEC Chairperson Prize (IBEC, February 2008)

45th SHASE Awards: Technical Prize, Architectural Facility Section (SHASE, May 2007)

18th IEIEJ Awards: Facility Prize, Technology Section (IEIEJ, June 2007)

Special Features

Q-1 Indoor Environment	Eco-frame (canopy) Task / ambient air conditioning Uses illuminance sensors cut-away ceilings by windows External air inlet volume 30m³ / person / h Natural ventilation inlet area 10.4m2 / floor
Q-2 Quality of Service	OA floor 200mmH Power source capacity 50VA / ㎡ Compliant with Heart Building Law Ceiling height 2.8m Floor height 4.3m Communication well Strong aseismic performance Vibration control equipment Granite inlaid precast concrete panels used as exterior materials Backup power and heat sources for important facilities Rainwater use system Recycling of domestic wastewater Floor load tolerance 4900N / ㎡ EPS only for IT
Q-3 Outdoor Environment on Site	Exterior passage offering a wide field of vision Lighting served for night-cityscape Open-use around the entrance space and Lower-4 floors
LR-1 Energy	PAL value 37% reduced Low-E glass Natural energy usage 47MJ / ㎡ / year, natural ventilation, photo voltaic array ERR value (integration of CEC values) reduced by 31% Introduction of e-BEMS based on PDCA cycle for energy management
LR-2 Resources and Materials	Water conservation measures, e.g. automatic faucets, imitation sound devices Water reuse system ratio 27%, rainwater recycling of domestic wastewater Inert gas fire extinguishers
LR-3 Off-site Environment	Atmospheric pollution sources eliminated by using DHC (using river water as a heat source and heat sink) Noise-reduction measures for emergency power generators, etc. Kitchen fume deodorizing filters, refrigerated food waste bins

Other Features

Interior materials with low VOC discharge

CABEE Score

【 Q. Building Environmental Quality & Performance 】 SQ = 4.0 (SQ：Score of Q category )

LR. Reduction of Building Environmental Loadings 】 SLR = 4.2 (SLR：Score of LR category )

Eco-frame

The column / beam shape (Eco-frame) that protrudes 1.8m from the window surface not only blocks direct sunlight in summer, but also facilitates effective natural light intake as well as natural ventilation (by introducing wind directly into the rooms while mitigating strong winds along the river).
the outlet has baffle plates in the internal side of the natural ventilation chamber. This is so designed that wind introduced by natural ventilation reaches to the center of the interior of the room. Solar panels are installed on the south-facing Eco-frames on each floor, making effective use of space.

Task-ambient air conditioning system

A task-ambient air conditioning system is adopted to reduce overall air conditioning output. This includes floor blower outlets that the residents can adjust to airvolume, direction of air current and so on their own temperature requirements.
We have confirmed, through experimental simulation, that task air conditioning can effectively heat or cool task zones without creating perceptible draughts, etc.

DGNB - German Sustainable Building Council

2009-11-21T20:28:00.008+01:00

For planning and evaluation of buildings, there is a new

and clearly structured tool: The German Sustainable Building

Certificate. As meritocratic rating system, it covers all

relevant topics of sustainable construction. Outstanding

buildings are awarded in the categories bronze, silver, or

gold.

Clear Topics

During the evaluation, 6 topics are considered by the certificate:

– Ecological Quality

– Economical Quality

– Socio-cultural and Functional Quality

– Technical Quality

– Quality of the Process

– Quality of the Location

Evaluation

From a total degree of compliance of

– 50 %, the bronze certificate is awarded

– 65 % for silver

– 89 % for gold

Alternatively, the total degree of compliance is indicated by a grade:

a total degree of compliance of

– 95% corresponds to grade 1,0

– 80 % corresponds to 1,5

– 65 % corresponds to 2,0

Evaluation Matrix

Each criterion can be assigned a maximum of 10 points, depending

on the documented or calculated quality. All criteria are weighted

with a factor from 0 to 3, because individual criteria are treated

as either more or less relevant. The evaluation matrix

shows the structure of the system. The degree of compliance with

the requirements of the certification is calculated in accordance

with the evaluation matrix.

Energy

It can be found under the "Ecological Quality" group of criteria (12 criteria)

Criterion 10: Non-Renewable Primary Energy Demands

Goal

The use of non-renewable energy resources shall be reduced. With

the identification of the non-renewable primary energy demands,

the energy-efficiency of the construction and use, as well as the

energy demands of the upstream chain is evaluated. The energy

demands of the users’ equipment are not evaluated. Primary energy

is the energy that is available from naturally existing energy sources.

Included are non-renewable energies such as black coal, brown

coal, petroleum, natural gas, and uranium.

Methodology

The demands of non-renewable primary energy is calculated

over the life-cycle of construction, reconditioning, operation, and

deconstruction/disposal of a building (in kWh/m²NFA*a). The input

quantities for the operating phase can be taken from the energetic

proof according to EnEV 2007. For the classifying the ecologic

impacts of the building’s structure, including its systems engineering,

an eco-accounting of the used materials and/or of the building

parts according to DIN EN ISO 14040 and 14044 is necessary.

Data Basis

The data identification (eco-balance as well as calculations of EnEV)

is largely the same for the criteria 01 to 05 and 10 to 11. By entering

the building data into the appropriate software, the life-cycle

costs can be calculated simultaneously.

www.nachhaltigesbauen.de:> Baustoff- und Gebäudedaten >

Nutzungsdauern von Bauteilen

The “eco-balance” (“Ökobilanz“) supplement has to be considered

for the calculation of the non-renewable primary energy demands.

Criterion 11: Total Primary Energy Demands and Percentage of Renewable Primary Energy

Goal

The total demand for primary energy shall be minimized and the

percentage of renewable energy shall be maximized during the life

cycle of a property. Among the non-renewable primary energies

are black coal, brown coal, petroleum, natural gas and uranium;

and among the renewable energies are biomass, solar radiation,

geothermal energy, hydropower, and wind energy. The total value of

primary energy demands are evaluated, as well as the percentage

of renewable energy demands, as compared to the total primary

energy demands.

Methodology

The percentage of renewable energy as compared to the total

primary energy demands for the construction and use is evaluated

over a period of 50 years. The input quantities for the operating

phase are taken from the energetic proof according to EnEV 2007.

Here, differing from EnEV 2007, the standard is a coverage proportion

of 15 % of the heat-demand by solar heat. For the classifying

the ecologic impacts of the building’s structure, including its systems

engineering, an eco-accounting of the used materials and/or of the

building parts according to DIN EN ISO 14040 and 14044 is necessary.

For the evaluation of the construction, including the systems

engineering, reference values are defined on the basis of an average

office building. The evaluation of the criterion “Percentage of

Renewable Primary Energy” is made by comparing the percentage

of renewable energies regarding the total primary energy demands

of the realized building with the reference building.

Data Basis

The data identification (eco-balance as well as calculations of EnEV)

is largely the same for the criteria 01 to 05 and 10 to 11. By entering

the building data into the appropriate software, the life-cycle

costs can be calculated simultaneously.

www.nachhaltigesbauen.de:> Baustoff- und Gebäudedaten >

Nutzungsdauern von Bauteilen

Non-renewable primary energy can be transferred from criterion 10.

Is there really a need to quantify "good architecture" as a measure for resource efficiency?

2009-11-21T14:10:00.012+01:00

I spent some time looking into the definition of good architecture, and into finding rules and measures for good architecture. I came across a few good points in a discussion forum on archinect such as:

One has to feel good when being inside the building.

Good architecture is the feeling that you're in a cathedral, viewing something timeless, innovative, and inspiring."Good architecture has to encourage and return traditional aesthetic values.

Good architecture stimulates the senses.

One man's good architecture is another man's crime.

A good architecture is one which meets the needs of the entity that funds its existence.

These ten rules for architecture appropriately suggests that good architecture is highly subjective and the judgment of it depends (almost) entirely on the perspective of the viewer:

1. Irrational judgments lead to new experience.

2. Ideas do not necessarily proceed in logical order. They may set one off in unexpected directions, but an idea must necessarily be completed in the mind before the next one is formed.

3. Successful architectures changes our understanding of the conventions by altering our perceptions.

4. Perception is subjective.

5. Architect may not necessarily understand their own architecture. Their perception is neither better nor worse than that of others.

6. There are many elements involved in a work of architecture. The most important are the most obvious.

8. Banal ideas cannot be rescued by beautiful execution.

9. When architects learn their craft too well they make slick buildings.

10. For each concept of architecture that becomes physical there are many variations that do not.

I am sure there are more somewhat quantifiable measures that can be listed here (additions are welcome!), but at this point I wonder if this should really be part of a best practice definition for resource efficient architecture. I came across a few good articles such as this one, in which James S. Russell, Adjunct Professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture Planning & Preservation, questions the future of LEED.
In his article, Russell goes into the building habits of different cultures. He claims that in Europe for example, successful buildings are often measured by their adaption of and experimentation with innovation. This however is traditionally not the case in the United States.

LEED may ask too little, but the extraordinary innovation that comes from Europe flows from cultural norms, energy costs, and tax treatment that allow designers to focus on a much longer time horizon than is common in America. “Europeans expect buildings to last a long time,” explained Arup’s Cousins, making higher upfront investments pay. Highly innovative buildings are considered “the right thing to do” in Europe, she says. In the U.S., “the talk immediately turns to legal risk and money.”

While American architects tend to pick out LEED strategies a la carte, European buildings push large-scale innovation very rapidly into the marketplace. The green features of Foster & Partners’ gold-rated 2006 HearstTower are pedestrian compared to the daylighting and natural-ventilation strategies the same architect used in the Commerzbank tower in Frankfurt almost 10 years earlier.

I therefore think that, rather than trying to quantify "good architecture" as a measure of resource efficient architecture, it would be both interesting and beneficial for us to explore why certain standards work better in some cultures than in others. And then, I think it would also be helpful to define how these green measures can be better incorporated in every day design. In the end, if we really want to achieve carbon neutrality for all new buildings by 2030 (in 20 years!), we have to change the way we look at good architecture entirely and include energy efficient design as one of the key measures for what we will grant "good architecture".

In a paper by Peter Morris called "What Does Green Really Cost"?, the author states that going green does not have to cost anything if the architect is aware of a few fundamental rules from the beginning.

The most common reason cited in studies for not incorporating green elements into building designs is the increase in first cost. People who are green averse are happy to relate anecdotes of premiums in excess of 30% to make their buildings green. These numbers are simply not, however, borne out by the facts, as evidenced by many studies of the cost of green building. Even though there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the cost question, it is clear from the substantial weight of evidence in the marketplace that reasonable levels of sustainable design can be incorporated into most building types at little or no additional cost.

I would be interesting to capture and formulate simple guidelines that will be useful for the architecture of the future in the battle against climate change.

REAP,What do you think?

The Environment Report: How Green Is The LEED Label?

2009-11-20T23:47:00.005+01:00

LEED buildings get points for green things like bike racks and good energy use, but it doesn’t actually enforce energy efficiency (Photo by Lester Graham) The biggest energy users in America are not cars and trucks - they're buildings. Buildings use about 40% of the nation's energy. In 2000, the US Green Building Council introduced a program that certifies "green" buildings. It's called LEED. That stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. But Samara Freemark reports some critics see serious flaws in the LEED program. See link below:
The Environment Report: How Green Is The LEED Label?

Posted using ShareThis

Melbourne Council House 2

2009-11-20T21:43:00.004+01:00

source: http://www.c40cities.org/

Council House 2 (CH2) new municipal office building: eco-buildings cuts C02 87%, electricity 82%, gas 87% and water 72%

Summary

Melbourne Council House 2 (CH2) is a multi-award winning and inspirational building that has reduced CO2 emissions by 87%, electricity consumption by 82%, gas by 87% and water by 72%. The building purges stale air at night and pulls in 100% fresh air during the day. The building exterior moves with the sun to reflect and collect heat, and turns sewage into usable water. The building has improved staff effectiveness by 4.9% and will pay for its sustainable features in a little over a decade.

What is it?

Council House 2 is a 10-storey office building for about 540 City of Melbourne staff, located at 240 Little Collins Street, Melbourne Australia. It has ground-floor retail spaces and underground parking and was officially opened in August 2006.

How does it work?

CH2 has been designed to copy the planet's ecology using the natural 24-hour cycle of solar energy, natural light, air and rainwater, to power, heat, cool, and water the building.

Heating: CH2's north façade has 10 dark colored air ducts that absorb heat from the sun; the hot air rises taking the stale air up and out of the building. The south façade has light-colored ducts that draw in 100% fresh air from the roof and distribute it down through the building. The west façade has louvers made from recycled timber that move according to the position of the sun and are powered by photovoltaic roof panels.

Water: CH2 takes about 100,000 liters of toilet water every day from a nearby sewer in Little Collins Street. This sewage is then processed, along with sewage from the building, through a multi-water treatment plant on site. The system filters out the water and sends the solids back to the sewer. (City sewers typically hold about 95% of water, this water is a burden to the system and would otherwise be wasted). The extracted water is treated using a micro-filtration system that creates A-grade clean water suitable for non-drinking uses. Some of the recovered water is used for water-cooling, plant watering and toilet flushing, the rest is used in other council buildings, city fountains and used to water plants.

Technology: The sustainable technologies used in CH2 are not new, but they have never been used collectively before in Australia. They include:

undulating high thermal mass concrete ceilings which improve air circulation, cooling and natural light and reduce energy demands by 14% in summer
photovoltaic cells, which power a façade of louvers. These track the sun to ensure the building is shaded
a water mining plant delivering 100,000 liters of recycled water per day
roof top solar panels for water heating
glare control throughout the building
'shower towers' that cool water and air using low amounts of energy
a green roof space generating oxygen
roof mounted wind turbines that purge air during the night and generate electricity during the day
solar shading on the exterior and interior of the building
automatic night-purge windows to cool the concrete ceilings

Facilities: Other facilities include;

Bike spaces: 80
Showers for cyclists: 9
Car spaces: 20 plus one disabled space

Goods and Services: Contractors, service providers and companies supplying products are required to meet strict standards of sustainability in their products and services. As a result CH2:

has the largest per capita expenditure on green products across all categories, including recycled, energy saving, water-saving and non-toxic products;
won the UN Association of Australia World Environment Day Awards.

Building costs

Total building costs $51.045 million, including:

$29.9 million for the base building (2,334$/m² or 58.5% of cost)
$11.3 million for sustainability features (884$/m² or 22.1% of cost).
$2.8 million on education and demonstration (218$/m² or 5.5% of cost).
$7.1 million on requirements specific to Council use, such as special design and communications (553$/m² or 13.9%of cost).

Financial savings

Total financial savings of $1.45 million annually, including:

$1.12 million through effectiveness and wellbeing improvement.
$330,000 in electricity, gas and water

CH2 will pay for its sustainability features, worth $11.3 million, in a decade.

Energy efficiency

The building consumes 373,012 kWh of electricity and 65,963kWh of gas annually. Compared to the previous Council building (c1970), this equals savings of:

82% electricity consumption
87% gas consumption
72% mains water supply
4.9% improvement in staff effectiveness as a result of the healthier building (clean fresh air and non-toxic finishes)

Application

CH2 has been successful because it has taken a ‘ground up' green design approach, for example:

designers considered the best environmental options and solutions
recycled products such as concrete, cement, steel and timber were used in construction
sustainable and energy savings products were used at every point a formal accreditation system was set up requiring all contractors, service providers and companies supplying products, to meet strict standards of sustainability in their products and services.

labels

2009-11-20T18:57:00.007+01:00

To start a good article from Zeno magazine. The pdf is very bad to read but I have the issue at home so don´t worry I will scan it.
http://www.zeno-online.de/media/Fachartikel/1216201416.pdf --> I´m sorry it is in German :(

LABELS
I did a small map showing the different labels. I think as a first overview is very helpful.
Labels that apply for the building scale

Labels that apply for the quarter scale

Singapore's going green

2009-11-20T16:51:00.004+01:00

"The inaugural Singapore Green Building week started on Monday (Oct 2009) with the launch of Singapore's first "Zero Energy Building".

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said the three-storey office building showcases how it can be up to 50 per cent more energy efficient.

It cost some S$11 million (US$ 7.9 Mio) to retrofit, but the building is expected to generate as much electricity as it consumes in a year.

The government aims to get 80 per cent of all buildings on Green Mark certification by 2030.

Known as the zero energy building, the structure along Braddell Road has been retrofitted to ensure it is self-sufficient in meeting its electricity needs.

It has various green features which act as a test bed for clean energy technologies before they are introduced into the industry."

Read the full article here.

How to make a Net-Zero Energy building in 2 minutes

2009-11-20T16:44:00.005+01:00

As simple as that!

How do we structure the Energy PROJECT?

2009-11-20T14:56:00.006+01:00

As a general guideline, it appears that we first have to define best practices in energy efficient buidling/ town planning.

The next step could be to evaluate existing buildings based on our best practices priniciples. That's after the first presentation.

Lots of best practices exist in different countries.

"The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction."

Another U.S. group that is sometimes said to be more progressive then LEED is Architecture 2030. "Architecture 2030 is a U.S. based, non-traditional and flexible environmental advocacy group focused on protecting the global environment by using innovation and common sense to develop, and quickly implement, bold solutions to global warming."

Germany, the UK, Switzerland and many other countries have similar rating systems in place, some of which are governmental, some which are private. By evaluating and comparing the main aspects of these systems, we hope to define what a Best Practice in Architecture should look like. At this point, we are not aware of similar systems in place for urban development. But there are also lots of good examples in place for urban developments, Freiburg, Copenhagen or Masdar City to name a few. We should also be able to develop best practices guidelines by looking at those.

Questions that arose from our first discussion are:

What is the motivation to build green? Why do architects/ developers want to pay to get their buildings certified? Also, how do we deal with existing building vs new buildings? Can they all follow the same standards and guidelines?

Do these existing rating systems consider the initial purpose of the architect? Or do they only rate energy performance? How can we evaluate "good architecture"?

The Environmental Building

2009-11-19T23:31:00.002+01:00

They call it the environmental buildng....

The new BRE headquater in Garston, UK, designed by architects Feilden Clegg of Bath combines all sorts of intelligent and innovative features and materials to beat current BEST CASE office buildings of it's kind by 30%.
"The brief for architects Feilden Clegg of Bath called for the use of natural ventilation, maximum use of daylighting, maximum use of the building's mass to moderate temperature, and controls that would let the building meet its environmental targets but keep its occupants happy.
In addition, maximum use was to be made of recycled and waste materials and the building was to score the highest possible BREEAM rating of 'Excellent'. And it had to look good! "
from the Building Research Establishment website.
It features all kind of fancy innovations such as transparent ceramic coated blinds that act as light shelves when direct sun would cause glare or overheating...

The lighting system is particularly efficient, and the ceiling that contains underfloor heating and cooling acts as a reflector for lighting at the same time...

Of course, no air conditioning is required....

hello reapers

2009-11-19T15:26:00.001+01:00

I don't know what the deal is with studip, but I thought that a blog might be a good way to keep track of our studies and conversations. We can post videos, pictures, articles, thoughts and tag them and categorize them and comment on them and edit them... It'll stay cleaner than email for example. Perhaps we can use it for all of REAP? We can also chose to keep it restricted only to be viewed in our group - and not in public.

I am all for transparency! Let me know what you think.