Susana M's List: sustainability

• namely reducing heat gain, reducing storm water runoff, increasing biodiversity in urban areas, and looking prettier than typical flat roofs -- this situation also means that green roofs become standardized, they become products, they lose creativity.
  
• Architects can choose to cover their roofs with intensive or extensive systems, in trays, in planters, spread across the roof, most planted with a strain of low-maintenance sedum to reduce water needs and increase the likelihood of the vegetation lasting longer. Variety in design typically comes from the choice and combination of plantings and the form of the roof. While the former certainly falls in the realm of landscape design and the latter is a product of architectural design that may not take the green roof into consideration until after the form is decided upon, one wonders, where does the interaction of architecture and landscape takes place? Where does the creativity of the designer take the green roof into account as a progenitor of architectural design?
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• On this page I've featured imagery of installations by Arne Quinze a couple times. Here's one more. Click the image below for a 360-degree panorama of the plaza at Oberpollinger Shopping Center in Munich, where Arne Quinze's piece "The Traveller" was displayed for the opening of a new Louis Vuitton store.
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• The office wing of the controversial new Quai Branly Museum, designed by Jean Nouvel in Paris has a "vertical garden" installed by Patrick Blanc. The construction of the vertical gardens include layers of felt, plastic and metal sheeting which provide a barrier against damaging roots. According to Business Week, Le Mur Végétal, or Plant Wall, is a dense sheet of vegetation that can grow against any surface, or even in midair. It works by doing away entirely with dirt, instead growing plants hydroponically in felt pockets attached to a rigid plastic backing. via ::Archidose

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• Nicolai Ouroussoff writes about all the new glass towers architects are designing in New York these days; they are lovely things, but what will power them or feed their occupants in years to come? Green roofs won't do it, they are too small. Daekwon Park has a great idea, seen in the 2008 Evolo skyscraper competition: a way to reunite the isolated city blocks and insert a multi-layer network of public space, green space and nodes for the city.

• he newly updated BRE Green Guide was released with some fanfare to the market back in June, offering a vital resource to design teams grappling with requirements for the Code for Sustainable Homes and BRE’s own environmental assessment method (BREEAM - which I was told last week is pronounced like the fish, apparently).

   

   

  The latest version is published online which, apart from saving paper, also allows BRE to update and amend entries. The guide covers 1,300 generic specifications, and also measures the embodied impact of materials and building components for generic building types, using it to assign a single rating, ranging from A+ to E.

• All of the couple's water comes from rain that is collected in gutters along the metal roof and sent to tanks that can hold up to 21,000 gallons. A solar water heater heats what they use in the house.

   

  At least 80 percent of the home's electricity comes from solar panels affixed to the metal roof. "We're hooked up to the grid," said Treviño, explaining that they do rely on air-conditioning in the hotter months. But during the day when the air-conditioning is off, the meter runs backward and the home feeds energy back into the grid. The most the couple have paid for electricity is about $80, in July. The least: $10 or $12 in the cooler months.

   

  Houston architect LaVerne Williams designed the home to conduct the Hill Country breezes that blow in from the southeast. On the southern side — the front — the windows are low. Cool air blows in through these windows and circulates into the main living area. When the back windows are open, the couple gets a soothing cross-breeze in the heart of the home. Small windows placed high along the back of the second story pull the warm summer air up and out.

   

  The upper part of the 3,000-square-foot home is built from Hardiplank, a weather-resistant fiber-cement siding. The bottom is made of Hebel concrete blocks, which are light and, with proper finishing, help moderate moisture in the house.

   

  The floors are a hodgepodge of cork, Marmoleum, tile, stained concrete and bamboo. All the interior walls are painted with Bioshield clay paint, and the inside of the exterior walls are topped by natural clay plaster. Austin musician and sustainable builder Frank Meyer mixed the plaster onsite and fashioned a dramatic adobe and cob fireplace that runs up behind the wood-burning stove.

   

  "It's an extremely healthy home," Williams said. "As far as materials go, 90 percent have no man-made chemicals."
• It took 18 months to build, but nearly four years to secure the land, loans, architect, builder and materials.

• Working closely with Williams and the builder, Custom Building, Inc., of Austin, the couple was able to use mostly Texas materials in the home, including juniper, cedar and post oak from their own property. The staircase railings are made from juniper trees that Treviño and Torres-Verdín cut down themselves.

   

  Treviño loves the medley of wood, clay, and earthy aromas in her house. "There are no harsh smells," she said.

• Houston's Gold

   

   

  When David Ronn set out to build a new house for his family, he had a few major requests.

   

  The corporate securities lawyer told designer Kathleen Reardon that he was looking for whimsical and fun. He explained that he and his wife, financial planner Ann Baker Ronn, were "a little bit nutty."

   

  Ronn also wanted energy efficiency, something the family's current Memorial home did not have. And he wanted to level the existing house and rebuild on the same lot.

   

  The Ronns hired GreenHaus Builders and — after 17 months of construction — moved into their new 4,200-square-foot home on Memorial Day 2007. Theirs is the only home in Houston to be LEED certified by the U.S. Green Building Council; the Gold rating reflects the home's materials, energy efficiency, use of solar power and more.

   

  Informal gardens flush with native plants frame the house. A metal roof reflects heat from Houston's brutal sun. The home's skirt is made of limestone quarried in Austin, and its exterior walls are made of stucco laid overtop ICF — insulating concrete forms. Michael Strong, of GreenHaus builders, credits ICF for much of the home's resistance to heat.

   

  "It's cool, quiet, safe and tight," Strong said.

   

  Inside, the Ronns have created a comfortable, informal space. No plastic slipcovers here. "Part of the planning was to try and make every space in the house functional, so there wasn't a guest room you throw stuff in or a closet you don't need," Ronn said.

   

  Reardon also tapped into the family's sense of fun. She designed an indoor slide for the kids and a music/family room outfitted with a recording studio, where Dad practices with his band, Plastic Farm Animals.

   

  "We also use the music room as a dining room," Ronn said. "We held Passover in there. We've had dinner parties in there. Part of green is multifunctional rooms."

   

  Underfoot, ecoflooring includes bamboo and recycled rubber. The Ronn house also boasts water-efficient appliances, dual flush toilets and environmentally friendly windows made locally by RAM Industries Inc.

• On the southern side of the home, which faces the backyard, an overhang protects an expansive storefront window from summer sun, yet still allows winter sun to make its way in.

   

  "Summer sun is high, and winter sun is low in Houston," Reardon explained.

   

  From the backyard, the 14 solar panels on the roof are clearly visible. About 15 percent of the home's power comes from these panels. Two of the panels are connected to a solar water-heating system that is used in conjunction with tankless Rinaii water heaters, which eliminate the need to heat water when it is not in demand.

   

  The Ronns also have a sealed attic, which is only a few degrees warmer than the rest of the house. This means they don't have to worry about hot air leaking into their conditioned living area. It also means that the machinery housed in the attic — the entire heating and cooling system — doesn't have to work so hard.

   

  All of this adds up to an electric bill that averaged $220 a month for the first year. Another pleasant surprise is how soundproof the Ronn house has proved to be.

   

  "We live near Silber, and we used to hear every car," David Ronn said. "Now, in my bedroom, I hear absolutely nothing. We barely heard the hurricane. I had to get up and walk to the front door to see what was going on outside."

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• Architects  (8)
• Code for Sustainable Homes  (21)
• Low Energy Design  (51)
• passive houses Germany  (10)
• Ventilation  (9)

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• A principal proposta da empresa é ampliar o conhecimento do setor de construção civil quanto às soluções de alta tecnologia que possam contribuir para os mais variados empreendimentos. “Além disso, apresentaremos soluções que poderão contribuir em etapas que vão desde o projeto arquitetônico até a operação e manutenção do empreendimento. São produtos voltados para todas as fases da obra, como, segurança para operários, instalações elétricas, fachadas, proteção contra fogo, entre outras”, completa Renata.

• The Autodesk® Green Building Studio® web-based energy analysis service can help architects and designers perform whole building analysis, optimize energy efficiency, and work toward carbon neutrality earlier in the design process. With faster, more accurate energy analysis of building design proposals, architects and designers can work with sustainability in mind earlier in the process, plan proactively, and build better.

• ECOTECT is a complete building design and environmental analysis tool that covers the full range of simulation and analysis functions required to truly understand how a building design will operate and perform. It finally allows designers to work easily in 3D and apply all the tools necessary for an energy efficient and sustainable future

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• The Textile Block Houses

   

   
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•   La Miniatura, a Pasadena house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, resembles a temple lost in the jungle, mirrored by a reflecting pool and framed by giant eucalyptus trees. 

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• Going Paperless and the Environmental Impact of Architectural Practices
    April 7th, 2009 Tuesday, 10:00 – 11:00 Pacific Time 
  Presenter: Jason Pratt, Technical Expert for Architecture
   

   

   

  
  There is a huge focus on green design, but what about the environmental impact of inefficient paper-based processes within architectural practices? Join us to find out how to reduce your organization's carbon footprint by reducing paper and travel while streamlining communications throughout the design process. Learn how to go paperless in your drawing reviews, consultant coordination and interference detections. Leverage key trends in keeping things digital and dematerialized while increasing "ball-in-court" accountability. Find out how to avoid common pitfalls of digitizing processes, and how to retain accountability and transparency throughout the design processes.
• The Importance of Design Visualization for Creating Sustainable Designs
    May 5th, 2009, Tuesday, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time  
  Presenter: Eddie Perlberg, Technical Expert for Design Visualization
   

   

   

  
  Join us and learn how architects, designers, and engineers use design visualization to explore more green design options, confirm their validity, and communicate their impact at every stage of development. Using 3D design visualization tools, project stakeholders can make visually informed design decisions such as the effect of sun or shadows on a building, or the visual effects of the materials used in the design. Design visualization techniques can be used to integrate BIM models with sustainable design standards and analysis criteria, such as lighting analysis, which provides invaluable assistance in attaining LEED 8.1 certification. See how you can expand the visual context of your sustainable design concepts for more effective design validation and visual communication.
• Energy Efficiency in High-Performance Building Design
    June 9, 2009, Tuesday, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time 
   
   
   
  
  An important concept in energy-efficient design is integrating a building's architectural and mechanical features in the early design phases, to minimize energy use and reduce cost, while maintaining building performance and comfort.
  
   Join us and find out how architects and engineers can leverage a range of building design technologies and approaches, that exist to help effectively maximize the energy benefits of a site, while minimizing energy costs. Learn how energy saving and conservation techniques can help increase a building's performance, such as: 
   
  • Solar shading
   
  • Lighting strategies
   
  • And on-site renewable energy systems
   
   See how sustainable designs that integrate natural heating, cooling, lighting and new technologies can not only reduce environmental impacts and construction costs, but increase occupants' health and overall well-being.
  
   By demonstrating a commitment to energy efficiency and environmental stewardship, a sustainable energy-efficient building design and strategy can result in a balance of energy, cost, environmental, and societal benefits.
• Innovative Stewardship & Sustainability Programs for Roads, Sites and Infrastructure
    July 10, 2009, Friday, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time 
  Presenter: Lucy Kuhns, Technical Expert for Civil Solutions
   
   
   
  
  In this webcast, Lucy will introduce you to several innovative, voluntary and incentive-based stewardship and sustainability programs that involve key contributions from the civil engineering process. You'll learn about how civil engineering workflows impact site location and linkage, and how the development of the projects site impacts the relationship between the environment and transportation infrastructure.
  
   Programs that this presentation will showcase include: 
   
  • The Green Highway Partnership – A voluntary, public/private initiative that seeks to incorporate environmental streamlining and stewardship into all aspects of the highway lifecycle and other infrastructure development
   
  • The Rural Land Stewardship Program – A market driven initiative that promotes best management practices, agricultural preservation, economic development and smart growth resulting in favorable investment returns
   
  • LEED, Leadership In Energy and Environmental Design – A point based certification program that includes site selection as an integral part of the overall accreditation
   
• On Track for LEED Platinum: A BIM, IPD and Sustainable Design Case Study
    August 11th, 2009, Tuesday, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time 
  Presenter: Phil Bernstein, FAIA, LEED AP©, Vice President of Industry Strategy and Relations for the Autodesk AEC Solutions group
   

   

   

  
  In January, 2009 Autodesk moved into its new Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Solutions Division headquarters in Waltham, Massachusetts. The headquarters building project was an opportunity for Autodesk to implement several new strategies available to the building industry: integrated project delivery (IPD), building information modeling (BIM) and sustainable design.  
  
   Join Phil Bernstein, FAIA, LEED AP©, Vice President of Industry Strategy and Relations for the Autodesk AEC Solutions group as he discusses this completed Autodesk project. This session will show how the integrated team comprised of Autodesk (client), Kling/Stubbins (architects/engineers) and Tocci Builders (constructors) used advanced BIM techniques and an integrated project delivery process to complete this $12 million, 60,000 square foot project in less than 10 months. You'll learn how the team used BIM models and sustainable analysis and simulation tools to communicate more efficiently, optimize the green features of the design and make design decisions early and fast. The end product? A building that is both efficient and sustainable -- and on track for LEED Platinum certification.
• Continuing Education Credits 
    Our free webcasts are registered with the AIA for continuing education credits. To determine what type of credit each webcast qualifies for, check the icons underneath each webcast title. Most courses qualify for AIA Health, Safety and Welfare (HSW) credit and many also qualify for Sustainable Design (SD) credit.  
  
   During each live webcast session, attendees will be given a Course Completion Code which must be entered into our Credit Processing System located at www.autodesk.com/webcast-credits. Once an attendee has entered a valid code into the system, the credit for the course will be automatically sent to the AIA. Attendees will have access to a downloadable version of the Certificate of Completion as well as records of all webcasts they have successfully attended. 
  
   All webcast attendees can receive a Certificate of Completion for each webcast attended, even if they are not members of the AIA. The Certificates of Completion can be submitted to non- AIA member associations, who may agree to honor the credit. To download the Certificate of Completion, attendees must enter the Course Completion Code into www.autodesk.com/webcast-credits.

  • autodesk webcasts
    inclui diploma e materias a que se assistiu

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