Uncategorized – Page 4 – Architecture 2030

Global Emergency Teach-In

March 26, 2007/in Uncategorized/by arch2030

Over the past several months Architecture 2030 has been busier than ever. We set some very challenging goals for ourselves, and with enormous support and commitment, we achieved much of what we set out to accomplish. Our team, accompanied by four very influential speakers, joined forces with some of the most powerful names in the industry to produce a live web-cast that informed more students, professionals and community leaders than we could reach in a lifetime by traveling and lecturing.

On February 20, 2007, Architecture 2030 hosted the 2010 Imperative Global Emergency Teach-in, which was sponsored by the Home Depot Foundation, American Institute of Architects, US Green Building Council, New York Academy of Sciences and many other generous supporters. The event, web-cast live from New York City for three and a half hours, reached over a quarter of a million participants from 47 countries worldwide. Over 1200 AIA members participated for continuing education credit and hundreds of universities across the globe hosted exciting events with remarkable turnouts.

Now the word is out: Global warming is happening and the educational and design communities have an obligation to join others worldwide in the battle against catastrophic climate change. The 2010 Imperative offers students, faculty and administrators a historic opportunity to lead our nation in this time of crisis, and The 2030 Challenge offers professionals and policymakers a simple, achievable strategy to reduce fossil fuel consumption and the carbon emissions that are currently a by-product of the built environment.

Teaching Climate, Architecture Week -14 March 2007

If you do your homework, have your facts right and the merits on your side, and then build a constituency for your ideals through the Internet, you, too, can be at the table of the biggest deal in history.
THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN, NY Times, March 16, 2007 OP-Ed: Marching with a Mouse

Campus Sustainability Examples

March 15, 2007/in Uncategorized/by arch2030

Sonoma State University

Sonoma State University
Student Recreation Center
Rohnert Park, CA
Architect: LPA

Sustainability was a driving force in the design of the Sonoma State University Student Recreation Center. Approximately 70% of the building is naturally ventilated and cooled; the building is “night flushed” of all hot air and utilizes interior thermal mass to moderate daytime interior temperatures. Vents located in the lobby skylight and under built-in exterior window seats assure adequate air movement and natural ventilation throughout the lobby area. An indirect evaporative cooling system is used in the offices, multipurpose and fitness room and a de-stratification/ventilation system is employed in the small gym. Along with proper orientation and a well insulated exterior skin, the building is 43% more efficient than that California code (Title 24), with an energy savings of approximately 339,000 kWh/Yr. As Title 24 is one of the most stringent building codes in the US, the building is well below the 50% operating energy consumption reduction target called for by The 2030 Challenge. The project was designed to meet a LEED Silver certification rating from the USGBC.

University of California, Berkeley

The Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) at UC Berkeley is an example of using an integrated design process to achieve sustainable building design goals. Comprehensive collaboration between the user group, the design team, and the project delivery team produced a highly-sustainable building that satisfies programmatic requirements while adhering to construction schedule and budget. The building is largely illuminated with natural daylight introduced via skylights and south clerestory windows to create a comfortable, healthful environment while reducing electricity use. In addition to providing the building’s young occupants with a healthy indoor environment, the ECEC also promotes stewardship of the natural environment. Examples of sustainable resource use at the ECEC include:

University of California, Santa Barbara
Bren Hall, School of Environmental Science and Management
Architect: Zimmer Gunsul Frasca

• Diversion of over 75% of construction waste from landfill into recycling and reuse venues
• Low flow fixtures reduce indoor water use by 25%
• Landscaping water is use reduced by 61%
• Energy-efficient design reduces energy use to 26% below Title 24 energy conservation standards
• Passive solar controls reduce energy consumption

The building is expected to receive a LEED-NC Silver rating from the USGBC, and was honored with a Best Practice Award for Integrated Design Process at the 2006 UC/CSU/IOU Sustainability Conference.

Los Angeles Community College

Capping a year of local leadership in promoting sustainable building practices, the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) was honored in December 2006 with the United States Green Building Council – Los Angeles Chapter’s (USGBC-LA) Sustainable Future Award.

The LACCD is currently undertaking the largest public sector green building program in the United States, funded by the $2.2 billion Proposition A/AA Bond Program. In April 2006, the LACCD opened its first green building, the Maintenance and Operations (M&O) building at Los Angeles Valley College. The M&O building earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) certification from the US Green Building Council because it incorporates a number of features designed to reduce energy and water consumption.

In October 2006, the LACCD further illustrated its commitment to sustainability with the announcement of its plan to be the first community college district in the nation to “go off the grid” by generating its own power for all energy needs. The LACCD is currently planning to install photovoltaic (solar energy) panels that will produce enough electricity to meet daytime power needs at each of its nine colleges.

The Los Angeles Community College District is one of the largest community college districts in the country, educating more than 110,000 students at its nine colleges each year. The District’s strong leadership in its adoption of sustainability practices has been recognized by numerous organizations, including the California Climate Registry, Global Green USA, and Flex Your Power.
University of California, Santa Barbara

University of California, Santa Barbara
Bren Hall, School of Environmental Science and Management
Architect: Zimmer Gunsul Frasca

The University of California, Santa Barbara boasts the only LEED Platinum laboratory building in the US. In constructing Bren Hall, home to the interdisciplinary graduate school of environmental science and management, 100% of the demolition waste and 92% of the construction waste were recycled. The building, which gets 10% of its power from a photovoltaic system, was designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca, an environmentally conscious firm that also designed the adjacent Marine Science Building. The Marine Science Building is UCSB’s second LEED for New Construction certified building and is 25% more energy efficient than California building codes require. Both projects have purchased wind energy to power the buildings for two years. The university has also signed an agreement with the USGBC to use LEED for Existing Buildings ratings to LEED certify 25 of its existing buildings over the next five years. One building, Girvetz Hall, has already been certified.
California Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo

In June 2005, California Polytechnic’s Sustainable Environments minor received the AIA COTE’s top award for “ecological literacy.” Cal Poly also offers Sustainable Architecture as a graduate study program within their Masters of Science in Architecture degree. The university’s dedication to sustainable efforts is further exemplified in the numerous courses offered in its sustainability catalog.

The Renewable Energy Institute at Cal Poly has also partnered with the California Integrated Waste Management Board to promote sustainable environmental design principles in higher education and industry continuing education programs. Their project, Sustainable Environmental Design Education (SEDE), provides a curriculum model for teaching sustainable design practices and lists green programs and campuses.

AIA, US Conference of Mayors Adopt the 2030 Challenge

September 10, 2006/in Uncategorized/by arch2030

Thanks to the efforts of E-News subscribers, the AIA, and the sponsorship of mayors from the four corners of the U.S., Albuquerque, Chicago, Seattle and Miami, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) formally adopted ‘The 2030 CHALLENGE’ in June, 2006.

U.S. mayors sent the clear message that local leaders are willing to take action on the important issues of climate change and energy independence. And they are taking action. Mayors from 17 Texas cities, including Austin, Dallas and Houston, have formed a group, Texas Cities for Clean Air Coalition, to prevent the construction of more than a dozen new coal fired power plants in the state.

A grassroots movement is taking hold as the Challenge has now formally been adopted by the 78,000 member American Institute of Architects (AIA), the City of Santa Fe, the County of Sarasota and the Rocky Mountain Institute. Globally, the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) North America unanimously passed support for Architecture 2030 and embedded its targets in their “Statement of Action” that was passed at the ICLEI Congress in July, 2006. A more formal endorsement process will be brought forward in November at the annual meeting of the ICLEI Executive Committee, the governing council that represents all ICLEI member nations.

However, policy alone cannot bring about the changes necessary in the Building Sector to effectively address dangerous interference with our climate system: professional design education must also play a key role. It is critical that design schools educate their students so they are ready to meet this new reality in the workplace.

In the coming months we will issue THE 2010 IMPERATIVE to all professional design schools around the world, asking them to implement specific strategies to achieve complete ecological literacy in design education by 2010. To encourage quick action in the educational community, we will follow the announcement with an interactive Global Emergency Design Teach-In. Stay tuned. In this issue, we are highlighting a new project by architects Kiss+Cathcart to be built in New York. This project is designed to be not only carbon neutral, but to produce more energy than it consumes. It is but one of many examples of firms that are now incorporating carbon neutral design into their practices. Solar 2 Educational Facility by Kiss+Cathcart Architects Solar 2 is the new building project designed by Kiss+Cathcart Architects for New York environmental non-profit Solar One, a project of the Community Environmental Center (CEC). This new and larger facility reflects the growing demand for Solar One’s environmental educational services.

The building itself is a case study, weaving the natural and urban world into its programmed spaces and illustrating how natural systems can be used in urban buildings to reduce and eliminate fossil fuel energy use. Among its most striking features, the building incorporates a large ‘greenscreen’ to block unwanted eastern sunlight while serving as a physical reference to the building’s environmental design features, in fact creating a porous barrier within which the urban and natural environments are weaved.

Features incorporated into the building design to reduce fossil fuel energy consumption include: Design: -Natural ventilation: wind-induced and stack-driven ventilatio n. -Roof monitors and windows for daylighting -Greenscreen -Recycled materials Technology: -85 kW array of PVs: The array is estimated to generate 92,716 kWh per year, about 108% of the projected demand of 86,030 kWh per year. -Low wattage fixtures -50% efficient elevator -Ground source heat pump For more information on this building please visit: Solar 1 Kiss + Cathcart Architects CEC All images used with permission from Solar 1 First page: south view This page top: first floor lobby This page bottom: systems diagram

Case Study: Telenor Headquarters Complex, Norway

May 26, 2006/in Uncategorized/by arch2030

NBBJ’s Telenor Headquarters. Fornebu, Norway.

Architects: NBBJ

Telenor Headquarters Plan The Telenor Headquarters Complex is framed by two openended and over-lapping curved boulevards that define a central plaza. Four office wings connect to each boulevard at clearly defined circulation nodes. The design of this project was inspired by its site and takes full advantage of its natural surroundings. The Building is a metaphor that references both the former airport (on which this building is sited) and the ships/sails on the Oslo fjord. The design also articulates the new wireless contacts of a global information technology center.

High Performance Design:

Telenor reports that the building’s energy consumption, per employee, is about half of what it was in its older facilities. Consumption was 14,000 kilowatt-hours per person per year in the old buildings and 7,000 kilowatt-hours per person per year in its new headquarters. The following strategies contribute to the buildings energy performance:

Passive Solar and daylight:

The overall layout and design of the 2 million square feet office complex maximizes the envelope surface for natural ventilation and for daylight to reduce energy consumption caused by cooling loads and artificial lighting. As part of the passive solar heating strategy, the building on the south side is 2 stories shorter than the building on the north (the north building is 5 stories while the south building is only 3 stories) letting the low winter sun reach the entire glazed facade of the north building.

An advanced double exterior skin was used for 15 % of the building’s curtain walls, with the space between the glazing incorporating the flow of warm air in winter and cool air in summer. The double skin also allows for regulated natural ventilation and daylighting, as well as noise control. Mechanically operated exterior sunshades reduce solar gain in summer and electronic photo cells/sensors control glare when the sun is too intense.

Atrium spaces between office wings are designed to capture direct sunlight in winter and provide for daylight to adjacent offices throughout the year. Daylight reaches almost all corners of the building and floor plates are never more than 15 meters deep. No work place is located more than 9 meters from an exterior glass wall to provide daylight and views for all staff. Operable windows allow for natural ventilation when the weather permits.

Telenor Headquarters Inner Courtyard

“Comfort cooling” with chilled ceilings:

Model of Telenor Headquarters The design of the mechanical cooling and heating systems take advantage of the building’s waterfront location. Cool water is circulated through ventilation ducts as well as in each building’s ceiling elements. Warm water leaves the building and is re-cooled via a heat-exchange system that utilizes cold water from the nearby North Sea/Oslo fjord. This system provides 80% of the building’s heating and cooling needs.

The heat pump is powered mainly by water from the North Sea. Water is heated using electricity, and its steam is compressed to to become a high-pressure vapor that eventually travels through the building’s radiators.

Automation System:

The innovative cooling and heating systems precipitated the development of a complete building automation system (BAS). The building’s major systems – HVAC, lighting, electricity, conveyance – are connected together digitally by a centralized energy management system (EMS). The electronic devices that run the building’s system speak a digital language called LON (for Local Operating Network). LON allows these devices to be configured for maximum efficiency, share data and communicate with each other. The HVAC system powers down when the building – or portions of it – are unoccupied. The lighting system is also “scenario controlled”, meaning lights are adjusted automatically when sunlight levels changes or when people enter or exit. With this system one does not use more energy than one actually needs.

Telenor Headquarters Outside Courtyard

Mazria to Address US Conference of Mayors

May 26, 2006/in Uncategorized/by arch2030

Architecture 2030 continues its dialogue with professional organizations and government at all levels in an effort to implement the targets outlined in the“2030 Challenge”.

The Architecture 2030 message will be delivered in a keynote speech by Edward Mazria at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Emergency Summit on Energy and the Environment, May 11, 2006 in Chicago. At the summit, a letter from the president of the American Institute of Architects, Katherine Schwennsen, will be delivered urging mayors to adopt the 2030 targets.

Also, a resolution calling for cities to adopt the “2030 Challenge” for all city funded buildings has been introduced to the US Conference of Mayors (USCM) by Albuquerque’s Mayor Martin J. Chavez, Chicago’s Mayor Richard M. Daley, and Miami’s Mayor Manny Diaz.

The USCM will vote on the resolution during its upcoming Las Vegas meeting June 2-6.

A Global Emergency . . . and a Call to Action

February 26, 2006/in Uncategorized/by arch2030

EDITORIAL:

This has been a remarkable month. Architecture 2030 has received an enthusiastic reception by the architecture and building community. We have received hundreds of congratulatory emails, extensive press coverage and thousands of visits to our website. As we begin a new
year we are encouraged by a recognition among design professionals of their responsibility for both the built and natural environment. Recently, the presidents of 16 of the world’s leading architecture institutions signed the “Las Vegas Declaration” calling on the profession to “do all it can to influence a major reduction in the level of carbon emissions that result from the creation and life-cycle of the built environment.” In December, 2005 the American Institute of
Architects (AIA) adopted the action items called for in the “2030 Challenge” (see below) and is now working to implement them. And just last month, New Mexico became the first state to require that all state funded new buildings and renovations meet a building energy performance standard of 50% less than the national average for that building type.

However, not all the news is good. NASA scientist Dr. James Hansen continues to warn us that climate change is not only happening, but happening faster than anticipated. It appears that we have a small window of opportunity to stabilize and then reduce greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions globally.

Now more than ever we must join together in the effort to control emissions from the building sector. To accomplish this, today we are issuing the “2030 Challenge”. You can join by showing your support and urging local, national, and international architecture, planning, and building design organizations to adopt the challenge and lobby governments at all levels to pass orders and legislation incorporating the measures called for below.

Working together we can design a better future.

FEATURES:

Recently, it was reported in the New York Times that (it appears) procedures are being put in place at NASA to prevent “the public from fully grasping recent findings regarding climate change”. This comes in response to a lecture recently delivered at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco by Dr. James Hansen, NASA’s director of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies. In his lecture titled “Is There Time to Avoid ‘Dangerous Anthropogenic Interference’ With Global Climate?” Dr. Hansen presented two startling conclusions regarding recent research conducted at NASA.

First he presented “evidence indicating that the Earth’s climate is nearing, but has not passed, a tipping point”. He estimates that if greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are not brought under control in the next ten years the Earth would experience “warming of more than 1ºC that will make the Earth warmer than it has been in a million years”. In a “business-as-usual” scenario, with emissions continuing to increase at about 2% per year, Dr. Hansen stated that the Earth would experience “warming of 2 or 3°C this century and imply changes that constitute practically a different planet”.

Second, and even more alarming, he stressed that changes to the planet included not only loss of the Arctic as we know it, but “losses on a much vaster scale due to worldwide rising seas”. As the “Greenland and West Antarctic ice is softened and lubricated by melt-water and as buttressing ice shelves disappear due to a warming ocean, the balance will tip toward ice loss, thus bringing multiple positive feedbacks into play and causing rapid ice sheet disintegration”. He concluded that the Earth’s history suggests that with a warming of 2-3°C the new equilibrium sea level will be “of the order of 25 meters (80 feet)” higher than today. He pointed out that real world data suggest substantial ice sheet and sea level change in centuries, not millennia”, possibly by as much as several meters per century.

Other scientists have confirmed Dr. Hansen’s conclusions. Dr. Jonathan Overpeck, director of the Environmental Studies Laboratory at the University of Arizona points out that “the earth will be warm enough in less than 150 years (assuming no reduction in GHG emissions) to melt the Greenland Ice Cap (six meter rise in sea level). This change could also lead to four to six meters of sea level rise at a rate of up to two to five centimeters per year.” The good news from all this is that there is time to act now.