Mit PDF
Mit PDF
by
Elizabeth Cordero
Bachelor of Architecture
California State Polytechnic University, 1992
JUNE 2001
Signature of Author: 11
Department of Architecture
May 24, 2001
Certified by:
Leon Glicksman
Professor of Building Technology
Thesis Supervisor
I ~
Accepted by:
Roy Strickland
Chairman, Department Committee
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY on Graduate Studies
JUL 2 4 2001
aOTCt
LIBRARIES
Sustainability in Architecture
by
Elizabeth Cordero
Bachelor of Architecture
California State Polytechnic University, 1992
JUNE 2001
by
Elizabeth Cordero
Bachelor of Architecture
California State Polytechnic University, 1992
ABSTRACT
Current standard practice in architecture does not take into account the external societal costs that a
building creates. To understand the total consequences of a building, one must consider all of the
ecological and human health factors involved for a specific project and site. The aim of sustainable
architecture is to construct a well-designed building and site environment that is healthy for the occu-
pants, has minimal undesirable impact upon the environment, is effective in the use of natural re-
sources, and is economical and durable. Although tangible impacts are visible only after construction
begins, decisions made on the drawing board have long-term environmental consequences. The
objective of this thesis is to present the information and tools available to the architect to create a
sustainable project. With these tools, the architect can meet the challenges of sustainable design
with an informed decision making process.
117 Appendices
117 A - Background Concepts
123 B - Associations and Directories
135 C - Journals and News
137 D - Green Building Guidelines and Programs
141 E - Sustainability Tools
145 F - Campus Initiatives
147 G - Architects and Consultants
153 H - Case Studies
157 1- Building Materials and Products
167 J - Comparison Study
Building construction, renovation and operation consume more of the earth's resources
than any other human activity. Each year, as much as 40% of the raw materials and energy
produced in the world are used in the building sector. This generates millions of tonnes
of greenhouse gases, toxic air emissions, water pollutants, and solid wastes. No other
sector has a greater impact on the global environment or faces a greater obligation to
improve its environmental performance. With so much of the world's resources con-
sumed in the building sector, learning how to build with the environment in mind will
make a big difference for the global environment.
ASMI, "The Environmental Challenge in the Building Sector" 1999
Sustainability is an accepted term that has been in use since the early 20th century theory
of renewable resource management, most notably in sustainable agriculture and forestry,
and in theories of 'sustained' yield. It was at The World Comission on Environment and
Development, through the Brundtland Commission's report, Our Common Future, that
brought this term to the conscience of the general public in 1987.1 The intent of the Com-
mission was to reconcile the interests of economic development and environmental con-
servation. While it first focused on biological systems, sustainable theory has been applied
to many disciplines.
When embarking on a new project, the architect is charged with many tasks and responsi-
bilities. In addition to wanting to create a beautiful and memorable building, they must
satisfy a project program, meet all the applicable codes and standards, design a space that
is safe to occupy and structurally sound, accomplishing all within time and budget con-
straints. Not an easy endeavor. But designing sustainably is not to be thought of as just an
added task. Rather, it's an entirely new way of looking at the whole design process and
therefore, the product: the plan, site and building. In practice, many of the philosophies of
green design have been observed for centuries in vernacular architecture. It was thought of
simply as common sense. Sustainable architecture, as it is conceived of today, builds on
those principles, and adds the technological advances of the modern world. It is an oppor-
tunity to design and build a project that is inspiring, timeless, and environmentally respon-
sible.
The answer lies inthe role the architect plays in the global sense. While it is an exaggera-
tion to say that architecture is solely responsible for global warming, the loss of biodiversity,
ozone depletion, deforestation, acid rain, and a myriad of other environmental calamities,
buildings do account for 1/6 of the world's freshwater withdrawals, 1/4 of the wood har-
vested, and 2/5 of the energy and material flow. 2 Buildings also account for about 17% of
the world's greenhouse gas emissions3 and in this nation alone, account for 27% of the
total annual electrical supply. 4 Buildings also emit annually 120 million metric tons of air
pollutants, such as nitrous oxides, sulfur oxides, volatile organic compounds, particulates
and lead.
On a local level, architectural and planning practices can encourage investment in urban
environments and existing infrastructure, which can revitalize neighborhoods and leave
greenfields and natural sites to be enjoyed in their pristine state. It is out of the scope of this
thesis to debate whether these are important issues to which society should focus its
attention; I will assume they are. The point is that architects, through the buildings they
design, have a major impact on the world in which we live. Further, as it has been esti-
mated that most adults spend as much as 90% of their time indoors,6 the built environment
is a key factor in the way we interact, our health and well-being, and our ability to be produc-
tive. At even a more basic level, the homes and cities in which live influence the world-
views we ultimately formulate. Therefore, the criteria for assessing whether a building is
beautiful, or award-winning must be based on issues that include sustainability. This thought
is validated by the American Institute of Architects, in a recently passed resolution "to ac-
knowledge Sustainable Design as the basis of quality design and responsible practice for
AIA architects, and therefore, to integrate Sustainable Design into AIA practice and proce-
dures."7
Another reason to build green includes the economic benefits. A small increase in em-
ployee productivity can have a dramatic effect on the operating costs of a company. A
study conducted by the Rocky Mountain Institute has shown that a sustainably designed
building can increase worker productivity by 6% to 15%.8 Since payroll costs typically
represent about 85% of a businesses operating costs, 8 about 70 times more is spent on
salaries than on energy. In another study by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute
that looked at student performance in classrooms, the results showed improved test scores
of up to 11 %, and less fatigue and better classroom behavior of students.9 Additional tan-
gible benefits of green building practices include:10
Another key element to successfully moving towards a green architectural paradigm is the
education of the architect. It is obvious to state that what is valued and taught in our design
schools will be practiced by newly graduated students. Only when the education of the
student includes issues of sustainability integrated into the design studio, will there be a
shift in what gets routinely designed and ultimately built. It is unreasonable to ask the
practicing architect to spend his/her own time learning a completely new discipline while
still satisfying all the other demands, and unfair to pass those costs onto the client. To help
mitigate that problem, there are a number of simulation tools available to aid in the realiza-
tion of a sustainable project. Some require advanced knowledge and are expensive to use.
But there are others that are straight forward and appropriate at the schematic design level.
This topic is further explored in Chapter 3, Simulation & Design Tools.
One of the main aspects of sustainability is that there is no single answer or design solu-
tion. The use of guidelines and performance rating systems can help one define what is
green for a particular project. By guideline documents, we refer not only to technical strat-
egies, which are important, but every to step that ensures a sustainable project. Green
building guidelines define principles and identify goals of green building concepts and out-
line a process by which to realize these goals. This includes a reinvestigation of the whole
process of design and construction. While there are many very good guideline documents
available, it is impossible for them to be all encompassing. Many city and state municipali-
ties, universities, non-profit organizations, private firms and federal governmental agencies
have taken the initiative to draft their own sustainability guidelines. The reason for this is to
address their own building types, city codes & regulations, climate & regional concerns,
stakeholders' interests, and definitions of 'green'. Each entity has used a different ap-
proach in the development of its guidelines or assessment system. And accordingly, they
have been written with a different audience in mind, consisting of builders and developers,
architects and consultants, government officials and building owners. While it would be
useful to be able to refer to a single document, it cannot be done. By their very nature, each
entity's guidelines are unique and serve a different purpose. In addition to guideines, for the
past several years there have existed environmental performance assessment rating tools
such as LEED (developed by the U.S. Green Building Council), and BREEAM in Canada
and the U.K. The value of these rating tools is to acknowledge and institutionalized the
importance of assessing buildings across a broad range of considerations. They provide a
method to ensure that buildings are constructed in an environmentally sensitive manner.
Chapter 2, Guidelines and Rating Tools, provides an overview of existing guidelines and
environmental performance assessment systems, and looks at five specific documents in
detail.
One of the inherent problems of rating systems is prioritization; typically points are given for
acheiving a task or strategy. But what makes sense for one climate region, building type or
even client may not makes sense for another. The strategies employed in the temperate
climate of California would not be the same as in New England. Or the process of design-
ing a single family house differs from that of a university building. Someone, or some group
of individuals had to predetermine the worth of that strategy. Therefore, for the purposes of
establishing an objective methodology to prioritize green building strategies, a survey was
conducted using MIT's Green Building Task Force14 (GBTF) as a platform. The goal was to
assess the priorities and long-term environmental goals of the MIT community that could be
used to develop the university's mission statement. It comprises criteria and standards of
design for green building. This discussion can be found in Chapter 4, Green Building Strat-
egies.
Green building guidelines, sustainbility tools and design strategies all contribute to a more
sustainable project. But without a planning, design, and building course of action that
incorproate these concepts into the building process, many opportunities will be lost.
Sustainability presupposes a collaborative interaction amoung all the participants, and a
cyclical project delivery process, as opposed to the standard linear model. Chapter 5, The
Building Process, will look at the phases of design and construction in detail and outline
green building activities that are relevant in each phase.
Finally, this thesis outlines a comprehensive plan of action that an architectural firm, corpo-
ration, or educational institution could implement that would contribute to the realization of
green buildings and campuses in Chapter 6, Elements of a Project Plan.
Definitions of Sustainable Architecture
American Institute of Architects
In its broadest sense, sustainability refers to the ability of a society,
ecosystem, or other ongoing system to continue functioning into the
indefinite future, without being forced into decline through exhaustion or
overloading of the key resources on which that system.
John Norton
Sustainable architecture brings together at least five key characteristics:
environmental, technical, financial, organizational, social. Sustainable
architecture is context specific and relate to the resources that are locally
available, or the customs and need of the local population.
U.S. Navy
Sustainable design, based on resource efficiency, a healthy environment,
and productivity, incorporates the following: increased energy conservation
and efficiency and use of renewable energy resources; reduction or
elimination of harmful substances and waste in facilities and their sur-
roundings; improvements to interior and exterior environments leading to
increased productivity and better health; efficiency in resource and materi-
als utilization, especially water resources; selection of materials and
products based on their life-cycle environmental impacts; and recycling
and increased use of products with recycled content.
1. Revisions to the AIA contract documents, including the standard legal agreement
between owners and architects. This will help owners clarify the scope of work that is
required to produce more sustainable buildings.
2. Revisions and additional information to Masterspec, the standard specifications system
used as a master document by most architects in the US. This will streamline the process
of selecting and specifying environmentally preferable products.
3. Support for reserach efforts that quantify the benefits of sustainable design, including the
integrated design process and life cycle cost savings. This will help design professionals
and their clients make the case for sustainable design.
4. Support for research efforts to develop design tools and educational resources that will
support the creation of high performance buildings and the next generation of sustainable
design solutions. This action refers to the two primary programs of the AIA Committee on
the Environment. We are creating a program to integrate Sustainable Design into the core
of college and university Schools of Architecture, and we are outlininga research agenda
that will advance our current knowledge base.
5. Advance the knowledge base of information on life cycle environmental effects related to
building products and materials. By lending the support of the AIA as a whole to these
efforts we hope that they will receive the funding necessary to be completed.
6. Support the consideration of sustainable design in the AIA Design Awards program.
This is a logical next step that is needed to provide recognition to exemplary projects, and
to reinforce our broad definition of quality design.
8 Rocky Mountain Institute, Greening the Bottom Line, Increasing Productivity through Energy-
One of the most challenging issues in the development of green building guidelines is that
what constitutes 'excellence' or 'best practices' in building performance is unknown, since
such definitions are still in development. Environmental goals are generally complex and
often conflicting. Many times local, regional and global objectives are incompatible. And
even within a particular climate region, different building types have different needs and
therefore, different environmental priorities may apply. This chapter is an introduction to the
guidelines that are available now, or soon will be. Insome cases the guidelines are merely
'checklists', which lead to a final review of the design's 'greenness'. Other documents
reflect an effort to set out a more comprehensive guide, considering every implication in
coherence with an integrated approach to building design. Another type of document is the
environmental performance assessment tool, which usually includes an extensive descrip-
tion and table in which each sustainability sub-goal is connected with a related building
code, and with applicable technologies or strategies, while making a distinction between
'standard practice', 'advanced' and 'innovative' solutions.
Although they are all inherently different, most guidelines include similar issues:
WASTE
Figure 2.1 - Guidelines Issues
City Governments
Local city governments often own and operate their own buildings. As with the federal
government, many cities or other local governments have adopted a sustainabilty directive
for their own projects. They also have many administrative, policy, financial and regulatory
tools at their disposal. Since they have jurisdiction, they can encourage and/or mandate
green building construction practices.
There are three main types of city-sponsored building guidelines. (Fig. 2.2) One type is
mainly for residential design. The first such document was written in 1993 by the city of
Austin, Texas.' Since then many cities have made available similar guidelines. These are
voluntary city-wide initiatives, co-sponsored by the National Home Builders Association
(NHBA). The guidelines provide a template for developing a green builder program, and
include many pre-design issues such as determining projected interest and budgeting. A
second type, which is designed for non-residential projects, is targeted for use by all build-
ers, designers and owners. These are usually written for voluntary use, and are more of a
general guide of strategies. The third type is an in-house document written specifically for
use by city building departments and their consultants. These are usually more prescrip-
tive based, and designed for mandated use on all city owned projects.
State and County Governments
State and county guidelines fall into three main categories. (Fig. 2.3) Again, NHBA spon-
sored, where the organization provides a 'green builder program' template for the county to
follow. These are voluntary, but have many benefits, including the possibility of lower mort-
gage rates in some cases. They are developed as a checklist covering the standard envi-
ronmental issues, i.e. site, water, materials, energy, ieq, waste, etc. The second type of
guidelines focus on non-residential projects and have examples in both voluntary state-
wide initiatives, and state-owned facilities. These have been drafted with a particular pur-
pose and building type in mind. Of these, Minnesota's Sustainable Design Guide and Rat-
ing System has a scoring system that allows the design team to prioritize environmental
criteria, and to evaluate the building's performance. In addition, it contains a project history
guide, so that the lessons learned on one project can be applied to another similar project.
These two features make this guide unique. Pennsylvania's Guidelines for Creating High
Performance Green Buildings is an especially good reference because it incorporates green
concepts into the different project phases of design and construction.
Residential Non-Residential
State/County wide
Initiative (voluntary) State/County owned
Properties (mandatory)
Figure 2.3 - State and County Governments
In-House Reference Guides
All of these documents have been written with a particular project, building type, organiza-
tion or firm in mind. They were either written internally, or by a contracted consultant firm
specifically for their own intentions. The Navy's Whole Building Design Guide is organized
by design criteria: sustainable, secure, durable, cost-effective, productive, aesthetic; build-
ing types; and the typical Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) divisions 1 through 16.
Its purpose is to "provide an overview of the various concepts and best practices associ-
ated with good building design."2 It is unique in that it is an internet-based guide that pro-
vides links to standards and criteria, commercially available green products, technology
resource pages and software-based design tools. HOK's Sustainable Building Handbook
and the Air Force's Environmentally Responsible Facilities Guide both focus on the pro-
cess of design, while the USPS's Building Design Standards and the U.S. Park Service's
Guiding Principles of Sustainable Design suggest specific actions to be taken. The Green-
ing of the White House and Pentagon, Battery City Park's Residential Environmental Guide-
lines and the USPS were written with specific buildings or projects in mind.
There are many universities across the country that have made a commitment to integrat-
ing environmentally responsible development practices into its construction programs. These
practices usually have adopted a policy that addresses resource conservation, waste re-
duction strategies, disposal of toxic materials and emissions, recycling and the use of
recycled materials. Sustainable development concepts, applied to the design, construc-
tion, operation, renovation, and demolition of buildings and landscapes are consistent with
overall campus-wide environmental initiatives. The following campus' all have projects in
development, and have taken different approaches. The three main categories are cam-
pus initiatives, process oriented, and building guidelines. Many schools have chosen to
adopt the LEED standard as a base reference. While it is certainly facile to use a LEED
rating, it may not be the best answer for every university. Adopting LEED as a standard
provides the recognition of an established rating for new buildings, and offers the design
team a built-in support system for understanding green strategies. It also allows the con-
sultants a pre-defined guideline document to follow. But the LEED system was written as
a nation-wide standard, therefore it is not region, or building specific. A possible solution
would be to tailor the LEED guideline to incorporate the specifics of the university. This
would be used as an addition to the LEED requirements.
Building Guidelines
Figure 2.5 - University Guidelines
Resource Guides
Resource guides compile the vast amount
of information available and make it easier to
use. They generally include detailed infor-
A C &ieEthim-
mation about materials and product listings. ConTer Reseni
Association, UK -Green
Some provide case studies. The Sustain- Resource Buiding Handbook
Guide Naional Polin Preventon
able Building Technical Manual is organized Cener for igher Educatio, MI -
Introduction to
by project phase, with each chapter authored Sustainable Design
The US Green Building Council (USGBC) began to develop the LEED rating system in
1995 in response to the market's demand for a definition of 'green building'. Other rating
systems such as BEPAC and BREEAM existed at that time, but there was no such system
in the US. USGBC is a national, non-profit organization with over 500 members nation-
wide.3 Its purpose is to accelerate the implementation of green building policies, programs,
technologies, standards and design practices. LEED has been adopted and mandated by
many US governmental agencies for their own building design, which will inevitably encour-
age the market transformation of supporting green technologies. It encourages and guides
a collaborative, integrated design team and construction process. It is a self-rating tool that
results in one of 4 ratings. The rating process can be lengthy and expensive depending
upon the project type and experience of the consultants. There are four levels of certifica-
tion depending on the number of points awarded:
Sustainable Sites 1 14 20
Materials & Resources 1 13 19
Water Efficiency 5 7
Innovation & Design 5 7
Process
Total 7 1 69 100
In addition to the basic credits of site, water, energy, materials, and indoor environmental
quality (Fig. 2.9), there are four innovation credits that LEED does not specifically address,
which can be applied for with innovative green building design or construction practices.
32
These innovation credits are a major difference between LEED 1.0 and 2.0. LEED 2.0
allows for flexibility that is not specifically defined in the document. Other changes in
version 2.0 include a move to performance-based, rather than a prescriptive-based, re-
quirements.
Fig. 2.10 is an example of one of the available credits in the site category. Each credit
identifies the intent of a project, and describes the overall requirements for achieving the
available points, usually citing an existing building code that is either performance or pre-
scriptive based. It then cites technologies and strategies, and provides suggestions for
achieving the stated requirements.
A drawback of any rating system is the problem of prioritization. Inherent in these systems
are value judgements on what constitutes a 'green building'. Because LEED is a national
standard, it could not possibly regionalize the criteria, or give priority weighting to the spe-
cific climate zones. Establishing different LEED tools for different building types has been
discussed, such as retail and residential. This would at least address the issue of different
building uses. Another criticism is that these systems can be very 'heavy' in one criteria
area, while virtually ignoring others. Although there are minimum pre-requisites that must
be adhered to, this can lead to a potential non-holistic building by allowing buildings to meet
the threshold by capturing points in only a few areas. The value rests in the requirements
needed to achieve the credits.
The backbone of LEED is the referencing of existing building codes and standards across
the country. (Fig. 2.11) The intent was not to duplicate work already done, but rather to
bring buildings across the nation to a higher than minimum standard. The criticism here
has been that there should be an even higher standard. But again, the intent of this docu-
ment at this time, is to transform the market and kick-start the supporting green technolo-
gies. To achieve the higher ratings, such as silver and platinum, these standards must be
bested by a large marginal percentage.
Maryland Model Erosion and Sediment Control, Sections 4.2 (e) and (f)
EPA/ DOE EnergyStar@ Benchmarking Tool
ASHRAE Standard 62- 1989 (IAQ)
ASHRAE Standard 55- 1992 (Thermal Comfort)
ASHRAE/IES 90.1-1989 (Energy Efficiency)
South Coast Air Quality Mgmt. District 1168 (Low VOC)
Energy Policy Act of 1992 (Plumbing Fixture)
California State Title 24 (Lighting Requirements)
SCAQMD Southcoast Rule #1168 (Building Materials)
DOE Building Measurement and Verification Protocol
US GSA Model Commissioning Plan and Guide Specification
Figure 2.11 - LEED Standards and Building Codes
BREEAM
The assessment is reported in two stages. The preliminary report indicates how the build-
ing performed and recommends realistic measures to improve the rating. The final report
takes into account any of the subsequent improvements. A certificate accompanies the
final report and provides third party endorsement of the building. Credits are awarded in
three sections: global issues and use of resources, local issues and indoor issues. Again,
a criticism is that there is not a user-defined ability to prioritize the criteria. Looking at the
weighting of the criteria, (Fig. 2.12) it is noted that BREEAM rates the use of timber as the
primary criterion for a green building. C02 production and CFC/HCFC emissions is the
secondary priority, and the ecological value of the site is the third priority. The use of haz-
ardous materials, and recycled & renewable resources, as well as the storage of these
items, rate fourth in their value of criteria.
Team formation. From the beginning of the project, their advice is to include, in
addition to the design team, the engineers, contractors, major sub-contractors,
operations management, various consultants, and in some cases, the key sup-
pliers. (However, they neglect to list the users of the building.)
Project initiation, which has two stages: education and goal setting. The whole
team must be educated concerning basic environmental problems and oppor-
tunities, and then environmental goals for the project must be set.
Optimization, which is the process of questioning each component and process to
achieve the best results with the least expenditure of resources. They compare
this to the budget process in that all decisions are reviewed through a 'green'
filter.
The project actions, which, in the HOK guide, refer to the construction documents
and specifications phases.
Bidding and construction. This process can sometimes be complicated because
of the many players involved at this time. According to HOK, there should be
educational sessions on environmental goals, just as there are sessions for
new workers concerning job site procedures and safety.
Post occupancy. As with the other guidelines, attention to operations and mainte-
nance is imperative for sustainable buildings.
The sustainability checklist includes key sustainable design objectives for the three major
project phases, which have been defined as: pre-design, design & documentation, and
construction administration. Each phase is further divided into six areas of sustainable
design: planning, energy, building materials, indoor air quality, water conservation, and re-
cycling and waste management. Table 2.13 is an example of one of their project actions for
the site category. The project actions are recommendations by phase and topic that should
be considered during the design process. In this case the phase is pre-design and the
topic is general. Goals are included to provide additional guidance to the design team and
to assist in measuring performance similar to that of LEED's requirements. For easy
reference while using this document, the letters P, for programmer, and LA, for landscape
architect, are used to denote the design members involved at that phase. Further refer-
ences indicate the potential effect on the owner, time or expense. For example, the letter 0,
requires consultation with the owner, $F - affects the fees, and $C - affects the construc-
tion costs.
Figure 2.13 - HOK Project Action Example
These guidelines are primarily directed at teams engaged in designing new facilities for
universities and colleges in British Columbia. They both reflect and communicate an ex-
pectation that all new building projects and major renovations will be designed to their self
defined high environmental standards. The first section involves the integration of prin-
ciples. It is their contention that educational institutions should strive to effect a compre-
hensive, holistic and environmentally sustainable approach to development and operation
by consideration of all of the following issues:7
Changing context: identifying the environmental design goals and directives.
Respect for Natural Systems: being conscious of, and responsive to, the ecology of
the site and of existing natural systems.
Energy efficiency: emphasizing the importance of energy in sustainable building
strategies and identifying architectural and engineering design strategies to re-
duce building operating energy use.
Resource Use: engaging in more effective and efficient use of resources in the
construction, maintenance and operation of buildings than is currently practiced
through use of a more detailed definition of sustainability.
Health and Well-Being of Users: considering design strategies which enhance ther-
mal quality, indoor air quality, lighting and acoustic quality.
A final section which identifies key inter-relationships between the various environ-
mental issues and design strategies covered in the previous sections.
The following provides an overview of the sustainability issues, which are being cited as
part of a new agenda for building design and operation. These issues include:
Environmental guidelines - According to BCU, sustainability requires first and fore-
most an attitudinal shift, to embrace new ways of thinking about the processes
of production, use and disposal of buildings.
Performance goals - Environmental performance goal setting must, however, take
place in conjunction with commitments to economic considerations, public ac-
ceptability, and technological and administrative feasibility.
Comprehensive evaluations of design alternatives - Designing post-secondary edu-
cation facilities to higher environmental standards has both capital and operat-
ing cost implications and also has maintenance implications that must be con-
sidered in design alternatives.
Broader environmental commitment - Wherever possible, building design should
make environmental strategies explicit so as to communicate an emerging
emphasis for these broader environmental considerations
Issues covered in guidelines - Changing context in universities, including both man-
agement and site related issues:
Section 1 - Introduction
Section 2 - Project planning and management
Section 3 - Energy efficiency
Section 4 - Resource conservation
Section 5 - Health & well-being of users
Section 6 - Integration of systems
ENERGY GOALS 3A2. ASHRAE/IES 75% of ASHRAE/IES Std. 90.1 50% of ASHIRAE/IES Std.
Std. 90.1- 90.1
1989
SITING AND SITE LJ. Landscaping strategy integral part of energy Maximum use of ambient
PLANNING strategy; planting to minimise north energy sources offered by the
exposure; examination of impact on site.
daylight potential.
Careful selection and placement of
deciduous vegetation on south orientations;
reflective ground cover to enhance
daylighting in lower buildings.
While all of these guidelines and assessment tools differ, they all greatly emphasize that
sustainability, or green building design is more than just energy efficiency. It is a holistic
approach to planning, design, construction, operations & maintenance, and building reuse.
They redefine buildings in terms of quality of performance, rather than aesthetics alone.
Green building guidelines and rating systems demystify what green buildings are, and de-
fine what constitutes a green building by identifying qualitative and quantitative measure-
ments of improvement.
42
Notes
1 The City of Austin implemented Green Building into their own facilities in 1993. In 1994 a resolu-
tion form City Council directed the creation of Municipal Guidelines. http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/
greenbuilder/programs.htm
2 Communication Magazine, Summer 98, Navy takes on a "Whole Building Design" approach, 2
p5
3 United States Green Building Council, http://www.usgbc.org/
4 British Reserach Establishment, http://www.bre.co.uk/sustainable/servicel.html
5 Kobet, Bob & Wendy Powers, Conservation Consultants, Inc., Guidelines for Creating High-
Performance Green Buildings, PennysIvania Department of Environmental Protection, 1999
6 Mendler, Sandra, AIA, Sustainable Design Guide, Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, January
1998,
p.iv-vi
7 Government of British Columbia, Public Post Secondary Institutions,
Environmental Report,
Section 1.6, http://www.aett.gov.bc.ca/environmental/data/environt/sec-one.htm#1.4
44
Sustainability Tools
Inorder to develop a better understanding of the building design performance, the operation
of the structure needs to be estimated. There are many different building operations to be
concerned with: thermal performance, energy efficiency, ventilation, heat flow through con-
struction details and lighting quality. To achieve the most sustainable plans, architects
require effective tools for analyzing and understanding the complex behavior of the building
in terms of its environmental impact and indoor environmental quality. To that end, there
has been the development of many computer-based design and simulation tools. The
targets of simulation analysis include providing comfortable indoor environmental condi-
tions at an acceptable fuel consumption level, and optimizing systems performance. Sith
sustainability tools, complicated design problems can be investigated and their performance
can be quantified and evaluated.
The tools available to architects and engineers concerned with building performance are
computer-based building simulation, life cycle analysis and design tools. They range from
the simple and approximate to the detailed and sophisticated. Most of the research relates
to studies of fundamental theory and algorithms of load calculation, which results in some
simplified methods, e.g., degree-day method, equivalent full load hour method, and bin
methods, to predict the energy consumption of buildings, and some detail methods like
weighting factors to predict peak cooling load. Selection of a sustainability program should
consider the project requirements, time and cost to perform the simulation, availability and
capacity of the computer system and the experience of the user.
Although there are many advanced tools available, they remain largely unused by most
architects. In order to analyze and simulate building behaviors, large amounts of detailed
information regarding the location, size, configuration, and context of the building design is
required that is usually input via the keyboard. The outputs are usually in the form of tables
and graphs that are difficult to interpret. As a result, many of these tools require a specialty
consultant to prepare and are very costly. Or conversely, the programs are too rudimentary
and therefore are limited in usable information. Another barrier to using these tools is that
the multiple concerns require different sets of data to be input in different formats, so that
each one requires a different program. Again, this is time consuming and costly to prepare
and review.
Popular applications include:
Simulation Tools
Whole building energy performance analysis
Building energy simulation is performed to analyze the energy performance of a
building dynamically and to understand the relationship between the design param-
eters and energy use characteristics of the building. Energy analysis can help to
develop effective design strategies and would be used at the design development
phase of the project. Simplified energy analysis programs, such as Energy-10 and
Energy Scheming can be used at the schematic design.
Simulation Tools
One of the most powerful techniques available to the designer is computer modeling and
simulation. Modeling is defined as the art of developing a model that faithfully represents a
complex system, and simulation is the process of using the model to analyze and predict
the behavior of the real system.' The major consumers of energy in a building are the
lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Therefore it is essential
that thermal performance of buildings and mechanical systems are understood and opti-
mized.
Effective application of building simulation requires a skilled user that can choose a suitable
simulation program, and is knowledgeable in the input as well as interpreting the results.
The goal of design in architecture is to achieve the best balance of performances in a
complete set of application criteria. The architect designs in an iterative creative process
and a full range of architectural issues and criteria have to be considered simultaneously.
Understanding the design and performance relationship is essential and can be facilitated
through building simulation.
Seven major steps have been recommended as a framework for a successful analysis:2
1. Defining the problem
2. Specifying the model
3. Data acquisition
4. Implementation
5. Planning
6. Experimentation
7. Analysis of results and reporting
Figure 3.1 shows the possible applications of energy analysis at various stages of the
building design process. At the early design stages, only conceptual sketches and sche-
matics, often rough and incomplete, are available. As the design proceeds, more informa-
tion and detail will be developed. If energy analysis starts early in the generative design
phase, then energy considerations can be integrated into the building form and design
concept. It is believed that the best opportunities for improving the energy performance of
a building occur early in the design process.3
Fig. 3.1 Energy Analysis in the Building Design Process, source: Sam C M Hui, The University of Hong
Kong, www://arch.hku.hk/-cmhui
The following is a discussion of several sustainability tools. For a complete list, see Appen-
dix E.
POWERDOE
PowerDOE is the newest building energy simulation tool from the DOE family, from the
Department of Energy. It is easier to use than the original DOE-2, due to the flexible Win-
dows graphical user interface. PowerDOE's development began in 1992 as a collaborative
effort of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Electric Power Research Insti-
tute. 4 It is designed to serve a wide range of users, including building performance ana-
lysts, HVAC designers, architects, and electric and gas utility personnel and contractors.
PowerDOE has a modular structure that allows sections of the program to be accessed
externally or connected with other analysis tools. For example, its Review Results module
can be used as a stand-alone application for post-processing DOE-2 results. The PowerDOE
structure allows third party developers to use these modules. It will also be linked to the
Building Design Advisor, a multimedia-based, integrated building design support tool being
developed separately at LBNL.
Figure 3.2 PowerDOE Schematic Design Tool, source CBS Newsletter Summer 1994 p8
Radiance
Radiance was developed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and is used to
study lighting and daylighting strategies, exterior horizontal light shelves, interior shading
devices, interior layouts and material color selection. The user builds a model of the
interior spaces and inputs each surface's shape, texture, size, location and composition.
The program analyzes the lighting conditions for a specific date, time and type of sky
condition.
While design tools aid architects in basic decisions such as building siting and massing,
and energy simulation tools provide information regarding predicted performance, life-cycle
analysis (LCA) tools attempt to quantify the economic, social and environmental compo-
nents of sustainability as the basis for comparing building products and designs. LCA is a
way of examining the total environmental impact of a product through every step of its life-
including raw materials extraction (for example, through mining or logging), and process-
ing, product manufacture, transportation, installation, operation and maintenance, and ulti-
mately recycling and waste management.
A product is claimed to be green simply because it has recycled content, or claimed not to
be green because it emits volatile organic compounds (VOC's) during its installation and
use. These single-attribute claims may be misleading because they ignore the possibility
that other life-cycle stages, or other environmental impacts, may yield offsetting impacts.
For example, the recycled-content product may have a high embodied energy content,
leading to resource depletion, global warming, and acid rain impacts during the raw mate-
rials extraction and manufacturing life-cycle stages. LCA thus broadens the environmental
discussion by accounting for shifts of environmental problems from one life-cycle stage to
another, or one environmental medium (land, air water) to another. The benefit of the LCA
approach is in implementing a trade-off analysis to achieve a genuine reduction in overall
environmental impact, rather than a simple shift of impact.
There are four main life-cycle analysis tools: BEES from the US, Athena from Canada and
Envest from the UK, and EcoQuantum from the Netherlands.
Developed by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), BEES 2.0
help designers, builders and product manufacturers evaluate cost-effective green building
products using the LCA approach. It includes comparative environmental and economic
performance data for generic building products used for framing, wall finishes, wall and roof
sheathing, insulation, roof and floor coverings, slabs, basement wells, beams, columns,
parking-lot paving, and driveways
First, one sets the analysis parameters. BEES uses preference weights for environmental
versus economic performance. For example, if environmental performance is the only
important consideration, a value of 100 is entered. Next you are asked to select your relative
preference weights for the environmental impact categories, the following Table 3.1 shows
the choices available
User-defined 17 17 17 17 16 16
EPA Science 27 13 13 13 27 7
Advisory Board
Harvard Study 28 17 18 15 12 10
Equal Weights 17 17 17 17 16 16
Table 3.3 Environmental Impact Category Weights, source: BEES Program
Finally, one enters the real discount rate for converting future building product costs to their
equivalent present value. The maximum value allowed is 20%. The 2000 rate mandated by
the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for most Federal projects, 4.2%, is provided as
a default value.
The next step is to select the building element for comparison. BEES 2.0 allows compari-
son for 65 products across 15 building elements: slabs on grade, basement walls, beams,
columns, roof sheathing, exterior wall finishes, wall insulation, wall sheathing, framing, roof
coverings, ceiling insulation, interior wall finishes, floor coverings, parking lot paving, and
driveways. And finally you must select the transportation distance form the manufacturing
facility to the building in which the product will be installed.
The results are computed and displays the BEES environmental and economic perfor-
mance scores. By default, three summary graphs are selected for display or printing:
Overall Performance, Environmental Performance, and Economic Performance.
For example, a comparison of three roof coverings, asphalt shingles, clay tiles and fiber
cement tiles can be compared on the basis of their life-cycle costs to determine which is
the least cost means of covering the roof over the study period. For this example the
discount rate is the default 4.2%, a 50% economic and 50% environmental weight and the
EPA-based criteria weighting have been chosen as parameters.
Figure 3.4 shows the BEES Environmental Performance Results displaying the weighted
environmental performance scores for our example. Lower values are better; if a product
performs worse with respect tall environmental impacts, it receives the worst possible
score of 100. The graph breaks down the weighted environmental score by its six contrib-
uting impact scores: Global Warming Potential, Acidification Potential, Eutrophication Po-
tential, Natural Resource Depletion, Indoor Air Quality and Solid Waste. In this case, as-
phalt tiles are the better choice, although not shown are results for embodied energy, which
names fiber cement tiles are the better choice. In sum, the answer depends on the trade-
offs.
] ____________________________________________
*Acidification
E Eutrophication
[I GlobalWarming
indoor
Air
E NaturalResources
0 Solid Waste
ClayTile
Alternatives
Note: Lower values are beter
ATHENA
While BEES is a product comparison LCA tool, ATHENA compares building assembly
options. The program includes low-rise commercial, institutional, light industrial and resi-
dential buildings.
The ultimate goal is to encourage selection of material mixes and other design options that
will minimize a building s potential life cycle environmental impacts and foster sustainable
development. 5
An ATHENA user first enters a general description of a building project, including its loca-
tion, and then specifies a design by selecting from typical assemblies or by entering spe-
cific quantities of individual products. The building location is identified as a region by se-
lecting whichever of six cities in Canada best represents the region in which it is to be built.
The model also includes energy use and related air emissions for on-site construction of a
building s structural assemblies. The inventory data includes natural resource, energy and
water inputs to processes as well as emissions to air, water and land for the manufacture,
transportation and use of all of the individual building products.
7
The following summary measures of potential environmental loading is provided:
G a global warming potential index, which aggregates atmospheric emissions
that contribute to the greenhouse problem, developed using the C02 equivalence
method;
® air and water pollution indices, developed using the critical volume method for
the worst offender, to indicate the relative toxicity or health effects of groups of
emissions to air and water and;
G an index of the ecological carrying capacity effects of resource extraction (i.e.
effects on the carrying capacity of ecosystems like those of timber harvesting on
bio-diversity or the effects of mining on groundwater quality), developed from a
survey of environmental and resource extraction experts and used in ATHENA to
weight the absolute quantities of the main raw resource required to manufacture
the products of interest.
The following Figure 3.5 shows global warming potential (greenhouse gas) results for a
concrete vs. a steel office building. The results are broken down in the figure by activity
state - resource extraction, manufacturing and on-site construction. These results are
based on Canadian LCI inventory data for typical or average manufacturing technologies
and practices, with the energy use and GWP results taking into account of transportation.
V
j .. 4IIXI
-
I
Ir-11 X1 I
Lo
_Isj "A'
M Companson of Global Warming Potential by ble Cycle Stage- Absolute Value - GRAPH FNJ
TLCC = first costs plus all future costs (operating, maintenance, repair and re-
placement costs and functional-use costs) minus salvage value (i.e. value of an
asset at the end of economic life or study period)
The NIST Building Life-Cycle Cost (BLCC) computer program provides economic analysis
of proposed capital investments that are expected to reduce long-term operating costs of
buildings or building systems. It is especially useful for evaluating the costs and benefits of
energy conservation projects in buildings. Two or more competing designs can be evalu-
ated to determine which has the lowest life-cycle cost. Or a project can be compared
against a 'do-nothing' base case where no capital improvements are made to reduce fur-
ther costs. Inaddition to comparing two or more alternatives, it computes the Net Savings,
Savings-to-Investment Ration, Adjusted Internal Rate of Return, and Years to Payback. But
these tools require specialized knowledge to use, both in the input and the interpretation of
the results. Another good reference for LCCA is the National Bureau of Standards (NBS)
Handbook 135, Life Cycle Costing Manual for the Federal Energy Management Program: a
guide for evaluating the cost effectiveness of energy conservation and renewable energy
projects.
There is one main holistic simplified sustainability design tool available, the Green Building
89
Advisor. Another tool, the Building Design Advisor9 is still in development, but promises to
be a very good tool that allows the user to model the project once, and receive project
specific simulated information regarding energy efficiency, lighting, and ventilation. There
are many computer based energy efficiency design tools available, such as Energy Schem-
ing, described below.
This program is a very basic reference tool that gives the user a broad scope of issues to
think about while designing. Because of the limited building description input data, the
recommendations are not project specific. What makes this program unique is that it has
a library of case studies, hot links to building project listings, technical articles and a bibliog-
raphy. These features make this tool a good resource of information, rather than a project
specific simulation tool. The most beneficial times to use this program are at the pre-
design and schmatic phases. A student, or designer would input information basic regard-
ing the building description for new and renovation projects. The output is in a written
format, and covers the following issues:
Site & ecosystem: site selection, land development, stormwater, landscaping, re-
gional integration;
Energy use: building envelope, heating, cooling & ventilation, lighting, appliances &
equipment, water heating, energy source;
Water use: landscaping, plumbing & fixtures, appliances, general;
Resources & Materials: resource efficiency, construction and demolition manage-
ment, future waste minimization, materials by CSI division;
Indoor Environment
The Figure 3.5 below is an example of the information one would receive regarding the
envelope under the energy category.
Figure 3.5 Envelope Strategies for Green Building Advisor, source GBA
The greatest value in this tool is that it is linked to the established simulation tools DOE-2 for
thermal and energy costs. It has an internal daylighting and electrical lighting component.
Future versions will link to COMIS for airflow and indoor air quality, Radiance for daylighting,
Athena for life-cycle analysis, a building rating system, cost-estimator, CAD software and
product catalogues. The user then only has to model the project once, or even better, just
input the CAD file already modeled for the construction documents, and will be able to
receive the building simulations from each of these tools in return. While this program has
a lot of promise, it is still is in the development stage and has many bugs. It is cumbersome
to input and the modeling capacity is limited to rectilinear spaces in order to use the lighting
simulation tools. This tool is best used at the schematic phase by a designer or architect.
The building information is modeled using the tools schematic graphics editor and includes
information regarding the building configuration, windows, doors, light fixtures, exterior shad-
ing devices, over hang dimensions. The output is in graphical format, which is easy to
interpret. It gives analysis on energy-efficiency and lighting. The figure 3.6 shows the
graphical output of The Decision Desktop, that allows building designers to compare mul-
tiple alternative design solutions with respect to multiple design considerations, as addressed
by the analysis and visualization tools and databases linked to the BDA.
This program is limited to the Macintosh computer, which makes it less accessible to many
firms. The main benefit is that it is easy to learn and use, which makes it a useful tool for
several design iterations, especially during the schematic design phase. The primary us-
ers would be a student or designer for both residential and non-residential projects. A
graphical model can be built in the program, drawings scanned in, or CADD drawing file
imported. The output is in the form of graphs, and text, regarding energy-efficiency analy-
sis. The building description data requirementsare:
Square feet; roofs: area, pitch, slope, materials, color, mass, r-value, lag time, decre-
ment values, absoptivity/conductance values;
Floors: area, type materials, solar zone, r-value;
windows: percent operable, transmittance, tilt, shading coefficients for shading de-
vices, cross and stack ventilating inlets and outlets, stack height, obstructions, ex-
terior shades, Interior shades, cross ventilation, night ventilation;
Massing material;
Occupant zone: area, density and type, schedules;
Equipment zones: area, quantity and type, schedules;
Lighting: zones, area, levels, fixture types, schedules;
Walls: area, orientation, solar zone, grade line, materials, color mass type, r-value,
lag time, decrement values, absorptivity/conductance values;
Interior gains: people, equipment, electric light
60
Notes
1 Hensen, J.L.M. & J.W. Hand, 3rd European Conference on Architecture, Solar energy in architec-
ture and urban planning, Commission of the European Communities, Florence, May 1993, p354
2 Newton, D., James, R. and Bartholomew, D., Building energy simulation - a
user's perspective,
Energy and Buildings, 10, p241-247, 1988
3 Nall,D. H., Building energy simulation and the architect, In Building Energy Simulation Confer-
ence Notebook, Proc. of the Building Energy Simulation Conference, Wednesday, August 21, 1985,
Seattle, p45-48, 1985
4 Winkelmann, Fred and Kathleen Ellington, Simulation Research Group Building Technologies
Program, CBS Newsletter Winter 1996, p4
5 Trusty, W.B., J.K. Meil, G.A. Norris, Eco-Indicators for Products and Materials - State of Play '97:
An International Workshop, Sustainable Materials Institute,
6 Coldham, Bruce, What is Green Architecture?, www.coldhamarch.com/green/what
7 Trusty, W.B., J.K. Meil, G.A. Norris, ATHENA, An LCA Decision Support Tool for the Building
tools_directory/software/energysc. htm
62
Green Building Strategies
The categories of concentration are divided into Site and Land Use, Water, Materials and
Natural Resources, Energy, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Waste and Pollution Pre-
vention. Within each of these categories, several specific strategies were listed. The
participant was asked rate (from 1 to 5), each strategy's importance to MIT in terms of
environmental and occupant health issues, and to disregard cost as a criteria. The scores
were correlated to a matrix (Table 4.2), that associates the effects of the strategy with
respect to the related categories of environmental impact, natural resource, occupant health,
and community.
The tallies were then averaged within each discipline. The following Table 4.1 is an ex-
ample of one of the strategies within the Site and Land Use category. The results show that
the total number of points from the landscape and planning professionals was 12, out a
possible total of 15, since there were 3 persons responding. Therefore the average rating
from the landscape was 4, out of a possible rating of 1 to 5. Which means they thought
understanding the site was a high priority for MIT. The facilities rated this strategy with an
average score of 4.5 points, etc.
11. Undertanding the Sic - use microclimate and environmentally
responsive site design strategies; schedule construction to minimize sit
impact; opt to reuse an existing building rather than build on new site.
opt to demolish and reuse the site of an existing building.
Discipline Total Averace
Landscape. Planning 12Z
Facilities, Construction 9. 4.5
Environmental Policy 6: 3
31 3
Utilities. HVAC 7 2.3
Bldgy Technology 3 3
Total Score: 40
Average Score: 3
Table 4.1 Sample of Green Building Task Force Survey, Site Category
The averaged scores were then correlated to a matrix (Table 4.2), that associates the
effects of the strategy with respect to the related environmental categories of:
Environmental Impact
Greenhouse gas Emissions
Local Air/water/Soil Quality
Biodiversity/Restoration
Natural Resource Effectiveness
Resource Depletion
Energy Efficiency
Material Recycling
Occupant Health
Indoor Environmental Quality
Community
Urban Environment
The Table 4.2, on the following page provides a breakdown of the results in terms of the
strategies used and the corresponding points awarded. Included is a scale of the impact
relevant to the local, regional or global environment.
Table 4.2 Results from Green Building Task Force Survey
50- iResults from GBTF Survey
40 Tb 4.3 Rey
30 F- Hm
20---
10j4
0 ~
The results inTable 4.3 show that the highest environmental concerns at MIT, as defined by
the Green Building Task Force, are greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency, with
resource depletion and indoor environmental quality a close 3rd and 4th. These conclu-
sions can be used as the driving information for the overall vision statement for the institu-
tion and the guiding principles of the project. This process should be repeated for each
individual project to determine the specific priorities for the client, building site and project
type. The following principles could be written from the results of the survey above:
Principle 1: Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Principle 2: Conserve Energy
Principle 3: Minimize Use of New Resources
Principle 4: Respect for Users
Principle 5: Respect for Site
Principle 6: Respect for Community
As a comparison, the following is a ranking of issues that are important in the US, as
defined by scientists in the Ecology and Welfare Subcommittee of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Science Advisory Board.6
It is noticeable that separate entities have different issues to consider and therefore the
rankings should differ. This is true of different projects within the same company, or institu-
tion. According to Environmental Building News, there are four critical factors. First is
developing an understanding of what the most significant environmental risks are. For
example, which is worse, the release of toxic waste, the destruction of an endangered
species' habitat, or stratospheric ozone depletion? The second critical factor is an under-
standing of how the buildings contribute to those risks and how significantly the measures
adopted can help the situation. The third factor is related to the specific opportunities pre-
sented by each individual project. And the fourth is the consideration of the available re-
sources and agenda of the client.7
The rest of this chapter outlines specific strategies that when employed together, can con-
tribute to a greener project. Since it only makes sense to discuss specific strategies in
terms of a climate region and building type, for the purposes of this thesis, the strategies
are related to MIT buildings, prioritized in order of main concern, as was determined by the
survey given to the Green Building Task Force. Throughout the categories, design, con-
struction, and maintenance issues are discussed.
Site
All the activities that occur on the site during construction and after the building is complete
are linked to the environment beyond the site's boundaries. Therefore, the purpose of
sustainable site planning is to integrate design and construction strategies that will result in
minimized site disruption and encourage effective landscape practices. One of the most
important decisions in green architecture is made in the selection of the site, before design
even begins. "The impact of the project on the regional energy supply networks, water
supply and treatment, waste streams, traffic patterns and counts, existing civil infrastruc-
ture and other site-specific concerns is evaluated against life-cycle cost criteria and envi-
ronmental planning and design requirements."8 Locating new developments on existing
brownfield sites and in urban infill areas may also have economic benefits since the infra-
structure and services may already be in place. The goal is to identify the ecological char-
acteristics of the site, determine whether it is appropriate for its proposed use, and design
ways to integrate the building with the site. The following Table 4.3 lists site design strate-
gies that are applicable to MIT. The strategies listed here, and on the following pages are
from the results of the survey given to MIT's Green Building Task Force. 9
Strate2y
Site & Land Use
1 Building-Site Relationship
Schedule construction to minimize site impact
General site layout - consider issues of building mass, orientation, outdoor spaces, passive principles, sun and shade
patterns, landscaping
Mitigation of negative impacts - reduce heat island effect, avoid adverse impacts on adjacent properties, avoid light
p2ollutionI
Site lighting - use solar power, efficient lighting, reflective surfaces
2 Sustainable Landscape Practice
Planting practices - use native trees, shrubs and plants, avoid allergy-causing plants near bldg. intakes, avoid invasive
species, reduce dependence on fertilizer, consider drip irrigation systems
Soil quality - provide facilities for composting of landscape materials, use mulch to conserve soil moisture, allow
clipins and leaves to decompose on the ground
Resource use - use recycled, renewable and locally available materials for landscape features
3 Encourage Alternate Transportation
Promote use of alternate & public transportation - include bus stop seating areas & bicycle amenities
Provide alternative fueling facilities
Carpool incentives
Create pedestrian pockets
4 Understanding the Site
Site selection - maintain and enhance the biodiversity and ecology of the site, consider building footprint to minimize
the impact on natural resources
Use microclimate and environmentally responsive site design strategies - preserve natural contours of site, understand
the impact of design on nature by a comprehensive site analysis
In the United States, approximately 340 billion gallons of fresh water are withdrawn from
rivers, streams, reservoirs, and wells to support our activities in buildings, agriculture and
recreation, 65% of which is returned after use and/or treatment. 10 Water conservation,
efficiency and management results in decreased demand on the local water supply and
treatment facilities. This in turn can result in monetary savings inwater-use and discharge
fees. For example, in a typical 100,000 square foot office building, low-flow fixtures and
equipment can save 1,000,000 gallons of water per year or more, based on 650 building
occupants each using an average of 20 gallons per day. 10 Water conservation and reuse
are the two strategies most important at MIT.
Strategy
Water
1 Water Conservation
Chillers - select based on water conservation criteria avoid one pass systems
Use efficient water heating and recirculation systems to conserve water
Work with natural drainage systems - supplement with detention/retention ponds and/or filtration systems when
necessary
Indigenous landscaping
Water use/pollution prevention - provide porous surfaces for run-off drainage, filter storm water through plantings
and soil, harvest rainwater, do not use chemical pesticides
Water efficient landscaping - limit or eliminate the use of potable water for landscape irrigation.
Ozonation - consider ozonation in commercial laundering, and condenser water systems
Fixture and fitting selection - use low-water or waterless fixtures, automatic shut-off controls, and metered faucets,
consider the use of biocomposting toilets
2 Water Reuse
Site retainage of rainwater - reduce rainwater runoff from the site, roofs, and building surfaces to minimize stress on
sewer system and to divert and reduce water pollution
Irrigation and specialty use water - use systems that maximize efficient use of pressurized water and use high
efficiency irrigation technologies
Rainwater use - collect and use rainwater
Gray water use - collect and use gray water for water closets and urinal flushing
Excess groundwater - recover excess groundwater from sump pumps for use as a source of recycled water
Steam condensate - collect and use utility district steam system condensate for non-potable uses
Vacuum-assist systems - consider a 'vacuum-assist' system for flushing of water closets and urinals
Table 4.4 Strategies for MIT - Water
Building Materials
Building materials play a significant role in sustainable design because of their impact both
on the environment and on human health. The locations and manners in which they are
extracted, transported, manufactured and packaged have many global implications at each
stage of their life-cycle. Building materials can contain toxins that can harm workers during
installation, or users long after construction is complete. New green building materials
have entered the market recently, many of which are economically competitive with their
conventional equivalents. There are several publications and web-sites devoted to environ-
mentally benign material choices such as the AIA's Environmental Resource Guide, and
the Environmental Building News' GreenSpec. It is important to realize that an assemblage
of green materials in itself does not necessarily make a green building. Rather, it is the way
inwhich they are designed into the project that is important. The building design and speci-
fications, installation, construction and eventual reuse or demolition are all deciding factors
in the success of a sustainable building.
Reusing an existing building minimizes habitat destruction, uses infrastructure that is al-
ready in place, reduces solid waste and saves landfill space. But it may not be the most
efficient in terms of energy use, so care must be taken while making these decisions.
Table 4.5 displays strategies for material and natural resource use.
Strategy
Materials & Natural Resources
I Design
-Use materials with low environmental impact during their life cycle - conduct a life-cycle analysis
Material conserving design and construction - design for adal tabilitX and disassembly
Size buildings and systems efficiently
Design and detail efficiently to reduce waste generation
Use materials that are Iong-lasting and low maintenance
Eliminate unnecessary finishes
Design for storage & collection of recyclable
2 Installation
Use low VOC-emitting materials
IUse materials that contain no CFC's HCFC's or halons
-------
Use of Reclaimed or Recycled Materials and Components
3 Eventual Reuse or Waste
Reuse and recycle building components and materials
Reuse and rehabilitate existing structures
-Use materials that are reusable, recyclable or biodegradable
4 Raw Material Extraction
Use salvaged and remanufactured materials
Use recycled content products and materials
Use materials that are harvested or extracted without ecological damage
Use materials that are made of certified sustainable and renewable resources
5 "Distribution
Use locally manufactured materials
Table 4.5 Strategies for MIT - Materials and Natural Resources
Energy
There are three fundamental strategies to a plan that optimizes energy performance: re-
duce demand, use renewable energy sources, and maximize efficiency. Reducing de-
mand means careful design. When in the planning stage of the project, time should be
spent writing a program that is consistent with the client's needs. Many times a building is
much larger than it needs to be, which not only uses more energy to heat and cool, but also
more materials to build.
Fossil fuels are used for about one third of energy production in the US." Oil and coal fuel
requires extraction, refining, power generation and distribution, which result in significant
environmental impacts. The production of electricity from coal releases carbon dioxide,
which contributes to global warming. It also produces nitrogen oxides, a contributor to
localized smog, and sulfur dioxide, which contributes to acid rain. Also when considering
the environmental impact, there is an amount of energy wasted through the inefficiencies in
generation and transmission between a power plant and the end user. Accounting for
transmission loss may include siting the building close to existing services, or on-site gen-
eration such as fuel cells, or in the case of MIT, the use of a co-generation plant.
The HVAC systems improvements usually offer the greatest potential for energy savings in
most facilities. An example of maximizing energy efficiency is to size the HVAC equipment
for actual use, which also derives a first-cost savings. The following Table 4.6 outlines
twelve detailed strategies relevant to energy use and efficiency.
Energv
Proid
htn dntI rtedwih letri I hincotrls~
Best practice commissioning - verify and ensurete entire building is designed, constructed, and calibrated to operate
as intended with third party euality
control assurance
Optimize energy performance - achieve increasing levels of energy performance above the prerequisite standard to
reduce environmental impact associated with excessive energy use
Measurement and verification - provide for the ongoing accountability and optimization of building energy and indoor
environmental qiuality (IEQ) performance over time
Super-efficient, hybrid and emerging technologies - consider the use of geothermal heat pump, fuel cell, and heat
recovery systems
Table 4.6 Strategies for MIT - Energy
Indoor Environmental Quality
Green building is not just about protecting the environment, conserving natural resources,
or saving energy to reduce heating and cooling bills. It also considers the impact of the
space on the users of the building. Since the EPA has estimated that in the U.S. we spend
as much as 90% of our time indoors, it makes indoor environmental quality (IEQ) one of
our greatest health concerns. Good IEQ includes effective air quality including natural
ventilation, access to natural light and exterior views, optimum thermal comfort and air
temperature, minimum exposure to VOC's, appropriate noise levels, and individual con-
trols. The benefits of attention to these issues include energy and operational savings,
improved health and employee morale.
There have been numerous studies that show a correlation between healthy environments
and increased productivity. For example, the cost of operating an average federal building,
including the amortized construction cost, is about $15 per square foot annually, and the
cost of the federal government employees in those buildings is about $315 per square foot
per year. If there were an increase of productivity of just 5% by improving the working
environment, the annual savings would exceed the annual cost of the building ownership
and operation. 3 In another example, 19 employees of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency sued and won $1 million, citing sick building syndrome that caused building related
illnesses and multiple chemical sensitivities."
StrategyV
Indoor Environmental Quality
1 Lig!ht Sources
Daylighting apertures - maximize daylighting through appropriate location and sizing of windows, roof monitors, and
skylihts, and through use of glazing systems and shading devices app2rop~riate to orientation and space use
Light levels - achieve a good balance between uniform light levels and localized variations to create a dynamic and
comfortable visual environment; consider low-level ambient lighting augmented by high quality, flexible task lighting,
varied lighting schemes that respond to general building organization and special features, allowing the lighting
patterns to reflect changing activity scenarios during the working day
Luminaire arrangements - arrange luminaires in types and patterns that clearly respond to the fundamental building
organization, floor layout and entry paths of daylight while allowing for flexibility of space usage, wherever possible,
wire luminaires in parallel to the walls with windows so they can be dimmed or turned off row by row
Diffusers - select diffusers that reduce glare and sufficiently illuminate ceilings and walls to create a visual field similar
to prevailing daylight conditions
Color - provide lamps with high color rendering index, such as tri-phosphor fluorescent lamps
Ballasts - use high frequency electronic ballasts to minimize flicker as lamps and ballasts wear
Window cleaning - schedule regular window cleaning to maximize the amount of daylight entering, particularly where
windows are close to sources of air-borne dust, fumes or gases that reduce the transmission of light
Low-energy lighting - to minimize C02 emissions arising from energy used for artificial lighting
6 Noise Control
Control noise at the source - site, orient and lay out the building such that external noise sources can be attenuated by
distance of by topographic features or walls
Place acoustic buffers, such as corridors, lobbies, stairwells, electrical/janitorial closets, and storage rooms, between
noise-producing and noise-sensitive spaces
Prevent transmission of sound through the building structure through use of floating floor slabs and sound-insulated
penetrations of walls, floors, and ceilings
Prevent transmission between rooms by wall, floor, and ceiling assemblies by specifying materials with appropriate
sound transmission class ratings, consider using set-off studs with sound-attenuating insulation, floating floor slabs
and sound-absorbent ceiling systems
Consider wrapping or enclosing rectangular ducts with sound isolation materials
Consider the use of sound attenuators and acoustic plenums to reduce noise in ductwork
Absorb or block excessive background noise or interfering single-source sounds in open office environments through
use of resilient flooring, ceiling and sound absorbing or reflecting partitions and furniture
If appropriate conversational privacy cannot be achieved, consider using white noise
Achieve favorable room acoustics by configuring room geometry, positioning furnishings and furniture, and
specifying appropriate surfaces
Solid waste disposal has become a critical problem in the US, making up 25% of the waste
stream." There are strict regulations regarding landfills due to filled storage capacity,
contamination of water sources, noxious odors and public resistance to locating landfill
sites in nearby neighborhoods. Construction activities often generate huge amounts of
solid waste. This can either be incinerated into landfills, or more appropriately, recycled or
re-used on site. The design of the building, choice of materials, ordering of materials with
less packaging, the establishment of a waste management plan, and the reuse of on-site
materials such as broken concrete all contribute to the ultimate goal of less waste. In
addition, due to increased costs of hauling and landfill tipping fees and rising material prices,
there can be substantial savings by recycling construction and demolition waste.
Strategy
Waste & Pollution Prevention
1 Conserving Resources
Reuse existing buildings
Design for less material use - use modular dimensioning, and design for minimum square footage
Specif reuse of on-site materials to the greatest extend possible
Design building for adaptability - consider issues of site planning, structural systems, standardization or repetition of
building elements, cladding systems, floor heights, raised floor systems modular interior plannin
Design building for disassembly - consider issues of structural systems, cladding systems, materials, durability, snap
release components modular systems
2 Waste Management
Salvage and recycle demolition waste
Recycle construction waste
Reduce and recycle packaging waste
Reduce and properly dispose of hazardous materials waste
Provide waste-separation facilities for building users
Provide waste-separation facilities for hazardous materials
Educate workers and occupants on recycling, waste reduction and prevention
I Mendler, Sandra, Odell, William, The HOK Guidebook to Sustainable Design, John Wiley &
Sons, Inc. 2000, p19
2 Glaumann, Mauritz, and Wolfram Trinius, Environmental Assesment of Buildings
A research
project in co-operation with the building sector, Sweden, June 6, 1996
3 Curwell, March & Venables, Buildings & Health - The Rosehaugh Guide to the Design, Construc-
September/October, 1995
8 Guidelines for Creating High-Performance Green Building Guidelines, Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection, 1999, pD4
9 The six strategies charts, Site and Land Use, Water, Materials and Natural Resources, Energy,
Indoor Environmental Quality, and Waste and Pollution Prevention are primarily based on informa-
tion from the comparison study, found in Appendix J
10LEED Green Building Reference Guide, US Green Building Council, August, 2000, p50
1 LEED Green Building Reference Guide, US Green Building Council, August, 2000, p69
12 Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/iedweb00/
13 Greening Federal Facilities, An Energy, Environmental, and Economic Resource Guide for
Federal Facility Managers, Department of Energy, Produced by Greening America, 1997, p2
14LEED Green Building Reference Guide, US Green Building Council, August, 2000, p118
15 LEED Green Building Reference Guide, US Green Building Council, August,
2000, p159
86
The Building Process
When facilitating a green design process, there are two main factors at play: information
and process. While it is important to employ green-building guidelines, sustainability tools,
and specific design strategies, (Chapters 2 - 4), without a good understanding and aware-
ness of the vast amount of 'green' information available, and a procedure to incorporate it
into the building process, sustainability concepts cannot be realized or fully developed.
The process requires that every decision be examined with respect to its impact upon
human health and the environment. The critical key to accomplishing this is an integrated
design approach, where the evaluation of any building element, material or system is de-
signed and then appraised as an integrated part of the entire building, and not viewed solely
on the basis of its own isolated merit and cost. Under an integrated design approach,
specific materials or systems within a facility may have higher first costs, but these can be
balanced by lower first costs for other components of the design. According to the Navy,
"the goal is to design a facility for which overall quality is higher, life-cycle costs are lower,
sustainability concepts and principles are incorporated to the greatest extent possible, and
first costs are held to the original budget amounts."' There is a need to know what deci-
sions to make in each part of the process, and a need to have a mechanism in place to
transfer that knowledge to future projects. This gives the design team the information
required to know what actions to take at the critical stages, before it is too late to change the
direction of the project. This chapter outlines a green building design, construction, and
maintenance process that integrates green concepts into all aspects of building. Tradition-
ally, the process is a linear one progressing from design to construction to occupancy. But
this linear mode of thinking does not allow for future opportunities for the building, the envi-
ronmental consequences, or the full life-cycle cost implications of long-term investments in
the building project.
Another change that is taking place in the profession is the advent of 'object-based' soft-
ware that promises to link architecture, engineering, construction, and facilities manage-
ment applications into an integrated language and database. This process ties together
architectural and engineering drawings, specifications, project budgets and schedules so
that each profession has access to the same information at the same time. Examples of
this are in place at Disney Corporation, where they have developed standards for their
consultants to follow. With environmentally-conscious design, this is an especially useful
tool for understanding the relationships between all of the design considerations and the
budget.
There are many ways to divde the building process. In the Introduction to Sustainable
Design, by the National Pollution Prevention Center for Higher Education, there are three
main phases.2 The first, Pre-building Phase includes site selection, building design, build-
ing material processes and installation. The second, Building Phase, refers to the stage of
a building's life cycle when a building is physically being constructed and operated. The
third, the Post-building Phase, begins when the useful life of the building has ended. For the
purposes of this thesis, the building process has been divided into the following phases:
One of the biggest frustrations of architects desiring to design sustainably, is that by the
time they are hired, many major decisions have already been made. Feasibility studies,
site selection, and project budgeting are typical examples. These choices have extensive
repercussions and can be especially important to basic green building concepts. For ex-
ample, after consulting with a team of informed green building professionals, it may be
determined that the best choice for a new building is to renovate an existing one. Or the
implementation of innovative and ultimately cost-saving green technologies most likely has
to be accounted for in the initial budget. Often, budgets are set too low, and thereafter the
project team must labor to include green concepts within that budget. While it is tradition-
ally the architect that leads the design and consultant team, it is becoming more common
for the client to hire engineering professionals (and other consultants) directly. It is often the
case in large projects that the client hires a project facilitator to manage and direct the
project, even at the design phase. This is not a problem when the client takes the initiative
to realize a green building, but that is an infrequent occurrence.
The following Table 5.1 is a list of the architectural responsibilities involved in the pre-design
stage of a project.3 Checkmarks are denoted next to the tasks that are conducive to incor-
porating green concepts.
AxEnvironmental Studies
x Energy Studies
__Presentations
iMarketing Studies
Project Financing
S jclStuddie_
Re-zoning Assistance
Project Promotion _____________________
OCP/Zoning Review____________________
_Obtain Consultants Proposals ____________________
A good way to create green concepts at this stage is to hold an environmental design
charrette. This is where invited parties meet to brainstorm and share ideas and develop
concepts for the project. According to the Green Buildings BC, a charrette is "an intense
workshop in which all project team members come together to set goals and generate
design ideas. This workshop, or series of workshops, takes place in the early phase of the
project's design. The performance targets are referred to throughout the charrette to steer
the goal-setting process and to ensure that key building features meet the requirements.
This process is crucial in establishing team consensus on the project specific performance
targets and the goals, mission statement and key elements of the project."5 The outcome
of the charrette should produce many ideas from which the design team can proceed.
These ideas should then be compared against the project performance goals set by the
client. This is also the phase where time should be spent gathering information regarding
energy and resource conservation, building ecology, environmental approaches to land-
scaping, waste prevention and reclamation, cultural change and behavioral issues, and
regional scale planning. As part of planning the scope, magnitude and direction of an en-
ergy-efficient project, it is necessary to predict the operation, usage, maintenance and
energy consumption patterns of the intended building. Through looking at this information,
it is possible to examine the magnitude of energy efficiency opportunities, and target areas
for energy conservation and efficiency changes. Project scheduling is also an opportunity
to ensure that there is enough time to conduct environmental and energy studies, to run
energy and building simulations, and to explore sustainable options at the start of the project.
In addition, this is the time to schedule commissioning for the building. Too often, the
project runs behind schedule and this very important task is overlooked.
Ideally, a few schematic design solutions are worked out, and can be reviewed for cost and
feasibility. As Theresa Coady says, "Typically, building designers tend to work indepen-
dently in their respective areas of expertise. With conventional building designs, the struc-
ture is first massed out, elevations are developed, and finally, the building systems are
added. The obvious drawback to this process is that building designs sometimes become
a tangle of mis-matched systems, interacting poorly with one another, the site and creating
potential problems for occupants."6 This means that the structural, mechanical, electrical,
plumbing, interior design and landscape design concepts should be thought about in an
integral manner.
The British Columbia Building Corporation, for example, has developed eight key steps in
the design phase process. Within each step design goals are set, team members are
identified and their role is defined. Each stage allows for extensive computer modeling to
provide feedback on the effects of the design decisions and to provide a quantitative basis
In addition to the typical schematic design presentation of drawings and models, additional
information should be presented to the client to support a green proposal. This would
include projected energy and water consumption, and the proposed selection of building
materials. In addition, the design strategies must be compared based on preliminary life
cycle costs. This will enable the client to base their decisions on the complete existence of
the building, rather than on first costs alone. Sandra Mendler of HOK & Associates sug-
gests, "to negotiate a contract requiring specific deliverables, such as an energy budget
and energy modeling, an indoor environmental quality and resource conservation report,
and even life-cycle analysis of building materials." 9 The Table 5.2 details the steps involved
in the schematic design phase of the project.
At this phase, the chosen schematic design scheme is developed further. This includes
the process of analyzing every decision, system, component, and aspect of the design in
respect to the green-concept goals set earlier. It entails evaluating many design and sys-
tem options so that the most promising solutions can be selected. Such issues as design-
ing for efficient use of materials are thought about in this phase. Materials that are recycled
and reused within the project or bought reused, eliminating unnecessary ornamentation,
designing for durability, and careful detailing are also issues to consider at this time. In the
Sustainable Design Guide, this is called optimization and is compared to a financial budget.
"We can not imagine starting a project without a clear understanding of the budget. The
status of the project budget is the subject of numerous checks throughout the design pro-
cess and is generally a part of every project meeting. In contrast, an energy budget is rarely
understood, much less commonly discussed and evaluated as part of the design pro-
cess."10 The Guidelines for Creating Green Buildings puts it this way, "One purpose of
design optimization is to scrutinize the large, over arching goals set at the beginning of the
project to see if the effort is on track. Another is to take advantage of each additional
opportunity that presents itself as the project evolves.""
Design development is a good time to employ simulation tools, which may prompt redesign
and refinements. Building simulation is a useful tool for analyzing the energy performance
of a building for understanding the relationship between the design parameters and energy
use of the building. According to the Green Buildings BC New Buildings Program, comput-
erized energy modeling allows important feedback to the design team concerning the esti-
mated performance of the proposed design. It is also used as a constant update on the
projected savings of various design solutions so that they can be appropriately contrasted
with other solutions. Energy modeling allows feedback so that the design team can find
solutions that have the lowest life-cycle cost. Effective application of building simulation
requires understanding the nature of the issue to be solved, choosing a suitable simulation
program, interpreting the simulation results, and making decisions. Other imperative tasks
at this time are life-cycle analysis (LCA) and life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA). Total life-cycle
costing (TLCC) includes techniques that take into account initial costs and future costs and
benefits (savings) of an investment over some period of time. See Chapter 3, Sustainability
Assessment Tools, for a detailed explanation of simulation and life-cycle analysis tools.
A common complaint regarding creating a high performance building is that they are some-
times more expensive. While this may be true, the lowest initial cost for green materials
and technologies may not be the best in terms of the life-time of the building. Many times,
when the true costs are considered, the project is much less expensive. Table 5.3 shows
the green-concept strategies that can be employed during this phase.
Development Permit: 3.0 Design Development
Although the tangible impacts are visible only after construction begins, decisions made on
the drawing board have long-term environmental consequences. Construction documents,
consisting of drawings and specifications are still the main method of recording the building
process. They convey the intent of the designer and are instructions to the contractor to
build the project. Therefore, it is crucial that these documents also communicate the green
vision and goals set by the owner and project team. This is the last opportunity to revisit the
project before it gets reviewed by the planning department for a building permit. After this,
all changes must go through a change-order process.
The drawings ideally should include a statement of intent and a description of how the
building systems are to perform. Pennsylvania's Guidelines recommend the creation of a
performance program at this time. "Its purpose is to document the overall strategy for
integrating the parameters of the project. These typically include such things as budgets,
site utilization, space planning, integrated building systems, occupancy issues and other
specific needs or goals of the project. The performance program also sets forth the target
limits for many of these systems." 2 They emphasize the importance of documenting the
integrated systems in drawing format. For example, this could be a drawing that explains
the relationship between a raised-floor air distribution system and the wiring and ductwork
in the same space. Drawing such as these would alert the team when there are modifica-
tions to the original drawings, and in turn reduce the chance of making changes that would
irrevocably alter the green design intent.
The specifications also need to be carefully written as to relay the appropriate information.
The conventional system of using the Construction Specifiers Institute (CSI), Divisions 1
through 16, does not allow for certain green methods such as construction waste manage-
ment, and building commissioning. Therefore, additional information needs to be included
regarding issues such as coordination of the structural systems with assembly and disas-
sembly considerations, fabrication methods, material packaging, delivery and building com-
ponent construction strategies. Table 5.4 outlines the services of the architects and de-
notes the green strategies that should be employed.
Building Permit: 4.0 Construction Documents
The most fundamental way to ensure the project will follow the intended green mandate is
to include the objectives of the design team in the language of the request for proposal
(RFP). This will automatically advise the prospective architect that the selection team will
give priority to those firms with experience in green design. Many times architectural firms
will just include the name of an energy consultant with whom they usually partner, but that
should not be enough. Unless the firm has proven experience in green design, they may
not be sufficiently skilled in the distinctive process of green design.
Another initial barrier to realizing a green building is in the fee structure. Typically there is a
pressure for agencies and clients to accept the lowest bid. This practice, usually man-
dated by law for government projects, is adversarial and affords poor results. It does not
consider the long-term benefits of many energy-saving technologies, nor does it account
for the externality costs to the city and to the population. In the Pennsylvania's Guidelines,
it describes as a "system wherein design professionals and consultants are paid a per-
centage of the project cost provides little incentive to work creatively to reduce project costs
while keeping design standards high."" Typically, a percentage-based fee for services
rendered is charged to the client. A better method would be a negotiated contract, where
the contractor or supplier works closely with the design team from the beginning. The
criteria for selection should be the same as for other professionals, for their skill and expe-
rience.
Especially in the case of the mechanical engineer, the percentage-based fee can work
counter to producing a green building. Ifthe fee is tied to the size of the HVAC system, there
is the possibility that it will be unnecessarily over-designed. A similar situation can occur
with the structural system, in that many times the structure is over-designed due to liability
reasons. The structural engineer and architect are responsible for the integrity of the build-
ing; therefore the rationale isthat it's better to be safe than sorry. Unfortunately, though, this
does not contribute to a project built with minimal resources in mind. The solution is to
account for a fee that reflects the importance of the participation of the engineers and
consultants in the initial stages of the project. This could be accomplished on a time and
materials basis while the scope of the contract is being defined, then in a lump sum for the
duration of the project.
Ifthe contractor was involved as part of the project team early on in the project, then the
chances for breakdown at this phase are less. The problems start to arise when the con-
tractor is just introduced to the project at this phase and is unfamiliar with the intent of the
design team, and can worsen if he is unfamiliar with green construction methods. It is
common for the contractor to have a regular group of sub-contractors with which he works,
and a standard way of doing business. Many times the contractor is reluctant to try new
techniques or to hire new subcontractors with expertise in green technologies. It is neces-
sary to convey the importance of keeping the green vision and goals intact while the project
is under construction. A way to avoid this is to hire the construction firm as part of the
design team up-front. This can be either with the intention of retaining the firm for the
project, or by a fee for service consult, followed by taking the project out to bid as usual.
The benefits of this are many. The contractor can work with the design team to work out the
detailing, which will reduce the amount of potential change orders during construction. They
can also offer the services of their cost-estimator to make sure the project stays on budget
while considering different green technologies and options. Critical also, is to include the
major sub-contractors and vendors in the design process. This will minimize the pressure
to substitute conventional products for specified green products. They may even be able to
suggest better alternatives if they are familiar with the green concept goals of the project. In
any case, there needs to be great attention to reviewing shop drawings and product data to
make sure they are in conductive to the goals of the project. The Table 5.6 outlines the
responsibilities of the architect during this phase.
Construction: 6.0 Construction Administration
Promotional Material
x Record (As-Built) Drawings -----------
Certification re: Financing
Alternate Dispute Resolution Services
Certified Professional Service
M ultiple Contracts M anagement _-_--_---_I_------ -------
Building commissioning, post occupancy evaluation, and life-cycle cost monitoring are the
major green concept activities at this phase of building. In a study of the cost effectiveness
of commissioning 44 existing buildings, high rise offices and retail establishments had an
average simple payback of 1.6 years. Medical institutions averaged 0.4 years, and com-
puter facilities had a 0.3 year payback period. Therefore, building commissioning is a very
cost-effective strategy in green building. Post-occupancy evaluation is important to ensure
that the users of the building are comfortable in their environment. Many times the design
or technology does not work as intended. A good example of this procedure is the Vital
Signs Project, in Berkeley, California. The Vital Signs Curriculum Materials Project exam-
ines the physical performance of buildings, their patterns of energy use, and their impact
upon occupant well being.1 5
Commissioning is a quality process for achieving, validating and documenting that the facil-
ity and its systems are planned, designed, installed, tested and capable of being operated
and maintained to perform in conformity with the design intent. The process extends through
all phases of a new or renovation project, from conceptualization to occupancy and opera-
tion, with checks at each stage of the process to ensure validation of their performance to
meet the owner's design requirements. 16
Substantial Performance Occupancy Permit & Warranty and Maintenance:
7.0 Post-Construction
Architects Services Coordination of Engineering and
Special Consultants Services
x Project Inspection/Field Review Start-Up Assistance
Services Provided After Substantial
Deficiency Assessment Performance Date
Instructions for Correction of Deficiencies Non-Building Equipment Selection
Start-up Assistance Building Analysis and Reports
Services Provided After Substantial Performance Services Related to Alterations and
Date Demolition
Fine Arts/Crafts/Graphics/Non-Building Equipment
Selection Life Cycle Cost Monitoring
Building Analysis and Reports Services Related to
Alterations and -Demolition Systems Performance Review
x Life Cycle Cost Monitoring x Commissioning
x Environmental Monitoring
Pro ject Mlanagement
x Commissioning
Many times a building is demolished without consideration for reuse. The most sustainable
building is one that has been renovated for a new use. Unfortunately inthe US, the building's
life span is thought of in terms of mortgage and lease-years. In Europe, for example,
buildings have stood for centuries, adopting a new use with the evolving needs of the soci-
ety. The actions to take at this phase are evaluating the building to identify reuse, recycling,
and salvage potentials at the building and component scales. This includes assessment of
the spatial, structural, programming, economic, environmental and human factors related
to reuse or decommissioning.
Demolition or Building Reuse: 8.0 Post-occupancy
Architects Services Coordination of Engineering and
Special Consultants Services
Evaluate the building to identify possibility for Hire a demolition contractor with experience
x renovation x in waste manaement
Evaluate the building to identify possibilities for
salvage potential for building assemblies and
x components
x Evaluate the building for material recyclability
x Develop a Reuse and/or a Salvage Plan
Even with a clearly defined process in place, there are many barriers to designing a sus-
tainable building. In her study, "Breaking through the Barriers to Sustainable Building",
Miriam Landman from Tufts University concluded that the main obstructions are: lack of
interest or demand from clients, lack of training/education amoung designers, failure to
account for long-term benefits, and higher first costs, real or perceived.17 Amory Lovins of
the Rocky Mountain Institute lists the following obsticles:18
Developers control the design choices, but typically desire fast, cheap buildings that favor
appearance over long-term value, and rarely take energy efficiency into account.
Lenders are rewarded for closing deals as quickly as possible, and do not have the time or
inclination to study innovative design.
Commercial appraisers tend to not know about energy systems, thereby reinforcing devel-
opers and lenders short-term priorities.
Designers, architects and engineers frequently work in isolation and rarely does anyone
take responsibility for the entire enteractive system.
Mechanincal and electrical equipment is often grossly oversized due the the fear engineers
have of their jobs, or being sued.
The best designs often require an investment of time for learning new methods.
The prevailing fee structure and bidding system is tied to a percentage of the project's cost
which allows for oversizing and inefficiencies.
Contractors operate on a fixed budget and are rewarded for cutting corners, so they rou-
tinely try to substitute materials.
And finally, landlords do not have any incentives to upgrade their buildings without a finan-
cial payback.
Notes
I Naval Facilities Engineering Command Planning and Design Policy Statement - 98-01 Design of
Sustainable Facilities and Infrastructure, 18 June 1998, p4
2 National Pollution Prevention Center for Higher Education, Introduction
to Sustainable Design,
December 1998, pg 22-26
3 This chart is based on information from the AIA's Descriptions of Designated Services for the
Agreement Between Owner and Architect, the Sequence of Scope and Services Chart by the
Architectural Institute of British Columbia, and the Pennsylvania's Guide to Creating High Perfor-
mance Green Building Guidelines
4 Reed, Bill, AIA, The Hillier Group, A Whole Systems Approach to Building, Lessons Learned Four
Times Square, p39
5 Green Buildings BC New Buildings Program Design Process for Pilot Projects,
www.greenbuildingsbc.com
6 Coldham, Bruce, What is Green Architecture?, www.coldhamarch.com/green/what
7 Coady, Theresa &Zimmerman, Alex, It's the Process, Not the Gadgets!, Green Building Challenge,
1998
8 Green Buildings BC New Buildings Program Design Process for Pilot Projects,
www.greenbuildingsbc.com
9 Mendler, Sandra, AIA, Director of HOK Sustainable Design Group, Be Careful What You Ask For,
Lessons Learned Four Times Square, p41
10 Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, Inc., Sustainable Design Guide, 1998, pv
tci/pdf/Miriam1.pdf
18 Lovins, Amory, Institutional Inefficiency, IN CONTEXT #35, Spring
1993, p16
106
The Project Plan
All of the tools listed thus far have important roles in green building, but there are more
things that can and should be done for all projects. This last chapter outlines specific action
items that an architectural firm, corporation, or university could implement to establish a
prevailing approach to sustainability for buildings. It is important to stress that all of these
items are hollow without buy-in from the decision-makers and a commitment of resources.
Without the support of the principals or the administration, it would be next to impossible to
implement a standard practice of green building and design. An allocation of funding is
necessary so that there is room for experimentation, success and failure. As Jim Duderstadt,
President of the University of Michigan, says, "Sometimes we can learn as much from a
spectacular failure as a stunning success."1 The victory of furthering the status of
sustainability requires visionary leadership, as well as the allegiance of the firm, and in the
case of universities, the faculty, staff and student body. This involves the challenge of
motivating people to change, a change in the standard way of doing business, a change in
attitude about our role in nature, and a change in our capacity to produce results.
Objectives
Mission Statement
Project Goals and Priorities
Information
Research
Library of Case Studies
Green Resources Website
History Guide of Projects
Presentations and Lectures
Training for Building Users
Marketing for Successful Projects
Tools
Template RFQ and RFP
Green Design and Construction Strategies
Green Specifications
Cost-benefit vs. Environmental Impact Analysis Tool
Process of Integration Guide
Pilot Projects
Demonstration Buildings
On-going Support
Student Research Teams
Financing Options
Objectives
Mission Statement
A clearly defined mission statement provides a vision that conveys principles that have
been adopted by the firm or institution. This is the foundation for introducing the ideals that
the firm or university hold most important. It is important that those in positions of respon-
sibility embrace the principles set forth by the mission statement.
Information
109
Tools
Request for Qualifications and Proposals
One of the initial steps in the building process is to solicit requests for qualifications and
proposals from architects and their consultants. In order to alert the prospective project
teams to the intentions of a green building, the RFP must include language to that effect.
Expertise in the area of green building will then serve as one of the criterion inthe selection
process. Included inthe qualification statement should be documentation of previous green
building projects, and a statement of intent from the lead designer describing their philoso-
phy to the project. If the firm does not have prior experience in green building, then a
commitment to work with a sustainable consultant could be sufficient.
The reason for this is that there is perception that all green buildings are inherently more
expensive and take more time to build than a conventional projects. Three examples of
high performance buildings prove that they do not. Four Times Square in New York cost
$125 per square foot; SC Johnson Worldwide Professional Headquarters Building in Wis-
consin cost $137 per square foot, including the land costs; and the International Nether-
lands Group Bank Headquarters in Amsterdam was built for $161 per square foot, including
the fixtures, furnishing and equipment.' These three examples are within a competitive
cost range for typical commercial buildings, while providing the economical savings of an
energy-efficient building and affording the occupants with a healthier working environment.
Process of Integration Guide
There is an opportunity to integrate green building concepts into every stage of building
design and construction. Sustainability presupposes a collaborative interaction between all
the participants in a project and a cyclical project delivery process, as opposed to the
standard linear model. This could possibly be one of the most important aspects of realiz-
ing a green building. Without a clearly identified building process, many opportunities for
green design implementation may go unrealized. Ideally, the internal design and construc-
tion process of the firm or organization would be analyzed and be modified to include green
building concepts.
Pilot Projects
Demonstration Buildings
A demonstration building is a good way to showcase advanced green technologies. But in
the long-term view, it is useful for a corporation or campus to focus on particular green
design strategies, rather than to try to incorporate all of them in to every project. Through
demonstration projects, as well as the other items listed in this chapter, the design team
can mainstream selected green building objectives into its clients' facilities.
On-going Support
112
learn and to participate in the building process by providing technical assistance to the
design team. For example, it could be beneficial for the facilities department to have avail-
able a group of students to run simulations of schematic designs.
Financing Options
Financial capital for energy efficient projects is available from many sources, but the key is
knowing where to look and what to select. While there may exist several variations, there
are five general financing mechanisms for energy-efficient improvements and investments.4
The appropriateness of these tools depends on the type of firm or institution, the complexity
or size of the project, and the expertise of the individuals involved.
- Internal Funds - Energy efficiency improvements are financed by direct alloca-
tions from an organization's own internal capital or operating budget
- Debt Financing - Energy efficiency improvements are financed with capital
borrowed directly by an organization from private lenders and includes munici-
pal bonds
- Lease or Lease-Purchase Agreements - Energy efficient equipment is acquired
through an operating or financing lease of 5 to 10 years with no up-front costs
- Energy Performance Contracts - Energy efficiency measures are financed,
installed, and maintained by a third party that guarantees savings and pay-
ments based on those savings
- Utility Incentives - Rebates, grants, or other financial assistance are offered by
an energy utility for the design and purchase of certain energy efficient systems
and equipment
Even with all of the means to make a prediction, a building's performance can only truly be
determined after the project is completed. Therefore, by implementing the ideas listed in
this thesis, one can only make the assumption that the project will be more energy-efficient,
have better indoor quality, and be less detrimental to the environment. But, certainly if the
current standard practice of building is not changed, there can be not be a change in the
impact architects' designs have beyond the exterior of our buildings.
Notes
115
116
Appendix A - Background Concepts
Agenda 21
Agenda 21 & Other UNCED Agreements
http://www.igc.org/habitat/agenda21/ Agenda 21 & Other UNCED Agreements
Agenda 21 and Sustainable Development
http://www.iol.ie/~isp/agenda21/ Agenda 21 and Sustainable Development
Agenda 21 - National Information
http://www.un.org/esa/agenda2l/natlinfo/index.html Agenda 21 - National
Information
Ecological Footprints
Revisiting Carrying Capacity: Area-Based Indicators of Sustainability
http://www.dieoff.com/page11O.htm Revisiting Carrying Capacity: Area-Based
Indicators of Sustainability
What is an Ecological Footprint?
http://www.esb.utexas.edu/drnrm/Whatls/ecofootprint.htm What is an Ecologi-
cal Footprint?
Ecosystem
Complexity and Connectivity in Ecosystems
http://www.csu.edu.au/ci/vol03/klomp/klomp.html Complexity and Connectivity
in Ecosystems
Ecosystem Valuation
Ecosystem Valuation http://www.ecosystemvaluation.org/
Green Economics
Green Economics Website
http://www.greeneconomics.net/ Green Economics Website
Sustainability
Applying Sustainable Development
http://www.applysd.co.uk/ Applying Sustainable DevelopmentBest Environmen-
tal Resources Directories
Brain Food
- http://www.dieoff.com/Brain Food
Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology
http://www.crest.org/Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology
Consulting the Public Interest
http://www.cipi.com/artclsus.shtmlConsulting the Public Interest
Deep Sustainability [National Centre for Sustainability (NCFS)]
Deep Sustainability [National Centre for Sustainability (NCFS)]http://
www.islandnet.com/-ncfs/ncfs/
Defining Sustainability
http://www.arch.wsu.edu/-sustain/defnsust.htmDefining Sustainability
Department of Energy Library
http://vm1.hqadmin.doe.gov/library/Department of Energy Library
Department of Energy - EnergyFiles
http://www.osti.gov/EnergyFiles/Department of Energy - EnergyFiles
Ecosustainable - Sustainable Environment
http://www.ecosustainable.com.au/links.htmEcosustainable - Sustainable
Environment
Environment & Sustainable Living
http://condor.stcloudstate.edu/-dmichael/eco/ Environment & Sustainable
Living
Factor Four (abstract)
http://www2.wupperinst.org/Projekte/Factor4_e/FactorFourBook.html Factor
Four (abstract)
The Florida Center for Understanding Sustainability
http://www.ficus.usf.edu/The Florida Center for Understanding Sustainability
Indicators of Sustainability Training Course
Indicators of Sustainability Training Course http://
www.sustainablemeasures.com/Training/Indicators/index.html Indicators of
Sustainability Training Course
Institute of Energy and Sustainable Design
http://www.iesd.dmu.ac.uk/ecadap/ecadap.htmlnstitute of Energy and Sustain-
able Design
Interagency Working Group on Sustainable Development Indicators
Interagency Working Group on Sustainable Development Indicators http://
www.sdi.gov/iwgsdi.htm Interagency Working Group on Sustainable Develop-
ment Indicators
A Paradigm for Sustainability (by Richard Risemberg)
http://www.living-room.org/sustain/paradigm.htm A Paradigm for Sustainability
(by Richard Risemberg)
Sources of Sustainability
Sources of Sustainability http://csf.colorado.edu/elsewhere/index.html Sources
of Sustainability
Sustainable Energy Authority
http://www.sea.vic.gov.au/building/ESCB/links.htmlSustainable Energy Author-
ity
Sustainable Measures
Sustainable Measures http://www.sustainablemeasures.com/ Sustainable
Measures
The Sustainability Report
http://www.sustreport.org/The Sustainability Report
Towards Sustainability
http://www.towards-sustainability.co.uk/Towards Sustainability
World Bank
http://www.worldbank.org/ World Bank
Sustainable Architecture
http://www.epa.gov/greenkit/
Livable Communities
http://www.livablecommunities.gov/
Living Room
http://www.living-room.org/
Smart Growth Network
http://www.smartgrowth.org/
SURBAN (database on sustainable urban development in Europe)
http://www.eaue.de/winuwd/default.htm
http://www.web.net/ortee/scrp/
Sustainable Urban Design and Climate
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/environ/design/design.shtml
120
Urban Ecology Australia
http://www.urbanecology.org.au/
http://www.urbanecology.com/
The Virtual Library on Urban Environmental Management
http://www.gdrc.org/uem/Sustainable Urban Design and Climate
The Hannover Principles
122
Appendix B - Associations and Directories
Associations and Institutions
Aarcosanti: a prototype arcology
http://www.arcosanti.org/
http://www.iaqcouncil.org/
American Institute of Architecture
http://www.aianewmexico.com/aia-abq/docsb.html
http://www.ases.org/
Architects, Designers and Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR)
http://www.adpsr.org/
Architectural Green Solar Network (AGSN) (Germany)
http://www.agsn.de/
Bioarchitettura (Italy)
http://www.bioarchitettura.org/
Building Concerns
http://www.interiorconcerns.org/
http://www.bsr.org/
Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems (CMPBS)
http://www.cmpbs.org/
http://www.cfsd.org.uk/
http://www.climatenetwork.org/
Committee on the Environment (COTE)
http://www.e-architect.com/pia/cote/home2.asp
http://www.ecouncil.ac.cr/
Ecodesign Foundation
http://www.edf.edu.au/
http://www.ecohome.org/
http://www.ecodesign.org/edi/
Ecological Living
http://eco-living. net/
EcoRecycle Victoria
http://www.ecorecycle.vic.gov.aul
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/epp
http://www.gbapgh.org/
Green Building Information Council (GBIC), Canada
http://greenbuilding.ca/
http://www.greenroundtable.org/
The Green Center (New Alchemy Institute)
http://www.fuzzylu.com/greencenter/
Green Home
http://greenhome.org/
http://www.thegreenpages.org/
http://www.greenresourcecenter.org/
Green Space Design
http://www.greenspacedesign.org/
http://www.hhinst.com/
http://www.ipcc.ch/
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
http://iisdl.iisd.cal
http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/
http://www.ncsdnetwork.org/
National Pollution Prevention Center for Higher Education (NPPC)
http://www.umich.edu/~nppcpub/index.html
http://www.naturalstep.org/
http://www.nesea.org/
http://www.rri.org/
http://www.secondnature.org/
Society of Building Science Educators
http://www.polaris.net/-sbse/web/sbsehome.htm
http://www.swcs.org/
Southface Energy Institute (SEI)
http://www.southface.org/
SD (Sustainable Development) Gateway
http://www.sdgateway.net/
Sustainable Development International
http://www.sustdev.org/
Sustainable Living Network
http://www.sustainableliving.org/
http://www.bcasj.or.jp/EcoDesign/
http://www.unchs.org/
United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development
http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd.htm
http://www.unfccc.de/
Urban Ecology
http://www.urbanecology.org/
http://www.ubma.com/
WSU Cooperative Extension Energy Program
http://www.energy.wsu.edu
http://www.worldbank.org/
WorldBuild
http://www.worldbuild.com/
http://www.iucn.org/
World Resources Institute (WRI)
http://www.wri.org/
Worldwatch Institute
http://www.worldwatch.org/
Directories and Sites on Ecology, Environment and Sustainability
http://apocalypse.org/pub/u/paul/arch.html
http://library.nevada.edu/arch/rsrce/webrsrce/main001 8.html#Women271 7
http://www.ulb.ac.be/ceese/meta/cds.html
http://arch.hku.hk/reserach/BEER
http://www.sustainable-cities.org/
Commercial Building Incentive Program (CBIP) (Canada)
http://cbip.nrcan.gc.ca/cbip.htm
Ecosustainable
http://www.ecosustainable.com.au/links.htm
http://www.greendesign.net/gbrc/index.html
http://oikos.com/index.lasso
http://vml.hqadmin.doe.gov/library/
Ecogovernment
http://home.earthlink.net/-jluke3l3/government.html
Energy Smart Commercial Buildings Links
http://www.sea.vic.gov.au/building/ESCB/links.html
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/ENVI/GreenAll.html
http://www.greenbuildings.co.za/
Green Innovations
http://www.green-innovations.asn.au/
Green Office [UNSW]
http://www.emp.unsw.edu.au/GOP/Index.html
Greening the Games (Sydney Olympics)
http://www.sg.com.au/ea/body0l.html
Greening Government - UK
http://www.environment.detr.gov.uk/greening/
GreenWork.TV
http://www.greenworks.tv/
Hybrid Ventilation in New and Retrofitted Office Buildings [lEA Annex 35]
http://hybvent.civil.auc.dk/
http://arch.hku.hk/teaching
Jamaica Sustainable Development Networking Programme (JSDNP)
http://www.jsdnp.org.jm/index.htm
Residential Environmental Design and Sustainable Architecture for Architects and
Homeowners
http://www.reddawn.com/
Renewable Energy
http://arch.hku.hk/research/BEER/renew.htm
Renewable Energy Policy Project
http://solstice.crest.org/common/crestinfo.shtml
Smart Architecture
http://www.smartarch.nl/
Sustainable Architecture and Building Design
http://www1.arch.hku.hk/research/BEER/sustain.htm
http://www.iris.ba.cnr.it/sustain/welcome.asp
Sustainable Home
http://www.sustainablehomes.co.uk/index.htm
http://destec.mit.edu/forum
http://www.sustreport.org/
Sustainability Web Ring
http://sdgateway. net/webring/default. htm
http://www.vision202Ola.org/GreenBuilding/green-building.htm
Research Centers
http://www.ceert.org/home.html
Centre of Environmental Philosophy, Planning and Design, University of Canberra
http://design2.canberra.edu.au/fed/fed/CentreEPPD.html
http://info.lboro.ac.uk/departments/el/research/crest/index.htm
Center for Resourceful Building Technology (CRBT)
http://www.montana.com/crbt/
http://www.engj.ulst.ac.uk/SCOBE/CST/index.html
Center for Sustainable Urban Neighborhoods, University of Louisville
http://www.louisville.edu/org/sun/
Ecological Design Group (EDG), The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland
http://www.rgu.ac.uk/subj/ecoldes/edg1.htm
http://www.caad.ed.ac.uk/units/ESAU/
http://eeru-www.open.ac.uk/
Environmental Energy Technologies Division
http://eetd.Ibl.gov/
http://www.ivambv.uva.nl/
MIT Building Technology Group
http://web.mit.edu/bt/www/
http://www.sandia.gov/RenewableEnergy/renewable.html
Sustainable Buildings for China [MIT]
http://btserver.mit.edu/china/index.html
Sustainability Research Profiles [Second Nature]
http://www.secondnature.org/programs/profiles.nsf
http://gundog.lbl.gov/
http://www.unep.org/
http://www.arch.ced.berkeley.edu/vitalsigns/
134
Appendix C - Journals and News
Architecture Week
http://www.architectureweek.com/topics/green.html
Architectural Record
http://www.archrecord.com/GREEN/GREEN.ASP
Architronic
http://architronic.saed.kent.edu/
Ecocycle
http://www.ec.gc.ca/ecocycle/english/default.htm
Environmental Building News
http://www.buildinggreen.com/
Environmental Design & Construction
http://www.edcmag.com/
FacilitiesNet
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/fn/
Building Operating Management
Bhttp://www.facilitiesnet.com/fn/bom
Energy Decisions
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/fn/energydecisions
Green Books
http://www.greenbooks.co.uk/
Green Building News [oikos]
http://oikos.com/
http://www.reddawn.com/
http://www.terrain.org/
WinterGREEN Newsletter [Steven Winter Associates]
http://www.swinter.com/company/WinterGREEN.html
Appendix D - Green Building Guidelines and Programs
Guidelines
http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp/greenfed/
Guiding Principles of Sustainable Design - US Park Services
http://www.nps.gov/dsc/dsgncnstr/gpsd/toc.html
High Performance Building Guidelines - Pennsylvania
http://www.gggc.state.pa.us/publictn/gbguides.html
http://www.sustainabledesignguide.umn.edu/
New York City Department of Design and Construction
http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/ddc/html/pdfdl.html#guidelines
http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp/greenfed/
http://www.wbdg.org/
Green City Programs
Alameda County Waste Authority
http://www.stopwaste.org/fsbuild.html
http://www.globalgreen.org/pdf/index.html
Build a Better Kitsap - Washington
http://www.wa.gov/kitsap/departments/pubworks/buildbetter.html
Cambridge Sustainable City
http://www.sustainablecity. net/
http://www.builtgreen.org/
Green City Project
http://www.green-city.org/
http://www.ce.cmu.edu/GreenDesign/
The Green Engineer
http://www.greenengineer.com/index.shtml
Greenspiration!
http://www.greenspiration.org/
Hydroponics
http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/
http://www.globalgreen.org/pdf/index.html
Oakland, California - How-to Design Guide for Green Buildings
http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/90043.htm
http://greenbuildings.santa-monica.org/sitemap.htm
Scottsdale Green Building Program
http://www.ci.scottsdale.az.us/greenbuilding/RatingWS.aspGreen Design
Initiative (GDI)
Seattle Sustainable Building
http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/seattle/util/rescons/susbuild/default.htm
http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/seattle/util/rescons/susbuild/default.htm
http://www.wa.gov/kitsap/departments/pubworks/buildbetter.html
Suburban Maryland - Building Green
http://sustainable.state.fl.us/fdi/edesign/resource/index.html
Oregon - Green Building Project
http://www.hcs.state.or.us/data-research/greenbuilding/index.html
http://www.sustainabledesignguide.umn.edu/
http://www.stopwaste.org/fsbuild.html
Breeam - UK
http://www.bre.co.uk/index.html
http://www.aett.gov.bc.ca/environmental/data/environt/sec-one.htm#sec-one
http://www.usgbc.org/
Eco-Quantum - Holland
Simulation Tools
Building Energy Software: Tools Directory
http://www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/tools-directory/
http://www.ecde.demon.co.uk/be2am.htm
EQUER (France)
http://www-cenerg.ensmp.fr/francais/batiment/1 5.html
International Association for Impact Assessments (IAIA)
http://www.iaia.org/
Global Environmental Options (GEO)
http://www.geonetwork.org/
http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/buildings/gbintro.htm
http://www.uni-weimar.de/SCC/PRO/TOOLS/inter.html
Building Energy Simulation Tools
http://www.inf.bauwesen.tu-muenchen.de/personen/christop/bsim/
building-energy.htm - Energy%20Programs
http://arch.hku.hk/-cmhui/teach/65256-X.htm
Life Cycle Analysis and Costing
Activity-Based Management
http://www.emblemsvag.com/
http://www.bfrl.nist.gov/oae/software/bees.html
Eco-Quantum (Netherlands)
http://www.ivambv.uva.nl/uk/producten/product7.htm
LCAid (Australia)
http://www.projectweb.gov.com.au/dataweb/lcaid/
Life-Cycle Assessment
http://www.emblemsvag.com/LCA.htm
http://www.cwc.ca/english/publications/technicalbulletins/techbull_4/
Life Cycle Analysis for Residential Buildings [Canadian Wood Council]
http://www.cwc.ca/english/publications/technical-bulletins/techbull_5/
Life-Cycle Costing
http://dept.lamar.edu/industrial/Graduate/.. %5CClasses/..%5CUnderdown/
eng-mana/LifeCycleCostingShtubch1 O.htm
Life Cycle Costing and Stainless Steel
http://www.assda.asn.au/lifecyclel.html
http://www.assda.asn.au/lifecyclel.html
LISA (LCA in Sustainable Architecture)
http://www.lisa.au.com/
Design Tools
http://www.aud.ucla.edu/energy-design-tools/
http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Brown-Is_Green/
http://www.uvm.edu/~jfrances/report.html
Florida A&M University - Guidelines & Principles for Sustainable Community Design
http://fcn.state.fl.us/fdi/index.html
Georgia Tech - Primer for Sustainable Design
http://www.islandpress.org/economics/energy/greencamp.html
http://iisdl.iisd.ca/educate/
Tufts University - Greening the Ivory Tower
University of Michigan, Sustainable Architecture
http://www.umich.edu/-nppcpub/resources/compendia/architecture.html
University of Washington - Facility Design Information Manual
http://depts.washington.edu/-fsesweb/fdi99/index.html
Appendix G - Architects and Consultants
Architects
Amacher & Associates
http://amacher.hypermart.net/index.htm
Amstein + Walthert AG
http://www.amstein-walthert.ch/
Andropogon
http://www.andropogon.com/
BEAR Architects
http://www.bear.nl/
http://www.nevada.edu/-beckman/
http://www.coldhamarch.com/
Debra Lombard
http://home.earthlink.net/-dlombard/DEBRALOMBARD.htm
Dennis Holloway
http://www.taosnet.com/architectVRe/
Donald Reed Chandler Architect
http://www.coldhamarch.com/
EcoArch
http://ecoarch.com/
Ecological Design Institute
http://www.ecodesign.org/edi/index.html
Ecopolis
http://www.ecopolis.com.au/Eley Associates
Emilio Ambasz and Associates, Inc.
http://www.ambasz.com/
Emilis Prelgauskas
http://www.emilis.sa.on. net/
http://www.entecheng.com/
Environ Design Collaborative
http://www.cstone.net/edc/indexl.htm
http://www.tdrinc.com/
Future Systems
http://www.future-systems.com/
Green Architecture (Javier Barba Studio BC Architects and Urbanism, Spain)
http://www.greenarchitecture.com/
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/2758
HOK - Sustainable Design
http://www.hok.com/sustainabledesign/
Indiana Architecture
http://www.indiana-architecture.com/
Innovative Design
Innovative Design
http://www.ellipsis.com/yeang/text.html
http://www.liqwood-design.com/
Locus Architecture
http://www.locusarchitecture.com/
LOG ID (Dieter Schempp)
http://www.agsn.de/logid/
http://www.mfp.com.au/
Paul de Ruiter'
http://www.archined.nl/paulderuiter/
http://www.pfauarchitecture.com/indexf.html
http://www.rt66.com/rbahm/
http://www.rpwf.org/
Richard Rogers Partnership
http://www.richardrogers.co.uk/
rkeytexDESIGN
Solar Design Associates, Inc.(SDA)
http://www.solardesign.com/-sda/
http://www.vanderryn.com/
White & Gilbride Architects, Canada
http://white.on.ca/
http://www.mcdonough.com
Consultants
Biospaces
http://rof.net/yp/biospace/welcome.html
ConstructionTech nologies
http://members.home.net/lyfordg/
http://www.designadvice.co.uk/
http://www.duluthtimber.com/
ECD Energy and Environment (UK)
http://www.ecde.demon.co.uk/
Eco-Products
http://www.ecoproducts.com/
Enermodal Engineering Limit.
http://www.enermodal.com/
Enertia" Building Systems
http://enertia.com/
hftp://www.greenbuildingservices.com/
Hanna Shapira
http://www.public.usit.net/hshapira/
PRe (Netherlands)
http://www.pre.nl/
http://www.rfweston.com/
http://www.solarpv.com/
SunStar of Arizona
http://www.azsunstar.com/
Sustainability.com
http://www.sustainability.com/
http://www.sustainability.co.uk/
Appendix H - Case Studies
http://www.oberlin.edu/newserv/esc/
http://www.bedzed.org.uk/
http://arch.hku.hk/research/BEER/casestud.htm
Chattanooga Sustainability Page
http://new.chattanooga.net/sustain/
http://chinahousing.mit.edu/english/projects/
Demonstration House I
http://greenhome.org/demo.htm
Demonstration House Il
Demonstration House I
Department of Environmental Protection, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Cambria
Office
http://www.gggc.state.pa.us/building/Cambria/default.htm
http://www.powerup.com.au/-edesign/yurtpage1.htm
Ecoschool
http://www.takenaka.co.jp/takenakae/schoole/sch03/03_4.html
enCompass - map of recycled-content buildings
http://dnr.metrokc.gov/market/encompass/index.htm
http://www.takenaka.co.jp/takenaka-e/envpro-e/index.htm
Green Buildings Success Stories [CESD]
http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/buildings/gbsstoc.htm
Green Development Case Studies [RMI]
http://www.rmi.org/sitepages/pid199.asp
GreenHome
http://greenhome.org/
HOK Sustainable Design - Case Studies
http://www.hok.com/sustainabledesign/casestudies/casestudies.html
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Complex, Austin Texas
http://www.wildflower.org/hq.html
http://www.gggc.state.pa.us/building/scrob.html
RITE Head Office
http://arch.hku.hk/-cmhui/japan/rite/rite-index.html
Thoreau Center for Sustainability, San Francisco
http://www.thoreau.org/
http://arch.hku.hk/-cmhui/japan/unep/unep-index.html
US Green Building Council - Green Building Case Studies
http://www.usgbc.org/resource/cs.htm
http://www.arch.ced.berkeley.edu/vitalsigns/
http://gfp.lbl.gov/default.htm
Transparent Insulation
http://www.ise.fhg.de/Projects/development99/art4.html
Building Innovation
http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/rd-dr/en/icontent.html
Building Materials
Bill Lawson's Notes on Materials and Sustainability (UNSW)
http://www.fbe.unsw.edu.au/Learning/material-notes/
http://www.buildingreen.com/features/gp/green-products.html
casey and amber's Sustainable building materials home page
http://www.uark.edu/depts/dbertonc/CaseyandAmber/index:htm
http://www.ecomarket.net/
Green Products Guide [Architectural Record]
http://www.archrecord.com/GREEN/GREEN.ASP
GoodCent.com
http://www.goodcents.com/
http://www.greenculture.com/
Green Shop
http://www.greenshop.co.uk/
Habitat Designs
http://habitatdesigns.com/sbmrg/csi/csistart.htm
Happy Harry's Used Building Materials
http://www.happyharry.com/
The Harris Directory of Pollution Prevention Products for Home, Office and Garden
http://www.harrisdirectory.com/
HOK's Healthy and Sustainable Building Materials Database
http://www.hok.com/sustainabledesign/database/welcome.html
Recycled Content Product Database [California Integrated Waste Management Board]
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/rcp/
http://www.rbme.com/
Self-sustaining home products
http://www.longcayebelize.com/ecovillage/selfsustaining products.htm
Sustainable Facilities: Building Material Selection (West Michigan Sustainable
Business Forum)
http://www.sustainable-busforum.org/bldgmat.htm
http://www.sustainableabc.com/materials.html
Sustainable Materials Building Advisor
http://www.usc.edu/dept/architecture/mbs/tools/sbma/index.html
http://www.iris.ba.cnr.it/sustain/
158
Sustainable Design Resource Guide, AIA
http://www.diac.com/-ggray/SDRG/
http://www.ncat.org:7050/
http://www.waitakere.govt.nz/ecocity/ecobuild/homeguide/defaut.htm
Concrete Reuse
Cement and Concrete: Environmental Considerations [EBN]
http://www.buildinggreen.com/features/cem/cementconc.html
Concrete Network
http://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete/countertops/index.html
http://www.adobebuilder.com/
Adobe Home Construction
http://www.epsea.org/adobe.html
CalEarth Forum
http://www.calearth.org/
Community Eco-Design Network (CEDN)
http://www.cedn.org/
The Earth Building Foundation, Inc.
http://www.earthbuilding.com/
EcoArch
http://home.earthlink.net/-jluke3l 3/
http://www.ecological-engineering.com/index.html
Ecosustainable Hub
http://www.ecosustainable.com.au/
Earthship
http://www.slip.net/%7eckent/earthship/
Earthship Architecture
http://www.earthship.org/home.htm
Earthship Internet Community
http://www.earthship.org/
http://www.alternative-way.com/
http://csf.colorado.edu/lists/essa/
Earth House
http://earth-house.com/
http://enertia.com/default.htm
home sweet earth home
http://www.undergroundhomes.com/
The Natural Home Building Source
http://www.thenaturalhome.com/
http://www.naturalspacesdomes.com/
Space on Earth (Earth-sheltered)
http://www.earth-sheltered.com/
Strawbale Construction
http://www.azstarnet.com/-dcat/barriers.htm
http://www.eren.doe.gov/EE/strawhouse/
The Last Straw
http://www.strawhomes.com/
http://www.21design.com/prodinfo/strawbale/index.html
Straw Bale Home Construction
http://www.epsea.org/straw.html
Strawhomes.com
http://www.strawhomes.com/
Surfin' StrawBale Links List
http://mha-net.org/html/sblinks.htm
Natural Ventilation
Energy recovery possibilities in natural ventilation of office buildings
http://www.byggforsk.no/english/energy.htm
http://www.ae.iastate.edu/naturalventilation.htm
Natural Ventilation
http://fridge.arch.uwa.edu.au/topics/therma/airflow/ventilation.html
Natural ventilation system with heat recovery
http://www.caddet-ee.org/nl-html/994_07.htm
http://naturalvent.mit.edu/
Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) or Building Pathology
http://www.denison.edu/enviro/barney/poe.htmI
Post-Occupancy Evaluation of Higher Education Teaching Spaces - A Methodological
Approach
http://www.scpm.salford.ac.uk/buhu/bizfruit/1 998papers/dilanthi/dilanthi.htm
Post Occupancy Evaluation of San Francisco Public Library
http://sfpl.lib.ca.us/www/poe-executivesummary.html
http://www.fdm.com/db-area/archives/1 999/9906/poe.html
Solar Air-conditioning
lEA Task 25 Solar assisted cooling systems
http://fridge.arch.uwa.edu.au/topics/therma/airflow/ventilation.html
Solar-powered air conditioning
http://www.thesrtgroup.com/prod03.htm
http://www.greenroofs.com/
http://www.peck.ca/grhcc/main.htm
Roofscapes
http://www.roofmeadow.com/
SOPRANATURE (rooftop vegetation)
http://greenbuilding.ca/soprema/sop-main.htm
http://www.cdwaste.com/
Construction Waste Management Handbook
http://www.smartgrowth.org/library/constwastemgmt-hndbk.html
http://www.gvrd.bc.ca/services/garbage/
http://terrassa.pnl.gov:2080/fac/
http://www.em.doe.gov/em30/
Recycling Organic Waste: A Win-Win Proposition
http://www.worldwatch.org/alerts/pr970802.html
Water Conservation
Composting Toilets
Biolet
http://www.biolet.com/
The Compost Toilet & Greywater Recycling Systems Manual
http://www.powerup.com.au/-edesign/navbar.htm
http://www.weblife.org/humanure/
The World of Composting Toilets
http://www.compostingtoilet.org/
Clivus Multrum
http://www.clivus.com/
http://www.compostingtoilet.com/
Sun Mar Composting Toilet
http://www.sun-mar.com/
Nature-Loo
http://www.nature-loo.com.au/
Rota-Loo
http://www.environq.com.au/
VERA Composters
http://www.vera.no/PG/startframeset.html
VERA/Eco-Tech Carousel
http://www.ecological-engineering.com/
http://oikos.com/gfx/
http://www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/emergingtech/printable/page2d.html
Greywater Treatment
Living Technologies
http://www.livingmachines.com/
Oasis Design
http://www.oasisdesign. net/
Waterless urinals
http://www.waterless.com/
WaterWiser
http://www.waterwiser.org/
CD
Minnesota Univ. of New York City BREFAM LEED HOK
Sustainable Michigan High 2.0 Sustain- aCL
Design Guide Sustainable Performance able C-
Strategy
Building Building Design
Technical Guidelines Guide
Manual 0
S i t e
Understanding the Site
Direct development to environmentally appropriate areas - x
protect greenfields, encourage brownfield development 0
Site selection - maintain and enhance the biodiversity and
ecology of the site, consider building footprint to minimize x x x x x x C/)
the impact on natural resources a:
Use microclimate and environmentally responsive site
design strategies - preserve natural contours of site,
understand the impact of design on nature by a
comprehensive site analysis
Do not disturb the water table x
Schedule construction to minimize site impact x x
Erosion and sedimentation control x x
Building-Site Relationship
General site layout - consider issues of building mass,
orientation, outdoor spaces, passive principles, sun and x x
shade patterns, landscaping
Water Reuse
C) Use biological waste treatment systems - to reduce the
volume of blackwater entering the municipal system
Green roofs - plant roof areas to reduce the discharge of
stormwater and to reap the benefits of increased green X
space
Indigenous landscaping x x x
Water efficient landscaping - limit or eliminate the use of
potable water for landscape irrigation.
My a t e r i a I s
Raw Mtaterial Extraction
Use salvaged and remanufactured materials x x x
Use recycled content products and materials x x x x x
Use materials that are harvested or extracted without
ecological damage X
Use materials that are made of certified sustatinable and
X x x x x x
renewable resources
Distribution
Light Pollution
Mechanical Systems
Performance improvement - determine overall environmental
impact of building energy consumption, maximize x x
mechanical systems performance
Systems integration - consider all programmatic and
architectural features when sizing HVAC units
Zoning - use separate HVAC systems to serve areas with
different hours of occupancy, perimeter vs. interior spaces,
special occupancies, and spaces with different exposures
Avoid the use of fibrous duct liners and loose mineral fiber
for internal ductwork insulation; use non-porous duct liners,
external thermal insulation, or acoustical baffles in lieu of
linings in strategic locations
Prevent condensation of water vapor inside the building
envelope by proper use of moisture barriers, appropriate
locations and amounts of thermal insulation, control of x x
indoor-to-outdoor pressure differences, and control of
indoor humidity
Commission the ventilation system to assure that design
conditions are met, proper air deliver occurs in each zone,
and optimum performance is achieved under full and partial
load conditions
Isolate potential pollution sources through separate zoning
x
of areas generating contaminants
Vent kitchens, toilet rooms, smoking lounges, custodial
closets, cleaning chemical storage and mixing areas, and
X
dedicated copying areas to the outdoors, with no
recirculation through the HVAC system
Avoid use of ozone-generating devices to clean or purify
indoor air
Control Systems
Sensors for relative humidity, temperature, and carbon
dioxide should be installed as close as possible to where x
occupants are located __
Locate sensors to cover areas of similar load conditions x
When demand control ventilation systems are used, ensure
that carbon dioxide sensors are operating in a reliable x
manner
Periodically audit all computer-controlled HVAC systems x
Specify controls on variable air volume systems to ensure
that the amount of outdoor air delivered to the occupants is x
maintained, even when the total air supply is decreased
In VAV systems, special controls may be needed to ensure
that minimum outside air intake into the air handling unit is x
achieved during all operating conditions
In VAV systems, at minimum, install temperature sensors in
return air sections of air handling units to maintain air x
temperature at acceptable levels
Construction Methods/Precautions
Prevent storage of soft products on site during wet
processes, unless separated and sealed
Schedule installation of wet materials (sealant, caulking,
adhesives) and allow them to dry or cure before installing
dry materials that could serve as sinks and absorbents of
VOC's
Light Sources
Waste Management
Salvage and recycle demolition waste x x x x
Recycle construction waste x x x x
Reduce and recycle packaging waste x x x
Reduce and properly dispose of hazardous materials waste
Sx x x
Provide waste-separation facilities for building users x x x x x
Provide waste-separation facilities for hazardous materials x x
Educate workers and occupants on recycling, waste
reduction and prevention _
Selected Bibliography
Design:
American Institute of Architects, Checklist for Environmentally Sustainable Design and Con-
struction,
Environmental Building News, Building Green on a Budget, Vol 8, No. 5, May 1999
Environmental Building News, Establishing Priorities with Green Building, Vol 4, No. 5, Septem-
ber/October, 1995
European Commission, Directorate General XVII for Energy, A Green Vitruvius: Principles and
Practice of Sustainable Architectural Design, James & James, London, 1999.
Kim, J., Rigdon, B., Sustainable Architecture Module: Introduction to Sustainable Design,
National Pollution Prevention Center for Higher Education, December 1998.
Landman, M., Breaking Through the Barriers to Sustainable Building - Insights from Building
Professionals on Government Initiatives to Promote Environmentally Sound Practices, Tufts
University, 1999.
Levin, H., Ten Basic Concepts for Architects and Other Building Designers, Environmental
Building News,
Mendler, S., In Search of Design Guidance: A Review of Design Guides and Guidelines for
Sustainability,
RMI, A Primer on Sustainable Building, Rocky Mountain Institute, Snowmass, Colorado, 1995.
Steele, J., Sustainable Architecture: Principles, Paradigms, and Case Studies, McGraw-Hill,
New York, 1997.
Stitt, F. A. (ed.), Ecological Design Handbook: Sustainable Strategies for Architecture, Land-
scape Architecture, Interior Design, and Planning, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1999.
Tsui, E., Principles of Evolutionary Architecture, excerpted from website: www.tdrinc.com/prin/
html
Wilson, A., Malin, N., Establishing Priorities, Environmental Building News, Sept./Oct. 1995.
190
Yeang, K., Designing with Nature: the Ecological Basis for Architectural Design, McGraw-Hill,
New York, 1995.
Zeiher, L. C.,. The Ecology of Architecture: A Complete Guide to Creating the Environmentally
Conscious Building, Whitney Library of Design, New York, 1996
Construction:
Atkisson, A., Building it Right, In Context, No. 41, Summer 1995, Pg. 45
Augenbroe, G., Pearce, A., Sustainable Construction in the United States of America, Georgia
Institute of Technology, CIB-W82 Report, June 1998.
Kibert, C., Establishing Principles and a Model for Sustainable Construction, CIB TG, 16,
Sustainable Construction, Tampa FL, November 6-9, 1994. Kibert, C., Establishing Principles
and a Model for Sustainable Construction, CIB TG, 16, Sustainable Construction, Tampa FL,
November 6-9, 1994.
Liddle, B., Construction for Sustainability and the Sustainability of the Construction Industry,
CIB TG, 16, Sustainable Construction, Tampa FL, November 6-9, 1994.
Loftness, V., Hartkopf, V., Mahdavi, A., Shankavaram, J., Guidelines for Masterplanning
Sustainable Building Communities, CIB TG, 16, Sustainable Construction, Tampa FL, Novem-
ber 6-9, 1994.
Ove Arup & Partners, The Green Construction Handbook: A Manual for Clients and Construc-
tion Professionals, JT Design Build, Bristol, 1993.
Recycling Plus Program Manual: A Best Practices Manual For Jobsite Recycling, by the Clean
Washington Center,
Schaefer, K., Site Design and Planning for Sustainable Construction, CIB TG, 16, Sustainable
Construction, Tampa FL, November 6-9, 1994.
Sustainable Building Technical Manual: Green Building Design, Construction and Operations,
Public Technology, Inc., Washington, D.C., 1996.
WasteSpec: Model Specifications for Construction, Waste Reduction, Reuse and Recycling,
Economics:
Edwards, B. (ed.), Green Buildings Pay, E & FN Spon, London, 1998.
Slessor, C., Eco-tech: Sustainable Architecture and High Technology, Thames and Hudson,
London, 1997.
Vale, B. and Vale, R., Green Architecture: Design for Sustainable Future, Thames and Hudson,
London, 1991.
Energy:
Baker, N. and Steemers, K., Energy and Environment in Architecture: A Technical Design
Guide, E. & FN. Spon, New York, 1999.
Toluca, A., Energy-Efficient Design and Construction for Commercial Buildings, MCGraw-Hill
Publications, 1997.
French, H., Governing the Global Commons, Worldwatch Paper 107, After the Earth Summit:
The Future of Environmental Governance, March 1992.
Lovins, A., Lovins, H., Real Security, IN CONTEXT, No. 4, Pg. 13, Autumn 1983
Meadows, D. H., Meadows, D., Randers, J., Beyond the Limits to Grow, IN CONTEXT, No. 32,
Pg. 10, Summer 1992
Bower, J., Principles of Healthy Construction, Southface Journal, pg. 4, Winter 1990.
Fisk, W., Rosenfeld, A., Improved Productivity and Health from Better Indoor Environments,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Center for Building Science News, No. 15, Spring
1997.
194
Fisk, W., Rosenfeld, A., Potential Nationwide Improvements in Productivity and Health
From Better Indoor Environments, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, May 1998.
Roodman, D.M, Lenssen, N., A Building Revolution: How Ecology and Health Concerns are
Transforming Construction, Worldwatch Paper 124, Washington, DC, March 1995, p. 5.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Introduction to Indoor Air Quality: A Reference Manual,
National Environmental Health Association
Fisk, P., MacMath R., Vittori G., Life Cycle Design Principles for the Architecture and Planning
Professions, ASES Annual Meeting, Asheville, NC, 1996.
Glaumann, M., Trinius, W., Environmental Assessment of Buildings, A Research Project in Co-
operation with the Building Sector, Gavle, Sweden, June 6, 1996.
Goldberg, R., The Big Picture: Life Cycle Analysis, Academy of Natural Sciences, May, 1992
Jonsson, A., Review of Environmental Tools in the Building Sector, Technical Environmental
Planning, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Goteborg, Sweden.
Materials:
Spiegel, R. and Meadows, D., Green Building Materials: A Guide to Product Selection and
Specification, Wiley, New York, 1999.
St. John, A. (ed.), The Sourcebook for Sustainable Design: A Guide to Environmentally Respon-
sible Building Materials and Processes, Architects for Social Responsibility, Boston Society of
Architects, Boston, Mass., 1992.
Sustainable Building Sourcebook: Supplement to the Green Builder Program, Environmental &
Conservation Services Dept., Austin, Texas, 1995.
196
Water and Site & Land Use:
Ewing, R., Best Development Practices, American Planning Association, 1996.
Grosskopf, K., Coble, R., Sustainable Water Resources and Urban Reuse Technology, CIB TG,
16, Sustainable Construction, Tampa FL, November 6-9, 1994.
Thompson, G.F., Steiner, F., (ed), Ecological Design and Planning, John Wiley & Sons, 1997.
Wilson, A., Green Development: Integrating Ecology and Real Estate, Rocky Mt. Institute,
1998.