Sustainable Design Basics
By Sharon B. Jaffe, Rob Fleming, Mark Karlen and Saglinda H. Roberts
Contents:
Acknowledgments. xiii
About the Authors. xv
About the Companion Website. xvii
CHAPTER 1
Why, How, Who, and What. 1
Why Use This Book 1
How to Use This Book 2
Who Should Use This Book 2
What Are the Parameters of This Book 2
Organization 3
Exercises 3
Companion Website 3
CHAPTER 2
Mindset 5
The Holocene and the Age of Agriculture 6
The Industrial Revolution and the Environment 6
Environmentalism and the Age of Information 7
Realizations of the Historic Sustainability Events Timeline 11
Thinking and Seeing from Multiple Perspectives 13
Integral Sustainable Design 13
The Four Perspectives of Integral Sustainable Design 14
Learning from the Past: General Rules 16
Space and Scale 17
The Integrative Design Process 18
CHAPTER 3
Step 1: Context 21
The Sustainable Design Basics Methodology: An Overview 21
Step 1: Context 23
Step 1A: Project Information 24
Step 1B: Guiding Principles 26
Step 1C: Macro Context and Micro Context 28
Step 1D: Site Inventory and Analysis 35
CHAPTER 4
Step 2 Pre-Planning. 55
Research and Organization 55
Step 2A: Case Study 56
Step 2B: Project Goals 63
Step 2C: Criteria Matrix 67
Step 2D: Relationship Diagrams 73
CHAPTER 5
Step 3: Design. 77
Whole Building Thinking, Systems Thinking 77
3A Preliminary Design 80
CHAPTER 6
Step 3B: Passive Design. 117
What Is Passive Design? 117
Key Elements of Passive Design 118
Passive Design Strategies 122
Passive Solar Heating 126
Passive Cooling and Natural Ventilation 134
Water Conservation and Rainwater Harvesting 152
Passive Design Validation 157
CHAPTER 7
Step 3B: Passive Design, Daylighting. 159
Daylighting 159
CHAPTER 8
Step 3C: Building Envelope. 187
What is the Building Envelope? 187
Functions 188
The Building Envelope in the SDB Methodology 189
Building Envelope and Macroclimate 190
Building Structure and the Building Envelope 192
Building Foundations 198
Exterior Wall Assembly 202
Windows 210
Roof Systems 217
Validation, Synergies, and Synthesis of Design 226
CHAPTER 9
Step 3D: Green Materials . 229
Basics 229
Evaluation 236
Overarching Objectives 245
Material and Product Resources 248
A Warning about Greenwashing 248
CHAPTER 10
Step 4: Design Resolution. 251
Step 4A: Final Design Synthesis 252
Step 4B: Final Design Validation 253
Step 4C: Presenting the Project 261
CHAPTER 11
Demonstration Project . 265
Step 1: Context 266
Step 2: Pre-Planning 278
Step 3: Design 286
CHAPTER 12
Beyond the Basics. 323
Active Systems 324
PV Array Sizing and Net-Zero Energy 326
CHAPTER 13
Design Resolution. 335
Final Design Synthesis 335
Final Validation 341
Conclusion 349
CHAPTER 14
Demonstration Project: Final Presentation. 351
Step 1: Project Introduction and Context 352
Step 2: Pre-Planning 354
Conclusion 361
CHAPTER 15
Exercises. 363
Sustainable Building Design Exercises 363
Choice 1: Client Details 365
Choice 2: Site Selection and Macro Climate 370
Choice 3: Macro Context Details 371
Choice 4: New Building or Existing Building 372
Exercises 373
Appendix A: Demonstration Project Program, Climate, and
Context Resources 375
Step 1A: Project Introduction 375
Step 1C Macro and Micro Context 378
Step 1D Site Inventory and Analysis 382
Appendix B: Forms and Matrices 387
Appendix C: Energy Modeling Software 419
Notes about Energy and Daylighting Simulation 419
SEFAIRA 421
Rhino Architectural Software 421
Open Studio 422
IES (INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS) 423
Equest 424
Revit Green Building Studio by AutoDesk 425
Appendix D: Abbreviations and Acronyms 427
Appendix E: Green Building Standards, Codes and Rating
Systems 431
The Role of Codes and Standards 431
The Role of Rating Systems 431
Green Building Standards, Codes and Rating Systems 431
Bibliography. 441
Index . 449
Acknowledgments
Much like the sustainable design process, this textbook, Sustainable Design Basics, and the new methodology it presents is the result of collaborative efforts. We are grateful for the knowledge, insight, talent, and time of all of those who contributed to this process. Special thanks and acknowledgment are due to the following:
Thomas Jefferson University. The methodology presented is in large part a response to, and developed for, the use in master’s in sustainable design studio courses at the university.
Our students in the master’s in sustainable design program at Thomas Jefferson University whose honest and detailed feedback on the SDB methodology, even when less than favorable, helped us evaluate, revise, and refine the methodology presented in this text. Particular thanks to Abhiri Khisty, Jaspreet (JP) Bullar, Surabhi Khanderia, Rupali Gadagkar, and Shane Clark for their consistent work and positive spirit, Arpita Ganti for her enthusiasm and early SketchUp work and Keaghan Caldwell for his amazing design, SketchUp and Sefaira work. An extra thank you to master’s in sustainable design staff members Savannah Nierintz, and especially Laura Parisi, who was an absolute rock star during her time at the university and in her work to support this book!
Teaching colleagues at Thomas Jefferson University have provided insight and support.
Rebecca Parish, who produced SDB Revit and AutoCAD drawings. Jeff Zarnoch, who has been consistently supportive. James Query, who helped us with topography contours.
Frank Sherman, who, with his class, employed the SDB methodology and provided insightful feedback.
We have received great support from our professional colleagues including:
Lois Brink of The Big SandBox, who provided invaluable site design advice.
Re:Vision Architecture, who provided insightful examples of project guiding principles.
Alkesh Taylor and Stephen Miller from Kitchen Associates, who provided an understanding of the demonstration project building active HVAC requirements.
Early readers of this textbook deserve special thanks. Hannah Rose Mamary, Celia Mamary, Rita Jaffe, and Carolyn Card Sutton each waded through various versions of this textbook providing insightful observations, suggestions, and edits that improved the overall readability, continuity, and structure.
Kim Conway Wilson, whose clear-eyed graphic appraisal and illustration skills helped focus and simplify the presentation of complex concepts and images. The team at Wiley publishing saw the value in expanding the successful Basics franchise, from Space Planning Basics, and Lighting Design Basics, into the area of Sustainable Design. Amanda Shettleton, Margaret Cummins, Kalli Schultea, Amy Odum, and the vast support a project of this scale requires, we offer our gratitude and thanks for supporting us through the process.
Deficiencies, errors, or ambiguities found in this text, (as surely, we have missed one or two) are the responsibilities of the authors.