Chapter 2 - Site
Considerations and the Building Enclosure
Diving into Chapter 2
of Sustainable Building Systems and Construction for Designers by
Lisa M. Tucker, we are introduced to the major building systems that when
function in unison, compose a building.
Building Systems/The Site
The major building systems
include enclosure systems, interior systems, mechanical, electrical, and
plumbing systems. Each of these systems has a specific role to play in the
make-up of a building. The enclosure systems provide protection from water
and weather coming into the building, prevent warm and cool air from escaping
it, and focus on materials for the foundation, roof, and exterior. The MPE
systems (mechanical, plumbing and electrical) are what make the building usable
for human beings, while the interior systems consist of the materials that
furnish the building. All of the building systems are required to co-exist and
respond to the site that the architect chooses. The book notes that because the
location of the site impacts the level of interior comfort, interior designers
are to get involved with the design process as early as they can.
As Tucker discusses the
impact good design has a site, she mentions three categories that are related
to site design specifically: regulatory, aesthetic, and environmental. These
three categories each address the impact zoning/building codes, views of and on
the site, and weather conditions have on the designing of a building. With this
being said, the site on which a building is constructed impacts the interior in
a few different ways, but a big impact is the Sun. Because our planet is
divided into two hemispheres - northern and southern - the location and
positioning of our building is crucial. If you're in the northern hemisphere,
because the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, during the winter the
sun will be more direct on the south side of your building, making the north
side cooler. In the southern hemisphere, it's the opposite. Therefore,
buildings who take advantage of the daylight use less energy and in turn
decrease the amount of electricity used and glare coming into the
building.
Enclosure Systems
Although it is mainly the
architect's job to worry about and choose materials for the foundation,
Tucker emphasizes the importance of understanding the effect that a good
foundation will have on the building. She explains the purpose of a good
foundation is to balance out the settlement of a building and how it can help
in resisting lateral forces that act on the building, both above and below
ground. It is also discussed the three times of walls used in construction:
masonry bearing, stud wall or column and beam frame with infill. Bearing walls
are typically made of concrete or cast-in-place concrete and seen mostly in
foundation walls. A stud wall is comprised of light-frame wood construction
with wood studs at 12, 16, or 24 inches between the center of each stud,
whereas column and beam framing is typically heavy timber, steel, or pre-cast
concrete that consist of glue-laminated beams and columns, steel columns and
beams, or concrete columns and beams.
Exterior Materials and
Roofs
The exterior of a building
can be made of many different materials, but the most common are FSC (Forest
Stewardship Council) certified wood shingles or boards, concrete panels with
concrete board siding, and stucco. The exterior finish materials, however,
range from brick, stone, glass, wood siding, cement siding, and many others.
While chapter 2 explains the lack of need for interior designers' skill
for the structural make-up of a roof, it is crucial to understand the type of
roof in a building because the ceiling finish is the job of the designer. With
this being said, there are three main materials sued for roof framing: mental, concrete,
and wood. In wood roof framing, the framing members are located at intervals of
12, 16, or 24 inches on center. Metal roof framing is comprised of steel joists
supporting a metal deck filled with concrete, and concrete roof framing is
concrete members or beams that when combined with steel reinforcement, prevent
cracking in the structure.
As for the finishing of a
roof, there are a variety of materials used. However, the material used is
dependent upon the slope of the roof because the purpose is to shed water away
from the framing of the roof. Low sloped roofs typically use asphalt shingles
and high-pitched roofs typically use standing-seam metal and slate.
Case Study – Harm A. Weber
Academic Building
The Harm A. Weber Academic Center at Judson University in Elgin, IL consists of four floors. The first floor houses a design study, the FabLab (a computer room that houses two 3D printers), a photography studio, and a woodshop. On the second floor, leading out to the campus quad, is the first floor of the library, Jerry’s café, department head offices, a classroom, and the Interior Design studio. When going up the building you have two options: stairs or the elevator. Once you are on the third floor you are greeted with a wide, stubby hallway leading to a row of staff offices that end in a drawing studio on either end. In addition, the third floor houses the second floor of the Benjamin P. Brown Library, restrooms, and a classroom. The final floor to the four-story building is identical to the third except in place of the library is three studios with two small corners on diagonal ends.
The overall building and library consist of four-stories, totaling 88,000 square feet. In plan, the structure is divided into three functions: classroom space, academic offices and studios, and the library wing. These functions are additionally joined together by a bowtie-shaped link that has the purpose of providing additional classroom space and a gallery.
After conducting a competition to select the best design for a new
Academic Building and Library, Judson University chose Short & Associates
of London and their design to bring the idea of a sustainable and educational building
to life on a college campus. Due to H.A.W.A.C.’s metal roof and wall panels,
not only is the building reducing solar consumption and emissions, but it’s also
reducing overall energy consumption and heat island effect. The copper panels
on the project posed a risk of theft and increase in cost, so Valspar’s
signature Fluropon Copper Penny coating was exactly what Judson needed to
provide durability and gloss retention, as well as high solar reflectivity and
emissivity.
Susie,
ReplyDeleteI thought this was overall an excellent blog post! It didn't sound like a mere summary, but sounded like you genuinely knew everything you were talking about and pieced it together very well. You went into great depth with your chapter summary, but I like that you began broadly and then dove deep into individual categories. It does look like your summary could use some photos in its section though.
As for your case study, I also felt like you did an excellent job. I liked how you began by guiding us as readers through the space of HAWAC describing each floor, and I enjoyed your fact about who the architect was. I primarily focused on the structural elements of HAWAC so I appreciated all your additional tidbits.
Good job!
Susie,
ReplyDeleteI liked how you explained the different types a good design has and you went into depth about the enclosure system and how different materials effect how sustainable a project is and how it helps energy consumption. I appreciated how you described and explained the exterior purpose of HAWAC and how the materials used on the facade help reduce energy consumption and create an effiecient way to heat and cool the building.
Susie,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your detailed and interesting summary of this topic. Your images of HAWAC were excellent. On future Blogs please include images for all aspects of your summary. This make a Blog engaging for all types of learners.
that being said, the information you shared regarding the systems and building site were excellent. I also appreciated your detailed description of the Harm Weber Building. We are very fortunate to be able to study this LEED rated building in which we learn.
50/50 Total points