Introduction to Integrated Sustainable Design Prepared by Ar.Joshima V.M.

Reference: Beyond Interior Design; ASID publications.

Building Design

• Because of the complexities of different building components and systems, specialized roles have been created around the design, construction and maintenance of buildings and interiors.

• The roles can include those of the architect, interior designer, MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) engineer and general contractor.

• In a large and complex project, many more roles can exist.

Traditional Design

• Traditional design is a linear process in which no team member is fully aware of the methodologies and goals of other members.

• When one member of the project team completes his or her portion of the project, the drawings are handed off to the next member of the team to complete the next portion, and so on down the line.

• The traditional design process is good at producing buildings that achieve conventional performance levels.

Integrated Design

• Integrated design is a collaborative design process that recognizes the relations among building systems and among the team members that design and install those systems.

• Integrated design therefore requires participation of all members of a project team in order to optimize the performance of the building and the way in which it is built.

• Through the early communication and meetings, everybody’s input and expertise is used to inform the design, rather than allowing one perspective to impose design solutions on the rest of the team.

Integrated Design and Sustainability • Major design decisions that most affect the sustainable

performance of a building are made in the early phases of design.

• A Sustainable integrated design approach is an excellent way to coordinate and develop the sustainable qualities of a project. The process can contribute to reduced environmental impacts at the global, regional and local levels, while promoting high building performance and an enhanced quality of life for all occupants and users.

Examples of Sustainable Qualities of a Project 1. Reducing global pollution associated with every phase of

building/renovation

2. Minimizing the development footprint of new buildings and infrastructure

3. Protecting and enhancing the entire building site

4. Fostering local community goodwill and interaction

5. Using energy more efficiently

6. Using materials more efficiently

7. Using local and resource-efficient materials

8. Designing durable and flexible buildings for future adaptability

9. Using water efficiently in buildings and landscape design

10. Designing interior environments to support well-being and productivity

11. Minimizing construction and demolition waste

Sustainable Design Strategies

• The construction and operation of buildings and homes has the potential to cause numerous and far-reaching impacts on the environment.

• This section provides specific strategies/methods that the designer can use in an integrated design process to meet a client’s environmental and design goals.

Sustainable Design Strategies

1. Natural Resource Depletion

1. Raw Material Resources

2. Land and Habitat Conservation

3. Potable Water Consumption

2. Energy Use

3. Pollution

1. Soil Pollution

2. Water Pollution

3. Global Atmospheric Pollution

4. Greenhouse Gas Emissions

5. Light Pollution

Natural Resource Depletion

Raw Material Resources • The energy use by buildings and their need for materials is

enormous.

1. The reuse of existing building stock and building elements:

• saves large quantities of raw materials

• preserves architectural and design links to the past

2. The use of materials with recycled content:

• steel, wallboard, ceiling tile, flooring, carpet, countertops, and tile, reduces the use of raw materials and the underlying energy costs.

• recycling used materials into new products requires significantly less energy than processing raw or virgin materials.

3. The purchase of materials that are harvested or manufactured in near to the project:

• reduces the embodied energy of the materials represented by transportation and energy costs, and also reduces the associated pollution.

4. Products that are made with rapidly renewable materials:

• bamboo, cork or linoleum flooring, cotton and hemp furnishings, wheat straw cabinetry, and wool carpet and upholstery, are often environmentally preferable to products made from nonrenewable resources.

• Rapidly renewable materials are those that are replaced in less than 10 years through natural processes.

5. Dimensional planning strategies:

• By designing room dimensions that respond to standard or modular building products, the designer can significantly reduce waste.

Land and Habitat Conservation

• Development needs must be balanced with land and habitat conservation to preserve the quality and biodiversity of the natural world.

• Tipping the scales too heavily and quickly in the direction of development unnecessarily destroys wildlife habitats, disrupts natural water flows, mars the beauty of the natural landscape, and reduces open space available for recreation and future needs.

1. Portions of a site with exceptional wildlife habitat, wetlands and or unique natural conditions should be set aside.

2. A sediment and erosion plan to be designed.

This minimizes the loss of topsoil and prevents soil sedimentation in local water bodies and storm drainage systems.

3. Limit the extent of site area that is disturbed during construction and reducing the development footprint.

including building footprint, paved driveways and walkways, and access roads.

4. “Heat islands” are formed in areas where a large proportion of the natural vegetation is replaced by buildings, pavement and other impervious structures and surfaces.

• Buildings that fall within these micro-climate areas require more air conditioning, which uses energy and further pollutes the atmosphere.

• Strategies, such as installing light-colored or vegetated green roofs, using maximum amounts of “open-grid” paving and/or light-colored, reflective pavement, along with the planting of shade trees and vegetation, lessens the impact of heat islands and improves the quality of the local environment.

Potable Water Consumption

• In desert or arid regions, or in those areas with seasonal dry periods, a substantial amount of water is used to irrigate residential landscaping.

1. A xeriscape approach— the careful selection of native or drought-resistant species—allows designers to reduce, and possibly eliminate, long-term water usage for landscape irrigation.

• When irrigation is called for, high-efficiency systems equipped with slow drip distributors, moisture sensors and timers can decrease waste through runoff and evaporation while increasing irrigation effectiveness.

2. Adhere to national manufacturing standard for plumbing fixtures.

• dual-flush toilets have two flush options: a full flush for solid wastes and a short/half flush for liquid wastes.

• Waterless urinals look similar to normal urinals and function similarly, but are designed to work without the use of any water for sewage conveyance.

• Ultra low-flow showerheads with flow rates of 1.5 gpm are available as both wall-mounted and handheld units. These devices use aerators

• Individual low-flow faucet aerators can be attached to existing lavatory and kitchen faucets

3. Stormwater drainage is another important environmental consideration in sustainable building.

• By harvesting and storing rainwater, typically in cisterns on the building roof or in the basement, designers can supply much of a building’s nonpotable water needs,

Energy Use

1. Computerized energy modeling can be used to guide and optimize the efficiency of the design of the mechanical system and envelope of a building.

2. a lighting model allows for the testing of different scenarios to achieve a high quality, energy-efficient lighting scheme.

3. orienting the building to maximize passive solar heat and light gain, allow for the natural assets of the site to be used to maximum effect.

4. Choose glazing options to maximize natural daylighting, while using architectural devices, such as smart glazing and interior light shelves, to control heat gain.

5. Thermally efficient building envelope with high R-value wall and roof insulation and low U-value windows is one of the best strategies for reducing energy use in both hot and cool climates.

6. Energy Star labeled windows

7. An Energy Star rating for office equipment

8. Renewable, site-generated energy offers an excellent option for reducing fossil fuel use and adding more sustainable options to the nation’s energy infrastructure.

Pollution

• Contamination of the environment from building-related processes is a massive problem and a complex one because earth, water and air all interact with each other

Soil Pollution

• Landfills remain the primary means for the disposal of waste.

• The interior designer can help minimize soil pollution by reusing materials and specifying nontoxic materials.

Water Pollution

• Limiting the total area of impervious surfaces, such as asphalt and concrete, on a project site, and maximizing vegetated areas reduces the amount of stormwater runoff and associated pollutants.

Global Atmospheric Pollution

• Among the major global atmospheric pollutants,

• Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is primarily emitted from power generation plants, petroleum re- fineries, steel mills and fertilizer manufacturers.

• Nitrogen oxides (NO2 ) are emitted in great quantities from electrical utilities and industrial boilers.

• These two chemicals are the main contributors to acid rain, which is destroying forests.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

• The greenhouse effect results when gases in the atmosphere absorb radiation from the earth’s surface, trapping heat in the atmosphere.

• Human activities, have dramatically increased atmospheric concentrations of these greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2 ), methane (CH4 ) and nitrous oxide (N2 O), thereby contributing to global warming.

Light Pollution

• Poorly designed exterior or landscaping lighting schemes cause glare and may result in light spill into neighboring homes and properties, reducing night-sky views, wasting energy and disrupting local nocturnal habitats.

Integrated Design and Green Building Rating Systems • Using an integrated design process along with a green building

rating system, such as LEED® and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Model Green Home Building Guidelines, can improve building design by including concern for environmental impacts during the design process, in addition to aesthetics, function, durability, maintenance and cost.

• A green building rating system is often used during the team meeting at the beginning of the project, to guide discussion and help the team consider ecological, sustainability and health factors in a comprehensive manner.