SUSTAINABLE CITIES

If i b d i ll…If we are serious about dramatically reducing the consumption of fossil fuels and emission of greenhouse gases and air pollutants on this planet, we must p p ,

rethink the way we build cities… 

Question #1:  Is it possible to build f i i ?car‐free cities?

No more noise and congestion

No more traffic fatalities

No more dangerous streets

Freedom for the disabled

Better air

Less obesity and stress

Reduced vehicle costs

Low‐Density Sprawl is C D d tCar‐Dependent

Transit stations are too far fromtoo far from trip origins 

andand destinations.

High‐Density Cities are Cl d ith CClogged with Cars

Ground  level tripslevel trips are too far to walkto walk.

Paradox of IntensificationParadox of Intensification

Urban intensification reduces per capita car use improving global environment, p g g ,but it also increases traffic congestion worsening the local environmentworsening the local environment.

…Melia, Parkhurst, Barton 2011

Question #2:  Is it possible to build f ll t t d iti ?fully‐protected cities?

Protected from Hurricanes

Blizzards

Dust Storms

Freezing Rain

Heat Waves

More Escape Routes

Buckminster Fuller’s Geodesic Dome

Shimizu Pyramid, Tokyo Bay

Houston Dome on Discovery Channel

Free‐Standing Domes and PyramidsFree Standing Domes and Pyramids

• Require massive support structures• Require massive support structures• Must  be built all at once

Question #3:  Is it possible to build iti ?zero‐energy cities?

Exposed Surface AreaM i i H t T fMaximizes Heat Transfer

R = Ratio of Floor Area toExposed Surface AreaExposed Surface Area

N stories

NLW

N stories

LWH)WL(2NLWR

L W

H

L W

R          Energy Consumption

Skyscrapers:  R < 3

Sprawl:  R < 1

NASA Building with 50 Stories:  R > 11 

Block Buildings

• No natural light penetration• No natural light penetration• No interior views• Claustrophobic• Not livable

Greenplex:Greenplex: A Transformative Shift TowardsA Transformative Shift Towards 

Car‐Free, Zero‐Energy, Fully‐Protected, 3D Cities

Greenplex = Tall Buildings

Greenplex = Tall Buildings + Skybridges

Petronas Towers, Malaysia

Linked Hybrid, Beijing

Hong Kong             Shenzhen  

Pinnacle@Duxton, Singapore

Highly‐ConnectedHighly Connected

• Skybridges provide multiple escape routesSkybridges provide multiple escape routes• Skybridges provide multiple access pointsSk b id d d l l i• Skybridges reduce ground‐level congestion

• Mix space both vertically and horizontally• Fully exploit the vertical dimension• Keep walking distances less than half‐mileKeep walking distances less than half mile

Greenplex = Tall Buildings + Skybridges+ ETFE Atria+ ETFE Atria

Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene(ETFE)

• Lightweight

(ETFE)g g

• Transparent• FlexibleFlexible• Easy to repair• Noncombustible• Noncombustible• Self‐cleaningR l bl• Recyclable

• Inexpensive• Low embodied energy

Water Cube, Beijing

Allianz Arena, Munich

Failsworth School, Oldham, UK

Earthpark, Iowa

Xi Gallery, South Korea

Khan Shatyr Center, Kazakhstan

Fully‐ProtectedFully Protected

• ETFE atria protect people from severe weather• ETFE envelope reduces exposed surface areaETFE envelope reduces exposed surface area• ETFE atria provide open viewsETFE i id l li h i• ETFE atria provide natural light penetration

Greenplex = Tall Buildings + Skybridgesh l+ ETFE Atria + Green Technologies

• Ground‐source heat pumps• Hydronic heating and coolingHydronic heating and cooling• Natural ventilationS l d i d• Solar and wind

• Circulating multi‐car elevators• Onsite wastewater treatment

Ground‐Source Heat Pumps

Ground stays constant temperature year round

Hydronic Heating and Cooling

Hot / cold waterHot / cold water circulates in floors or ceilingsor ceilings

• No air ducts• No fans• No noise• No dustNo dust

Natural V til tiVentilation

(Stack Effect)

Solar and Wind

Circulating Multi‐Car Elevators

Onsite Wastewater Treatment

lGreenplex =Tall BuildingsTall Buildings + Skybridges + ETFE Atria + Mixed Use+ Mixed Use 

+ Green Technologies ‐ Cars

ArchitecturalDiversity

LivableSpaceSpace

Incremental Construction

Parkview Green, Beijing

Integrated Design Associates, ARUP

2x18story + 2x9story Buildings

Skybridges plus ETFE Roof

LEED  OpenedPlatinumRating

Opened2012

Rating

University City Greenplex, Provo• Fastest growing metropolitan area in USA• Worst air in the nation• Worst air in the nation• BYU campus: 292 buildings 0.84km2 floor area• Off‐campus student housing: 0.67km2 floor area• Faculty/staff housing: 0.89km2 floor area• Stores, schools, churches, recreation, hospitals• Housing for people operating these services• Housing for people operating these services• Everyone who lives here works here, and vice versa• No agriculture or manufacturing (goods imported)

100 Buildings (40m x 40m, 20m gap)(36x30s+28x40s+20x50s+12x60s+4x70s)(36x30s+28x40s+20x50s+12x60s+4x70s)

People > 100,000

0.58km

Floor Area=6.7km2R > 8

Interconnected Greenplex Cities

Staggering reduction infossil fuel consumption

Land restored from sprawl to green

Greenplex Research Professors• Rick Balling, structural engineer• Carol Ward sociologist• Carol Ward, sociologist• Grant Schultz, transportation engineer• Matt Jones ener en ineer• Matt Jones, energy engineer• Brett Borup, water engineer• Clifton Farnsworth, construction manager• Michael Clay, urban planner• Larry Walters, public manager• Patrick Tripeny, architectp y

Greenplex Research Partners

• BYU Office of Space Managementp g• Provo City Planning Division• Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat• Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat• Parkview Green

Greenplex Proposals

• Environmental Protection Agencyg y– People, Planet, Prosperity Program

• National Science Foundation• National Science Foundation– Environmental Sustainability Program

B k i t F ll Ch ll• Buckminster Fuller Challenge

Amy McCall, PhDSkyscraper Analysis / Optimi ationSkyscraper Analysis / Optimization• 16 to 100 Building Box and Pyramid Greenplexes• Gravity, Wind, and Seismic Loading• Core‐Megacolumn‐Outrigger Modelg gg• With and without skybridges and ETFE

Skybridge ConnectionSkybridge Connection

Roller Hinge RigidRoller Hinge Rigid 

Buildings swayindependently

Buildings swayin unison

Buildings lengthen andindependently in unison g

shorten

Ryan Bessey, MSLightweight FlexibleLightweight, Flexible,

Spring‐Cable Support Systemp g pp y

V ti l i i t l i t bVertical springs in telescoping tubes allow differential building displacements

Bradley Mecham, MSOptimi ation of Space Use andOptimization of Space Use and 

Transport with Genetic Algorithmp g

Minimize travel time and energy consumption

Sam Christensen, MSHVACL E C tiHVACL Energy Consumption

DOE SoftwareConductionConvectionRadiationIllumination

lComputational Fluid Dynamics S ftSoftware

National Academy of Engineering One of 14 Grand Challenges 

for the 21st Century:for the 21st Century:Restore and Improve pUrban Infrastructure

Will we continue to build the same cities we have in the past, 

ill b ild hi b ?or will we build something better?

Sustainable Cities

Sustainable