Part I: Sustainable DesignPart II: Case StudyPart III: Architecture

These notes are a test.

Sustainable DesignProfessor John E. Fernandez

FALL TERM 2004SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING: MIT

4.461: Building Technology 1

Sustainable DesignProfessor John E. Fernandez

FALL TERM 2004SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING: MIT

4.461: Building Technology 1

Part I: Sustainable Design

• Context: Space and TimeBoundaries are drawn such that one captures adequate time and space to allow for a net positive effect from the process and product of the built project.

• Priority: Dual BeneficiariesDesign within these time and space boundaries fulfills the needs of both the present and future generations.

Spatial Project AreaProject

TIME

Past

TIME

Future

Period of Direct Influence

COPYRIGHT JOHN E. FERNANDEZ: BUILDING TECHNOLOGY GROUP: MIT

Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS

Part I: Sustainable DesignContextSpace

Sustainable design requires a reconsideration of the spatial boundaries (and scales) that one addresses in assessing the impact of the work. Consideration is given to the ecology and environment of each:

• Global• Regional• Urban• Building Image courtesy of NASA Image courtesy of MassGIS.

COPYRIGHT JOHN E. FERNANDEZ: BUILDING TECHNOLOGY GROUP: MIT

Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS

Part I: Sustainable DesignContextTimeSustainable design requires

the reconsideration of the span of time in which one is assessing the impact of the work.

Building Lifetime: 50 years• Life Cycle Assessment

(LCA)

Site Lifetime: eternal COPYRIGHT JOHN E. FERNANDEZ: BUILDING TECHNOLOGY GROUP: MIT

Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS

Part I: Sustainable Design

Spatial Project AreaProject

TIME

Past

TIME

Future

Period of Direct Influence

Past Generation

Future Generation

Period of Indirect Influence

Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS

Part II: Case StudyUsing LCA, the following is

a comparison of structural materials for on-site construction of an assembly.

Construction energy and grreenhouse gas emissions were examined in five general categories:

1. Transportation of the construction crew to and from the site.

2. Transportation of materials to the site

3. Transportation of equipment to and from the site.

4. Use of on-site equipment.

5. Supporting processes, such as from-work and temporary heating.

8

Structural Assembly

Construction Energy: Wood Structural AssembliesConst

ruct

ion E

ner

gy

(MJ/

m2)

20

15

10

5

0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Ave.

On-site equipment use

Equip. & materials trans.

Worker transportation

3.0

3.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Ave.

Const

ruct

ion E

mis

sions

(Kg/m

2)

Structural Assembly

Construction Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Wood Structural Assemblies

On-site equipment use

Equip. & materials trans.

Worker transportation

Image by MIT OCW.

Image by MIT OCW.

Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS

Case Study

Const

ruct

ion E

ner

gy

(MJ/

m2)

20

15

10

5

0

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 24 25 26 27 Ave.23

Structural Assembly

Construction Energy: Steel Structural Assemblies

On-site equipment use

Equip. & materials trans.

Worker transportation

Const

ruct

ion E

mis

sions

(Kg/m

2)

3.0

2.5

1.5

2.0

1.0

0.5

0

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Ave.

Structural Assembly

Construction Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Steel Structural Assemblies

On-site equipment use

Equip. & materials trans.

Worker transportation

Image by MIT OCW.

Image by MIT OCW.

Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS

Case Study

Const

ruct

ion E

ner

gy

(MJ/

m2)

Structural Assembly

120

100

60

80

40

20

0

28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 Ave.

Construction Energy: Concrete Structural Assemblies

On-site equipment use

Equip. & materials trans.

Worker transportation

Const

ruct

ion E

mis

sions

(Kg/m

2) 25

20

10

15

5

0

28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 Ave.

Structural Assembly

Construction Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Concrete Structural Assemblies

On-site equipment use

Equip. & materials trans.

Worker transportation

Image by MIT OCW.

Image by MIT OCW.

Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS

Case Study

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

34

67

26

2425

21

23

27

28

38

3233

35

29

36 30

3731

39

20

1514

7

69

8

5

1

4

1213

23

Construction Energy (MJ/m2)

Worker Transportation/Construction Energy

Work

er

Tra

nsp

ort

ation E

nerg

y (

%)

Concrete

Wood

Steel

1918

1110

22

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

0 5 10 15 20 25

Work

er

Tra

nsp

ort

ation G

reenhouse

G

ase

s (%

)

38

39

34

24

27

26

17

2521

20

18

2829

35

32

33

3630

3731

15

1312

4

21

5 Concrete

Wood

Steel

14

Construction Energy (Kg/m2)

Worker Transportation/Construction Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Image by MIT OCW.

Image by MIT OCW.

Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS

Case Study

5

10

15

20

25

30

0

0 200 400 600 800 1000

3632

31

35

34

28

191817

33

376

8

1

3

Initial Embodied Energy (MJ/m2)

Const

ruct

ion E

nerg

y (

%)

16

211

10

Concrete

Steel

Wood

Construction/Embodied Energy (excluding Worker Transportation)

36

37

35

2834

32

31

33

5

10

15

20

25

30

0

0 50 100 150 200 250

Const

ruct

ion E

mis

sions

(%)

Concrete

Steel

Wood

11

10

8

2

1

6

3 1918

1617

Initial Embodied Greenhouse Gases (Kg/m2)

Construction/Embodied Greenhouse Gas Emissions (excluding Worker Transportation)

Image by MIT OCW.

Image by MIT OCW.

Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS

Case Study

5

10

15

20

25

30

0

0 200 400 600 800 1000

Initial Embodied Energy (MJ/m2)

Const

ruct

ion E

nerg

y (

%)

Concrete

Steel

Wood

32

35

32

28

36

31

33

37116

1

2

8

310

17

1619 18

Construction/Embodied Energy (including Worker Transportation)

Initial Embodied Greenhouse Gases (Kg/m2)

5

10

15

20

25

30

0

0 50 250200150100

Const

ruct

ion E

mis

sions

(%)

Concrete

Steel

Wood

36

28

8

1

3

6

2

32

35

34

33

31

37

11

10

17

1619

18

Construction/Embodied Greenhouse Gas Emissions (including Worker Transportation)

Image by MIT OCW.

Image by MIT OCW.

Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS

Case Study

Transportation - of workers and equipment - to and from the site represents the largest proportion of construction energy use for every material.

10

20

30

40

50

60

80

70

0

Const

ruct

ion E

nerg

y (

MJ/

m2)

Average Construction Energy for Wood, Steel, and Concrete Assemblies

On-site equipment use

Equip. & materials trans.

Worker transportation

Wood

Steel

Concrete

Average Construction Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Wood, Steel, and Concrete Assemblies

2

4

6

8

10

14

12

0

Const

ruct

ion G

reenhouse

Gase

s (K

g/m

2)

On-site equipment use

Equip. & materials trans.

Worker transportation

WoodSteel

Concrete

Image by MIT OCW.

Image by MIT OCW.

Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS Sustainable Design4.461 CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS