IB Design and
Technology
AHL: Sustainable Development
Sustainable building design
Case Study – The Gherkin Building
A Landmark on the Green Scene
Arrives: “Guardian 12 October 2007”
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Read article A landmark on the green scene arrives
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http://arts.guardian.co.uk/greatbuildings/story/0,,2187144,00.html
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It was not only its towering height that made The Gherkin a landmark on London's
skyline and architectural history; the sleek and shiny exterior of the offices at 30 St
Mary Axe hide its credentials as the UK's first environmentally progressive,
commercial high-rise building. Its bulging conical shape reduces wind turbulence,
and structural engineers Ove Arup's solution for the external skin - a lattice
composed of A-shaped steel modules filled with glass panels - forms a rigid frame
which provides structural support, leaving the interior airily column-free. The
Gherkin's advanced energy-saving systems include shafts between floors providing
natural ventilation throughout, a double-glazing skin acting as a unique airsandwiching insulation and passive solar heating for the cold winter days. Foster and
Partners have been working with eco-orientated methods for years, and in-depth
research and development led to the Gherkin's organic shape, which provides
abundant natural light in the interior, combined with high-tech adaptability and
sustainability advantages. The building is said to use around a third of the energy
that any similar-sized air-conditioned tower would use - the occupiers should be able
to turn off cooling and ventilation for 40% of the year - and its hundreds of glass
windows can actually open, despite the height.
Gherkin Building – Sir
Norman Foster
Definitions
 Intelligent buildings applies technology to improve the building
environment and functionality for occupants and tenants while
controlling costs to improve end user security, comfort and
accessibility and help user productivity.
 Video link: Green skyscrapers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NL_ZUhDfng
Key objectives:
Effective energy management for system e.g. provides lower
energy costs, avoids waste of energy by managing occupied
space and makes use of staff through centralised control and
integrating information from different sources.
Definitions
 Living buildings: Houses and offices designed to function like living
organisms specifically adapted to place, and able to draw all of
their requirements for energy and water from the surrounding sun,
wind and rain.
Key Features
 Harvest their own water and energy needs on site. Adapted
specifically to sire the climate and evolve as conditions change.
Operate pollution free and generate no waste that is not useful to
some other process in the building or the immediate environment.
Promote the health and well being of the inhabitants. Comprise
integrated systems that maximise efficiency and comfort. Improve
the health and diversity of the local eco system rather than
degrade it.
The Eden Project
Definitions
 Grey water: Waste water generated from processes such as
washing dishes, bathing and laundry.
 This water can be recycled.
 What can this water be used for ?
Definitions
 Black water: Water that contains
animal, human or food waste
and would not be reused for
other purposes.
Definitions
 Building envelope: The exterior surface of a buildings construction
– the walls, windows, roof and floor. Also referred to as “Building
shell.”
Empire Pool – Wembley
Arena
Definitions
 U Value: A measure of the
thermal conductance of a
material. The higher the U
value, the greater the
conductivity.
Definitions
 Passive solar design: The
technique of heating and cooling
a building naturally without the
use of mechanical equipment.
Definitions
 Active solar collection: The use
of the Sun’s energy to heat up
water and air directly.
Objectives for Sustainable
buildings
 Resource efficiently.
 Energy efficiency
 Pollution prevention including noise abatement
and indoor air quality.
 Harmonisation with the environment including
environmental assessment.
 Integrated and systemic approaches including
environmental management systems.
Task
 Looking at the Gherkin building justify
how each of the objectives for
sustainable buildings have been met.
 Website Links
 http://arts.guardian.co.uk/greatbuildings/s
tory/0,,2187113,00.html
Optimising material Water
Toilets – low flush cistern displacement.
Waterless – composting, incineration.
Urinals – waterless
Wash hand basins – push taps, flow controls.
Showers – Water saving shower heads or
systems.
 Water control in gardens and outside spaces
using grey water and rain water or auto shut off
systems.
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Optimising Manufacture
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Waste reduction
Pollution prevention
Use of recycled materials
Embodied energy reduction (the amount
of energy required for all the activities
associated wit the production process
E.g. raw materials to final product.
Optimising Operation
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Energy efficient
Water treatment and conservation.
Non toxic renewable energy sources.
Longer life of the operation that have
taken place.
Optimising Disposal
 Biodegradable
 Recyclable
 Reusable.
Waste Management
 Waste prevention.
 Recycling construction and demolition
materials.
 Architectural reuse (adaptive re use,
conservative disassembly, re use of
salvaged materials.
 Design for material recovery.
Optimising the
environment
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Indoor air quality
Visual quality
Acoustic quality
Noise level
System controllability.
 Design the ultimate sustainable house
Play a game: Climate change pentathlon - Green House
http://www.tearfund.org/Campaigning/Climate+change+and+disaster
s/pentathlon
Contribution of the building envelope to the
amount of energy used.
 The building envelope must balance requirements for
ventilation and daylight while providing thermal and
moisture protection appropriate to the prevailing climate.
 What are the main considerations to take into account
when selecting materials for the building envelope?
Lumbung Villa - Bali
The U Value
 Building materials conduct heat at different rates.
Components of the envelope:
 Walls
 Foundations
 Sills
 Studs
 Joists
 Connectors
can create paths for the transfer of thermal energy.
The material selected contributes to the heat loss or
gain from a building.
Determinations of heat
flow.
 Area of the building
 Thickness of the walls.
 Temperature difference between minimum
interior temperature and the maximum exterior
temperature.
 Thermal conductivity.
Reduction in energy
consumption in the US by
sustainable building design
compared to regular housing.
Calculating the U Value
 Heat flow = wall area X temperature
difference X U value.
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http://www.forconstructionpros.com/online/The-Shop/Warm-Up-to-aBetter-Work-Environment---Calculating-Btu/2FCP8439
Passive Solar Design
 Heat from the sun causes air movement which
can be predictable in designed spaces, thus
design elements such as Lumbumg design,
material choices and location can provide both
heating and cooling effects in a building.
Passive Solar Design
 Appropriate solar orientation – elongating
the east/west axis of a building.
Passive Solar Design
 Interior spaces requiring the most light
and heating/cooling should face the sun.
Less used spaces should be away from
the sun
Passive Solar Design
 Use of thermal mass, appropriate
ventilation and window replacements
and/or roof over hangings.
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Technology fact sheet:
http://eber.ed.ornl.gov/Residential_Products/Passivesolar_DOE_GO10099-790%20.pdf
Landscaping
 Careful landscaping can reduce cooling and/or heating
by 30%. Trees, grass and shrubs will also reduce air
temperature near the building.
 Trees provide shade
 Reduce the surface temperature of buildings.
 Prevent direct heat from windows.
 Deciduous trees |(wide leaf trees such as maple and
oak) can provide shade in the summer and admit light
in the winter when the leaves fall.
 Evergreen trees provide year round sun and wind
protection.
Natural Daylight
 Lighting accounts for 40-50% of total energy
consumption within households.
 The cooling required to counter balance the
heat generated by the use of light can account
for 3-5 % of energy consumption.
 Daylight reduces the need for electrical light
sources, cutting down on electricity and
associated pollution and costs.
 Scandinavia is one of the leading areas in the
world for use of sustainable building design
due to seasonal patterns.
Active solar collectors
Sun provides energy to heat water for
domestic use, pool heating, ventilation
air pre-heat and space heating.
Solar Panel
Water heating from domestic use is
generally the most economical
application of the solar systems.
Demand for hot water is
fairly consistent
throughout the year so
solar systems provide
year round energy
savings..
Collectors
Circulation
system
Control
system
Storage
tank
Back up
heating
system
Assessed Task
A gift for young business
leaders.
 Accompanying notes
 Story board
 Assessment