Industry Colloquium Report, 2023 Build Digital
Industry Colloquium Report, Robert Moore
Reports
In the ever-evolving landscape of the construction industry, digital transformation has emerged as a pivotal force reshaping the way projects are conceived, executed, and delivered. This transformation, fuelled by cutting-edge technology and innovative practices, holds the promise of greater efficiency, sustainability, and collaboration within the construction sector.
This report offers a comprehensive summary of the Build Digital Project colloquium. It provides actionable insights and recommendations for clients, supply chain partners, and for prioritisation within the Build Digital Project pillars. As the industry partners seek to build a more efficient, sustainable, and collaborative construction sector, understanding and harnessing the invaluable insights …
Assessing Environmental Impact Of The Built Environment By Adopting Life Cycle Design: Using Swanton Pacific Ranch As A Case Study, 2023 California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Assessing Environmental Impact Of The Built Environment By Adopting Life Cycle Design: Using Swanton Pacific Ranch As A Case Study, Hope E. Springer
Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Management Projects
To combat the carbon emissions contributed to the atmosphere by the built environment, it is imperative that low-embodied-carbon materials choices be prioritized throughout the building design process. To achieve this, this professional project creates an Excel-based, open source, and user-friendly tool for the construction sector to make design decisions that prioritize the sustainability of structures, as one such tool does not currently exist. The use of OpenLCA software and the EcoInvent34 database are utilized to calculate the environmental impact of 25 different building materials, as well as energy and electricity consumption. Swanton Pacific Ranch (SPR) in Santa Cruz County is …
From Greens To General Plans: Reinventing Abandoned Golf Courses, 2023 California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
From Greens To General Plans: Reinventing Abandoned Golf Courses, Chloe Carolyn Partain
City and Regional Planning
This paper examines three case studies from different areas of the western United States to analyze the challenges and opportunities associated with redeveloping underutilized or abandoned golf courses. By examining how different communities from across the region have approached this process, this study aims to inform city planners, developers, policymakers, and other stakeholders about the intricacies and potential pitfalls of this process. It concludes with a list of necessary considerations for the redevelopment of any golf course and recommends best practices to follow throughout the process of redevelopment.
The Current State Of Practice Of Building Information Modeling, 2023 University of Massachusetts Amherst
The Current State Of Practice Of Building Information Modeling, Kevin P. Brooks
Masters Theses
Building Information Modeling (BIM) has become extremely prominent in the construction industry in the past twenty years. It serves as a digital repository that can, when used to its fullest potential, combine all aspects of designing, building, and managing a structure in one place, alongside all the data produced in those processes. The construction industry has to date struggled to increase productivity alongside similar fields, such as the manufacturing industry, though the construction industry generally has far more stakeholders on one project than the manufacturing industry. Further, building designs are becoming more complex while project schedules are becoming tighter. As …
Architecture Of Extraction: Imagining New Modes Of Inhabitation And Reclamation In The Mining Lifecyle, 2023 University of Massachusetts Amherst
Architecture Of Extraction: Imagining New Modes Of Inhabitation And Reclamation In The Mining Lifecyle, Erica Dewitt
Masters Theses
Mining is the primary method through which modern society obtains the minerals needed to fuel the global economy, provide for modern energy requirements, and support the built environment. Presently, mining accounts for nearly 1% of the global ice-free land surface, with a dramatic increase anticipated in the coming decades. Mining permanently changes and often destroys the pre-existing topography, hydrology, and ecology of the ground, and efforts to reclaim mining landscapes—with the aim of encouraging reforestation and soil replenishment—are often unsuccessful, rendering the land of abandoned mines both unusable and uninhabitable.
This thesis addresses the current state of mining in the …
Utopian Thought And Architectural Design, 2023 University of Massachusetts Amherst
Utopian Thought And Architectural Design, Anthony L. Faith
Masters Theses
This thesis proposes that architectural utopian ideas are the foundation for societal change. The communities that form from utopian ideas act as test sites for societal values on a microscale (Gondolf 1985). When communities work together on a utopian vision through dialogue, they avoid the pitfall of one person’s utopian vision being blanketed over the world (Schneekloth 1998). Utopian communities solve problems through experimentation that create different ways of living which act as visions that can provide hope (ibid). Ruth Levitas, author of The Concept of Utopia, defines utopia as “the expression of the desire for a better way of …
Improving Energy Efficiency Of School Buildings With Solar-Assisted Cooling For The Maldives, 2023 University of Massachusetts Amherst
Improving Energy Efficiency Of School Buildings With Solar-Assisted Cooling For The Maldives, Ahmed Fathhee
Masters Theses
Anthropogenic activities are responsible for the impact of global climate change because of burning fossil fuels releasing harmful gases into the environment. As a result, the global temperature has risen about 1.18 °C since 1880, causing the global sea level to rise by 178 mm over the past century. This is a threat to countries that are closer to the ocean, especially the low-lying countries such as the Maldives. It is predicted if the sea level keeps rising, most of these islands could be below sea level by 2030.
The Maldives has a tropical climate requiring cooling to achieve thermal …
Off-Grid Living For The Normative Society: Shifting Perception And Perspectives By Design, 2023 University of Massachusetts Amherst
Off-Grid Living For The Normative Society: Shifting Perception And Perspectives By Design, Patsun Lillie
Masters Theses
Off-grid houses in the United States are often connoted with mostly non-professional, home-made structures and isolated, hippie living in remote rural areas. These off-grid homeowners may also complete their consumer-independent commitment with a minimal-waste, land-dependent lifestyle that includes methodical harnessing and recycling of resources and materials, raising livestock, and productive gardening on the property. This research paper explores the background, methods and kinds of typical off-grid living structures, their ability to harness natural resources for function and performance, and the ability of its occupants to remain resilient in the face of depleting fuel resources, extreme weather patterns, and rising costs …
Ten Questions Concerning Smart And Healthy Built Environments For Older Adults, 2023 University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Ten Questions Concerning Smart And Healthy Built Environments For Older Adults, Sanjay Kumar, Samuel H. Underwood, Julie L. Masters, Natalie A. Manley, Iason Konstantzos, Josephine Lau, Ryan Haller, Lily M. Wang
Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications
In the past decade, the term ‘global aging’ has gained much attention among researchers, policymakers, civil societies, and governments worldwide. The continuous decline in fertility rates and increased life expectancy have resulted in an ongoing demographic transition where the share of adults aged 65 or older is increasing and outnumbering children younger than five years. In the United States and other developed countries, this rapid demographic transition is expected to continue to strain the existing health infrastructure as it becomes increasingly challenging to ensure healthy living environments for older adults. The ten questions and answers in this paper have been …
A Case For Educational Communication On Sustainable Stormwater Management Sites Using Interpretive Methods: Applications For Utah State University, 2023 Utah State University
A Case For Educational Communication On Sustainable Stormwater Management Sites Using Interpretive Methods: Applications For Utah State University, Lilian Taft
All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023
Humans are increasingly urbanizing landscapes, lowering the land’s ability to infiltrate stormwater, increasing surface water runoff. This, combined with decreasing water availability in the Intermountain West, produces the issue of sustainable stormwater management. Professionals are moving toward green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), but public is often not aware of stormwater’s impacts on natural environments or what the purpose of GSI is. Stormwater management design techniques are evolving to use visible, sustainable methods celebrating stormwater, rather than treating the valuable resource as a disposable nuisance, channeling it underground and out of sight. Artful Rainwater Design (ARD), a technique coined by Stuart Echols …
Public Space And Well-Being: An Empirical Study Of Central Park In Old Louisville., 2023 University of Louisville
Public Space And Well-Being: An Empirical Study Of Central Park In Old Louisville., Maryam Entezam
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Urban green spaces have been receiving attention in urban planning and the health profession in the 21st century as environmental elements that contribute to well-being. This dissertation explored the relationship between green space usage and individuals’ physical, mental, and social well-being. This empirical research focused on Central Park in Old Louisville to examine how residents use the park and whether it contributes to the well-being of residents. After exploring the existing literature, I identified four well-being indices: (1) perceived health (PHI), (2) health outcome (HOI), (3) mental well-being (MWI), and (4) social well-being (SWI). Frequent Park usage is expected …
Exploring The Necessity Of Technology In Architectural Design: Moving Beyond Showcasing, 2023 Clemson University
Exploring The Necessity Of Technology In Architectural Design: Moving Beyond Showcasing, Ertunc Hunkar
All Theses
Advancements in technology, particularly computational design tools, have transformed the field of architectural design. However, it is crucial to evaluate the impact of technology on the core principles of problem-solving and the design process within architecture. This study aims to examine the consequences and opportunities associated with the integration of technology in architectural design, focusing on the necessity of maintaining a strong problem-solving foundation. Architectural problem-solving involves spatial organization, functional requirements, contextual integration, and user experience. These principles guide architects in addressing design challenges and achieving successful outcomes. The design process comprises stages such as research, analysis, concept development, and …
Evaluating Placemaking Strategies In Old Cairo Public Squares, Moaz St. Plazas., 2023 Future University in Egypt
Evaluating Placemaking Strategies In Old Cairo Public Squares, Moaz St. Plazas., Aya Tarek Ibrahem Aya Tarek
Future Engineering Journal
According to UN-Habitat (2015), “Public spaces are all places publicly owned or of public use, accessible and enjoyable by all for free and without profit motive” (p.1). The characteristics of public spaces mentioned in this definition, which are mainly public ownership of the place, enjoyability, and free accessibility by all, are pertinent to the uses of streets in general and pedestrian-friendly streets in specific.
Public space is more than well-designed physical places. It is an arena for social interaction and active citizenship that can spark social and economic development and drive environmental sustainability. The design, provision, and maintenance of well-connected …
Evaluation Of Static Horizontal Louvers On Annual Daylighting Performance In Classrooms, 2023 MSc. Candidate at Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University. And TA at Future University in Egypt (FUE). Kamal.selim@fue.edu.eg
Evaluation Of Static Horizontal Louvers On Annual Daylighting Performance In Classrooms, Kamal A. Saleem, Samir S. Hosny, Ashraf Nessim
Future Engineering Journal
Daylighting has a great impact on students’ health, learning performance, and productivity. The goal of this paper is to enhance daylighting performance by examining year-round daylighting performance of Southern facades in the case of one central window in a classroom located in Cairo, Egypt by using static external horizontal shading devices during the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters The scope of the study is to evaluate and assess the effect of the window-to-wall ratio (WWR) in addition to the louvers’ configurations of depth and count parameters of the classroom on annual daylighting performance metrics for classrooms’ southern facades by using …
The Spatiotemporal Variation Characteristics Of Urban Sustainability Based On The Sdgs In Yangtze River Delta, China, 2023 Thomas Jefferson University
The Spatiotemporal Variation Characteristics Of Urban Sustainability Based On The Sdgs In Yangtze River Delta, China, Xue Fang, Xinyu Shi, Tyson Keen Phillips, Peng Du, Weijun Gao
College of Architecture and the Built Environment Faculty Papers
At present, most developing countries need to improve the quality of the built environment by means of large-scale infrastructure construction, thereby promoting rapid urbanization. The quality of the built environment ((Formula presented.)) and its environmental pressure ((Formula presented.)) have become our primary focus to achieve a globally acknowledged vision of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this study, we proposed an overall workflow by combining the proven urban sustainability ((Formula presented.)) assessment tool with the evaluation process and the analysis of the spatiotemporal dimension to investigate the urban characteristics of the 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta. Our results …
Urban And Community Tree Cover In The Mountain West, 2023 University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Urban And Community Tree Cover In The Mountain West, Zachary Billot, Zachary Walusek, Annie Vong, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.
Environment
This fact sheet examines data on tree cover and impervious cover in urban land for the United States and for the five states in the Mountain West: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The original report includes data for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia
The Flow Of Power: Addressing Asymmetric Flood Risk In The Upper Valley, 2023 Dartmouth College
The Flow Of Power: Addressing Asymmetric Flood Risk In The Upper Valley, Eric Vr Hryniewicz
Geography Undergraduate Senior Theses
Floods are the most damaging natural disasters in America. Land use change in upland watersheds can increase the probability and severity of floods (Bronstert, Niehoff, & Burger, 2002). When watersheds are divided by political and private property boundaries it leads to a misalignment of incentives in which downstream users lack recourse for upstream land use decisions contributing to flood risk. In this thesis, researchers interrogate the attributes of town officials and towns that determine what motivates town governments to act on flooding and what motivates and enables town officials to collaborate on planning and how do they collaborate in practice. …
The Impact Of Biophilic Attributes On University Students Level Of Satisfaction: Using Virtual Reality Simulation, 2023 The British University in Egypt
The Impact Of Biophilic Attributes On University Students Level Of Satisfaction: Using Virtual Reality Simulation, Amira Mohamed Mahrous, Khaled Dewidar, Mostafa Refaat, Ashraf Nessim
Architectural Engineering
Biophilic design is a new approach that can enhance human psychological well-being. Most recent studies focus on applying biophilic design to hospitals or office buildings, not academic buildings. While usually ignored, students' level of satisfaction is one of the most important key indicators for a successful learning environment. This paper aims to identify the biophilic design attributes that can potentially contribute to enhancing the students' level of satisfaction. This will be done through an experimental research design using virtual reality in a design studio at The British University in Egypt. Each participant (N = 52) was exposed to the existing …
Beyond Burial - Transforming Death: A New Ritual Of Farewell And The Ecological Return Of The Body To Nature, 2023 Rhode Island School of Design
Beyond Burial - Transforming Death: A New Ritual Of Farewell And The Ecological Return Of The Body To Nature, Chang Xie
Masters Theses
Burial and funeral culture have been shaped by human self-awareness and reflect an anthropocentric worldview. The modern funeral industry's multi-billion-dollar enterprise is based on the principle of protecting, sanitizing, and beautifying the corpse to promote the idea of human exceptionalism. However, this practice overlooks the natural process of decay and the potential beauty in returning the body to the earth, with which the body shares the same chemical basis as the earth itself. Modern science has provided Eco-friendly green burial methods, such as soil modification, ice burial, and water burial, making it suitable to contribute to natural ecology using human …
Nature As Material, Time As Tool, 2023 Rhode Island School of Design
Nature As Material, Time As Tool, Chuchu Chen
Masters Theses
No building stands forever. Over time, the natural environment acts upon the outer surface of the building, leading to the failure of materials and the final dissolution of the structure itself, leading to ruin. In order to prevent this or retard its occurrence, we constantly maintain and renew the things we build. Nature seems to stand in opposition to architecture. The passage of time is constantly subtracting from the building. However, what differentiates nature from architecture? This thesis questions whether these two are not opposed, but on a continuous spectrum. Approaching the building as part of the overall environment that …