Architecture Commons^™

Green Buildings: A Maltese Perspective, Kevin Muscat

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

As construction and building development increases in the local scene, and the threat of climate change escalates, addressing green buildings on the national agenda is of vital importance. The building sector has a significant potential to implement positive change and hence become more efficient in terms of resource use. The term ‘green’ has been widely used throughout the last few decades to denote environmentally friendly policies, principles and measures. The ever growing popularity of the term was brought about by increasing concerns and issues such as those pertaining to climate change, energy crisis and resource depletion. Central to this debate …

Transportation Energy Analysis For Single-Family Residential Construction In California, Tyler Langley

Master's Theses

Transportation Energy Analysis for Single-Family Residential Construction in California

Tyler Langley

Since the oil crisis of 1973, energy use in the United States of America has been a growing area of concern. Studies have shown that the construction industry is responsible for almost half of all annual energy consumption. With this awareness, the analysis of energy use within the related construction fields has become an emergent subject. One facet of construction energy use that has been less studied than others is that of the energy consumed in transporting building materials from manufacturing plants to construction sites. This thesis proposes a …

The Reduction Of Run-Off Water With An Eco-Friendly Walkway, Marcelo Punches

Horticulture and Crop Science

Water run-off can erode slopes and cause flooding in undesirable locations. With the use of permeable pavers we reduce water run-off issues. Normal pavers or concrete displace water to an unnatural location. This can lead to soil becoming too saturated with water and harm nearby plant life. Using different size rock layers will allow for fast infiltration and percolation of water. LED lights were also installed on this project to complement the permeable pavers.

Perceptions And Evaluation Of An Urban Environment For Pedestrian Friendliness: A Case Study, Elizabeth H. Lee

Master's Theses

Public health is an increasingly important issue addressed from both environmental and public health sectors for the future development of urban environments. From a planning perspective, one possible solution is to increase walkability throughout the cities. Many assessment methods are being developed and administered to evaluate the quality of existing urban environments to promote walkable cities/communities. The results from using these methods provide policymakers and stakeholders with valuable information regarding the existing physical conditions of the environment. Although several US cities started to develop and refocus plans toward pedestrian-oriented policies approaches, results from this particular study determined that the quality …

A Comparative Study Of Three Growing Media And Four Plant Groups Under Extensive Green Roof Conditions In San Luis Obispo, Ca, Todd Alan Nelson

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT A Comparative Study of Three Growing Media and Four Plant Groups Under Extensive Green Roof Conditions in San Luis Obispo, California Todd A. Nelson Green roof growing media and plant species are critical factors when deciding on the best materials for a project. Growing media must be chosen in accordance with load bearing capacities of structures and water requirements of the plant material. Plant species must be able to thrive in the climate of the green roof and withstand a green roof’s harsh environment. The objectives of this research were: (1) to determine which of three extensive green roof …

Backyard Landscaping Design And Irrigation, Diana Eckert, Lauren Eckert

Horticulture and Crop Science

This project will involve designing and installing a drought friendly landscape in Los Angeles County, specifically in the San Fernando Valley where water restrictions are among the harshest. Along with being a landscape that needs little water, the design also needs to be safe for small children and pets. The backyard that will be designed has a large pool and a small rock garden area with a few succulent plants and some dying groundcover chaotically tossed in. The aim of this project is to design and install a landscape that is easily maintained, safe, and visually appealing while still following …

Water Conservation For The County Of San Luis Obispo, Dimitri Theodore Antoniou

Master's Theses

This study is an academic research project completed to satisfy the California Polytechnic Master Thesis Requirement for the Master Degree of City and Regional Planning in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design.

The County of San Luis Obispo Planning and Building Department is the client for this professional project. The project was requested by the County of San Luis Obispo to assist in its water conservation efforts and to help achieve a 20 percent per capita reduction of water use by the year 2020.

The project consists of two documents: A Handbook of Water Conservation Technologies and Practices (Handbook) …

Greywater As A Method Of Water Conservation In Arroyo Grande, Danielle Castle

Master's Theses

The purpose of this professional project is to address the practical implications of decentralized greywater usage in the City of Arroyo Grande. This professional project consists of two products: a brief greywater guide for the City and a background report. The greywater guide is intended for city planners to use for general information about greywater systems. The guide addresses Arroyo Grande’s potable water shortage; what greywater is; advantages and concerns about greywater use; plants that are tolerant and intolerant of greywater irrigation; appropriate detergents to use with a greywater system; and a summary of California greywater law. The background report …

Retrofitting Existing Commercial Buildings In The Desert Southwest To Be Energy Efficient, Andrea Lee Wilkins

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research proposes recommendations specific to the desert southwest for retrofitting existing commercial buildings. A dry, arid region such as Las Vegas, Nevada must contend with different ecological concerns than other parts of the United States. The city of Las Vegas sits in a valley in the Mojave Desert of the Southwestern United States and has a population of over 2.5 million inhabitants. The Las Vegas summers are rather hot and frequently exceed 100 degrees F, while the winters are usually mild, about 60-70 degrees F with cool nights. The state of Nevada receives an average of four inches of …

The Architecture Of Terroir: A Phenomenological Approach To The Design Of A Winery, Marina Gabriela Betti Albiero Brink

Honors Capstone Projects - All

The process of winemaking is a complex one that engages all the senses. Grapes are harvested at their optimal point for making wine. This is determined by the human touching of the grape still on the vine. In fermentation, the temperature of the room is critical in determining the quality of the wine produced. While aging, the smell and color engage the senses in testing the wine’s development. Tasting is not only a final step but also one that occurs throughout the winemaking process. In most instances, the sensory experience associated with winemaking is exclusive to the winemaker. I am …

An Exploratory Study On Energy Consumption Of Energy Star And Non-Energy Star Homes, Prajakta Kulkarni

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The reduction of energy consumption is one of the economic necessities in the United States due to depleting energy sources in the world. The construction industry is stepping forward to reduce the energy consumption of buildings by efficient designs or by constructing buildings with energy efficient materials and features. In 1992, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) introduced the Energy Star Program to promote energy efficient products with the same or improved services. According to the EPA, Energy Star homes, which use these products, will consume 20 to 30 percent less energy than non-Energy Star …

The Integration Of Biomimicry Into A Built Environment Design Process Model: An Alternative Approach Towards Hydro-Infrastructure, Timothy Lee Albertson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Current methods and processes that support the planning, design and construction of a sustainable built environment include ambiguous principles (Roseland 2000), lack feedback loops (Van Bueren and Jong 2007) and lack a common language between disciplines (Brandon et al 1997). As a result of 3.8 billion years of "research and development" (evolution), nature provides a set of design blueprints that may be used to guide us to create elegant, sustainable, and innovative designs for human technologies (Benyus 1997). The field of biomimicry analyzes nature's best ideas and adapts them for human use (Benyus 1997). The built environment could benefit from …

Old To Green: A Green Renovation To A Historic Home And Its Important Role In The Current Green Building Era, Stacey Ann Hefley

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify the basic components of a green renovation project in accordance with sustainable design principles and to exemplify the applicability of each component of a historic home. The focus on historic homes in particular is to explore the important role they can play in the sustainable home building industry. With so much attention focusing on new home construction nowadays, there is concern that the critical contribution historic homes can make to the environment is being overlooked. Their role in the building design and construction industry is not only beneficial to sustain our environment, …

Laurel Community Farmstand, Terje Johansen

Horticulture and Crop Science

The project was for us to come up with a temporary farmstand that would be set up to sell fruits and vegetables but mainly to draw people to the area to bring awareness that there were plans to build a development at that location. Our group, Dana Curtice, Robert Vasilieff and Terje Johansen met with the developers three times. New ideas and information were presented in the first two meetings. The third meeting was to present our final design.

Re-Designing The 'Great Australian Dream': Creating A More Sustainable Housing Future, Eko Pam

Theses : Honours

Sustainable design is a buzzword in the field of architecture, yet very few houses built in Western Australia last year had an environmentally friendly focus. Through much debate and research, designers now have a thorough understanding of the environmental impact ofhousing (Kibert, 2005; Roaf, 2001; Yeang, 1995). The result is that architects worldwide are now offering a more sustainable housing model. These houses are expensive and look very different to the popular project homes. Despite this environmental awareness, the homes Western Australians build appear to be growing larger, with little regard for their future sustainability. There is reluctance among Australians …