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Full-Text Articles in Architecture

Selecting The Best Thermal Building Insulation Using A Multi-Attribute Decision Model, Theodore J. Sotoropolis Mar 2008

Selecting The Best Thermal Building Insulation Using A Multi-Attribute Decision Model, Theodore J. Sotoropolis

Theses and Dissertations

Thermal building insulation has traditionally been viewed as a means to reduce thermal conductivity through the building envelope. Builders typically choose the least expensive material which meets the specifications in order to remain competitive. Other factors regarding long term health and environmental consequences are typically dismissed. However, a recent shift toward sustainability requires that architects and engineers take a more responsible approach to building design. This research takes a holistic approach to selecting thermal building insulation through the use of a multi-attribute decision model. Several types of insulating products from a variety of manufacturers were investigated in order to determine …


Mining Association Rules Between Credits In The Leadership In Energy And Environmental Design For New Construction (Leed-Nc) Green Building Assessment System, Benjamin J. Thomas Mar 2008

Mining Association Rules Between Credits In The Leadership In Energy And Environmental Design For New Construction (Leed-Nc) Green Building Assessment System, Benjamin J. Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Building Assessment System is a performance-based tool for determining the environmental impact of a facility from the whole-building perspective. Taking this vision into account, the individual credits that comprise LEED are designed to reward design teams for employing sustainable design strategies that reduce the total environmental impact across several sustainability issues. This study analyzed projects that have been certified in LEED for New Construction (LEED-NC) versions 2.0 and 2.1. Data on the credits achieved by the projects were mined using the Apriori algorithm which produced 641 association rules. These results were then …


Sustainable Design Policy And Leadership In Energy And Environmental Design Certification, David M. Nyikos Mar 2008

Sustainable Design Policy And Leadership In Energy And Environmental Design Certification, David M. Nyikos

Theses and Dissertations

The 2007 Air Force Sustainable Development and Design Policy mandates the use of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED ) criteria for military construction projects. Additionally, the policy authorizes adding two percent of the original building budget to the total building budget in order to fund the resulting sustainable design costs. To determine if the specific sustainable design goals of this policy had statistical support in the population of LEED certified buildings, the author gathered construction, cost, and utility data on a sample of 160 LEED certified buildings. Simple correlation and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the resulting …


Optimal Adoption Of Green Roofs: Hydrology And Public Finance Applications, Luke D. Stumme Mar 2008

Optimal Adoption Of Green Roofs: Hydrology And Public Finance Applications, Luke D. Stumme

Theses and Dissertations

New growth within established communities puts undue pressure on existing infrastructure which in turn, drives tax rate increases for all residents to cover. However, there are sustainable methods that municipalities can turn to that diminishes the local impacts of new growth on the community. Based on the absorptive nature of green roofs, the delayed release of stored rainfall volume diminishes the instances of combined sewer outflows as well as reduces the need for increased infrastructure to convey and treat stormwater discharge. A municipality can introduce planned percentages of green roof coverage which will diminish infrastructure improvement costs over time and …