Architecture Commons^™

The Human Green Office Experience: Happy And Healthy Or Sick And Frustrated?, Lynne Armitage, Ann Murugan

Lynne Armitage

Adopting the proposition that the effect on people using, interacting or working in a ‘green’ workplace environment is not currently clear nor fully understood, the purpose of this research is to examine what the green workplace environment is like from the perspective of one of this sub group – the users’/employees’– especially when it comes to satisfaction levels and health outcomes. This study examines and compares responses between employees in green and in non-green workplace environments in order to determine if a gap exists between the satisfaction and health levels of these two groups. The survey covers 351 employee respondents …

Sense In The City: Making The Gold Coast An Intelligent And Sustainable City, Bhishna Bajracharya, David Cattell, Daryl Mcphee, Linda Too, Isara Khanjanasthiti

Linda Too

Many cities are facing challenges of urban sprawl, traffic congestion, diminishing quality of life and increasing pressure on their natural environment. Recent advancements in information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as wireless sensor networks and ubiquitous computing are potential tools for addressing these problems. How can the emerging technologies be used to create smarter, greener and more economically efficient cities? To what extent can ubiquitous technologies add value to place, community and environment? The paper examines current trends in ICTs such as wireless sensor networks, RFID, mobile devices and their potential roles in making cities sustainable. The paper develops a …

Sense In The City: Making The Gold Coast An Intelligent And Sustainable City, Bhishna Bajracharya, David Cattell, Daryl Mcphee, Linda Too, Isara Khanjanasthiti

Daryl McPhee

Many cities are facing challenges of urban sprawl, traffic congestion, diminishing quality of life and increasing pressure on their natural environment. Recent advancements in information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as wireless sensor networks and ubiquitous computing are potential tools for addressing these problems. How can the emerging technologies be used to create smarter, greener and more economically efficient cities? To what extent can ubiquitous technologies add value to place, community and environment? The paper examines current trends in ICTs such as wireless sensor networks, RFID, mobile devices and their potential roles in making cities sustainable. The paper develops a …

Sense In The City: Making The Gold Coast An Intelligent And Sustainable City, Bhishna Bajracharya, David Cattell, Daryl Mcphee, Linda Too, Isara Khanjanasthiti

Bhishna Bajracharya

Many cities are facing challenges of urban sprawl, traffic congestion, diminishing quality of life and increasing pressure on their natural environment. Recent advancements in information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as wireless sensor networks and ubiquitous computing are potential tools for addressing these problems. How can the emerging technologies be used to create smarter, greener and more economically efficient cities? To what extent can ubiquitous technologies add value to place, community and environment? The paper examines current trends in ICTs such as wireless sensor networks, RFID, mobile devices and their potential roles in making cities sustainable. The paper develops a …

Architecture As Pedagogy: Designing Sustainable Schools As Three-Dimensional Textbooks, Ester Ehrlich Schwartz

Masters Theses

The importance of school buildings has been recognized as a fundamental element of modern society. Today, roughly a quarter of America’s population, including our youngest citizens, spend the majority of their days in school buildings. Still, many of our nation’s schools are in disrepair, with systems in need of repair or replacement.

Over the years, strong evidence and research have shown that school building impact student’s health and their ability to learn. Green schools mean healthier environments for students and staff. Pragmatically, we also know that that green schools save money. Energy-efficient buildings help reduce energy costs, which in turn …

Of Dirt And Decomposition: Proposing A Place For The Urban Dead, Katrina M. Spade

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

The intent of this thesis is to challenge our society’s existing options for the care and processing of the deceased, and to design a space and a ritual which are both deeply meaningful and ecologically beneficial. The community for whom this architecture is designed currently lacks the religious or cultural rituals which would otherwise guide them through the process of laying of their loved ones to rest. For this community, both traditional burial and cremation are devoid of meaning and culturally irrelevant ways of dealing with the deceased, in addition to being unnecessarily wasteful processes. Likewise, the community for which …

A Sustainable Urban Village For The "Six Corners" & "Old Hill" Neighborhoods Of Springfield, Massachusetts, Patricia O'Flaherty

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

In the United States, traditional urban centers, particularly in the Northeast, have suffered from neglect, dilapidation, and the general decay of their built environments over the last 50-60 years. Corresponding with this on the social side are increased poverty, unemployment, crime, and the disruption of the family unit.

Our current knowledge of the disciplines of architecture and sustainability can be applied to a built solution that will yield a greater public good. Good design can improve the lives of people by creating homes, neighborhoods, and villages that are comfortable, secure, and sustainable for all of the activities that make life …