Environmental Design Commons^™

Efficacy Of Passive Ventilation With High Exhaust Demands: A Case Study Of Cal Poly Sst, Siddarth Bokka

Construction Management

The Simpson Strong Tie Demonstration Laboratory serves as a multipurpose space allowing students at the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at California Polytechnic State University to build full scale construction projects. The building features a material storage area, a high bay for construction of full-scale projects, and a mezzanine level that houses digital fabrication equipment. However, the building was never designed to house the specific equipment currently installed on the mezzanine and ventilate the exhaust fumes from them. Rather, the building relies on passive natural ventilation that is likely ineffective at properly exhausting hazardous fumes, resulting in complaints from …

Attainable And Sustainable Home Building Solutions, Katrina Matthews

Construction Management

Sustainability has fortunately been a recent concern in the construction industry as climate change continues to impose potentially insurmountable threats to the global environment. Although many new methods have been adopted in efforts to lessen the adverse environmental effects of construction-related activities, as a society, we still have much room for growth as the built environment accounts for almost 50% of global emissions. Many changes and standards must be adopted to make these solutions efficiently beneficial. To set industry standards, we must start with the most basic form of construction- residential building. This report covers two attainable framing solutions for …

City Farm Slo Garden For All Accessible Planter Beds, Allison C. Wild

Construction Management

This paper outlines the design, coordination, and construction efforts to build the Accessible Planter Boxes for the City Farm SLO’s Garden for All. The Garden for All was a concept created by the City Farm SLO staff to meet the need for an accessible learning space for students. The full design for the Garden for All also included mobile benches and tables, a shade structure, and decomposed granite pathways that were completed by other students. This project included the construction of 6 raised planter beds of differing heights and designs. Each planter bed was approximately 10 feet long and varied …

Exploring The Potential Of Pavegen’S Kinetic Energy Generating Floor For Sustainable Energy Solutions: A Proposal For Cal Poly Slo, Brandon J. Cuneo

Construction Management

This paper proposes the installation of Pavegen's kinetic energy generating floors at Cal Poly’s campus as a sustainable energy solution. Pavegen has developed a pioneering technology that converts footsteps into clean and renewable energy. The versatility of these floors is demonstrated through successful implementations in various settings, such as transportation hubs and public spaces, generating power from foot traffic. Collaborations with Schneider Electric, installation at Dupont Circle, and integration at Heathrow Airport showcase the potential for sustainable urban infrastructure. This paper outlines research conducted on Pavegen and similar solutions, including communication with company representatives and examining proposed installation locations at …

Center For Centering: Analysis Of A Modular Timber Dome, Lucas J. Brown

Architectural Engineering

Analysis of a modular timber dome with focus on inductive, sensory, social, and environmental aspects.

Electrochromic Windows: Return On Investment Analysis, Thomas Michael Caprio

Construction Management

In recent years, sustainability in construction has become a topic of undeniable interest. With sustainability certifications becoming more prominent and desirable, members of the construction industry have begun to seek alternatives for standard systems to keep up with market trends. One of the main issues that the construction industry faces is accessibility of technology. While there are new products and technologies being released frequently, members of the construction industry lack knowledge on the specific details and implications of working with newer systems. One piece of technology that was recently introduced is electrochromic glass, or smart glass. Electrochromic windows analyze sunlight …

Take Heart School, Quentin John Porter

Architectural Engineering

Journeyman International, also known as JI, is a non-profit organization that groups together design and construction students with organizations looking to build humanitarian projects around the world. This pairing is beneficial for both the organization because they get free design and construction expertise, as well as for the students who get real-world experience. The Take Heart School is a planned school and grounds for the region of Migori Kenya. Take Heart Africa is a fair trade store with all profits going to help the impoverished communities of Kenya. The three-acre site will have a school with eight classrooms, offices, a …

Difficulties Building Low-Income Housing And The View Of One Company: A Case Study, Kyle Henriken

Construction Management

This case study investigates low-income housing and why it can be more difficult to build compared to other construction projects. Five individuals of PREMIER Design + Build Group were interviewed and gave their opinions on the subject. Each person interviewed has a different role in the company a market leader, project manager, superintendent, and a project engineer to gain a more diverse view on low-income housing. These interviews were semi-structured and open ended to create dialogue about their experiences in affordable housing. This paper investigates a single project called The Cottages located in Lake Elsinore CA. This process found that …

Cm Member Of Slocoe Peace Conference Center Feasibility Study, Jackson Reynolds

Construction Management

This paper describes the parking design and estimate portion of a whole feasibility study conducted by an interdisciplinary team. The interdisciplinary team consisted of three senior undergraduate industrial engineering students, and one senior undergraduate construction management student. This feasibility study was conducted for the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education (SLOCOE) to determine if it is feasible to construct a new, 400-person conference center on a site in San Luis Obispo, CA. The complete study includes analyses of the following topics: economic, utilities, traffic/road, approval from Chumash Tribe, social/historical, climate, geological, vegetation and wildlife, noise and pollution, parking, mandatory …

Comparing The Environmental Impacts Of Using Mass Timber And Structural Steel, Khang Hoang Nguyen, Steelee Knight Morgan

Construction Management

Although mass timber has seen a gradual rise in demand in the past, there has been a lack of extensive research on the environmental impacts of using mass timber as a primary structural framing material. This paper compares structural steel, and mass timber’s total embodied carbon emissions. Accurate estimates were made using plans and specs for different projects retrieved from semi-structured interviews. The estimates were input through the EC3 Calculator to provide extensive total carbon emissions measurements between each construction material. Using structural steel framing increased the project’s overall environmental impact by roughly 84% compared to using mass timber. The …

Case Study: Google’S Unique Canopy Styled Construction, Ray A. Cuevas

Construction Management

In today’s rapidly changing world, builders are pushing to implement more sustainable practices and incorporate innovative techniques to integrate green practices into their structures. One of the latest examples of this push towards sustainability is seen in Google’s new headquarters, Charleston East located in Mountain View, California. Combining their widely known mission to provide a positive work environment for their employees with their passion to be more environmentally friendly, Google has set out to create a Living Building with LEED Platinum certification. In order to accomplish this Google has collaborated with Bjarke Ingels Group, Heatherwick Studio, and Hathaway Dinwiddie. The …

Poly Canyon Observation Deck, Sitora Vaxidova, Emir Kuljancic

Architectural Engineering

Poly Canyon Observation Platform is a proposed CM/ARCE interdisciplinary senior project with a goal of providing an observation point/rest stop for hikers and bikers. The platform has a shaded cover and seating area overlooking Poly Canyon for a rewarding experience after a long trek out to the lookout point.

Clothedral, Jacob T. Holmes, Andres Munoz, Sam Tenreiro Theis, Marta Blachowicz

Architectural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Is Zero Net Energy 2020 Actually Attainable, Perceptions Of Various Professionals Effected, Michael Aldridge

Construction Management

California has created a mandate that will require all new residential buildings to become Zero Net Energy by 2020. Some are already doing it others don’t know what it means, and some don’t think it will be possible. Those that already do it are doing it without any extra cost. All that is required is, on average, a 4KW roof solar panel system. This is something that easy to install and only requires a little more planning during the design phase. There are many other things that a designer and builder can do to successfully reach ZNE including focus on …

The Chorro Valley Trail From Cal Poly To Cuesta College, Nichole M. Garner

City and Regional Planning

No abstract provided.

Far West Water Ski Club Floating Dock Replacement, Jeffery L. Hadley

Construction Management

A project based senior project, the Far West Floating Dock Project included the design, procurement and construction of two 20’x 20’ floating docks for the Lake Nacimiento based nonprofit Far West Water Ski Club. Constructed of polyethylene coated floats, 4x Pressure Treated lumber, hot-dipped galvanized hardware and composite decking, the dock is designed to have a lifespan of at least 35-40 years. This case study provides an overview of the complete project delivery, beginning with the conception and research, transitioning to design and procurement, and finishing with construction and lessons learned. The overall project cost landed at $21,712.00, made possible …

Predicting Building Energy Performance: Leveraging Bim Content For Energy Efficient Buildings, Eddie Villanueva Aquino

Master's Theses

Reducing and managing the environmental impacts of building structures has become a priority of building stakeholders and within the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) community; although, conflicting approaches and methods to combat the issues are present. For example, green building standards are widespread throughout the world; however each one has its own characteristics and consequently its own specific requirements. While all have proven to be effective rating systems and have similar requirements, the distinguishing characteristic that separates them is their treatment of performance and prescriptive metrics. The feature they all severely lack or currently limit is the inclusion of strict …

Survey Of Suitable Plants For Cal Poly's Green Wall, Katrina Burritt

Horticulture and Crop Science

Green wall technology is a growing industry in the United States and has been very successful for a several years throughout Europe. The objective of this survey was to study the success of several different species of plants on a vertical wall facing south at Cal Poly’s Horticultural Department Unit. At first the focus was aimed at using California native species, because it was thought that natives would be better acclimated to the exposure in this specific location. It became apparent that plants should not be selected for the wall based just on the fact that they are California natives. …

Application Of Pv Panels In Large Multi-Story Buildings, Sara Kayal

Master's Theses

Application of PV Panels in Large Multi-Story Buildings Feasibility Study Sara Kayal

The awareness of global warming along with an ever increasing demand for a new source of energy has brought a strong interest in harnessing natural resources such as solar energy. This thesis evaluates the viability of applying photovoltaic (PV) panels in high-rise commercial buildings of around 20 stories. Specifically, the thesis is intended to provide a pre-planning tool during the early design stage for architects and designers who are considering the deployment of PV panels in new multi-story construction.

The first three chapters cover a comprehensive literature review …