Engineering Commons^™

Gauging Student Interest In A Leed Ga Exam Preparation Technical Elective Course, Hailey Lancaster

Construction Management

Being a LEED Green Associate (LEED GA) demonstrates a fundamental understanding of sustainable building principles and practices. Since green building is at the forefront of construction, there is no better way for Construction Management students to enter the industry prepared in this area than by taking the LEED General Associate exam. This paper is a case study that obtains students’ perspectives on implementing a new Construction Management technical elective course that will prepare students to successfully take and pass the LEED GA exam. A survey was conducted to gauge student familiarity with sustainability, as well as their interest in earning …

Skip The Grid: Giving Power To Navajo Nation, Ryan J. Schacherbauer

Construction Management

Skip the Grid is a project organized by Heart of America, a nonprofit, looking to improve the education and overall wellbeing of children and their families. Many residents within Navajo Nation do not have access to continuous power and rely on temporary generators or car battery to obtain any kind of electricity. Heart of America partnered with the Red Mesa School District to identify families that did not have power, which was impacting the children’s ability to complete their online schoolwork. This senior project was comprised of an interdisciplinary team responsible for installing a working solar system on twelve homes …

The Construction Of Elevated Decks And Safari-Style Glamping Tents For Zoo To You, Conner W. Schmutte

Construction Management

This paper will outline and discuss the construction process of two elevated decks accompanied by the assembly of two safari-style glamping tents, built for the non-profit organization Zoo to You located in Paso Robles. Zoo to You provides rehabilitation and housing for endangered, injured, or otherwise illegal animals. The goal of the project was to create a new housing facility for guests to stay overnight on zoo grounds, in an immersive wildlife encounter experience. The housing facility was created using concrete and lumber construction followed by the assembly of premanufactured tents. Concrete was used to build the strong foundations required …

Leed In Residential Construction, Harley Maria Holbrook

Construction Management

Sustainable building has been an aspect of the construction industry for over 30 years and over the past decade has been a major emphasis in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industries. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) leads the push in creating a standard for building sustainably with a certification system that tracks the achievements. A point system has been created that gives builders criteria to follow to receive a LEED certification. This certification has been used widely in commercial construction but not as commonly in residential construction. This study aims to look at LEED in the residential building …

Creating A Leed General Associate Exam Preparation Technical Elective, Isabella Erickson

Construction Management

Sustainability in building design is increasing in demand within the construction industry. The Construction Management program at California Polytechnic State University currently requires classes that address sustainable building, but does not have a class that specifically prepares students for professional certification in this field. The purpose of this course is to prepare students for the LEED Green Associate exam, which if passed, will earn the student the Green Associate credential. By offering this class as a technical elective, students will be given the opportunity to build off their previous knowledge of green building and pursue a certification that will help …

Sustainability In Construction Practices As Emphasis On Environmental Investing In Esg Model Grows, Maddie Heal

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to emphasize the importance of growing investment on environmental initiatives in business ESG models in regard to sustainable practices in construction. The ESG acronym is known as the environmental, social, and governance efforts that businesses strive to incorporate in their models to increase the responsibility of operations.

Investors continue to seek out responsible businesses when choosing which ventures to pursue. The analysis of the current construction crisis, current investments in the right direction of Eco-friendly design regarding construction, and the threats and benefits incentivizing those investments elucidates the need to emphasize socially responsible investment …

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 …

Sustainable Building Techniques In Levi’S Stadium: A Case Study, Sean Zweigle

Construction Management

This study aimed to analyze the sustainability of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California through an analysis of its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED certification. Levi’s Stadium was the first professional sports stadium to receive LEED Gold certification in 2014, at a time where a focus on green building practices was becoming an industry standard. This analysis aims to determine what avenues the project team employed to ensure certification, including various standout features and strategies. Additionally, the study investigates the scorecard used to award points towards LEED certification, highlighting categories emphasized in design and construction and those …

Living Off The Grid With Renewable Energy: A Case Study, Jake Reid O'Balle

Construction Management

The trend towards green, sustainable living is on the rise and the benefits are continuing to make noise in the world of homeowners. In this project, the benefits of renewable energy and consumer preferences were analyzed and applied to off-grid living in the form of a case study. It was found that the majority of homebuyers are concerned about the environment and wanted an environmentally friendly home but are not willing to pay more in order to achieve these desires. This information spurred the need for a detailed assessment of the feasibility of sustainable off-grid living. After conducting extensive research, …

Sustainability Within Asphalt And Concrete Paving Systems, Matthew Clapp

Construction Management

The construction industry is continually determining ways to make the building process more streamlined, cost efficient and, more recently, sustainable. As the commercial construction industry becomes more structured, industry leaders are looking for new ways to make installation of materials and cleanup more environmentally friendly. Construction is responsible for a large portion of the overall harm toward the environment. Although the commercial sector has made great strides toward this effort in the last fifty years with programs such as LEED, there is still much to be taken into consideration. The goal of this research is to analyze the current trends …

Proposal For Adobe Earthbag Disaster-Relief Structure, John Camacho

Construction Management

The science behind creating an adobe house has been around for thousands of years; the primitive mixture contains only dirt, water, and straw. Left to cure in bricks or as a single cast-in-place system, the structure will provide long-lasting protection from the elements. Science has taken this a step further with the introduction of cementitious admixtures and reinforcement. The result is an adobe structure with exemplary thermo-retentive properties and load-bearing capabilities. This project provides an analysis on the “SuperAdobe” earthbag system that has been put into practice by independent contractors and housing-relief initiatives. The goal of the project was to …