Architecture Commons^™

The Built Environment, Nicholas J. Petrarca, Aaron Boucher, Nathaniel Hall, Alejandro Lopez, Nicholas Reindel, Emily Setoudeh, Sean Westpahl, Lacy Williams

Architectural Engineering

This project was a very fast paced and high pressure design project where Architectural Engineering students and an architect worked with an noteworthy artist to design and construct a large steel sculpture made purely from recycled materials.

Sustainable Architecture Design: Environmental And Economic Benefits, Michael Babcock

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis examines the movement of environmentalism, and its impact on architecture and construction. During an interview with a professional architect, a basis for research of sustainable design was devised, when he explained that “good” architecture attempts to holistically integrate the external and built environment. Presently, the main measurement for sustainability is energy efficiency. Therefore, architects constantly implement new technology in an attempt to unify both the external and built environment in an energy efficient manner. Furthermore, this thesis provides an environmental and financial cost analysis of implementing sustainable design and build. Research shows that the life cycle and up-front …

Case Study: An Effective Model For Green Roofs In San Diego County, Charles Andrews Iii

Construction Management

Green roofs provide a myriad of environmental and financial benefits to a building and its owner. They can provide a pleasing outdoor aesthetic in an urban environment, as well as provide stormwater management and energy savings in an arid climate. California State University San Marcos completed a new University Student Union in 2014 that included a 2,540 square foot Live Roof system on its upper terrace. Supplier, contractor, and facilities team members were interviewed to analyze the success of the project from several viewpoints. The green roof was found to meet the University’s goals on aesthetic design, energy, and stormwater …

Climate Change Planning In Dallas-Fort Worth: Discourse And Public Participation In A Politically Conservative Region, Ann W. Foss

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges currently facing our world, and in the field of planning there has been much attention paid to climate action planning by environmental leader cities. However, political controversy surrounds climate change in the United States, making it difficult for some cities and regions to explicitly and effectively respond to climate change. This dissertation examines planning actions related to the federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, and climate change more broadly, in the politically conservative Dallas-Fort Worth region of Texas from 2005 to 2015. In particular, the research strives to better understand the …

Towards A Localized Form-Based Code For Abu Dhabi Urban Neighborhoods, Arwa Khalid Sabri

Theses

Form-Based Code (FBC) is a sustainable planning tool that helps realize sustainable urban form and sustainable communities from different perspectives, including mixing of land uses, diversifying housing types, achieving walkability and cycling as well as permitting community involvement in decision making and design processes. It is therefore considered as a comprehensive tool that regulates different planning scales from master plan to individual buildings. Locally, Abu Dhabi Emirate lacks a FBC that could help achieve its sustainability-orientated 2030 vision and thus promote its envisaged sustainable urban identity. This research aims at studying to what extent the present form-related standards and guidelines …

Green Building Rating Systems And The Role Of The Project Manager, Davis Ciprikis

Other Resources

Sustainable development has increased significantly over the last 10 years. Construction firms are adopting sustainable practices that come from both, internal and external drivers of the construction industry. In order to assess how sustainable a building is, a green building rating systems have been developed to provide a documented and systematic approach to sustainable construction practices. Amongst these rating systems are the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methods (BREEAM) introduced in the UK and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) created in the USA. It has been noted that the project manager will have an important role to …

Sustainable Architecture Design: Environmental And Economic Benefits, Michael Babcock

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis examines the movement of environmentalism, and its impact on architecture and construction. During an interview with a professional architect, a basis for research of sustainable design was devised, when he explained that “good” architecture attempts to holistically integrate the external and built environment. Presently, the main measurement for sustainability is energy efficiency. Therefore, architects constantly implement new technology in an attempt to unify both the external and built environment in an energy efficient manner. Furthermore, this thesis provides an environmental and financial cost analysis of implementing sustainable design and build. Research shows that the life cycle and up-front …

Bucknell Building And Sustainability Discussion, 2016, Jennifer Thomson

Bucknell: Occupied

Jennifer Thomson, assistant professor of History at Bucknell University, discusses sustainable planning at Bucknell with four guests: Elaine Lac, a student at Bucknell; Amanda Wooden, professor of Environmental Studies; Steve Buonopane, associate professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering; and Dina El-Mogazi, director of the Center for Sustainability and the Environment. The discussion centers around the planning of Academic East, campus advocacy efforts, and actions and commitments.

An Exploration Of Structural Timber Innovation, Simon Beskitt

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In many undergraduate programs of study, civil and structural engineering students are exposed to introductory material regarding timber construction. The information received in the undergraduate experience typically consists of a brief summary of the basic mechanical properties of wood but does not significantly cover timber design. Much greater emphasis is placed on design practices involving steel and concrete, likely due to their prominence in contemporary building trends in civil engineering. While it is true that wood is one of the older materials in terms of its utilization in structural and architectural design, it is certainly not an antiquated choice. Wood …

(Urban) Waste Producing (Urban) Space, Mrunmai Fulambarkar

Architecture Thesis Prep

Although heat is the primary waste produced by industrial processes, designers can transform this by-product into energy that can allow for the creation of new public amenity and data center hybrids that integrate, celebrate and provide benefits to the urban realm.

Greening Restaurant Design: A Study Of The Implementation Of Leed Certification In Restaurant Design, Shelly Schmidt

Interior Design Program: Student Creative Activity

With a significant amount of interest in sustainability and green design in the commercial industry, this thesis examined the effects of the implementation of LEED certification specifically within the built environment of restaurants. Being one of the largest energy consumers and waste producers in the commercial retail industry, restaurant stakeholders have a social responsibility to safeguard the environment from such detriments imposed upon by the daily operations of their business. Yet, few owners have chosen to implement green practices or sustainable features into the design of their restaurant.

Case study comparisons of six restaurants, three LEED certified and three non-LEED …

Energy In The Ecopolis, Sara C. Bronin

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

Climate change, resource scarcity, and environmental degradation demand a paradigm shift in urban development. Currently, too many of our cities exacerbate these problems: they pollute, consume, and process resources in ways that negatively impact our natural world. Cities of the future must make nature their model, instituting circular metabolic processes that mimic, embrace, and enhance nature. In other words, a city must be a regenerative city or, as some say, an “ecopolis.” So, how to get there—to ecopolis—from here? In this Comment, I propose a partial answer by focusing on certain legal frameworks that must be reenvisioned to enable the …

Food For Function Pt. 4, Ryan Desilva

Architecture Senior Theses

This thesis proposes to develop and apply sustainable energy strategies driven by the needs of yet commercial kitchens within the context of adaptive re-use of buildings. Spatializing systems within the framework of building envelopes will minimize energy usage, promote smarter holistic building design; but most importantly, teach culinary students sustainable strategies related to the growth, use and reuse of food as it pertains to the consumption and production of energy.

Food For Function, Ryan Desilva

Architecture Senior Theses

This thesis proposes to develop and apply sustainable energy strategies driven by the needs of yet commercial kitchens within the context of adaptive re-use of buildings. Spatializing systems within the framework of building envelopes will minimize energy usage, promote smarter holistic building design; but most importantly, teach culinary students sustainable strategies related to the growth, use and reuse of food as it pertains to the consumption and production of energy.

Food For Function Pt. 2, Ryan Desilva

Architecture Senior Theses

This thesis proposes to develop and apply sustainable energy strategies driven by the needs of yet commercial kitchens within the context of adaptive re-use of buildings. Spatializing systems within the framework of building envelopes will minimize energy usage, promote smarter holistic building design; but most importantly, teach culinary students sustainable strategies related to the growth, use and reuse of food as it pertains to the consumption and production of energy.

Food For Function Pt. 3, Ryan Desilva

Architecture Senior Theses

This thesis proposes to develop and apply sustainable energy strategies driven by the needs of yet commercial kitchens within the context of adaptive re-use of buildings. Spatializing systems within the framework of building envelopes will minimize energy usage, promote smarter holistic building design; but most importantly, teach culinary students sustainable strategies related to the growth, use and reuse of food as it pertains to the consumption and production of energy.

Characterizing Equipment Cost, Fuel Use, And Emissions For Earthwork Activities, Phil Lewis, Yongwei Shan, Apif Hajji, Elizabeth Hazzard

The Professional Constructor

The objective of this paper is to examine the relationships between construction equipment costs, fuel use, and air pollutant emissions to make more informed decisions in construction planning and achieve more sustainable construction activity. This paper presents an estimating approach that combines both construction and environmental data to assess the relationships between equipment costs, fuel use, and emissions. To characterize these relationships, a case study is presented for a dozer performing a bulk excavation activity. Sensitivity analyses based on soil type, dozing distance, and engine horsepower rating are presented. Results indicate that there is little difference in the equipment total …

Assessing The Economic, Energy, And Environmental Impacts Of A Bridge Replacement Project, Elizabeth Hazzard, Phil Lewis

The Professional Constructor

As the nation moves toward more sustainable energy and environmental standards, it is important to examine all sources of fuel consumption and pollution, including heavy-duty diesel (HDD) construction equipment. In order to quantify these sources at the project level, they must be identified with their respective activities. A case study was performed on an Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) bridge replacement project in order to establish a baseline estimate of real-world equipment activity, fuel use, and emissions data. These data were collected on a daily basis via jobsite visits and included specific information such as the equipment’s model year, engine …

A Model Policy For The City Of New Orleans To Protect Historic Properties From Demolition After Flooding Disasters, Natalie Holy

Historic Preservation Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Bhutanese Dwellings: Sustaining The State Of Wellbeing-Ness, Waricha Wongphyat

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

Although Gross National Happiness (GNH) is acclaimed as the Bhutanese overarching goal of development, the country's pursuit of modernization and urbanization has inevitably brought about adecline in vitality of traditional communities and indigenous dwellings. This paper aims to explore how to sustain the state of wellbeing-ness of the Bhutanese dwellings in the evolving context. Considering the abundance of natural and cultural landscape vis-à-vis the deficiency of human resource and skill in agriculture, Shari village is selected as the case study representing the nationwide concerns. Based on field surveys, interviews and documents provided by the DCHS, this paper proposes the smart …

Sustainability In Interior Design: Incorporating Economy, Equity, And Ecology Into The Built Environment, Emily Smith

Undergraduate Research Journal

In today’s culture sustainability has become a buzzword, especially in the design community. In the context of design, sustainability proposes to meet the needs of the current population without taking away from future generations (DiDomenica, 2010). This concept can extend further than the design world, because interior designers greatly impact the world by determining what kinds of buildings are being designed and whether or not they are truly sustainable. Sustainability has three parts that are all interconnected: ecology, economy, and equity. Ecology seeks to protect the environment and preserve it for future generations. Economy seeks to do the same thing …

Moving Towards A Greener Future: An Investigation Of How Transit-Oriented Development Has The Potential To Redefine Cities Around Sustainability, Margaret E. Smith

Scripps Senior Theses

How does transportation shape the cities we live in? This paper takes a close look at the practice of transit-oriented development to assess its implications for the future of urban areas. Through the design of a hypothetical light rail station in the suburb of Redmond, WA, this paper demonstrates how targeting sustainable development around transit has the potential to influence entire towns to “go green,” and proposes that, moving forward, cities be designed to maximize mobility, livability, and sustainability.

The Effects Of Sustainability As A Positive Attribute On Equine Therapy Design: An Interdisciplinary Study, Andria Sinclair

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Interdisciplinary studies have brought benefits to introducing new solutions to the traditional environment and traditional therapies. Sustainability in relation to design has been suggested in 2006, by the Center for Building Performance and Diagnostic (CBPD) at Carnegie Mellon University to incorporate daylight, solar, heat and ventilation of the natural environment combined with the innovations of current technologies (Whitmore, 2011). This paper will look at how sustainability plays a key role of benefits including those that are health associated with equine therapy design and its relationship to the patient, or end user. Interdisciplinary research in the therapeutic value of equine-human bonding …

Ridazz, Wrenches, And Wonks: A Revolution On Two Wheels Rolls Into Los Angeles, Donald Parker Strauss

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

How can we make cities more livable? Los Angeles, in particular, is a notably challenging place to live. For many, it is hard to see Los Angeles—city or county—as anything other than a huge, sprawling, and some would say placeless place. Los Angeles is known by many as the place that tore up more than 1,000 miles of streetcar lines to make way for millions of cars and hundreds of miles of freeways. Because of this, Los Angeles is also known for its poor air quality and jammed freeways. Those who live in Los Angeles know that it can be …

Revisit And Revise: The Introspective Approach To Reclamation And Redevelopment In Miami's Urban Core, Jescelle Renee Major

LSU Master's Theses

The human plays a vital role in the city and the city a vital role in the sustainability and resiliency of the future. It is imperative to explore all avenues for improvement and longevity. Now is the time to explore methods to strengthen the cities we have and the people who live there. This is especially true for coastal cities facing sea level rise and climate change. It is important now not to dwell on what we have lost but to seek methods for using the memory of a place to restore and build for the future. Recognizing there is …

Predicted Performance Of A Skytherm North, A Highly Insulated Building Envelope System And A Frost Protected Shallow Foundation, Kitrina Ann Stratton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

How do you design a durable, sustainable, and financeable Net Zero Energy house for a cold weather climate using little or no external energy that is also affordable? Reviewing all of the factors that would influence the design and materials selection of an appropriate response to the issues, the perfect system for housing people, whether it is in response to affordability, durability, comfort, cultural sensitivity, appearance or being locally appropriate, is using some kind of straw bale construction system with an integrated frost protected shallow foundation and a SkyTherm North design.

The focus and intention of this research is to …

It's All About Living Sustainable: (A Research Of Communicating Sustainable Way Of Living To The Public), Gafur Asani, Dietrich Schwarz, Manuel Sebastian Du

UBT International Conference

Living sustainable, a vision that I developed at the Design Studio Schwarz, University of Liechtenstein. Living sustainable raises questions about living in balance with our natural resources. We are living on costs of next generations, so we are responsible to make the changes with architectural interventions in our society for our society. Based on „World Energy Council“ report of 2011, our planet will have 2.2 billion inhabitants more on 2050, reaching 9.2 billion, by challenging a huge demand on mobility, food, goods and building as well. In order to having a bigger impact and a better control over growing up-mentioned …

Concrete Of Our Millennium – Eco Friendly Concrete, Mevlan Qafleshi, Driton R. Kryeziu, Lulëzim Bytyçi, Fisnik Kadiu

UBT International Conference

Scientifically there are no more doubts about the impact of humans on global warming. The raise of earth temperature causes environmentally related problems. Evidences show the most influencing GHG is CO2. Many human activities release this GHG as a byproduct. Generally, the two industries contributing to this are the energy production and construction. The GWhrs of Kosovo energy, (in 2013, 5864 GWh) emit kilotons of CO2. The emission of CO2 in 2013 was 7896.0 kton, i.e. 1.3t/MWh. On the other side, the concrete industry, the second most used material, which uses cement contributes with other tons of GHG, almost each …

Success Of Small-Scale Farms In The Middle Rio Grande Region, Sarah Wentzel-Fisher

Architecture and Planning ETDs

Food systems development, while historically not the purview of professional planners, would benefit greatly from their interdisciplinary expertise. Small agricultural businesses are important economic and social drivers in the Middle Rio Grande. Increased demand for locally grown foods by Middle Rio Grande residents and food businesses, like restaurants and grocery stores, mean that more than ever, farm businesses have opportunities for success and for making meaningful contributions to their communities. In addition, many of the necessary resources exist right here in this area that can enable local growers’ success, including agricultural land, irrigation infrastructure, easy access to markets, and a …

Climate Planning In Politically Conservative Cities: A Case Study Of Seven Climate Action Plans, Coleman Moore Frick

Master's Theses

Current research indicates that the potential risks associated with human-induced climate change are likely to increase in frequency and intensity. Although there have been several attempts, no effective international treaty or policy has been enacted by the United States with the purpose of combating this global issue. In the past decade, local climate action plans (CAPs) have emerged as a planning solution designed to reduce greenhouse emissions (GHGs). Previous studies have examined CAP attributes, but no research has focused solely on climate planning in politically conservative jurisdictions. This research finds that of 245 CAPs completed to date nationally, approximately 90 …