Environmental Design Commons^™

Symbolic Interaction Theory And Architecture, Ronald W. Smith, Valerie Bugni

Sociology Faculty Research

Architectural sociology is receiving renewed attention but still remains a neglected area of investigation. As a major theoretical perspective within sociology, symbolic interaction helps us understand how the designed physical environment and the self are intertwined, with one potentially influencing and finding expression in the other; how architecture contains and communicates our shared symbols; and how we assign agency to some of our designed physical environment, which then invites in a different kind of self-reflection. This article discusses numerous instances of symbolic interaction theory–architecture connections, with applied examples showing how symbolic interactionists and architects can collaborate on projects to the …

A Conceptual Plan For The Detroit Book And Tower Building: Exploration Of The Conjunction Of Historic Preservation And Sustainable Design Concepts, Chi-Ying Luo

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This conceptual project generated an adaptive reuse proposal for the Book and Tower Building in a registered historic district. Louis Kamper designed the thirteen-story Book Building in 1917, in the Beaux Arts style, to create elite shops and offices. In 1926 the thirty-six-story Tower Building extended the leaseable space. This proposal preserved and rehabilitated the historic features in the lobby area and renovated the retail spaces. An Asian Café was designed to contrast, but blend with, the Beaux Arts style. The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation were followed in the lobby area so as to make the renovation …

Selecting Energy Efficient Building Envelope Retrofits To Existing Department Of Defense Building Using Value Focused Thinking, David M. Pratt

Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense (DoD) has hundreds of thousands of facilities in its inventory, which consume billions of BTUSs of energy per year. Much of that energy is used to heat and cool the facility, and a great deal of this energy is lost through the building envelope. While new military construction works towards energy efficiency, the majority of DoD facilities were built over forty years ago with little regard to energy efficiency, and it is these facilities that have the greatest potential for energy efficient building envelope retrofits. There are hundreds of various new building envelope technologies available to …

Promoting Low Impact Development In Your Community, New England Environmental Finance Center

Planning

Low Impact Development (LID) is an approach to stormwater management and site development that is gaining popularity throughout the country. Its attractiveness lies in its potential to lessen off-site stormwater impacts, reduce costs to municipalities and developers, and promote development that is “softer on the land” compared with typical traditional development. The approach, which is applicable to residential, commercial and industrial projects, and in urban, suburban and rural settings, often is linked with efforts by governments and citizens to foster more sustainable communities.

Insites, 2006, Utah State University

inSites

The Annual Newsletter of The Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

Edra 37: Bibliography Of Books On Display, Kathleen Demsky

Bibliographies

edra 37 | Beyond Conflict | Atlanta, GA

Villa Le Lac: Une Petite Maison, Noel Brady

Articles

An exploration of the small villa, Une Petit Maison by le Corbusier, outling the basis for its design and execution and place in its landscape.

The Extraction Of A Road Centre Line From Airborne Laser Scanning Data, Patrick Doyle

Masters

Due to its speed and accuracy the Global Positioning System (GPS) is widely used as a data collection tool. Problems however can occur when this GPS data is used in conjunction with existing National Mapping Agencies (NMA) vector databases that are not of comparable accuracy. Shifts and misalignments of the datasets can occur. In talks with the Irish mapping agency, Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi), prior to this project, it viewed with interest the possibility of using Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data as a general quality indicator of existing vector databases. The aim of this research was to extract the centre …

Access To Buildings For People With Disabilities, Myles Keaveney

Articles

No abstract provided.

Sentiment In Traditional Thai Architecture, Jayanin Chitranukroh, Vorasun Buranakarn

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

Traditional Thai Architecture was initially created from Thai behavior onthe basis of beliefs. Each feature, for instance, had differentdecorated styles; nevertheless, they had the same main function such as Spacescreated by separated time zoning, split step floors, being made of naturalmaterial and prefabricated building elements. This article aims to analyze thespiritual aspect of Traditional Thai Architecture by the Systems Method. Theresults imply that knowledge of Thai ancestry was forged from the formerenvironment; furthermore, the appearance appealed to all six common humancontact points of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind. Consequently, thebuildings and the surroundings were plentiful in their display …

New York Citye Xperiencing An Orchestration Of Space And Time, Mark Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

Any trip to any city is a plunge into perplexity. The total shift betweenenvironments, the sudden change in daily routine or the difference intime put the simple practice of every day life into question. Displacement anddisorientation put away the lazy negligence of daily routine. The unfamiliarsituations evoke greater awareness and curiosity to the seemingly normalconditions. More importantly, they also uncover possibilities of a positivechange in perspective. Journeys from one place to another or a change of placeraise problems about space as much as time. As the world shrinks rapidly dueto the technological and communicational progress, and cities are connectedin many …

The Scope Of Facility Management, Wanlaya Patanapiradej

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

The facility management (FM) as an industry has emerged as one of thefastest growing sector over the decade. However, the scope and identityof FM is still fuzzy as evidenced by the definitions and issues which attempt todescribe its scope. In fact, FM is the multi-disciplinary kind of work that coversa wide range of various activities, responsibilities and knowledge. Moreoverevery aspect of an organisation seems to be drawn into FM. This articleattempts to identify the current scope of the FM from professional perspectivesby using models and frameworks to explain theoretically both operational andstrategic levels. The article firstly focuses on organisation where …

Bio-Solar Home The Integrated Design Approach For Renewable And Sustainable Solution, Soontorn Boonyatikarn, Vorasun Buranakarn

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

Site design and land use concepts are extremely important for housingdesign and urban renewal concept, especially when their relates toenergy conservation and sustainable development. The solution presented willinclude the investigation of microclimate elements along with the actual moni-toring data. The solution is finally used for designing the future bio-solar homewhich has proved to be very successful.

Modernitiesand Memoriesin Bangkok, Brian Mcgrath

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

Wat Pathumwanaram, a green oasis in the heart of the newly redevelopedCentral Shopping District of Bangkok, represents not only a repositoryof cultural memory within this modern corner of the city, but also bearswitness previous episodes of historical modernities and memories inThailand. It is the purpose of this paper to juxtapose modernity and memory ascoupled concepts which continually interact in space and time. Memory is animportant concept of modernity outlined here through the concepts of 19thcentury French philosopher Henri Bergson, and modernity has developed itsown memories, especially in this particular area of Bangkok where so manyhistorical forms of modernity have found …

Bangkok Boundaries Social Networksin The City Of Mubahnchatsan, Bart Wissink, Renske Dijkwel, Ronald Meijer

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

Bangkok is rapidly transforming into a city of Mubahnchatsan, the Thaiversion of the gated community of which the inhabitants belong to thesame income group. In the vast urban field of this city, new mubahnchatsanfor various income groups are built at an incredible rate. As such, Bangkok isyet another example in a range of cities where gated living is becoming thenorm instead of an exception. Urban studies literature gives these gated com-munities a bad press. Walls and gates are said to create exclusionary spacesthat physically separate the lives of the 'haves' and the 'have-nots'. The publicsphere is undermined because these groups …

Viability Conceptfor Enhancing Historic Town Centresin The United Kingdom, Doosadee Thaitakoo

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

In the UK, historic town centres have been successfully planned andimplemented to avoid a conflict between conservation and development.Preventive measures were developed to protect the built heritage fromthreatening forms of development. As a result, they can keep on evolvingproperly to supply quality goods/services and a pleasant environment.Rebuilding this balanced mix of conservation and development has been madethrough the use of the viability concept. The term viability is used todetermine whether a town centre has a capacity for living or not. Viabilityincludes the ability of the centre to attract continuing investment to maintainthe environment. This concept was constructed for investigating the …

A Comparative Study Of The Development Of Rail Transit Lines In Eastern Bangkok, Bussara Intrachiensiri, Sakchai Kirinpanu, Nopanant Tapananont

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

Since rail transit development is a mega project which normally requiresan astronomical investment, it is imperative for decision-makers tochoose the transit lines which are really worth the investment and yield themost benefits to the city. This research is a comparative study of 2 rail transitlines, i.e., the Orange Line which would serve developed areas where traveldemands are presently high, and the Red Line which would serve less-developed areas where additional development could potentially be therebyinduced. The study was divided into 3 phases: 1) forecasting the changes inresidential and non-residential building areas as induced by the transit lines,and estimating future population …

Case Studies: Sustainable Design Buildings In Iowa, Ashley Marie Hinz

Honors Program Theses

As an adaptive and innovative design trend, the area of sustainable design is continually morphing to meet the needs of society. This research will attempt to evaluate the most current buildings in Iowa that meet standards set forth by LEED in order to enhance awareness and ' understanding of the sustainable design movement. The purpose of this research is to provide insight to the investigator and other designers regarding the use and effectiveness of current .LEED-:-worthy projects in Iowa.

A Critical Appraisal Of The Opportunities Currently Available For A More Energy Conscious Approach To Residential Building In Ireland, John Mcdonagh, Louis Gunnigan

Conference papers

This paper focuses on the particular advantages which off-site housing construction has over the more traditional methods of building especially where the efficient use and conservation of energy is concerned. It will explain why modern innovative methods of house construction not only have a clear advantage environmentally (big reductions in CO2 emissions) but also deliver substantial benefits to the end user or householder especially in the form of lower energy bills.

The ecological argument for off-site systems is a very powerful one but on its own is still unlikely to be the prime driver for widespread implementation. That growth is …

Green Reintroducing Nature To The City, Andrew Cunneen

Architecture Thesis Prep

"The architecture of present day America reflects the way in which we give little consideration to the impact that built forms have on the environment. American cities are expanding beyond their former limits into the natural environment previously untouched by built form. It is important for us to foster a sense of environmental concerns in an age of increasing development and advancements. While technology continues to progress it seems that these advancements are applied to everything but architecture. We have designed ways to get more mileage out of a tank of gas, and created appliances that reduce our electric consumption, …

Analysis Of Per Capita Expenditures Of Suburbanizing Communities In Maine, New England Environmental Finance Center

Economics and Finance

This study analyzes per capita expenditure trends among selected fast-growing Maine towns from 1970-2004. The ten communities studied are termed as “suburbanizing” towns. This term is used to describe towns that over the past 30-40 years have been in the process of transition from rural to suburban – in terms of their population and housing densities, their forms of government, and the services they provide, as well as other characteristics.1 Such towns are of particular interest because they have been absorbing a healthy percentage of the state’s population growth during this time period, often at the expense of Maine’s service …

Construct Ireland - Lime-Hemp - A Potential Solution To A Concrete Problem, Joseph Little

Articles

This article is intended to act as an exploration and provocation. Why do we build the way we do, what effect does that have? Could we for instance, design and specify buildings that actually benefit the Environment rather than burden and pollute it as currently. Is it possible that the construction of a house could absorb CO₂ thereby transforming new housing estates or apartment buildings into giant absorbers of carbon dioxide? Imagine Ireland being able to count commercial constructions or new housing among its ‘carbon sinks’, in place of Siberian forests or the carbon credits that the Government will …

Thermal Efficiency Characteristics Of Indirect Evaporative Cooling Systems, Ben Costelloe, Donal Finn

Conference Papers

Recent developments in enhancing heat transfer in cooling towers, together with the success of chilled ceilings, have prompted a review of the evaporative cooling technique. in temperate maritime climates. The thermal efficiency of such systems is a key parameter, as a measure of the degree to which the system has succeeded in exploiting the cooling potential of the ambient air. This paper presents the results of experimental research into the thermal efficiency of a water-side open indirect evaporative cooling test rig designed to achieve low (1-4 K) approach conditions. Secondary efficiencies in the range 0.24-0.76 have been achieved.

Creating Identity Within A Residential Community Using Open Space, Jason W. Harr

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Popularity of suburban developments is not new to most communities of today. Many have come to the understanding that suburbia is the only way to go, and the only place to live and raise a family. What suburbanites don't understand and choose to avoid are the demanding requirements suburbia requires of our natural resources and open space.

In recent years, many have come to the understanding that our natural resources and open space are very valuable and must be preserved now and in the future. People have also noticed that implementation of basic design principles of residential communities are advantageous …

Inside Unlv, Gian Galassi, Nancy Syzdek, Erin O'Donnell, Carol C. Harter, Diane Russell, Cate Weeks

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Habitat Trails . . . A Manual For Affordable Green Neighborhood Development, Community Design Center

Community Design Center Project Reports

Habitat Trails is a green affordable neighborhood development consisting of 17 Habitat for Humanity homes. The site is designed as a sponge to work in accord with existing hydrological drainage, catchment, and recharge patterns. Stormwater runoff is retained and treated through a contiguous network of bioswales, infiltration trenches, stormwater gardens, sediment filter strips, and a constructed wet meadow. The integration of a treatment landscape with open space substitutes an ecologically-based stormwater management system for the expensive curb-gutter-pipe solution in civil infrastructure.

Insites, 2005, Utah State University

inSites

Magazine of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

Edra 36: Bibliography Of Books On Display, Kathleen Demsky

Bibliographies

edra 36 | Design for Diversity | Vancouver, Canada

Construct Ireland - Partial Fill Cavity Walls, Joseph Little

Articles

An examination of whether it still deserves its best practice status in the Irish Construction Industry in light of higher U-Values, construction practices, recent research and cultural pressures.

Mechanical Damping System For Structures, Jay A. Puckett, Patrick S. Mcmanus, Homer R. Hamilton Iii

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

A mechanical damping system for a structure is provided. The mechanical damping system comprises a tubular impact frame secured to the structure. A support frame is secured to the structure with the support frame spaced from the impact frame. An elongated member is provided having a first end and a second end. The first end is secured within the support frame and the second end is free from connection and extends into the impact frame. At least one impact mass is secured to the second end of the elongated member, the impact mass movable within and contactable with the impact …