Sustainability
A series of townhomes is replacing an existing church on the same site. The owner has requested that as much material from the existing church be recycled. Which of the following materials from the church can be recycled? Check the four that apply. A. Aluminum gutters and downsprouts B. Gypsum wallboard C. Mirros D. Insulation E. Copper Cap flashing F. Paving
Aluminum gutters and downspouts Correct. Aluminum, like most metals, can be recycled regardless of size or shape. Gypsum wallboard Correct. Gypsum is recyclable into new gypsum products or as an agricultural product. Mirrors Incorrect. Mirrors are generally not recyclable due to a special coating on the back, creating the reflection. Mirrors also contain other chemicals which give it a different melting point than typical glass, which means it cannot get recycled with other glass products. This has led to many recycling plants rejecting mirrors for recycling purposes. Insulation Incorrect. Many types of insulation are made from recyclable materials, such as fiberglass, plastics, or cellulose, but unfortunately, cannot typically be recycled, as it generally becomes dirty over it's lifespan, containing dirt, pollen, or hazardous materials. Copper cap flashing Correct. Copper, like most metals, can be recycled regardless of size or shape. Paving Correct. Paving can be ground up and recycled.
A residential client in Arizona is looking to build a new home that embodies sustainable design principles. Because it is located in an arid desert climate, the project's sustainable design principles will include the use of materials with low embodied energy and high thermal mass. Based on these requirements, what exterior envelope material should the architect recommend? A. Double-wythe, fully grouted brick walls B. Clay tile wall C. Cast-in-place concrete walls D. Fully grouted concrete masonry unit (CMU) walls
Double-wythe, fully grouted brick walls Incorrect. Brick as a material does have some thermal mass properties and a low embodied energy. CMU, however, has a lower embodied energy and is thus the superior product to meet the criteria. Clay tile wall Incorrect. Clay tile would not perform as a thermal mass and it has a high embodied energy. Cast-in-place concrete walls Incorrect. While concrete does perform well as a thermal mass, it has a high embodied energy. Fully grouted concrete masonry unit (CMU) walls Correct. CMU can perform well as a thermal mass and also meets the criteria of being a low embodied energy material. Reference: Fundamentals of Building Construction: Material and Methods
During the programming phase, the architect is asked to list out several materials that will contribute to the sustainability of the project. Which of the following sets lists the materials in order of embodied energy, from least to greatest? A. Lumber, glass, vinyl, aluminum B. Plywood, gypsum board, steel, stainless steel C. Local stone, imported stone, PVC, glass D. Straw bale, particle board, gypsum plaster, copper
Lumber, glass, vinyl, aluminum Correct. Lumber, glass, vinyl, then aluminum shows the materials in the sequence of least to most embodied energy. Materials that occur naturally have the least amount of embodied energy; materials that grow have less energy than those that are mined. Items that need to be refined or produced have the highest levels of embodied energy. Plywood, gypsum board, steel, stainless steel Incorrect. The correct order is: gypsum board, plywood, steel, then stainless steel. Materials that occur naturally have the least amount of embodied energy, materials that grow have less energy than those that are mined. Items that need to be refined or produced have the highest levels of embodied energy. Local stone, imported stone, PVC, glass Incorrect. The correct order is: local stone, imported stone, glass, then PVC. Materials that occur naturally have the least amount of embodied energy, materials that grow have less energy than those that are mined. Items that need to be refined or produced have the highest levels of embodied energy. Straw bale, particle board, gypsum plaster, copper Incorrect. The correct order is: straw bale, gypsum plaster, particle board, then copper. Materials that occur naturally have the least amount of embodied energy, materials that grow have less energy than those that are mined. Items that need to be refined or produced have the highest levels of embodied energy.
An architect is working on a small development where the developer would like to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Which energy source will help them meet this goal? A. Natural Gas B. Geothermal C. PV Panels D. Coal
Natural gas Incorrect. According to the U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, geothermal life cycle greenhouse gas emissions are four times less than PV emissions and up to 20 times less than natural gas emissions. Geothermal Correct. Geothermal systems emit no greenhouse gases during operation. According to the U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, their life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are four times less than solar PV emissions and up to 20 times less than natural gas emissions. Photovoltaic (PV) panels Incorrect. According to the U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, geothermal life cycle greenhouse gas emissions are four times less than PV emissions and up to 20 times less than natural gas emissions. Coal Incorrect. Of the choices listed, coal is the biggest contributor to greenhouse gases.
An architecture firm is assessing the effects of climate change on their building design strategies. Which effect of climate change will have the most impact on the firm's design approach? A. Sea level rise B. Carbon Taxes C. Increased Temperature D. Severe weather events
Sea level rise Incorrect. Sea level rise impacts coastal communities and islands. Although an important design response to these project locations, this is not the most critical impact. Carbon taxes Incorrect. Projects can be penalized with carbon taxation due to excessive carbon emissions. Architects can counter this by optimizing renewable energy systems in their designs. However, increased temperature impacts more design decisions. Increased temperature Correct. Global warming is expected to increase ambient temperatures. This impacts the design of buildings, including massing, glazing, building envelope systems, and HVAC systems. Severe weather events Incorrect. Climate change is affecting the frequency and severity of weather events, including increased precipitation, tornadoes, hurricanes, and storm surge. However, increase in temperature influences more design decisions.
A new construction high rise multi-family tower is being designed for a site in Chicago, Illinois. The client requests a high performance building and has pushed the design team to incorporate modeling analysis into various aspects of the project. Of the following, which aspects of sustainable design can be analyzed through computer modeling? Check the two that apply. A. Structural systems B. Egress simulations C. Daylighting D. Curtain wall glazing E. Interior air quality F. Occupant comfort
Structural systems Incorrect. Although structural system performance can be simluated using computer modeling, it is not a component of sustainable design as such. Egress simulations Incorrect. Though egress can be simulated using computer modeling, it is not a component of sustainable design as such. Daylighting Correct. Daylighting can be simulated using computer analysis of building form, site location, exterior wall configuration, etc. Curtain wall glazing Correct. As a component of energy modeling, the building facade can be analyzed during design for performance relative to building MEP systems, thermal comfort, daylighting, etc. Interior air quality Incorrect. Alhough interior air quality is a component of sustainable design, it is not modeled through computer analysis. Rather, it is addressed through the specification of proper interior finishes and MEP systems. Occupant comfort Incorrect. Although aspects of occupant comfort can be anticipated through proper design and modeling of various building aspects such as daylighting, MEP systems, etc., occupant comfort itself is not measured by computer analysis as such. It must be determined through post-occupancy analysis.
A client is interested in developing a project that embodies principles of regenerative design. They have contacted an architect known for incorporating these principles into their work. Which of the following describes the goal of regenerative design? A. To reduce energy impacts B. To reduce environmental impacts C. To produce a positive decarbonization impact D. To produce a net positive environmental impact
To reduce energy impacts Incorrect. This describes the goal of energy efficiency, which is to reduce energy impacts as much as possible toward "net zero." A net-zero-energy building produces enough renewable energy to meet its own annual energy consumption requirements, thereby reducing the use of nonrenewable energy. To reduce environmental impacts Incorrect. This describes the goal of green building, which is to reduce environmental impacts as much as possible toward "net zero." An example of net-zero environmental impact is zero waste production, where all materials are recovered, recycled, or reused. To produce a positive decarbonization impact Incorrect. The goal of decarbonization is to counteract carbon emissions by creating carbon sinks, which are resources that can capture carbon dioxide, such as green roofs, manmade ponds, and landscapes. Another approach is to purchase carbon credits by supporting forests that capture CO2. To produce a net positive environmental impact Correct. The goal of regenerative design is to produce a net positive environmental impact. For example, a net-positive-energy or net-positive-water building produces more energy or water than it consumes.
