Architects’ decisions from the earliest phases of design contribute to the energy profile: from programming, defining the passive solutions of building form and massing, to envelope design, to developing an integrated approach to active systems and renewable systems and seeing that through completion and operations.
On the first Wednesday of every month the AIA hosts a Tweet Chat to discuss industry issues, trends and ideas. This month (Wednesday, November 5) we’re participating alongside other firms and the AIA to focus on the AIA 2030 Commitment (#aia2030). Check out @SnarkitectDC, who will be fielding questions.
There is great momentum around the commitment with a lot of involvement with allied organizations such as @Arch2030 and engaged firms. The annual report can be found on the AIA’s new Energy Landing Page that organizes many of AIA’s Energy related resources. The report was released at Greenbuild and the AIA is anticipating the release of a new online tool, the AIA 2030 Commitment’s Design Data Exchange for firms to begin their reporting at the start of 2015.
The AIA will be posing questions to help get the conversation started. We want to hear from you, so join us this Wednesday (11/5) 2 – 3 pm EST using the hashtag #aiachat and #aia2030.
New to Tweet Chats? The AIA has a handy guide.
This Earth Week, we’ll be covering five landmark buildings exemplifying new approaches to building performance and sustainability.
The Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Klarman Building is the first hospital in the northeast to implement chilled beams in an inpatient setting. Early energy analysis demonstrated that the use of chilled beams would be the best way to reduce building energy use.
For this strategy to work, however, the peak thermal loads of the façades could not exceed the capacity of the chilled beams. An integrated design approach and in-house modeling allowed for constant tuning of the façade to optimize glazing, solar exposure and massing. The building orients glazing to face true north and south to minimize heat gain and maximize occupant comfort, resulting in a 15% reduction in peak solar load.
Beyond performance, the distinctive serrated terracotta façade reflects the scale and cadence of individual patient rooms, providing a delicate scale and texture to the façade.
#earthweek #designalways #buildingscience #performalism #facade