18 October 2016 - TED Ten strategies

18 OCT 2016 - TED TEN strategies

In this post, I will be writing about The Crystal London, which fullfills no. 4 & 5 of the TED ten strategies.

THE CRYSTAL, LONDON

'A Sustainable Cities Initiative by Siemens'­

The Crystal is a glass-clad conference center designed and developed by Arup, Wilkinson Eyre and Pringle Brandon. With over 6,300m² of floor space, it will serve as a focal point for discussion about sustainable urban living.

The Crystal has been designed to achieve BREEAM Outstanding and LEED Platinum building ratings – providing a blueprint for the future of sustainable commercial developments in urban areas.

http://www.siemens.co.uk/pool/news_press/news_archive/2013/crystal-technologies.jpg

Siemens established the building to find solutions that will create more sustainable cities. The building serves as an education and exhibition space to foster exchange of ideas between architects, city planners, municipal authorities, students and other visitors.

Arup was responsible for many of innovative technological solutions that contribute to sustainable performance of the building. The Crystal is 90% water self-sufficient and is the first building in the UK to have an approved Water Safety Plan.

The facility is equipped with a state-of-the-art building management system, including intelligent analytics and advanced fire sensors. The energy and water used by the building are constantly monitored to ensure that efficiency are maintained. Occupancy detection and comfort sensors are used to adjust the heat, light and ventilation in the building in order to reduce energy consumption.

The building is seasonally ventilated through motorized vents, while a management system enables natural cooling to reduce the use of air conditioning. A heat pump draws heat from the ground and transfers it inside. During hot days, the heat pump draws heat from the building and transfers it to the ground.

The design of the facility makes maximum use of natural daylight, while glazing allows daylight to enter while reducing solar gain. Interior lighting is controlled by a constant light control, with the brightness and colour of each lamp in the building automatically adjusted according to the time of the day and occupancy.

Rainwater is harvested and treated for use as drinking water. To reduce water usage, the building is equipped with water efficient fittings and low use taps. A black water recycling plant recycles 100% of the water in the building for use in toilets and landscaping. A sustainable urban drainage system reduces the amount of water being discharged into the sewer system.

The facility includes charging stations for electronic vehicles. Landscaping around the building includes plants and trees that reduce the amount of water required for irrigation.

Bibliography

1. Siemens, T. (2017) The Crystal London | A Sustainable Cities Initiative by Siemens, Thecrystal.org. Available at: https://www.thecrystal.org/ (Accessed: 15 October 2016).

2. Visit the Siemens Crystal Exhibition at London's Royal Docks (2017) London's Royal Docks. Available at: http://www.londonsroyaldocks.com/siemens-crystal/ (Accessed: 15 October 2016). 

12 Oct 2016 - Sustainable Projects

WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Through thoughtful designs, sustainable design is the intention to reduce or eliminate negative environmental impacts. This concept can be applied across all fields of design such as designing buildings or products.

A sustainable design incorporates environmentally-preferable outcomes such as:

·    Lower energy and water consumption through the entire life-cycle – from manufacture to daily use to disposal

·    Minimize impact on climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions or mitigating them through carbon neutralizing activities

·    Limit resource consumption through waste-free manufacturing, a preference for renewable resources, and an emphasis on recycled materials

·    Reduce or eliminate waste by minimizing consumption, reusing when possible, and recycling when necessary

·    Minimize impact on the local ecosystem and look for ways to incorporate bio mimicry principles where possible

·    Give preference to non-toxic materials and those that will contribute to the health and well-being of humanity

·    Emphasize quality and durability over price

THE LIGHTHOUSE

The Lighthouse is the UK’s first building that meets level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes and also a nett zero-carbon house. 

The ambition for this is to create living homes where the innovative environmental systems and construction methods do not accommodate the quality of life of the occupants, but creating adaptable, flexible spaces designed for sustainable modern living. 

This house has a size of 93m², two-and-a-half-storey, and 2-bedroom. It is designed in line with Lifetime Homes and Housing Quality Indicators.

The 40° roof is a simple barn-like form structure. The sweeping roof envelops the central space – a generous, open-plan, top-lit, double-height living area, with the sleeping accommodation at ground level. 

The living space uses a timber portal structure so floors can be slotted between frames or left open as required. At ground level, a timber frame structural layout carries the vertical loads of the open-plan frames above and provides stability to the load-bearing shear walls. 

To achieve Level 6 there is a mandatory heat loss parameter which demands high U-values for the building fabric, thus the Lighthouse’s ratio of glazing to wall is 18%, as opposed to 25-30% in traditional houses. This drove the decision to locate the living space on the first floor, to maximize daylight and volume.