REGENERATIVE, ADAPTIVE AND MIXED-USE BUILDINGS

It is important to think about how mixed-use programs can relate to each other and how these interactions can start to create design opportunities. Post at least one image that you have been working on for Project_03 such as your sustainable site plan, passive design diagrams, plans, sections, etc. Explain how your mixed-use program elements, the existing sustainable systems (your site's sense of place) and your net zero interventions had an impact on your zero net design.

The organization of the space based on the mixed-use programs resulted in common spaces that joined them. Because the different spaces varied in square footage, their resulting roof height also varied. The common spaces (lobby and corridors) are used to reconcile the varying roof heights by incorporating a flat roof (shown in green in roof plan to the right). The flat roof is ideal for capturing rainwater from the surrounding sloping roofs. The flat roofs are also prime locations to house Energy Recovery Ventilation units as well as incorporating a roof garden. 

The flat roof also gives freedom to the adjacent sloping roofs to vary in slope, allowing the most or the least amount of light to enter the space. This provides an opportunity for the building to benefit from passive systems prior to incorporating active systems in an effort to achieve net zero energy and water. Roofs can respond to building orientation (north vs south exposures) and to sun angles (winter vs summer) in order to maximize heat gain in the winter and ventilation in the summer.

 

While summers are warm in Montana, Winters are extremely cold with roughly 55 inches of snowfall per year. Heating buildings in this climate passively or naturally is essential in order to reduce the amount of energy used. Because the building is located in western Montana, where geothermal reservoirs are more common than other areas of the country, geothermal in-slab hydronic heating is a great way to provide natural heating in the building. 

Exposing concrete or masonry walls in the southern facade to sunlight transforms them into trombe walls. This solar heat method allows the spaces to be heated naturally and reduces the demand on the geothermal in-slab hydronic heating system.

Use another example of your Project_02 work and briefly explain how your design emulates the ideas from the readings in regards to a living, regenerative or adaptive building?

LIVING BUILDING

According to Living, Regenerative and Adaptive Building, “A Living Building is integrated with and mimics natural processes, and obtains all necessary resources for operation from the natural environment (rainwater, wind, sunlight), which achieves a net-zero impact on the environment.” In relation to water, the building described in Project_02 harvests enough rainwater to create a surplus and support adjacent buildings. This is accomplished by redirecting rainwater from the sloped roofs to flat roofs where drains lead the water to a cistern underground. Any rainwater that flows from sloped roofs to the ground falls within an infiltration trench, where its collected and also redirected to underground cisterns. The building also treats all wastewater on site. 

Because Montana is not the prime location to benefit from energy harvested via photovoltaic panels, it is imperative to plan the building orientation, materials and penetrations in order to benefit from the sun passively. The Living, Regenerative and Adaptive Building article states that “An important step toward a net zero energy building is to minimize the energy loads required. This can be accomplished through energy efficient HVAC design, passive solar design, increased insulation, high-efficiency building envelope, natural ventilation, high performance glazing, natural ventilation, high performance glazing, high-performance appliances, and meticulous weatherproofing.” 

I plan on redesigning the building under Project_02 in an attempt to reduce the energy loads on the building. The sections above relate to a redesigned approach. From left to right the sections aim to reduce the load on the geothermal heating system by using trombe walls and an air chimney, bring natural light into the building year round without overheating in the summer, and collect and redirect rainwater into underground cisterns. 

REGENERATIVE BUILDING

The article Living, Regenerative and Adaptive Building defines a Regenerative Building as one that "not only produce all of their own energy, capture and treat all water, but they are also designed and operated to have a net-positive impact on the environment, including repairing surrounding ecosystems.” Project_02 illustrated an attempt at solving the water runoff issue on this campus. The building aims to redirect water into the ground and prevent harmful runoff into the northern creek and eventually into Flathead Lake. This preserves the landscape of the campus and enhances the habitats surrounding the creek.

ADAPTIVE BUILDING

The southern facade of the building in Project_02 is nearly fully glazed. This poses a challenge as the facade allows both heat and light to enter the space, which his good in the winter but overheats the space in the summer. The article Living, Regenerative and Adaptive Building provides methods for designing adaptive buildings. When it comest to situations such as this one, the article states that ”there are specific technologies that help in adapting to the environment such as phase change materials that are capable of storing and releasing large amounts of energy by changing from solid to liquid. One example is electrochromic windows which allow control of how much light and heat moves through them by voltage applied to the window causing them to light or darken. This offers an opportunity for the windows to be used as energy saving devices.” This technology not only allows the lobby space from benefiting by ample glazing year round, it minimizes the energy load to heat and light the space.                              

                                           

Responses to the following questions are supported by the following Publication:

Living, Regenerative and Adaptive Building (Nugent, 2016)

Mixed Use Buildings: Make the most of your building (Urban Hub: People Shaping Cities, 2018)