Members: Green Building: Case Study ARC41/43 Brucal, Freyja Magrethe Dela Cruz, Nicole Fabillar, Jean Carlo Mercado, Ridgley Andrei Rubio, Kyla Izabela From Grey to Green: Green Architecture in the College of Business Administration and Accountancy Building Introduction/ Background of the Study Global emphasis on sustainability and environmental responsibility has increased in recent years. This mental transformation has resulted in increased efforts in various sectors to reduce carbon footprints and implement eco-friendly practices. The field of education is no exception, as schools endeavor to create healthier learning environments while teaching students about sustainable living. By selecting a building on campus and redesigning it to comply with green building standards, educational institutions are embracing sustainability. Green building, also known as sustainable or eco-friendly building, is concerned with minimizing the environmental impact of a structure throughout its lifecycle. This includes implementing energy-efficient technologies, utilizing renewable resources, and decreasing refuse production. By selecting a building in a school setting and reimagining it through a green lens, educational institutions can provide students with an interactive and tangible learning experience in sustainable practices by setting an exemplary example. Careful consideration must be given to the selection of a suitable structure for this ecological renovation. Age, location, and function are crucial factors in determining the project's prospective impact. Older buildings typically have higher energy consumption due to their antiquated infrastructure and design, making them ideal candidates for renovation. Similarly, a centrally located building frequented by students and faculty can serve as a visible symbol of the school's dedication to sustainability, inspiring others to do the same. Redesigning a building to satisfy green building standards entails an interdisciplinary strategy that incorporates a number of essential components. Energy efficiency is a top priority, with measures including enhanced insulation, energy-efficient lighting systems, and intelligent controls to optimize energy consumption. The incorporation of renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and wind turbines, can further lessen reliance on nonrenewable resources. By selecting a school building and redesigning it to comply with green building standards, educational institutions can set an example for sustainable practices and encourage environmental stewardship among students and faculty. The process not only alters the physical structure but also promotes a deeper comprehension of sustainable principles and their practical applications. As students observe the transformation firsthand, they are empowered to make environmentally responsible decisions that can contribute to a greener future. The College of Business Administration and Accountancy (CBAA) building at De La Salle University-Dasmarias features a hint of neoclassical architecture with a brick cladding and stucco facade. This building was built around the 1980's which explains the old traditional design, and the current status of the building. Overall, it lacks the characteristics of a green building. In the following sections, we will present the process involved in selecting and redesigning a building to satisfy green building standards, as well as the various considerations, strategies, and benefits of this transformational process. Green Building Considerations ● Orientation of the Building Orientation is the placement of a structure in relation to the sun's path and atmospheric patterns. It is one of the passive design strategies for enhancing thermal comfort within a structure. During the initial phases of building design, climatology orientation is crucial for optimizing the heating and cooling requirements of the entire structure. ● Solar Shading Solar control and shading have an immediate effect on the building's energy efficiency. The building's cooling load can be reduced to one-fourth of its total load. The purpose of shading devices like fins and canopies (overhangs) is to minimize summer solar exposure while allowing winter sun into space. This facilitates the regulation and reduction of the building's electrical load. Solar orientation must be taken into account when designing an efficient shading device. Trees, hedges, overhangs, vertical fins, glass with a low shading coefficient, blinds, and louvers are examples of solar shading components. ● Building Material choices The choice of construction materials has a significant impact on the building's environmental impact. To reduce the environmental impact of transportation, local, non-toxic, and sustainable materials should be selected for construction. Furthermore, recycled materials can reduce environmental waste. The exterior surfaces of a structure can be painted with UV-reflective coatings to reduce heat absorption. The energy efficacy of a structure is also significantly affected by the roofing material. Some roofing materials include China mosaic with a white finish, vermiculite concrete, and polystyrene insulation. The lower the heat gain of a building, the lighter the color of the roofing material. ● Building Envelope The building envelope is the partition or barrier between a building's interior and exterior. It regulates the internal exchange of air, water, heating, and cooling. Consequently, it is essential to contemplate the envelope's components. It consists of the building's roof, walls, doors, windows, and foundation. It must also account for air, heat, and moisture burdens in addition to structural loads. In addition, the exterior color and texture of the building contribute to its thermal gain/loss. Depending on the climate, a building's envelope can either be rigid (in freezing climates) or flexible (in warmer climates). A lax envelope allows air to circulate freely throughout the building, whereas a compact envelope regulates circulation into and out of the building. ● Window Wall Ratio The Window-wall ratio is the ratio between the window area and the exterior wall area of a facade. It is a crucial factor in determining the building's energy performance. Since windows result in twice as much energy loss as walls, they have repercussions on heating, cooling, illumination, and ventilation. Therefore, the size and number of apertures should be determined by the prevailing weather conditions. In addition, interior and exterior shading, as well as high-performance glazing systems, can reduce unwanted solar heat gains through windows. ● Structure Design Efficiency The building and construction industry accounts for nearly half of the total usage and consumption of primary materials, resulting in the depletion of readily available natural resources. Thus, the optimization and selection of structural systems based on the minimum weight of the structure contribute to the minimization of natural resource depletion. In order to optimize the structure, standard shapes, cross-sections, and varieties are also being developed. ● Efficient Lighting Lightning includes both artificial light sources (bulb, CFL, LED, etc.) and daylight from windows, skylights, and port windows. A minor error in selecting the appropriate lighting for a space can have negative health and psychological effects. Inadequate lighting design can result in headaches, decreased work efficiency, decreased comfort, and elevated blood pressure. Therefore, energy-efficient lighting, such as CFLs or LEDs, should be utilized instead of incandescent bulbs, which will reduce both energy consumption and thermal pollution. ● Water Efficiency Managing water consumption and preserving water quality are the primary objectives of a green building. Consequently, dual plumbing design may be pursued as a means to secure and safeguard water throughout the building's life cycle. Plumbing fixtures that conserve water can also be used to reduce water waste. Gray water can be used for lavatory draining and landscaping. Suitable drainage infrastructure and water harvesting basins must be designed to guarantee minimal water loss. ● Renewable Energy System The renewable integrated systems, such as solar water heaters and solar chimneys, are currently being utilized to reduce the interior temperature. Solar energy can be harnessed by installing photovoltaic systems on the roof or on the building's exterior walls. After the building's requirements have been met, it can go off-grid, which has multiple advantages, including reduced electricity costs, a power source for the neighborhood, and environmental preservation. The utilization of geothermal energy in buildings is still in its developmental stages. ● Waste Management The need for waste management is necessary in order to lessen the amount of garbage generated by residents and transported to landfills. This is achieved by reducing, recycling, and repurposing the building's refuse. Therefore, initial planning for dedicated space requirements is necessary during the design's earliest phases. The generated waste must be separated on-site into biodegradable and nonbiodegradable components. Consequently, sewage collection systems and sanitation systems must be well-considered and well-designed. All strategies for refuse management are implemented during the construction phase. The refuse and recycling systems require adequate space on the site. Proposed Green Building Technology ● Rainwater Harvest - Harvested rainwater may serve as an alternate water supply for government buildings. In order to balance off the demand for freshwater, alternative waters are sustainable sources of water that are not provided by fresh surface water or groundwater. Using rainwater harvesting, rainfall from roofs is collected, redirected, and stored for later use. Landscape irrigation, washing operations, decorative pond and fountain filling, cooling tower make-up water, toilet and urinal flushing, and other uses for rainwater are typical. Rainwater collection systems may also be used to treat collected rainwater to drinkable standards for supplemental municipal potable water supply to buildings. ● Atrium Garden - Sustainability is a major design problem. Climate management is crucial to sustainability. The Atrium's power in this sector has long been noted by architects. Due to climatic change, individuals prefer to socialize inside. Thus, the covered structure with a gap between it became increasingly common. Atrium, a thermal interface buffer area, normally has a 15-18° C interior temperature, although its temperature and delay time change with the surrounding environment. Atrium's surrounding area is insulated from dramatic environmental changes and reduces heat loss owing to translucent surfaces. The amount of savings depends on Atrium's interior temperature, airtightness, ventilation, formative materials' thermal conductivity, and surface insulation. Summer atrium temperatures may be lowered using correct procedures. A wind deflector, trees or hung panels or canopies connected to the Atrium's construction to overcast the surface, ventilation, thermal mass, and radiant cooling are some of these approaches. Energy efficiency, day-light intake, thermal loads, and thermal stratification all rely on the atrium's glass transition. ● Solar Generator - Solar electricity doesn't use fossil fuels, thus it's environmentally friendly. This greenhouse gas-free fuel source reduces your carbon impact. You can also receive energy if fossil fuel stocks run out. Diesel fuel usage in the US generates 432 million metric tons of CO2. 9% of the nation's carbon dioxide emissions come from it. Coal power emits 1,000 grams of CO2/kWh, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Oil energy produces 825 g CO2/kWh, whereas natural gas produces 500. Photovoltaics create roughly 50 g CO2/kWh. Fossil fuels emit nitrogen oxides, sulfur, and methane in addition to CO2. Solar energy does not make them. Solar generators generate greener, safer energy for you and the environment. With clean energy, you can keep your generator inside. Through the analysis of the utilization of renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy, and geothermal energy, increasing the awareness of green energy conservation and fully considering the site's integration with the surrounding environment is an essential step towards achieving sustainable development. ● ECO Brick - Incineration, landfilling/disposal, and recycling are the main plastic waste management options. Incineration releases CO2 and methane from waste plastic landfills, contributing to global warming. 5% of plastic garbage ends up in the sea, 43% in landfills, and 52% in low-regulation nations (Worldwatch, 2018). Brooks, Wang, and Jambeck (2018) also claimed that higher-income Organization for Economic Cooperation nations send 70% plastic garbage to East Asia and Pacific countries. In certain African cities, discarded plastics are thrown into the built environment, obstructing water systems, creating flooding, and endangering aquatic life. The research “Production and Optimization of eco-bricks”, examined eco-brick manufacture using wet laterite, stone dust, and sharp sand. The research found eco-bricks excellent building materials. Laterite, sharp sand, and stone dust eco-bricks have high compressive strength, specific strength, Poisson's ratio, and low bulk density. (Edike et al, 2020) ● Shading Devices - Controlling sunlight in a structure has various benefits. In warm, sunny climates, excess solar gain may cause high cooling energy consumption; in cold and temperate climates, winter sun entering south-facing windows can positively contribute to passive solar heating; and in nearly all climates, controlling and diffusing natural illumination will improve daylighting. Well-designed sun control and shading systems may drastically decrease building peak heat uptake and cooling needs and increase interior natural illumination. Fenestration may reduce yearly cooling energy usage by 5–15%. Sun control and shade devices reduce glare and contrast ratios to enhance visual comfort. This boosts productivity and enjoyment. Shades may distinguish building facades. This may add character to a plain design. ● Algae Air Purifier - Poor air quality makes your environment uncomfortable and unwelcoming. Traditional air purifiers work well, but they're ugly and don't match your home's style. The aerium was AlgenAir's answer. This algae-based air purifier removes pollutants and irritants and looks great in the house. AlgenAir's aerium cleans the air with algae. Microalgae absorb air contaminants and turn them into oxygen in a photosynthesis chamber. Your home's air is then cleansed and discharged. Algae is a good air filter since it naturally feeds on air contaminants. It boosts oxygen and lowers CO2 to improve air quality. Modern houseplants like algae are low-maintenance and ideal for compact areas and busy individuals. When it dies, it creates great organic fertilizer for your plants. References: ● Abtahi, E. S. (2015). The Role of Modern Atriums in a Framework of Sustainable Architecture. J. Appl. Environ. Biol. Sci, 5(12S), 521-525. ● ● Ainsworth, J. (2023). The Intersection of Technology and Style: Algae-based Air Purifiers as Functional Decor. AlgenAir. https://algenair.com/blogs/news/the-intersection-of-technology-and-style-algae-based-air -purifiers-as-functional-decor#:~:text=What%20Makes%20Algae%20an%20Excellent,fur ther%20improving%20the%20air%20quality. Brandt, D. (2022). How Does a Solar Generator Work? Green Building Elements. https://greenbuildingelements.com/how-does-a-solar-generator-work/ ● Prowler, D. (2016). Sun Control and Shading Devices. Whole Building Design Guide. https://www.wbdg.org/resources/sun-control-and-shading-devices ● Khanam, M. (2022). 10 Things to consider when designing a Green Building. RTF | Rethinking the Future. https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-fresh-perspectives/a1312-10-things-to-considerwhen-designing-a-green-building/ ● Water-Efficient Technology Opportunity: Rainwater Harvesting Systems. (n.d.). Federal Energy Management Program. https://www.energy.gov/femp/water-efficient-technology-opportunity-rainwater-harvesting -systems#:~:text=Harvested%20rainwater%20can%20provide%20a,from%20rooftops% 20for%20later%20use. ● Edike, U. E., Ameh, O. J., & Dada, M. O. (2020). Production and optimization of eco-bricks. Journal of Cleaner Production, 266, 121640. ● Zhang, Y., Wang, W., Wang, Z., Gao, M., Zhu, L., & Song, J. (2021). Green building design based on solar energy utilization: Take a kindergarten competition design as an example. Energy Reports, 7, 1297-1307. Water conservation is yet another important aspect of ecological building. The implementation of low-flow fixtures, rainwater collection systems, and water-efficient landscaping can significantly reduce water consumption. In addition, waste management practices such as recycling stations and composting facilities can assist in reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills. Indoor air quality and occupant comfort are crucial considerations for any structure, especially educational facilities. The use of non-toxic, low-emission building materials, adequate ventilation systems, and access to natural light are crucial components of a healthy and productive learning environment. Incorporating green spaces, such as rooftop gardens or courtyard vegetation, can improve aesthetics while fostering biodiversity and offering additional educational opportunities.
