The case for Centres of Excellence in sustainable building design
The case for Centres of Excellence in sustainable building design
The case for Centres of Excellence in sustainable building design
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Design <strong>for</strong> passive energy conservation<br />
<strong>The</strong> build<strong>in</strong>g envelope provides the primary means <strong>of</strong> controll<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>ternal<br />
environment, keep<strong>in</strong>g out the weather and provid<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>sulation aga<strong>in</strong>st heat<br />
losses and ga<strong>in</strong>s. <strong>The</strong> proper application <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>sulation, shad<strong>in</strong>g and thermal<br />
mass <strong>in</strong> build<strong>in</strong>gs can, <strong>in</strong> some <strong>case</strong>s elim<strong>in</strong>ate demands <strong>for</strong> heat<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
cool<strong>in</strong>g completely, but <strong>in</strong> all <strong>case</strong>s will deliver substantial reductions. Creat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
opportunities <strong>for</strong> natural light and natural ventilation also contribute to<br />
substantial reductions <strong>in</strong> the build<strong>in</strong>g energy demand.<br />
<strong>The</strong> passive approach is not only good <strong>for</strong> the environment and good <strong>for</strong> the<br />
national economy, by reduc<strong>in</strong>g demands <strong>for</strong> energy; it is also good <strong>for</strong> the<br />
build<strong>in</strong>g occupier as, over the life <strong>of</strong> the build<strong>in</strong>g, much greater f<strong>in</strong>ancial sav<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
accrue from reduced ma<strong>in</strong>tenance costs associated with high- technology<br />
renewable generation.<br />
However, the passive approach to <strong>design</strong> means that not only must the eng<strong>in</strong>eers<br />
be <strong>in</strong>volved at the outset <strong>of</strong> a project, but that the architect and project manager<br />
must recognise the importance <strong>of</strong> build<strong>in</strong>g science and eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g to the early<br />
plann<strong>in</strong>g stages. Clients and their agents also need to be better <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>med <strong>of</strong> the<br />
benefits <strong>of</strong> engag<strong>in</strong>g the eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g consultants early <strong>in</strong> the life <strong>of</strong> the project.<br />
<strong>The</strong> argument <strong>for</strong> build<strong>in</strong>g science<br />
<strong>The</strong> opportunities <strong>for</strong> deliver<strong>in</strong>g cost effective low carbon <strong>design</strong> features<br />
dim<strong>in</strong>ish rapidly with time elapsed through the life <strong>of</strong> a project (Figure 5).<br />
It is essential there<strong>for</strong>e that construction projects, whether new build or<br />
refurbishment are commissioned from the outset with the appropriate <strong>design</strong><br />
team members to evaluate and deliver the optimum low carbon per<strong>for</strong>mance.<br />
Figure 5: <strong>The</strong> potential <strong>for</strong> capital cost sav<strong>in</strong>gs and operat<strong>in</strong>g energy cost sav<strong>in</strong>gs at<br />
various stages <strong>of</strong> the <strong>design</strong> [EEBPP, 1999]<br />
<strong>The</strong> opportunities to eng<strong>in</strong>eer the build<strong>in</strong>g fabric beg<strong>in</strong> as various options <strong>for</strong><br />
mass<strong>in</strong>g, orientation and layout are tested through the architects’ sketch <strong>design</strong>.<br />
This is the stage at which most <strong>of</strong> the factors that <strong>in</strong>fluence the f<strong>in</strong>al energy<br />
per<strong>for</strong>mance are fixed, albeit sometimes unwitt<strong>in</strong>gly. For <strong>in</strong>stance: <strong>design</strong>s with<br />
more than the optimum proportion <strong>of</strong> glaz<strong>in</strong>g will lead to excessive heat losses<br />
<strong>in</strong> w<strong>in</strong>ter and excessive heat ga<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong> summer, both <strong>of</strong> which will require active<br />
systems to remediate their impact. Meanwhile the excessive glare caused by too<br />
18 <strong>The</strong> Royal Academy <strong>of</strong> Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g