1. Green Buildings Around the World
A Look at the Green Building Movement
Technologico de Monterrey
Campus Queretaro
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Robert J. Kobet, AIA, LEED Faculty
President, The Kobet Collaborative
Pittsburgh, PA and Coconut Grove, FL
www.thekobetcollaborative.com
2. Bedouin Tent Tanja Toraja, Indonesia
Igloo, Artic Circle
Green Buildings?
Santorini, Greece
Raiu Archipeligo?
3. Very Green!
Less Green?
Variations on a theme:
What defines green?
Who defines green? Pittsburgh Civic Arena
Not green at all
DRS Architects 1961
5. The Hannover Principles
Bill McDonough and Partners
Prepared for EXPO 2000 The Hannover World’s Fair
1. Insist on rights of humanity and nature to co-exist
2. Recognize interdependence.
3. Respect relationships between spirit and matter.
4. Accept responsibility for the consequences of design.
5. Create safe objects of long-term value.
6. Eliminate the concept of waste.
7. Rely on natural energy flows.
8. Understand the limitations of design.
9. Seek constant improvement by the sharing of knowledge.
7. There are Different Points of View and Tools
BEE - Building Environmental Efficiency
United Kingdom
BREAM - BRE Environmental Assessment Method
United Kingdom
LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design
US and other Countries
Green Star
Australia
CASBEE – Comprehensive Assessment System
for Building Environmental Efficiency
Japan
8. There are Different Points of View and Tools
And different degrees of difficulty!
Building Environmental Efficiency Calculation Method
9. Fuzhou, China
Baima Canal
500 meters long
Baimi Canal Restoration
12,000 pe
(City Average: 8,000 pe/km)
John Todd, Ecological Design
Ocean Arks International, 2002
Green gestures amongst
green buildings can be very
significant.
43. LEED™ v2.1 SILVER
Fossil Ridge High School 2005 Certification
Fort Collins, CO
Owner: Poudre School District “Building a LEED certified school is the right thing to do, the
Completion Date: August 2004 right thing to teach kids, and the right message to send to
Cost: $38,500,000 ($135.37/SF, bldg + site) the community. And it doesn’t cost more.”
Size: 288,685 SF Michael Spearnak
Annual Utilities Savings: $110,000+ /yr Poudre School District
44. Fossil Ridge High School
Fort Collins, CO
Sustainable Sites
• 1930’s farm bldg now equipment storage
• PSD & City of Ft.Collins share ballfields
• Soccer field is recycled turf material
• White, reflective roof lessens heat island
•Xeriscaping and bio-swales throughout site
Water Efficiency
•Native plantings established with efficient
irrigation system
•Water conservation charrette by project team
benefited many regional projects
• Low-flow plumbing fixtures for showers + sinks Fossil Ridge Site Plan
45. Energy and Atmosphere
Fossil Ridge High School
•Energy use – 59% below ASHRAE 90.1 Fort Collins, CO
•Thermal ice storage HVAC system
•60% of required light levels achieved with daylight
•Sensors in operable windows halt HVAC flow
•5.2 kW PV system located at main entry
•Wind energy purchased for 100% of electrical use
Daylighting Study Diagram
46. Fossil Ridge High School
Materials and Resources Fort Collins, CO
• Over 50% of project
materials manufactured
regionally
• 17% of project materials
comprised of recycled
content
• 70% of construction waste
diverted from landfills
• Gymnasium floor – wood
from a Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC) certified
sustainable forest
47. Fossil Ridge High School
Fort Collins, CO Indoor Environmental
Quality
•Daylighting has an
immediate, positive impact
on occupants
•Non-toxic school – Low-VOC
& no-VOC products used
• PSD implemented a district-
wide green cleaning program
•Two week building flush out
prior to occupancy
48. Innovations/Lessons Learned Fossil Ridge High School
•Hosts Green School conferences and Fort Collins, CO
on–going tours
•Highlighted in numerous green building
videos and articles
•Green Schools do not have to cost
more than conventional buildings –
must employ effective integrated design
Design Team:
Architect: RB+B Architects
General Contractor: Haselden Construction All photography by David Paterson
Daylighting Consultant: Rocky Mtn. Institute
LEED Consultant: Inst. for the Built Envir’mt
Landscape Arch: BHA Design For more information on Green Building & LEED:
Commissioning: Architectural Energy Corp. USGBC – Colorado Chapter www.usgbccolorado.org
Energy Modeling: EMC Engineers
Case Study paid for by the USGBC Colorado Chapter
with support from Xcel Energy Foundation
Case Study by Kristi Barnes, Dan Hady & Brian Dunbar
CSU Institute for the Built Environment
49. HSBC Bank
Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City
HOK Architects 2007 LEED Gold
61. Compressed Earth Bricks
•Made on site with
local soil
•10% cement
• Load Bearing
and structural
•Natural and non-
toxic
•Traditional- used
to build the Great
Wall
Developed under the
March 30, 2006 US/China Cooperation on the Green Olympics
2008
62. Solar Greenhouses with Earth
Walls in Ching Hai Province China
Developed under the
March 30, 2006 US/China Cooperation on the Green Olympics
2008
63. Earth Brick Thermal Mass
Earth Brick thermal mass
with insulation outside
stabilizes indoor temperature.
It absorbs solar heat from the
Earth Greenhouse in winter to
Brick warm the building at night
and cloudy days. In summer
it keeps the building cool
Soy Foam
Developed under the
March 30, 2006 US/China Cooperation on the
Green Olympics 2008
64. GE PV System
PV system and solar
water heating system is
integrated into the roof
glass system
Developed under the
March 30, 2006 US/China Cooperation on the
Green Olympics 2008
65. Solar Heated and Ground Water
Cooled Radiant Mass Walls
•PEX tube is cast in all the
mass walls and floors
•Solar hot water is circulated
to the walls and floors in
winter
•Cool water from a ground
water heat exchanger
circulates through the walls in
summer for cooling
•Ceiling fans in each room
provide additional cooling
•Humidity is controlled by a
desiccant dehumidifier
Developed under the
March 30, 2006 US/China Cooperation on the
Green Olympics 2008
66. Rain Water and Compost Toilet
System
•Rain Water collected from
roof and stored
•Filtered and sanitized with
UV
•City water back up
•Sink water (grey water)
filtered in Plant Bed Filters
in the Greenhouse
•Grey water used to flush
0.5 litre toilets
•Toilets flush to composter
to make fertilizer
March 30, 2006 Developed under the
US/China Cooperation on the
Green Olympics 2008
67. Beijing Rainfall Rain Water
Collection
Potential
•Clean rain water is
collected from roof and
stored in a large
underground tank
• From 2335 litres in
Winter Garden School Rainwater Collection
Potential January to 168174
litres in August can be
200,000 collected from the roof
150,000
•Rain water could
Litres
100,000 supply most of the
50,000 water all year with a
0 large storage tank
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Developed under the
March 30, 2006 US/China Cooperation on the
Green Olympics 2008
68. Grey Water Filtration in
Passive Solar Greenhouse
•Sink water filters through
plant bed filters in the
greenhouse.
•Pre treatment filter
removes grease and hair
•Plants and microbes in
the soil absorb and filter
toxins
•Naturally cleans water as
Clear Clean Water Out in a wetland
•Clean clear water is
used to flush the 0.5 litre
toilets
Developed under the
March 30, 2006 US/China Cooperation on the Green Olympics
2008
69. Composting Toilet System
•Low flush toilets and waterless urinals move
waste to composting chamber in the basement
•Composting chamber is ventilated to promote
aerobic bacteria that digest the waste naturally
•Dry, odorless compost is removed once per
year and used in the landscaping
Developed under the
March 30, 2006 US/China Cooperation on the
Green Olympics 2008
70. Compost Toilet compared to Conventional
Sewage System
Compost system
•Low water
•Low energy
•Non polluting
•Decentralized
•Completes the biological
cycle
Conventional Sewage
System
•High water use
•High energy for pumping
•Polluting- Nitrate runoff to
Developed under the
March 30, 2006 US/China Cooperation on the
rivers…
Green Olympics 2008
•Requires large infrastructure
71. In Vancouver, British Columbia, a 2787 sq. meter office complex, utilizes
composting toilets and urinals for human waste disposal. The new building,
which houses The Institute of Asian Research, is not connected to the city's
sewer system. As well, a subsurface, grey water recycling system with phragmite
(tall grasses) plant varieties, cleanses the grey water which is then used for on-
site irrigation.
Developed under the
March 30, 2006 US/China Cooperation on the
Green Olympics 2008
72. Guilin Olympic City.
Giao Investment Group
Sustainable Design and Development
Observations and Recommendations
Joe Huang, PE Robert J. Kobet, AIA, LEED Faculty
President CEO
White Box Technologies, Inc. The Kobet Collaborative
346 Rheem Blvd., Suite 108D 2951 South Bayshore Drive, Unit 913
Moraga, CA 94556 Coconut Grove, FL 33133
yjhuang@whiteboxtechnologies.com bob@bobkobet.com
www.whiteboxtechnologies.com www.bobkobet.com
(o) (925)388-0265 (c) (510)928-2683 (o) 412-661-5410 (c) 412-980-9725
73. Guilin Olympic City Pattern and Design
The design of Olympic City should:
Locate in or near existing development and transit
Avoid endangering sensitive natural areas (i.e.,
wetlands, critical wildlife habitat)
Not fragment habitat
Minimize impact on agricultural land
74. Olympic City Pattern and Design
The design of Olympic City should:
Consider how people connect to place and to
one another
Provide shared public spaces
Locate housing nearby goods and services
Connect walkable streets to public transit
75. 1
3 4
2
Managing regional and community
water systems can support agri-
business enterprises like
5 aquaculture. Local food and jobs
are created while maintaining
superior water quality.
Design should respond to microclimate condition – available solar energy, prevailing winds,
1 and seasonal variations in rainfall, temperature and relative humidity.
The hydrology and geology of the site should be analyzed for it’s ability to provide potable
2 water, absorb storm water and support the the use of geothermal space conditioning systems.
The existing agricultural uses should be integrated into the new town development.
3 Community gardens can benefit from recycled waste water and composting organic waste.
4 All development should respect local water ways and wildlife habitat.
Buffer zones between development and water ways should be designed to minimize
5 impact on water ways while providing biodiversity and propagation of native plants.
76. 1
3 4
2
New town developments lend
themselves to large scale
5 applications of renewable
energy systems
1 Regional and local wind regimes should be analyzed to determine the feasibility
The hydrology and geology of the site should be analyzed for it’s ability to provide potable
2 water, absorb storm water and support the the use of geothermal space conditioning systems.
The existing agricultural uses should be integrated into the new town development.
3 Community gardens can benefit from recycled waste water and composting organic waste.
4 All development should respect local water ways and wildlife habitat.
Buffer zones between development and water ways should be designed to minimize
5 impact on water ways while providing biodiversity and propagation of native plants.
77. 2
1
4 5
Use light colored permeable
3 paving materials and native
plants
Develop greenways as pedestrian paths using native plants and permeable paving of
1 recycled content.
Consider the use of living (green) roofs as part of the storm water management
2 strategy. Occupants can also enjoy the roof top environment
3 Playing surfaces can be permeable materials with recycled content.
Use integrated pest management to minimize the use of chemicals. Landscape with
4 native plants and species that provide food.
Use permeable paving materials to minimize the need for and size of civil infrastructure.
5
Use light colored paving materials to minimize the urban heat island effect.
78. 1
2
3
4
Green roofs have multiple benefits
5 such as storm water management,
increased green space and food
production.
Consider using the roof tops as habitable space. Base color of roofing materials on
1 whether the units can benefit from light or dark colors.
Orientation of buildings should enable the effective use of solar energy systems. East / west
2 axis should be within 20° of true south. Roof slope should be same as latitude.
Exterior balconies can be effective buffer spaces if they are design to open up and close
3 down with the seasons.
Water features should be part on an integrated waste water / storm water management
4 system. They can also be used for irrigation.
Water features can be part of the pest management strategy and can be used for
5 aquaculture. Avoid the use of chemical treatments in water features.
79. 1
2
Use energy efficient site lighting with full cut off.
There are many solar powered site lighting
3 4 equipment choices.
Building orientation should enable the efficient use of photovoltaic and solar thermal
1 energy systems for space conditioning and water heating.
Balconies on the south south of the buildings can serve as shading devices. They
2 can also be designed as buffer spaces if they can be fully opened and closed in.
Outside spaces are used more often if fitted with insect screens.
Landscaping should be done with indigenous plants, minimize turf monocultures, and
3 avoid the use of toxic herbicides and insecticides.
Project lighting should be done with energy efficient lamps and fixtures that do not contribute to
4 light pollution. Dark sky design conditions are best.
80. Integrated PV
3
1 2
Design buildings to integrate solar
4 5 energy systems or anticipate
future applications.
1 Orient the building within 20° of true south. Use this surface to mount solar energy collectors.
Optimize the building envelope using computer modeling. Balance daylighting, vision glazing
2 and energy performance. Provide kinetic shading devices to control over heating and glare.
Provide roofing material with a high solar reflective index (SRI). Penetrate roof with skylights or
3 light tubes as required to optimize daylighting. Use rain water harvesting to recharge water
conserving plumbing fixtures, irrigation of service water.
4 Use light colored, pervious paving material with high recycled content.
Use native plants as much as possible. Avoid toxic herbicides and pesticides. Implement a
5 development wide composting program and distribute compost on community gardens.
81. 2
1
3
4
Living walls can be used to
provide shade, food and habitat.
Roof systems should be designed for rainwater harvesting and the installation of
1 solar energy systems.
Exterior shading devices can be used to support living walls. These features are very
2 effective for glare control and shading when placed on east and west elevations. The have
less value when placed on the north elevation.
Building envelope performance should be optimized using computer modeling. Quality
3 construction is necessary to insure the buildings perform as anticipated.
Glazing choices should be made using computer modeling to balance daylighting,
4 thermal performance, reduced air infiltration and cost.
