Q&A



WEEK 6
According to the readings, how can design for improved indoor environmental quality achieve energy savings? Provide some examples.
The design for improving indoor environmental quality can be solved with energy savings by controlling the thermal comfort and indoor air quality pollutant machine. The Californian researcher made a close examination on how everyone can manage the thermal comfort in California as a test site. One finding is how the efficient temperature copes with the new tools on building occupants, the application on computer networking, and any air quality machine that can improve the indoor environmental quality. Also, the Personal Comfort System (PCS) works well that does not eat up much energy. This device is installed even though this is a low-wattage machine (it does not eat much power). PCS is established on chairs and fans (tool) that can be controlled to get effects on thermal comfort rather than maintaining the entire temperature of the house that can boost up your utility bills. Installing a PCS and new technology can help others maintaining an excellent thermal temperature in a single house. PCS can also be controlled by using your computer and mobile app.
California researcher also mentions a better outcome might be invented for ventilation, heating, and HVAC that can control on new technology. It is 100% proven that these new findings on new technology will work good in the quite future for the homeowners. The Californian researcher is still looking for a way how to let their strong point overcome the technology, so they will not face a big switch on getting a bad indoor environment. More invention and research can help them turn in a proposal and share to the government to make a reasonable conclusion for new devices. My examples of how we can design to improve our indoor environmental quality, so we will have better energy savings, which we can use UV Air Purifiers, Air Cleaner, and Energy Recovery Ventilation. The UV Air Purifier is an ultraviolet that can kill indoor bacteria’s like molds and viruses. Air Cleaners that kill or capture pollution like bad chemicals and others that converts a bacterium to the HVAC. Energy Recovery Ventilators can be controllable the hot (humidity) weather climate inside the house, and it can reduce pollution indoors that can improve indoor environmental quality at home.
What are some of the issues that lead to poor indoor air quality? What are some of the solutions to these issues?
Some of the issues that lead to poor indoor quality are covered on the reading that talks about several reasons why we are facing these challenges at home. These issues can happen to any houses, and it depends on the physical construction if they installed defected items such us, ventilation, leakages on windows and roof, cooling and heating sources, and thermostat on faucets. IAQ covers about the 62.1 that implies the minimum requirements for the house or any buildings. Some of the issues that they include are the poor indoor quality that can happen because of the design process. This defected machinery on the design process can be traced to how well the contractor assembles the item, such as site orientation, outdoor air intakes, ventilation for heating, and HVAC for cooling. The lack of a kind design process can be one of the issues that we experienced in poor indoor quality. Roof leakage can be one of the sources on how poor air quality too because of the moisture from the rooftops and maybe windows. Our outdoor air quality can affect anywhere also.
The solution for this issue of poor air quality is to install or be up-to-date on the fixture on ventilation, HVAC, and renovation on some designed process (to moderate the design process). Let your house cope with the site orientation (purchase a LEED-certified air purifier) and be up-to-date on air cleaning by controlling your indoor air pollution such as get rid of harmful chemicals indoor and outdoor air pollutant. In fact, it is good to be more up-to-date on the design process as it is healthy to have good indoor air quality. Also, make sure of controlling any moisture\re from windows and roofing. It is also good to control contamination like outdoor pollution that can go inside the house, and it can ruin the indoor air quality.
Office too hot or cold. Researchers aim for comfort, energy efficiency_Maclay 2013.pdf

Persily_ASHRAE New IAQ Guide.pdf

Week 5
According to the reading, why is the industry moving from “cherry-picking style labeling (BPA-free or 50% recycled content)” to material ingredient disclosure? What are the effects of requiring ingredient disclosure on other products, not just building products?
The reading from the “Made of the Right Stuff” by Paula Melton deals with a market demands that wanted to outreach to be cleaner environment that most ingredients are made of BPA-free or 50% recycled content that has cleaner environment throughout the U.S. This program helps our market’s demands to have fewer expenses on newer things. Most of the products are made of a 50% recycled content which is a good idea for more modern ingredients on every product that we buy that are made of recycled materials. We as a buyer have to make sure what types of materials that were used to make the products that we support to make it safer for us (environmentally wise) as we can support our country’s manufacturers method, and it will help us defend our country to be cleaner. Some manufacturers have overstock that they can reuse the other products to make a newer model by recycling older stocks as one of the purposes of BPA-free or 50% recycled content. This project is one of the best ways for the concept of ingredients disclosure to improve our economy that can save more money. It tends to have a cheaper rate for every product. I used to work in a manufacturing warehouse and a bindery warehouse, and they keep telling us that 50% percent of recycled material used in every content tends to give us cheaper rate in every product that we buy. This can also help us to have an ingredient disclosure to improve our surrounding not to be polluted. There is a lot of manufacturing warehouse do not know how to get rid with the older products, and it is good to recycle the leftovers to get more space in every warehouse, and that tends to have less pollution in certain places. Cradle to Cradle (C2C) idea helps other toxic materials can be avoided in every manufacturing plants, and this idea helped move toxic waste from any products that made every manufacturer go cheaper and have a safer atmosphere. This can help our economy to have better improvement in our stocks and economy. This method became popular here in Oregon. More and more unwanted products are used as a product to be recycled, so they can reuse the 50% recycled content to a new product. The program helps another manufacturer to have a better effect out of fresh ingredients disclosure that not knowing how to get rid of the older product. This is one of the best methods and get rid of some leftovers can help another manufacturing warehouse to have less pollution; therefore, it is good to recycle while we get a tax credit from LEED certification. Building products are not hard to do but getting rid with a product can be very hard to do when millions of pieces get piled up in any warehouse plant, and it is good to think ahead to recycle the older product so that they can reuse the unwanted products.
Why should designers be concerned about the embodied energy of products?
Embodied energy became the issue of any designer as energy is one of the most important sources for any buildings and houses. Embodied energy is a source of energy used in any products life cycles. It is essential that any designers have to pick a cheaper way on how to save energy source for any manufacturer’s sites. This embodied energy is calculated how much power is used after the manufactured materials is being consumed. Embodied energy is significant to estimate because we use our embodied energy in what we see in the modern world like cars, clothing, houses, building, any machinery, etc... There are a lot of designers that are still looking for a way for us to save embodied energy usage. In the future, we all hope that can budget less energy in our houses and any buildings while new methods of designs used less represented power. We can reduce embodied energy by looking and picking the right designer and models for our houses to lessen the usage of electricity. We can also check the specs for energy footprints of any buildings. Any designers should be concerned about any embodied energy used as a customer’s always wanted to budge on any energy used in their own place. Less embodied energy used tends to have less pollution in that area. When embodied energy consumption is used in any houses and products more fossil fuel will be used in the electric company. It is good that we think ahead and reuses any recycled products that came from a store, which can help reduce energy consumption. These reuse products have less impact on any consumed energy project to any new construction. This method can support at least 30% of the effects of our environment changes. Many materials absorb fewer embodied energy; for example, the customer might want the designer to design a stone building, which stone made construction absorb less embodied energy. It is good to do a research first before making a final decision in a secure designed home, which customers can budget much money by different bargaining materials to use for a project.
If you wanted the BAC to follow Google’s example for healthy materials, how would you go about it?
Lately, Google’s vision about their healthy materials program became well-known for screening any workplaces. This project reaches all around North America projects. They believe that it is healthier to have a cleaner workplace, and their advice is to have a sustainable workplace all around the U.S. This includes getting rid of all avoided substances as it can make a big challenge on any existing buildings. Google’s Healthy Materials Program aims to have a LEED Gold Certification to their projects as their primary goal. The Google’s Healthy Materials Project also covers recycled materials to the programs because there are many manufacturers does not know what to do after building new products, and they do not know how to dispose of their older products, so they launch and included the recycled content to the Google’s Healthy Materials Project. LEED trained Google’s corporation not to accept a toxic material like for formaldehyde. Google’s Healthy Materials Project was to help other individuals to watch out for any health like formaldehyde, furniture’s, duct liner, and fabric window shades. Google’s Corporation will also launch a systematic air-quality program testing for a future project.
I think that project is good for people who have respiratory issues like me. I am looking for a way or solve my environment because of the respiratory problems that I have. It would be better if the BAC will follow Google’s Healthy Material Program as the BAC is going for a sustainable environment. It is true that launching a sustainable design program can be a little bit different if there is no support on LEED certification. The BAC has to extend different ways for other students to develop sustainability at the BAC. While the BAC is a high technology-based school that they can go further in developing a better idea on Google’s Healthy Materials Project, also, I will like to add a Google search that links to the BAC Portal so that the customers can be updated with pieces of information and questions. It is true that funding is essential for futurist plans to be done, so Google search engine that is designed for the BAC can use that also accept government funding is a good idea for this project to come true. Besides, a bigger warehouse for other materials needed to be confiscated by the government is a good idea to drop the avoidable elements that can be stored.
Sources Used:
Made of the Right Stuff? (Melton, 2013); Material LIFE
Embodied Energy of Building Materials(CannonDesign, 2013), 2-5
A Peek Inside Google’s Healthy Materials Program (Malin, 2012)
Assign Project 02_Zero-Net Energy/Water Boston: Site (Presentations Week_10)
Week 3
Why is building energy and water use monitoring important?

Americans have the right to conserve energy and water usage because both subject matters are fundamental topics to monitor. We have to watch any usage of electricity and water to budget on paying our bills. According to the reading from the Eco Building, our water usage became scarce that every state is wasting water, which can lead to severe problems. Our electric companies used water to create energy, especially our electric companies are using fossil fuel to generate power. Every human nowadays depends on electricity and water while our new technologies take a lot of energy consumption. LEED also teaches everyone to use sustainability method on our energy and water source. It is good to monitor our electric meter and water meter every day at home, and the result is to help our environment not to be polluted. We can also stay away from high cost of electricity and water bills. Energy consumption in any buildings can be avoided by following the advice from LEED. Sustainability is always the best way to help our environment. We use our heating (ventilation), hot water, lighting, and appliances, which our electric company generate energy from fossil fuel. It is good to eliminate the pollution by following the guidelines from LEED. Eco-friendly machinery and materials can help us live with less pollution at home, and we can save much money by using it. There are a lot of LEED cost-effective energy and water machines available in the store that we can use to monitor our expenses. It is a good hobby and activity for us to help our environment in urban, suburban, and urban environment to help improve our ecosystem as our primary goal for our future. In Canada, LEED certification Buildings are required for the government to be up-to-date to be licensed. Smith L., said that, “During the design process, VIU stressed the impor­tance of continued energy monitoring and verification to allow optimization of the building’s annual energy and water consumption. Continuous metering devices with BACnet protocol were installed on the water, gas and electricity services, including separate meters for the lighting systems, plug loads, mechanical loads and the boilers. These meters are all connected into the cen­tral energy monitoring and control system where data is collected and trend logged, providing a valuable tool for troubleshooting and correcting the deviations from the anticipated building performance” (page 36).
It is suitable for Canada as they will be safe in pollution while using renewable energy, and lower on electricity and water bills. Signing up for LEED certification, they will give you LEED credits that help us save on our budget while maintaining our ecosystem to have a better climate change in the future. Our economics and environmental problems will run just okay by following the strategic guidelines on helping our pollution to be less polluted.  There is a lot of cost-effective energy and water machine that are available to any states. I live in Portland, OR, and I have a lot of strength and water guidance to follow as it required from the State of Oregon. The State of Oregon always recommends getting eco-friendly lighting, appliances, and water filter. Also, we have to follow the rules to lessen energy consumption at home. It is suitable for all of the university students to monitor our use of technologies for energy and water. Doing research of our urban development can also help us control our climate change and economic purposes. There are LEED Certification classes available throughout the U.S. Energy conservation is very important that we can eliminate the emission from polluted air. I am very asthmatic, and I have no choice to help myself except following some guidelines on LEED Certification just to improve my environment that surrounds me. It helps save me a lot of money on LEED credits. Smith, L., said that “To provide additional energy savings, the central water-to-water heat pumps were piped for simultane­ous heating and cooling, without the use of the geo-exchange field. This occurs twice a year during shoulder seasons when the north-facing spaces require heating, but the south-facing spaces need cooling. This design strategy uses a single heat pump unit to satisfy both the heating and cooling load by transferring the excess heat from one zone to another. This is the most efficient mode of operation for the water-to-water heat pump with a coefficient of performance of 7.1.” (page 35).
The AIA Guide to Integrating Energy Modeling in the Design process states that energy is a design problem. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?
The AIA article mentioned that energy is a design problem. Designing power to the built environment can be a little bit hard for others to develop because there are a lot of codes and ordinances to follow in the U.S. Also, it depends on the energy performance that architects chose whether it would be the right fit to our built environment’s project and purposes. The other thing energy can be a design problem while the cost of renewable energy can be so high in prices. Measuring the space, and it will all the depends on any project that might need high technology and machinery. The renewable energy has to fit into the space inside the house and buildings. It might rely on renewable energies made of, and it all depends on the architects and engineers if they have time to sit researching to come up with an idea right away. Remodeling software’s, mechanical, and electrical has to be exact to build a greenspace or built environment. This all matters on newer technologies to catch up with eco-friendly types of machinery and materials. Producing renewable energy has to be accurate research and installing by the engineers and architects, so renewable energy will work correctly after installing it. Also, the clients have to agree with the architects and engineers to pursue the design project. There is a lot of trial and error for building renewable energy to the built environment. AIA said that, “Today, engineers typically size buildings systems to meet the demands created by program, use, and aesthetic desire. Architects and our clients have become addicted to what engineers can do for us. No matter what we design, we assume our engineering counterparts and other consultants will be able to make our ideas work at the building systems level. High performance building codes like CALGreen and the International Green Construction Code (IgCC), as well as many local building codes and ordinances, voluntary green building programs, the AIA 2030 Commitment, and the 2030 Challenge, are beginning to show us that this long-accepted way of working is not yielding optimal results. A more holistic, collaborative approach to design will be vital as energy and operations costs rise and as energy targets are codified” (page 7).
            I agree with the AIA article that energy is a design problem, and it can be solved right away by following the LEED guidelines and the requirements for the State of Oregon. I am a Historic Preservationist, and I remodel used houses. Also, I renovate landscaping as I grew up as a landscape designer. As long as I can solve the issue of my projects, I will be fine finishing up my research. Explaining energy efficiency does matter on different types of project to project. As a Historic Preservationist, I used my LEED certification and credits, and it all depends on how the customers will agree or disagree on types of my layout designing. I take a lot of time doing research on my own behalf as a Historic Preservationist to get the right materials that will fit on my customers' needs. Installing the right renewable energy source can be hard while short circuits can occur to anyone, especially you are in charge of the project. After the decision of my clients, it will help me get very motivated on finishing my project on time. AIA said that, “The language surrounding energy and resource modeling can be confusing at times and can mean slightly different things to different people. Similarly, several terms and concepts are confusing because their definitions are evolving as energy modeling becomes more robust and widespread and high-performance building codes expand.

Is water a design problem? Why?

Water efficiency is essential for all of us, who are living in the urban life setting. Water can be a design problem for those who are less educated in saving our environment. Many buildings waste a lot of energy and water. While spending energy consumption, we are losing our water too because our electric companies throughout the U.S. use water also. There are many studies that we might have water scarce in the future, but we can conserve water every day and reusing the water that we use for planting crops. It is good to recycle water, for it helps us save money on water bills. Water is a not design problem for me. I use much water because I am a city farmer, especially during the spring and summer, which I can produce food for my family. However, water conservation is significant that we tend to waste our water consumption twice as much as the analysis showed that went more than twice the consumption of water a year. Also, it is good to reach out every building in any cityscape to conserve using our natural rainwater, drainage, and storm water. Ecohome (2013) said that, “Establish a forum for governance. City leaders can establish regulatory frameworks and financing strategies to encourage the widespread application of alternate water sources. San Francisco, for example, resolved its regulatory issues by creating the Non-Potable Water Program, a local program for regulating on-site water use that was codified in September 2012 through a city ordinance. This task involved coordination between three city agencies to provide a streamlined permitting, review, and approval process for on-site system installation and operation. This fall, the city plans to expand the program to allow and encourage district—or multiparcel—water reuse applications. By working together on a district-scale, two or more buildings can aggregate their treatment and reuse of alternate water supplies in order to be able to maximize their water reuse” (page 3). The Eco building Pulse article also mentions that there are newer plumbing codes that everyone here in West Coast has to follow in any houses and buildings. This guideline helps all of us to keep sustainable, especially here in San Francisco and Portland area. These guidelines are too important to follow that we might lose our houses and buildings for licensing. Bigger cities warned every citizen and implemented to use recycled water inside our urban’s cape. Also, it is cost-effective to use renewable energy at home too. In the real-life setting, we waste more than 100 gallons at home, so that would be the time to save much water in the future. For more ideas in water recycling, EnergyStar and LEED Certification will talk more about people want to lessen their water consumption.
            The Federal Government are raising funds to eliminate on wasting our rainwater. Stormwater can cause erosion, flooding, water pollution, and floodplain throughout our urban landscape setting. It can cause destruction to our urban, farmland, and urban environment. Water is designed to help us live, and it is good to recycle the water that we use for another living environment to grow. I used my recycled water to clean my free materials while I worked as a landscaper and carpenter. In my opinion, redesigning our urban landscapes and our water drainage in our cityscape can help us not experiencing a flood or other natural disaster, and pollution. Our stormwater and rainwater can be managed in a safer way for our urban environment. There are ways how we can save our natural water source in our urban landscape. There are a lot of cost-effective machines and materials that we can use for our homes, buildings, agriculture, food industry, and water runoffs. Rainwater and stormwater runoffs are a waste of free water source, and it will create flooding if we do not redesign to conserve our natural water source. It would be better if we can generate ideas on how we can fix our strategies on how we can set our sewer, drainage, and site planning, and wetlands. If we leave our wetlands to be corroded, it will be better to install eco-friendly machines or tank so that we can reuse the water our greenhouses, roofs, and pavements. We can reuse the water from wetlands by providing an Eco Machine Aquatic Cells. It can help us feed our family and poor by using it to our greenhouses to provide vegetable plants. Farr said that, “Eco Machine Aquatic Cells. After the constructed wetland or Advanced Wetland Treatment System, secondary treated effluent flows into Aquatic Cells, open, aerobic tank-based systems most often housed in a greenhouse or other light-filled buildings but with possibilities for being outside in warm climates. Each tank is designed through a balance of engineering and ecology to perform a different but critical step in the treatment process” (page 186).         
Reading References:
Site Engineering for Landscape Architects (Strom et al, 2009), 157-187

Sustainable Urbanism (Farr, 2008), 175-178

Vision 2020 Water Efficiency (Kehoe & Rhodes, 2013)

Strategies for Sustainability, ASHRAE Journal (Smith, 2013)

An Architect’s Guide to Integrating Energy Modeling in the Design Process (AIA Energy

Modeling Working Group, 2012), 7-14, 42-44

Sustainable Urbanism (Farr, 2008), 185-187

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