Civil Engineering & Architecture

2.3.2 Green Building & Sustainable Design

1. Rainfall falls on most parcels of property throughout the world. Describe one method that could be used to collect this natural resource.

Rainwater Catchment System• ARCSA is to promote sustainable

rainwater harvesting practices to help solve potable, nonpotable, stormwaterand energy challenges throughout the world.

• harvests rainwater to irrigate roof• distributed by a 3/4 HP Leader pump

to supply sprinklers• project under a deck pictured below

• water collected is used to wash vehicles, flush toilets, irrigate, and provide potable water

http://www.arcsa.org/

2. Describe an innovative construction method or technique that benefits the environment.

Rammed Earth• NAREBA's mission is to promote the

use of Rammed Earth as a building material and method.

• like creating sedimentary rock but very, very quickly

• withstand pressure of 300 pounds per square inch (PSI)

• quite similar to adobe and cob techniques, in that the soil is mostly clay and sand

• material is compressed or tamped into place, usually with forms that create very flat vertical surfaces

• at least a foot thick

http://www.nareba.org/http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/rammedearth.htm

http://home.howstuffworks.com/rammed-earth-home1.htm

3. During the construction cycle of the building, materials and components are delivered to the site. List a strategy that you will use to recycle the waste produced during the construction phase.

Construction & Disposal Waste Management Plan

• reduction, recycling, and reuse of wastes

• landfills regulated under Code of Federal Regulations

• Job Site Tasks:– Sorting– Collection & Hauling– Tipping– Picking– Sorting– Containerization & Transport– Diversion or Disposal

• Question: Where can you find Cleveland Municipal Stadium?

• Answer: the bottom of Lake Erie as a reef.

http://www.constructionbusinessowner.com/topics/law/construction-regulations/recycling-construction-materials-important-part-construction

http://www.wbdg.org/resources/cwmgmt.php

4. Energy use is high in commercial buildings. What might a designer do to reduce energy consumption in a building?

Geothermal• use the natural constant ambient

temperature of the earth to heat in the winter and cool in the summer.

• compressor or heat pump unit, a liquid heat exchanger medium, and an air delivery system

• in heating, geothermal systems take heat from the earth, transfer that heat to a refrigerant, then distribute the heat into the structure with a forced-air or hydronic system

• In cooling, geothermal systems take heat from the structure, transfer the heat to the refrigerant, then transfer the heat back to the water or loop fluid.

• Cuts energy consumption by 25 to 50%

http://www.pioneerees.com/commercial-geothermal/http://www.stellitanohvac.com/geothermal.html

5. Building sites offer natural resources that can be utilized for the life of the building. Describe a method to use a site’s natural resources in the construction of the structure.

• Saltbox Style– south-facing windows and a small

face on the northern side to minimize heat loss from cold north winds

• Passive Solar Heating– Use of a thermal mass, such as a

stone or tile floor, to capture the heat from south-facing windows and release it in the evening when there’s a need for heat

– Slab flooring

• Landscape– Existing trees to provide shade

– Planting deciduous trees to add more shade.

http://www.isopropertyresources.com/Feature-Story/Articles/Green-Building-Methods.htmlhttp://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/passive-solar-home-design

Civil Engineering & Architecture

2.3.2 Green Building & Sustainable Design