Geography of Change: Water 58” [29”]30° 13' 26” N/ 92° 1' 11” W, 5° 33' 0” N/ 0° 13' 0” W

“Matryoshka Principle” Wet Zone as Organizational Principle Source: Easterling, Keller. Organization Space: Landscapes, Highways, and Houses in America. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 2001.

“Architecture is not about the house but rather about housekeeping.”

• Parameters or protocol organize space and are sites of innovation/opportunity• Markers of active processes, e.g. cycles (verb)• “Simple components gain complexity by their relative position to each other;” couplings can compound meaning

• Localize infrastructure (sourcing)• Let infrastructure occupy our attention• Address water issues

Plan and section

Watersheds of the World: Mississippi, Volta Source: Revenga, C., S. Murray, J. Abramovitz, and A. Hammond, 1998. Watersheds of the World: Ecological Value and Vulnerability. Washington, DC: World Resources Institute.

Mississippi Basin encompasses100% of Louisiana

Volta Basin encompasses70% of Ghana

Louisiana Protocol Source:State of Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Policy on Water Use in “Green” Buildings in Louisiana. July 2008.

58”

30° 12' 52.48” N/ 91° 59' 46.66” W

Allowances (Encouraged)• Rainwater harvesting for irrigation purposes• Water saving faucets and shower heads and other water saving devices such as low flush or dual flush toilets

Allowed by Variance• Waterless urinals • Rainwater for toilet flushing

Prohibited• Alternative drinking water sources (cisterns)• Onsite sanitary disposal • Greywater reuse for potable purposes• Use of non-potable water for showering, or washing of any type• Cross connection or back siphonage potential of any non-potable sources with potable sources.

Territory ConditionsMuch of Southern Louisiana is enclosed by levees with ground surface below sea level. These conditions give rise to water concerns that do not exist in other areas of the United States. The true water table can be more than 10 feet above the ground surface within the area protected by levees. In many areas the ground surface is maintained through constant pumping of ground water. Louisiana also frequently experiences regional hazards such as hurricanes.

Accra Protocol Source:Ghana Building Codes

Territory ConditionsMuch of Accra is 16'-0” above sea level, but parts of it are below sea level. The territory experiences annual monsoons which often create flash floods. Recorded rainfall events have dropped over 12” of rain in under 10 hours. Low infiltration rates in urban areas during peak flooding results in large amounts of fresh water draining into the Gulf of Guinea.

29”

5° 33' 11.79” N/ 0° 13' 31.34” W

Allowances (Encouraged)• Rainwater harvesting• Earth closets (well ventilated) must be entered from external air.• Private waste water treatment (with District Planning Authority approval.)

Case Study: The Estuarine Habitats and Coastal Fisheries Center Images: Erin Bodin

58”

30° 13' 28.41” N/ 92° 2' 41.12” W

Location: Lafayette, LA Owner: NOAA Architect: Eskew+, Guidry, Beazley, Ostteen/Eskew Filson Architects

Wet Zone Strategies

• Greywater system

• Stormwater management

Case Study: BeauSoleil Louisiana Solar Home, 2009 Solar Decathlon Images: Kari Smith

58”

30° 12' 32.65” N/ 92° 1' 13.01” W

Location: Lafayette, LA Owner: University of Louisiana at Lafayette Architect: TEAM BeauSoleil Gross sq.ft.: 800

Wet Zone Strategies

• Rainscreen

Case Study: BeauSoleil Louisiana Solar Home, 2009 Solar Decathlon Images: Kari Smith & Jim Tetro, U.S. DOE

58”

30° 12' 32.65” N/ 92° 1' 13.01” W

Wet Zone Strategies

• Elevated

• Micro-climate zoning

Case Study: Vermillionville Source: Cazayoux, Edward. A Manuel for the Environmental & Climatic Responsive Restoration & Renovation of Older Houses in Louisiana. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. 2003. Images: Erin Bodin

58”

30° 12' 52.48” N/ 91° 59' 46.66” W

Wet Zone Strategies

• Cypress colombage frame with bousillage infill

• Elevated on piers in response to the high water table and seasonal flooding

• Steep roof to shed water quickly

Location: Bayou Vermilion, LA Gross sq.ft.: 800

Case Study: Vermillionville & Lavin-Bernick Center for Student Life Source: Saieh, Nico. Archdaily Images: Erin Bodin & Stephanie Bordelon

62”

29° 56' 22.19” N/ 90° 7' 13.76” W

Location: New Orleans, LA Owner: Tulane University Architect: VJAA Gross sq.ft.: 150,000

58”

30° 12' 52.48” N/ 91° 59' 46.66” W

Wet Zone Strategies

• Use of vegetation

• Micro-climate shading and ventilation, front porch maximizes the duration and space of human comfort buildings can remain open to the exterior up to 5 months of the year

Case Study: Lavin-Bernick Center for Student Life Source: Saieh, Nico. Archdaily Images: Stephanie Bordelon

Wet Zone Strategies

• Large rotary fans circulate air at the building's perimeter.

• Micro-climate thermal zones. Core “refuge” spaces maintain a consistent temperature and relative humidity (75°, 50% RH). “Tempered” peripheral spaces are transitional (80°, 75% RH).

Case Study: Lavin-Bernick Center for Student Life Source: Saieh, Nico. Archdaily Images: Stephanie Bordelon

Wet Zone Strategies

• Clerestory solar vents admit daylight to the core of the building and provide solar-driven ventilation.

• Pendulum and wave fans move air across chilled radiant surfaces.

62”

29° 56' 22.19” N/ 90° 7' 13.76” W

“Matryoshka Principle” Wet Zone as Organizational Principle Positive Water Balance, Ghana House Image: owldr,LLC

29”

5° 33' 11.79” N/ 0° 13' 31.34” W

Location: Accra, Ghana Gross sq.ft.: 725

Vermillionville Cistern Source: National Geographic April 2010. Vol.217. No.4:56. Image: Erin Bodin

Most Americans use 100 gallons per person per day.

The World's poor often subsist on fewer than 5 gallons per person per day.

58”

30° 13' 26” N/ 92° 1' 11” W

Agbogbloshie Rubbish Dump Images: Copyright Andrew McConnell

29”

5° 33' 11.79” N/ 0° 13' 31.34” W

Agbogbloshie Rubbish Dump Images: Copyright Andrew McConnell

29”

5° 33' 11.79” N/ 0° 13' 31.34” W

Agbogbloshie Rubbish Dump Images: Copyright Andrew McConnell

29”

5° 33' 11.79” N/ 0° 13' 31.34” W

Positive Water Balance, Ghana House Image: owldr,LLC

29”

5° 33' 11.79” N/ 0° 13' 31.34” W

Constructed Wetland System

Cassava and Cocoyam Wash

Vegetated roof and filter strip

Edible landscape with native plantings over flow irrigation, food security & preservation of culture.

Stormwater buffer strip

Vermillionville Cistern Source: Banks, Suzy and Richard Heinichen. Rainwater Collection for the Mechanically Challenged. Dripping Springs, Texas: Tank Town Publishing, 2004. Image: Erin Bodin

Determine total catchment area (sq. ft.)

÷ by 1,000

X 550 (to determine gallons collected per inch of rain)

X by average annual rainfall

= possible collection in gallons

58”

30° 13' 26” N/ 92° 1' 11” W

Positive Water Balance, Ghana House Image: owldr,LLC

29”

5° 33' 11.79” N/ 0° 13' 31.34” W

Rainwater Collection: 2,823 gallons annually from secondary roof

Rainwater Collection: 7,895 gallons annually from primary roof(carrying capacity 4 people)

Cistern Capacity: 3,655 gallonsWater security

Constructed Wetland Capacity: 10,283 gallons

Positive Water Balance, Ghana House Source: National Geographic April 2010. Vol.217. No.4:25 Image: owldr,LLC

Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS)Clear PET plastic bottles are placed in the sun for 6 hours. UVA radiation kills viruses, bacteria, and parasites in the water making it safe to drink. Water bottles can be stored to prevent recontamination.

29”

5° 33' 11.79” N/ 0° 13' 31.34” W

Chaco Canyon,1100 A.D. and Teotihuacán, 250 A.D Images: Megan Lorenz

Readily available resources influence the architectural expression.

28”

19° 41' 58.93” N/ 98° 50' 38.31” W

9”

36° 2' 59.06” N/ 107° 56' 36.12” W

Positive Water Balance, Ghana House Source: Joann Gonchar “Quenching the Built Environment's Thirst for Water.” Architectural Record. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies. October 2009. Vol.197, No. 10 : 122Image: owldr,LLC

29”

5° 33' 11.79” N/ 0° 13' 31.34” W

“Dry stack” masonry construction: 207 gallons of water saved on mortar joints.

Earth Closet: 6,424 gallons saved annually.

Toilets account for 30% of an average home's indoor water consumption

“According to an estimate by the Electrical Power Research Institute, about 4 percent of power generation is used for the moving and treating of water and wastewater [in the US].”