Digital Gaming and Sustainable Design

The American building industry is one of the major consumers of energy. Buildings use 39% of thetotal energy consumed in the United States, significantly impacting national energy demand andcontributing to global warming. The vast majority of architectural practice in US leads to construction of buildings with a little concern to sustainability leading to environmental degradation. Although the bulk of architecture practice continues to produce unsustainable buildings, there is growing stream of exemplary models of sustainable design. Examining the success of suchpractices leads into two a two-folded finding; first that achieving sustainable design is closelylinked to “integrated Design”1 - a type of practice in which various disciplines involved in building design work together to achieve efficiency and other synergetic benefits. Second is that theadvances in computing and simulation algorithms are paving the way to achieve “integrateddesign”. These technologies are enabling the designers to collaborate, visualize, foresee, andmodify building performance with relatively high accuracy. They are increasing used to analyze complex systems to achieve streamlined structures, reduce dependence on mechanical systems, produce more effective construction processes, and reduce waste.If such practices were to become widespread, the architectural education needs to be restructured.The traditional American architectural curriculum that is based on a schism between“design” and “technology” is inherently in conflict with the principal of integration. Though largescalereform of architectural curricula is a complex, ongoing, and difficult debate; producing teaching tools that can simulate integrated design can impact and promote an understanding of sustainable practice in architecture. The proposed paper will present the progress of a multi-disciplinary team of faculty who arecollectively working on the completion, implementation and evaluation of a simulation softwarepackage in an interactive game format. The project teaches the concepts of “integrated design ”through immersing students in a virtual world that imitates the complexity of the real world of decision-making and material choices in design. The project accomplishes this by harnessingthe capabilities of simulation and dynamic modeling programs as well as powerful game engineswhile creating compelling and rewarding reasons for student’s engagement in the learning process. The project is funded by the US Department of Education for the period of 2007-2010.

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Teaching Building Design and Construction Engineering. Are we ready for the paradigm shift?

Proceedings of the Canadian Engineering Education Association (CEEA) ◽

10.24908/pceea.v0i0.3633 ◽

2011 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Daniel Forgues ◽

Sheryl Staub-French ◽

Leila M. Farah

Keyword(s):

Paradigm Shift ◽

Integrated Design ◽

Building Design ◽

The United States ◽

Information Modeling ◽

Research Experience ◽

Building Information ◽

Practice Knowledge ◽

Teaching Programs ◽

The Impact

Drastic changes are occurring in the construction industry. Building Information Modeling (BIM) processes and technologies, and new Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) approaches are transforming the way buildings are planned, designed, built and operated. With the needs for new skills to cope with these accelerating changes, architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) associations in the United States are working with universities to reengineer teaching programs, integrating architecture training within an engineering and construction curriculum. Leading universities are already developing new programs, such as BIM studio courses, and promoting new ways to teach practice knowledge within design laboratories.These changes are also starting to occur in the Canadian industry. Some large governmental bodies are starting to request that their projects are designed and built using BIM. Canadian universities must respond to these changing requirements to prepare future architects, engineers, and construction managers for these new challenges and emerging industry needs. This paper provides examples for how to bridge this gap by bringing practice knowledge and research to the classroom. First, it synthesizes the impact of BIM and IPD on engineering practices in Canada. Second, it describes curriculum development undertaken between a school of architecture and two engineering departments for the development of multidisciplinary design studios to teach integrated design and BIM. Case studies are set in urban contexts and include the development of new buildings as well as refurbishment proposals for an industrial obsolete landmark. Finally, learning from this teaching and research experience, it raises questions and issues regarding our readiness to cope with this paradigm shift.

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Defining the sustainable building design process: methods for BIM execution planning in the UK

International Journal of Energy Sector Management ◽

10.1108/ijesm-04-2014-0005 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 562-587 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Maria-Angeliki Zanni ◽

Robby Soetanto ◽

Kirti Ruikar

Keyword(s):

Design Process ◽

Process Model ◽

Sustainable Design ◽

Building Design ◽

Project Delivery ◽

Building Performance ◽

Extensive Literature ◽

Sustainable Building ◽

Content Type ◽

Design Process Model

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to develop a building information modelling (BIM)-enabled sustainable design process model that identifies critical decisions actions in the design process along with the information and level of detail that facilitate an informed and timely decision. Building performance analysis is usually performed after the design and construction documents are produced, resulting in lost opportunities. Design/methodology/approach – A number of research methods have been adopted; these include extensive literature review and 11 in-depth exploratory interviews with industry practitioners (sustainable building design experts, early BIM adopters). Findings – Project delivery methods have a significant effect on the sustainable outcome of buildings. The development of a structured process can assist sustainable design practice among building professionals. Learning from implemented projects, that have utilised BIM processes, facilitates the scope of creating this process and advises future projects to prevent failures. Process mapping is essential to streamline the process, support key project processes and help the design team manage their own responsibilities and deliverables required by them. Originality/value – The identification of the gap and the need for a structured process for sustainable building design for BIM execution is discussed. The synergies that exist between BIM, building performance modelling, Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method assessment and the Royal Institute of British Architects Plan of Work are shown. The effect that project delivery has on sustainable design outcome has been established. A coordinated collaborative design process model is presented based on the findings from interviewing early adopters.

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Architect Familiarity and Perceptions Surrounding Sustainable Design, LEED, and Engineered Wood Products in Arkansas

Journal of Sustainable Architecture and Civil Engineering ◽

10.5755/j01.sace.27.2.25104 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 16-31

Author(s):

Matthew Pelkki ◽

Gabrielle Sherman ◽

Tamara Walkingstick ◽

Kenneth Wallen

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Design ◽

Construction Material ◽

Green Building ◽

Building Design ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Wood Products ◽

Leed Certification ◽

Engineered Wood Products ◽

Engineered Wood

The sustainable building design movement has gained momentum within the United States in recent years. This has led to a proliferation of green building certification programs like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the development of engineered wood products (EWP) like cross laminated timber (CLT). Often, architects serve as the conduit between green building construction material and their use in construction. There is need to investigate the perceptions and practices of architects on the topic of green building certification and EWPs. In partnership with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), this study surveyed registered architects practicing in Arkansas to a) examine interest in and application of LEED certification and b) beliefs related to sustainability, affordability, and availability of EWPs. Results suggest a majority of architects surveyed have interest in the LEED program and have previously earned LEED-certification for a building design. Respondents rated the importance of improving human health and well-being as especially high but appear to doubt the ability of EWP to contribute to sustainable design. Analysis revealed that CLT use is significantly lower than that of more typical EWPs such as plywood panels and glue laminated timber. Architects also indicated that the affordability and availability of modern EWP represent significant barriers to their utilization within the state. To increase the rate of sustainable development, it will be necessary to highlight benefits to human and environmental health and generate interest amongst architectural clientele.

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A review of Building Information Modeling research for green building design through building performance analysis

Journal of Information Technology in Construction ◽

10.36680/j.itcon.2020.001 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 ◽

pp. 1-40 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yun-Tsui Chang ◽

Shang-Hsien Hsieh

Keyword(s):

Performance Analysis ◽

Information Exchange ◽

Building Information Modeling ◽

Integrated Design ◽

Green Building ◽

Building Design ◽

Information Modeling ◽

Building Performance ◽

Green Building Design ◽

Building Information

The strength of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in achieving sustainable buildings is well recognized by the global construction industry. However, current understanding of the state-of-the-art green BIM research is still limited. In particular, a focus study on how BIM contribute to green building design through building performance analysis (BPA) is not available. This paper aims to provide systematic and comprehensive insights on current trends and future potentials of green BIM research by analyzing the existing literature with their research features (i.e. research backgrounds, goals, methods and outputs). In total, 80 publications have been collected, analyzed and discussed. The results show that among ten main BPA types, energy & thermal analysis, green building rating analysis, and cost and benefit analysis are the most studied. However, wind & ventilation analysis, acoustic analysis, and water efficiency analysis receive little attention. Moreover, more research focusing on integrated design analysis should be carried out for optimal design outcome. In addition, most of the collected literature research on the capability of data integration and analysis of green BIM tools, while their capability of visualization and documentation has limited examination. Furthermore, most researchers utilized one main software package while utilization of information exchange formats (IEF) is limited. To increase interoperability of green BIM tools, how different BIM authoring tools and IEFs can be utilized for BPA requires further investigation.

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Is the NZEB Benchmarking Approach Suitable for Assessing Energy Retrofit Design?

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.361-363.402 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 361-363 ◽

pp. 402-407 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Marco Beccali ◽

Alessandra Galatioto ◽

Giuliana Leone ◽

Sonia Longo

Keyword(s):

Energy Balance ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Building Design ◽

Weighting Factor ◽

Building Performance ◽

Existing Building ◽

Physical Constraints ◽

Zero Energy Building ◽

Net Zero Energy Building ◽

Net Zero

Currently, many effort have been done to enable energy saving issues in building design and many definitions have been introduced for most performing constructions based on energy balance between energy demand and supply. Recently, the Net Zero Energy Building theory has bypassed old Passive House concept but many questions still remain open. Present work aims to estimate how NZEB requirements matching could be affected by the choice of their definition and the choice of weighting factor system, to be count in the energy balance. NZEB concept is mainly referred to new buildings design. Its application to existing buildings is for sure an hard task provided the architecture and physical constraints are often problematic. Nevertheless, the benchmarking approach able to assess the building performance according to the NZEB objective can be utilized for other two purposes. The first one is to assess how an existing building is far from the performances of a NZEB. The second one is to assess the contribution of a conventional retrofit in improving its energy balance.

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Experimental Evaluation of Energy-Efficiency in a Holistically Designed Building

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14165061 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (16) ◽

pp. 5061

Author(s):

Raluca Buzatu ◽

Viorel Ungureanu ◽

Adrian Ciutina ◽

Mihăiţă Gireadă ◽

Daniel Vitan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Experimental Evaluation ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Integrated Design ◽

Building Design ◽

Temperate Climate ◽

Considerable Proportion ◽

Insulation Material ◽

Recycled Pet ◽

Operational Life

The building sector continues to register a significant rise in energy demand and environmental impact, notably in developing countries. A considerable proportion of this energy is required during the operational phase of buildings for interior heating and cooling, leading to a necessity of building performance improvement. A holistic approach in building design and construction represents a step to moderate construction costs in conjunction with reduced long-term operating costs and a low impact on the environment. The present paper presents an experimental evaluation of the energy efficiency of a building under real climate conditions; the building, which represents a holistically designed modular laboratory, is located in a moderate continental temperate climate, characteristic of the south-eastern part of the Pannonian Depression, with some sub-Mediterranean influences. Considerations for the holistic design of the building, including multi-object optimization and integrated design with a high regard for technology and operational life are described. The paper provides a genuine overview of the energy efficiency response of the building during six months of operational use through a monitored energy management system. The energetic analysis presented in the paper represents an intermediary stage as not all the energetic users were installed nor all the energetic suppliers. However, the results showed a reliable thermal response in the behaviour of recycled-PET thermal wadding used as insulation material in the building and for the intermediary stage in which the building has only secondary energy users, the energetic balance proves its efficiency, keeping the buffer stock of energy high values over 90%.

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Proposed method for probabilistic risk analysis using building performance simulations and stochastic parameters

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/202017225005 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 172 ◽

pp. 25005

Author(s):

Tomas Ekström ◽

Stephen Burke ◽

Lars-Erik Harderup ◽

Jesper Arfvidsson

Keyword(s):

Risk Analysis ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Energy Use ◽

Building Design ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Probabilistic Methods ◽

Building Performance ◽

Single Family ◽

Stochastic Parameters ◽

The Impact

As parts of the world continue the work of mitigating the impact of climate change, many countries strive for continued reductions in energy demand from buildings by implementing more stringent building regulations. Consequently, the importance of accurate and efficient building performance simulations to predict the energy use of a building design increases. As observed in earlier studies, there are performance gaps between the predicted annual energy demand from building energy performance simulations based on deterministic methods compared to the monitored annual energy use of a building. This paper presents a preliminary method developed using probabilistic methods for risk analysis and building performance simulations to predict the energy performance of buildings using stochastic parameters. The method is used to calculate the probability for the energy performance of a building design to fulfil the energy requirements. The consequences are quantified using an example of energy performance contracting to evaluate the inherent risk of a building’s design. The method was demonstrated in a case study and validated by comparing the results in energy performance and probability of failure against measured data from 26 single-family houses.

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Performance and style in the work of Olgyay and Olgyay

Architectural Research Quarterly ◽

10.1017/s1359135514000475 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 167-176 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

David Leatherbarrow ◽

Richard Wesley

Keyword(s):

Graphical Representation ◽

Building Design ◽

The United States ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Control Device ◽

Simulation Software ◽

Open Architecture ◽

Form Generation ◽

The Difference ◽

Building Energy Analysis

The sun control device has to be on the outside of the building, an element of the facade, an element of architecture. And because this device is so important a part of our open architecture, it may develop into as characteristic a form as the Doric column.Victor Olgyay (1910–1970), a Hungarian architect who came to the United States in 1947 with his twin brother and collaborator, Aladár (1910–1963), is best known today as the author of Design with Climate: Bioclimatic Approach to Architectural Regionalism (1963), an important book often referenced in the environmental building design field [1]. As leaders in research in bioclimatic architecture from the early 1950s to the late 1960s, the Olgyay brothers could be considered the ‘fathers’ of contemporary environmental building design. Their research and publications laid the foundation for much of the building simulation software in use today. Other than the difference between working on graph paper and using computer-generated graphics, there is little difference between Autodesk's Ecotect Analysis (simulation and building energy analysis software) and the Olgyays' techniques for the analysis of environmental factors and graphical representation of climate. The manner in which the Olgyays established connections between building design and the science of climate laid the foundation for the development of environmental simulation, one of contemporary architecture's leading methods of form generation. Victor Olgyay's teaching, however, represents another kind of thinking, a broader concern for architecture, beyond energy performance. ‘The primary task of architecture,’ Olgyay announced to his students, ‘is to act in man's favour; to interpose itself between man and his natural surroundings in order to remove the environmental load from his shoulders.

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